Dr. Paul Kotin to J. A. McKinney on the Denison and Stockton X-Ray Studies (1977)

A memo of January 14, 1977, from Dr. Paul Kotin, J-M's senior vice president for health, safety and environment, to J. A. McKinney, sending updates of employee X-ray surveys at the Denison, Texas, and Stockton, California, plants. The films were read by Drs. George Jacobson and George Wright. Kotin reported that "definite parenchymal asbestosis ascribable solely to exposure at either of these two plants has not been demonstrated thus far," though "pleural changes have been noted," and he called "pleural asbestosis" a term for which there "really is no such specific disease." He also wrote that "insufficient time has elapsed" to rule out disease from exposure at the plants.

What it shows

The two attachments list workers at each plant by name under headings such as "Pleura Asbestosis" and "Pulmonary plus Pleura Asbestosis," with notes on earlier jobs (Navy pipefitting, railroad steamfitting, 22 years at the Manville plant) that might account for their changes. Kotin credited the engineering controls at both plants with "a clear and highly significant reduction of all asbestos-related changes." Six months later the Stockton experience was the centerpiece of J-M's letter to Nicolet's chairman (McKinney and Gabrielson on Stockton and mesothelioma), where Kotin insisted the pleural changes be acknowledged. See also Manville Stockton plant.

About this copy

Only Kotin's memo is published here. The two attachments (pages 2 and 3) are held back because they list named employees with their X-ray diagnoses, in records less than 50 years old.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Paul Kotin gives J.A. McKinney (1/14/77) an update on the employee x-ray studies conducted at the Denison, Texas and Stockton, California plants. The films were read by Drs. George Jacobson and George Wright. Dr. Kotin states that pleural changes have been noted at the plants but "definite parenchymal asbestosis ascribable solely to exposure at either of these two plants has not been demonstrated thus far." "There can be little doubt that the engineering controls installed at both Denison and Stockton have contributed to a clear and highly significant reduction of all asbestos-related changes, and with up to this time specific non-occurrence of asbestos lung disease."