H. M. Jackson and Arthur J. Vorwald on Delaying the Dominic Bertogliat Report (1948)

Two letters about Dominic Bertogliat, a worker at J-M's Waukegan, Illinois, plant who had died. On July 28, 1948, H. M. Jackson, J-M's safety engineer, thanked Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald of the Saranac Laboratory for obtaining "the tissue specimens" and said the company was "disturbed by the findings." "Because of the personal relationships involved in handling this case at the Waukegan plant," he asked that Vorwald's report to Dr. Berdez, the outside doctor, be "delayed for a time," probably no more than two or three weeks. Vorwald replied on August 2 asking to be told when the "appropriate steps" had been taken, and reminding him of his obligation to send his findings to the outside doctor.

What it shows

The letters do not say what Vorwald found; his letter of July 20 is not in the file. Earlier in 1948 J-M had arranged for Bertogliat's widow to be visited after Travelers Insurance paid her a $5,000 death claim (Woodard to Day, January 1948). Here the company asked the laboratory it relied on to hold back a finding from the outside doctor on the case while it took steps at the plant, and Vorwald, while agreeing to wait, noted that he had "merely returned the slide" so far.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dominic Bertogliat claim from Waukegan plant. On 7/28/48, Vorwald concludes asbestosis may result from relatively "slight" exposures and so advises J-M. Subsequent information shows Bertogliat had additional, heavier exposures. H.M. Jackson requested that Vorwald delay reporting this diagnosis back to private pathologist. "Because of the personal relationships involved in handling this case at the Waukegan plant, it would be desirable for us if your report to Dr. Berdez could be delayed for a time. I could advise you when the appropriate steps have been taken at Waukegan. I do not believe the delay would be more than two or three weeks." Vorwald agreed to delay, letter dated 8/2/48, but asks them not to take too long. Jackson shortly thereafter okayed a report.

Editor's note: J-M's description says Vorwald concluded that asbestosis could result from "slight" exposures and that Jackson later approved the report. Neither appears in the two letters in this file; Vorwald's letter of July 20, 1948, is not included.

Related documents

• J. P. Woodard to E. F. Day on the Bertogliat Death Claim (1948)