J. P. Woodard to Arthur J. Vorwald on Labeling Diatomaceous Earth and the Delayed Saranac Studies (1952)

A one-page letter of January 7, 1952, from J. P. Woodard of Johns-Manville to Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald, director of the Saranac Laboratory, with a copy to Dr. A. J. Lanza. Woodard writes that "two or more State laws make it advisable for us to label packages of diatomaceous earth as a material that can cause some harm if breathed to excess," that labels were ready, and that customers were being sent an explanation with their invoices. Great Lakes Carbon was doing the same. Citing customer inquiries and a magazine article he considered alarming and "not true to facts," Woodard asks when J-M could have the results of the diatomaceous earth inhalation studies Saranac had begun in 1948.

What it shows

J-M's decision to put caution labels on its Lompoc diatomaceous earth (sold as Celite) was prompted by state labeling laws. The labels themselves, and J-M's instructions to its plants, are in H. M. Jackson's May 1952 memo to plant managers. The same Illinois law led to a debate over labeling asbestos fiber, in the 1952 memos on Illinois labels. Woodard's letter also shows that Saranac's animal studies on diatomaceous earth, expected by the end of 1951, were still unfinished.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

J.P. Woodard writes to Dr. Vorwald, 1/7/52, stating that state laws make it advisable for J-M to label packages of diatomaceous earth as a material that can cause some harm if breathed to excess. Woodard states that labels are being prepared and the practice is being started. As a part of the plan, customers will also be sent along with their invoices an explanation of the reason for the practice and some comments about it.