Vorwald Letters

The Vorwald Letters are a collection of correspondence between Dr. Arthur J. Vorwald, an industrial medicine researcher at the Saranac Laboratory, and asbestos industry executives during the 1940s and 1950s. The letters document how industry sponsors of asbestos disease research reviewed, edited, and suppressed findings about the health hazards of asbestos before publication. They are a key piece of historical evidence showing that companies knew about asbestos dangers decades before warning workers or the public.

Origin

Dr. Arthur Vorwald directed the Saranac Laboratory in upstate New York, which conducted animal studies on asbestos under contracts funded by Johns-Manville, Raybestos-Manhattan, and other manufacturers. The letters surfaced in litigation beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly through the discovery efforts of attorney Karl Asch and later cases that compelled production of industry archives. They have been cited in landmark rulings such as Borel v. Fibreboard (1973) and many subsequent verdicts.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For patients and families, the Vorwald Letters are part of the documentary backbone proving that the asbestos industry had early, specific knowledge that its products caused cancer and lung disease, and chose to conceal it. Plaintiffs' attorneys routinely introduce these letters and related Saranac documents to establish corporate knowledge, defeat statute-of-limitations defenses based on "state of the art," and support claims for punitive damages. If your case involves exposure dating back to the 1940s, 1950s, or 1960s, this correspondence helps show that the manufacturer knew the risks during your exposure period, not just after.

Example Sentence

At trial, the plaintiff's lawyer presented the Vorwald Letters to show that Johns-Manville executives had edited out references to cancer in the Saranac findings before they were published.

Related Terms

Saranac Laboratory, Sumner Simpson Papers, Asbestos Industry Cover-Up, State-of-the-Art Defense, Punitive Damages, Corporate Knowledge

Notes

• If your exposure occurred before 1970, ask your legal team whether the Vorwald Letters and Saranac documents are part of the corporate-knowledge evidence in your case.
• Preserve any employment records, union materials, or product literature from your work history. These help tie the manufacturer's documented knowledge to your specific exposure.
• These letters are particularly important in punitive damages claims; ask your attorney how historical industry documents factor into the damages theory in your jurisdiction.
• The Vorwald correspondence is often introduced alongside the Sumner Simpson Papers; understanding both helps explain why juries have returned large verdicts against manufacturers that knew and stayed silent.