Ask the Scholar
Page 1 of 4
I can add historical knowledge about this page.
Page image
OCR
June 12th, 1928.
Hammer Radium Company,
622-23 Central Savings Bank Bldg.
Denver, Colorado.
Attention Mr. R. F. Hammer
Dear Mr. Hammer:
We are quite aware that the publicity recently given the
so-called "Radium Poisoning" cases has seriously impaired the business
of those engaged in the distribution of radium and radio-active products.
We have given careful consideration to all possible means for combating
this publicity, and have arrived at a policy which we believe will in
the long run prove to be correct.
There is a grave question of doubt in our minds, as well
as in those of a number familar with the situation, as to the condition
claimed by the complainants in this action, but unfortunately for us,
although fortunate for the complainants, their legal counsel chose to
try these cases in the public press rather than in the courts, and we
must admit that he has been very successful. Through the publicity
which he has given these cases the public sentiment has been so forma-
lated that had we been forced to go to trial before a jury in this
distfict, we would have been unquestionably defeated - not on the facts
of the case, but upon the opinions which had been formulated through
reading the papers. In fact the publicity given the cases had forced
the New Jersey Courts to a point where I don't believe there is one
judge in a hundred who would have had the courage to treat these cases
as they should have been treated - that is not taking into consideration
public opinion.
We, therefore, deemed it advisable to buy our peace by
settling these cases, and for the time being satisfying the public. We
denied liability in these cases, and have so stated in our settlement.
It is our opinion that the complainants will in a very short period
of time be normal in their health, insofar as any injury which they may
have received at our plant is concerned.
Had we attempted to controvert the publicity given these
cases we feel that such a procedure would have only tended to aggravate
the condition, rather than alky it. As you know news has been rather
carce of late, and there is nothing the press would have liked better
"n to have come to us with the statements of the complainants, and
ived our reaction, then gone back to the complainants with our story,
You must realize that in the Court of Equity, the Complainants
d their case, but up to the time of settlement we had never
1 our defense in court. For this reason you can see that it
ave been out of order and methical for us to have attempted to
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 7d84b16794ffaa3d
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 75722902
- Core
- doc
- Type
- document
DTO data
{
"id": "75722902",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Letters Sent to R.F. Hammer, June 12, 1928",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902",
"collections": [
"Safety Light Collection",
"Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"imageCount": 4,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "75722902",
"label": "Letters Sent to R.F. Hammer, June 12, 1928",
"core": "doc",
"dtoType": "document",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "75722902",
"sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902",
"contentType": "document",
"title": "Letters Sent to R.F. Hammer, June 12, 1928",
"citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902",
"collections": [
"Safety Light Collection",
"Records Related to Radium Dial Painters"
],
"iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"imageCount": 4,
"hasImages": true,
"source": "import",
"hasTranscription": false
}
Document source extras
{
"url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75722902",
"naId": 75722902,
"levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
"recordType": "description",
"ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}
Page context
{
"seq": 1,
"pageIndex": 0,
"type": "photo",
"url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/SLC/Radium/SLC_0001371_Page_1.jpg",
"mediaId": "7d84b16794ffaa3d",
"ocrText": "June 12th, 1928.\nHammer Radium Company,\n622-23 Central Savings Bank Bldg.\nDenver, Colorado.\nAttention Mr. R. F. Hammer\nDear Mr. Hammer:\nWe are quite aware that the publicity recently given the\nso-called \"Radium Poisoning\" cases has seriously impaired the business\nof those engaged in the distribution of radium and radio-active products.\nWe have given careful consideration to all possible means for combating\nthis publicity, and have arrived at a policy which we believe will in\nthe long run prove to be correct.\nThere is a grave question of doubt in our minds, as well\nas in those of a number familar with the situation, as to the condition\nclaimed by the complainants in this action, but unfortunately for us,\nalthough fortunate for the complainants, their legal counsel chose to\ntry these cases in the public press rather than in the courts, and we\nmust admit that he has been very successful. Through the publicity\nwhich he has given these cases the public sentiment has been so forma-\nlated that had we been forced to go to trial before a jury in this\ndistfict, we would have been unquestionably defeated - not on the facts\nof the case, but upon the opinions which had been formulated through\nreading the papers. In fact the publicity given the cases had forced\nthe New Jersey Courts to a point where I don't believe there is one\njudge in a hundred who would have had the courage to treat these cases\nas they should have been treated - that is not taking into consideration\npublic opinion.\nWe, therefore, deemed it advisable to buy our peace by\nsettling these cases, and for the time being satisfying the public. We\ndenied liability in these cases, and have so stated in our settlement.\nIt is our opinion that the complainants will in a very short period\nof time be normal in their health, insofar as any injury which they may\nhave received at our plant is concerned.\nHad we attempted to controvert the publicity given these\ncases we feel that such a procedure would have only tended to aggravate\nthe condition, rather than alky it. As you know news has been rather\ncarce of late, and there is nothing the press would have liked better\n\"n to have come to us with the statements of the complainants, and\nived our reaction, then gone back to the complainants with our story,\nYou must realize that in the Court of Equity, the Complainants\nd their case, but up to the time of settlement we had never\n1 our defense in court. For this reason you can see that it\nave been out of order and methical for us to have attempted to"
}