Letters Received to H.H. Barker, January 24, 1929

DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDICAL COLLEGE FIRST AVENUE AND 28TH STREET JAN 25 1929 NEW YORK January 24, 1929. Mr. H.H. Barker, U. S. Radium Corp. 535 Pearl Street, New York City. My dear Mr. Barker: The superintendent of the Memorial Hospital has handed me the enclosed bills for radiographic work on the radium patients under our care. The Commission felt that this record is essential for adequate study of the cases and have directed me to approve the bills. I have a request from Mr. Berry that we issue a formal statement of our findings in these cases with our conclusions that the patients are actually suffering from radium poisoning and Dr. Krumbhaar rather favors this acti on. Dr. Craver, Dr. Failla and I are not disposed to issue any formal statement. We feel that our responsibility is to the Court. We have already acquainted you with the general result of our study, which supports the view that the patients are suffering from radium poisoning. We see no necessity for issuing any signed statement to anybody. We do not know what use might be made of such a statement, and we do not want it published in the press. Will you please indicate your views. I have a letter from Miss Florence Holloway 306 Langford Street, Asbury Park, N.J. She says she worked in the Orange, N. J. Radium Plant from 1918 to 1920 and that her doctor thinks she is suffering from radium poisoning She wishes me to test her for radio activity. I shall decline, because I am not a practitioner, and I think the Commission should have nothing to do with this case. Nevertheless it appears to us that we ought not to withhold aid from any person who is sick, and whom we may be able to help, and therefore we suggest that Dr. Craver individually, with Dr. Failla, might test this case and advise her physician. Of course if we find her radio active it would probably involve us in legal difficulties, and I think Craver wishes to avoid that. Will you kindly advise us on this matter. Sincerely yours James Ewing