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th, 1930.
Dr. Robert 3, Humphries end 1 spent a little over an hour discussing
the radius situation yesterday afternoon at the New Jersey Orthopaedic Hospital,
and I will endeavor to herewith give you 8 resume of the principal points covered.
1. Dr. Husphries showed ce X-ray plates of a WORRD by the name of Rrs.
saver whom be claims is suffering from radium necrosis of the hip bones, end he
feels that her case will continually progress and that in time she will suffer
material, limitation of notion. Be feels that her dride is somewhat snalogous
to that of Use. McDonald, and will probably follow the same course. At the
present time she is in fairly good condition insofar as being able to get about
and attend to her regular duties. However, Dr. Rusphries feels that her con-
dition is largely due to his efforts in her behalf.
Dr. Humphries has advised Ers. Saox that she is a redium case, and
that she should have compensation for her injuries. # He wrote Judge Clark
soláciting his services in her behalf, but Judge Clark replied that inasmich
on there were other radium cases before the Federal Court at the present time
he did not feel that he should become connected with the case. Dr. Hunphries,
therefore, felt justified in calling the case to our attention with the hope
that it could be settled out of court. Dr. Humphries indicated that Er. Saox
has not discussed her condition to ony extent with people other than hisself,
and would such prefer not to do so, unless it becomes necessary in order to
protect her rights.
was unable to get a detailed history of Mrs. Sacx, such as dates of
her employment, her maiden name and past history, but Dr. Husphries told ne
that if I would call his by 'phone some time the middle or latter part of next
week be would be glad to give this information to S. # In trying to find out
what Dr. Humphries felt would be & fair compensation for Mrs. Saox be indicated
that a settlement similar to that effected with the five girls two years ago
this June, he felt would be quite in order. a believe that 7I succeeded in
getting across to him the fact that #0 would nover enter into any agreement
such as that entered into with the five cases regarding annuities, and that any
settlement effected would have to be 6 flat our, I also indicated that I felt
10,000 rather ample for a légitimate case with total disability, and that in my
personal opinion the nost such a 0000 should expect to get would be that
allowed by compensation.
-2-
As the matter now stands there will be no further steps taken
until I obtain the information requested from Dr. Humphries, and have an
opportunity to discuss this information before deciding what our procedure
will be. Dr. Humphries, in the meantime, will endeavor to keep Mrs. Soax's
confidence with the hope that a settlement say be finally effected.
2. Dr. Humphies feels that the four living cases of the 5 settled
two years ago this June, should be kept out of court and not allied with any
case coming up currently, for be feels that everytime they appear in court in
behalf of another case it reflects upon their own condition. Be takes & very
definite position in this matter, and states that he is willing to do anything
that is possible for him to do to keep the four women out of court, and would
be glad to cooperate with us along any line that we might direct or find
possible for accomplishing this end. This is a point which I believe we
should give immediate consideration, and if it is possible by any means for us
to prevent subpoenas being served upon the four women we should put them in
force. Dr. Humphries states that practically every time the girls make a
public appearance they come to his office shortly afterwards and that they
definitely show bad reactions.
3. Dr. Humphries indicated that in his opinion the Canfield case
was not a ligitimate case, and that we should have fought it. In fact he told
me that Mr. Berry had solicited his services in behalf of Mr. Canfield, and that
he had told Berry that he did not consider her to be a ligitimate case. In
this connection Dr. Humphries indicated that he felt that any ligimate case
should have compensation, but that he did not have any sympathy with cases
that did not definitely show the effects of redium poisoning, and that he would
do everything in his power to help protect us in such cases.
4. While we did not discuss the Metz and Tuck cases to any great
extent, still Dr. Humphries did give me one very important tip. He stated that
one of these cases had never painted watch dials and had not pointed the brush
with her lips - the only type of painting which she did was in connection with
mechanical work where they used a larger brush and there was no occassion for
tipping the brushes with their lips. Dr. Humphries did not disclose which of
the two women this was, but 1 believe in time he will give us this information.
I gathered from his remarks that he feels one of these cases may be & case, but
that there is considerable question in his mind regarding the other one.
5. Dr. Humphries has examined both Ers. Hoare and Mrs. Henry and
he has advised Mr. Karl, their attorney, that at the present neither one of
these women show any radium necrosis, and that in his opinion they have no
grounds for bringing suits. He is aware of the fact that Mrs. Hoare has
started suit, but seems quite positive in his beliefe that Mrs. Henry will not
start ouit until he advises her that she is a case. Dr. Humphries does not
seen to have much patience with Mr. Karl or his methods with reference to
these cases, and definitely states that he would not give him any support in
any manner whatsoever.
As you will infer Dr. Humphries attitude was very friendly, and
I believe he is thoroughly honest in his convictions. It is quite possible
that he can be of considerable help to us in giving us information as to which
-3-
are the ligitimate cases and which are not, and that if we can work out a
plan to compensate ligitimate cases that same may be effected thru Dr. Humphries
cooperation without much future litigation.
This is & point which we have
discussed at various times, but 1 wish to again call to your attention my
belief in this matter that a ligitimate case, suffering from total disability
should be compensated upon the basis covered by the New Jersey Componsation
Laws - which, according to my understanding, would not exceed $7800 or $8000.
The expense of prepration for trial would be eliminated and there would be
only a modest expense involved in definitely determining whether or not it
is a ligitimate case.
Very truly yours,
Vice President.
HHBarker: RH
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"ocrText": "th, 1930.\nDr. Robert 3, Humphries end 1 spent a little over an hour discussing\nthe radius situation yesterday afternoon at the New Jersey Orthopaedic Hospital,\nand I will endeavor to herewith give you 8 resume of the principal points covered.\n1. Dr. Husphries showed ce X-ray plates of a WORRD by the name of Rrs.\nsaver whom be claims is suffering from radium necrosis of the hip bones, end he\nfeels that her case will continually progress and that in time she will suffer\nmaterial, limitation of notion. Be feels that her dride is somewhat snalogous\nto that of Use. McDonald, and will probably follow the same course. At the\npresent time she is in fairly good condition insofar as being able to get about\nand attend to her regular duties. However, Dr. Rusphries feels that her con-\ndition is largely due to his efforts in her behalf.\nDr. Humphries has advised Ers. Saox that she is a redium case, and\nthat she should have compensation for her injuries. # He wrote Judge Clark\nsoláciting his services in her behalf, but Judge Clark replied that inasmich\non there were other radium cases before the Federal Court at the present time\nhe did not feel that he should become connected with the case. Dr. Hunphries,\ntherefore, felt justified in calling the case to our attention with the hope\nthat it could be settled out of court. Dr. Humphries indicated that Er. Saox\nhas not discussed her condition to ony extent with people other than hisself,\nand would such prefer not to do so, unless it becomes necessary in order to\nprotect her rights.\nwas unable to get a detailed history of Mrs. Sacx, such as dates of\nher employment, her maiden name and past history, but Dr. Husphries told ne\nthat if I would call his by 'phone some time the middle or latter part of next\nweek be would be glad to give this information to S. # In trying to find out\nwhat Dr. Humphries felt would be & fair compensation for Mrs. Saox be indicated\nthat a settlement similar to that effected with the five girls two years ago\nthis June, he felt would be quite in order. a believe that 7I succeeded in\ngetting across to him the fact that #0 would nover enter into any agreement\nsuch as that entered into with the five cases regarding annuities, and that any\nsettlement effected would have to be 6 flat our, I also indicated that I felt\n10,000 rather ample for a légitimate case with total disability, and that in my\npersonal opinion the nost such a 0000 should expect to get would be that\nallowed by compensation.\n-2-\nAs the matter now stands there will be no further steps taken\nuntil I obtain the information requested from Dr. Humphries, and have an\nopportunity to discuss this information before deciding what our procedure\nwill be. Dr. Humphries, in the meantime, will endeavor to keep Mrs. Soax's\nconfidence with the hope that a settlement say be finally effected.\n2. Dr. Humphies feels that the four living cases of the 5 settled\ntwo years ago this June, should be kept out of court and not allied with any\ncase coming up currently, for be feels that everytime they appear in court in\nbehalf of another case it reflects upon their own condition. Be takes & very\ndefinite position in this matter, and states that he is willing to do anything\nthat is possible for him to do to keep the four women out of court, and would\nbe glad to cooperate with us along any line that we might direct or find\npossible for accomplishing this end. This is a point which I believe we\nshould give immediate consideration, and if it is possible by any means for us\nto prevent subpoenas being served upon the four women we should put them in\nforce. Dr. Humphries states that practically every time the girls make a\npublic appearance they come to his office shortly afterwards and that they\ndefinitely show bad reactions.\n3. Dr. Humphries indicated that in his opinion the Canfield case\nwas not a ligitimate case, and that we should have fought it. In fact he told\nme that Mr. Berry had solicited his services in behalf of Mr. Canfield, and that\nhe had told Berry that he did not consider her to be a ligitimate case. In\nthis connection Dr. Humphries indicated that he felt that any ligimate case\nshould have compensation, but that he did not have any sympathy with cases\nthat did not definitely show the effects of redium poisoning, and that he would\ndo everything in his power to help protect us in such cases.\n4. While we did not discuss the Metz and Tuck cases to any great\nextent, still Dr. Humphries did give me one very important tip. He stated that\none of these cases had never painted watch dials and had not pointed the brush\nwith her lips - the only type of painting which she did was in connection with\nmechanical work where they used a larger brush and there was no occassion for\ntipping the brushes with their lips. Dr. Humphries did not disclose which of\nthe two women this was, but 1 believe in time he will give us this information.\nI gathered from his remarks that he feels one of these cases may be & case, but\nthat there is considerable question in his mind regarding the other one.\n5. Dr. Humphries has examined both Ers. Hoare and Mrs. Henry and\nhe has advised Mr. Karl, their attorney, that at the present neither one of\nthese women show any radium necrosis, and that in his opinion they have no\ngrounds for bringing suits. He is aware of the fact that Mrs. Hoare has\nstarted suit, but seems quite positive in his beliefe that Mrs. Henry will not\nstart ouit until he advises her that she is a case. Dr. Humphries does not\nseen to have much patience with Mr. Karl or his methods with reference to\nthese cases, and definitely states that he would not give him any support in\nany manner whatsoever.\nAs you will infer Dr. Humphries attitude was very friendly, and\nI believe he is thoroughly honest in his convictions. It is quite possible\nthat he can be of considerable help to us in giving us information as to which\n-3-\nare the ligitimate cases and which are not, and that if we can work out a\nplan to compensate ligitimate cases that same may be effected thru Dr. Humphries\ncooperation without much future litigation.\nThis is & point which we have\ndiscussed at various times, but 1 wish to again call to your attention my\nbelief in this matter that a ligitimate case, suffering from total disability\nshould be compensated upon the basis covered by the New Jersey Componsation\nLaws - which, according to my understanding, would not exceed $7800 or $8000.\nThe expense of prepration for trial would be eliminated and there would be\nonly a modest expense involved in definitely determining whether or not it\nis a ligitimate case.\nVery truly yours,\nVice President.\nHHBarker: RH"
}