Letters Received to H.H. Barker, June 20, 1931

COLLINS & CORBIN COUNSELLORS AT LAW CLEMENT K. CORBIN ROBERT J. BAIN EDWARD A. MARKLEY CHARLES w. BROADHURST 1 EXCHANGE PLACE, HOWARD F. MC INTYRE JAMES B. EMORY JERSEY CITY, N. J. PATRICK F. MC DEVITT JOHN F. LEONARD JOHN P. GILMARTIN June 20, 1931. La Porte V. U. S. Radium Corp. H. H. Barker, Esq. JUN 22 1931 Vice Pres. U. S. Radium Corp. , 535 Pearl Street, New York City. Dear Mr. Barker: I received your telephone message and also read of the death of Mrs. La Porte in the various newspapers. The Newark News had ui te an article. According to that paper Dr. Martland performed an autopsy on the night of June 16, 1931 and reported that Mrs. La Porte died of sarcoma (cancer) of the hip and thigh caused by the ingestion of radium. Accord- ing to the newspaper, Dr. Martland pointed out that Mrs. La Porte's death was not caused by necrosis of the jaw or anemia like the early deaths, but by a tumor. The necrosis and anemia were attributed to mesothorium, a radio-active element in the luminous paint, but not radium itself Again, according to the news- paper account the paint contained about 70% mesothorium and 30% radium. A small amount of mesothorium such as that ingested by painters becomes inert in about seven years but radium does not lose half of its potency until 1700 years. I suggest that you write to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics, Trenton, for a certified transcript of the death certificate. This transcript will give us consider- able information and also the cause of death, both the primary cause and the contributory cause. This certificate is prima facie evidence in court as to the cause of death. After you obtain the transcript of the death certificate we should confer about the matter. When you write for this transcript send a check for $1. to cover the cost thereof and give the date of death which undoubtedly was either June 15th or 16th, and the place of her residence, 391 - 4th Avenue, Newark, N.J. Yours very truly, EAM: AG