Asbestos Exposed: The Shocking Revelations from Saranac Labs, Part 1

In the depths of 1934, a hidden, ominous meeting occurred among America’s leading business executives from the asbestos industry. The stark setting bore witness to a dark convening meant to mask a deadly secret; the damning whispers about asbestos’s lethal effects on workers could no longer be ignored, and a desperate plot was hatched within these clandestine walls.

The Gathering Tempest

Years of mounting evidence and warnings from company doctors had painted a clear yet ignored picture: asbestos was claiming lives, and, at the least, leaving a path of respiratory distress in its destructive wake. Despite this reality, executives at Johns Manville, Raybestos Manhattan – and other large asbestos producers – were selfishly determined to keep their employees in utter ignorance; when workers fell gravely ill, they were simply shunted to other positions, and shamefully, their silence ensured by their own desperate need for employment.

A Web of Deception

Facing a growing number of lawsuits from sickened employees, the executives set about to devise a devious plan. This grand conspiracy involved silencing any voices of truth, casting doubts on established science, and burying any damning evidence that emerged; like malevolent puppet masters, they aimed to control every aspect of the asbestos narrative, ensuring that their profits would continue to swell, unhampered by so much as a morsel of accountability or responsibility.

Seeking the Facade of Legitimacy

To bolster their deceptions further, these industry magnates needed the weighty backing of respected authority, their gaze falling upon Saranac Labs, nestled within New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Founded by the esteemed Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, this renowned institution unknowingly offered the asbestos barons the perfect shield to legitimize their growing campaign of disgraceful misinformation and deceit.

Dr. Anthony Joseph Lanza: The Chosen One

Dispatched into the midst of this unfolding intrigue was Dr. Anthony Joseph Lanza. An initial advocate for recognizing dust-induced lung diseases, Lanza soon turned his back on scientific truth; in defiance of international concern, he boldly asserted that the asbestos his clients mined in Canada bore no resemblance to the lethal African variant linked to widespread disease. His claims, unverifiable in an era of such limited global communication, were swallowed whole by the masses, further muddying the waters of truth.

This is a letter from Vandiver Brown, lead attorney for Johns Manville, the largest asbestos company in the world. He is requesting that tuberculosis research and treatment center Saranac Laboratories conduct tests on the health effects of asbestos. Brown was sure to keep editing rights over the final report, and the company had Saranac Laboratories remove findings that asbestos likely caused cancer.

The Study that Masked the Truth

In a cunningly calculated move, Dr. Lanza aligned with Saranac Laboratories to embark upon a pivotal study into the health impacts of both silica and asbestos. As the world watched on, this research held the power to either shatter or solidify the asbestos industry’s unyielding control. Simultaneously, a high-profile strike at the largest asbestos mine worldwide (owned by Johns Manville), underscored the escalating global tensions around asbestos-related health concerns – the truth was finally waging war.

The Intricate Dance of Deception

Behind the seemingly respectful scientific veneer, the relationship between Saranac Labs and Dr. Lanza was, in fact, steeped in sinister manipulation; as Saranac Labs attempted to unveil the risks of silicon, Lanza’s heavy hand forced them into retraction, a grim precedent for the concealment of truth that would continue to plague the industry for many years to come.

The agreement between the asbestos companies and Saranac Laboratories stated that “the manuscripts of any reports shall be submitted for approval of the contributors before publication. This allowed the asbestos companies — i.e., “the contributors” paying for the study, to edit and remove the scientists’ finding that 80-90% of the animals exposed to high rates of asbestos developed cancerous tumors.

Unveiling the Hidden Peril

Despite this oppressive web of deception, the whispers regarding asbestos’s fatal grasp continued to echo through the corridors of truth. The burgeoning investigations could no longer be stifled, and the horrific revelation finally came to light: asbestos was a harbinger of cancer, a damning verdict that proved cataclysmic, followed by the unraveling of an empire built upon silence and lies.

An Empire Built on Shadows

In the wake of this disastrous disclosure, the meticulously constructed empire of asbestos magnates trembled on the brink of destruction; the truth, once whispered in hushed tones within the oppressed circles of suffering workers, now echoed loudly through the halls of justice and accountability. Dawn had finally broken on asbestos’ day of reckoning.

The Collateral Damage

Still, beyond the corporate damage lay the devastating human toll, of which nothing could be done. As the industry scrambled to salvage their crumbling empire, the countless lives ravaged by the lethal touch of asbestos stood as a haunting testament to the destructive power of greed; the shattered health and broken families left in the wake of the asbestos industry’s merciless pursuit of profit cried out for justice.

The Quest for Justice

As the (no doubt asbestos-contaminated) walls of deception crumbled, the quest for justice surged forward. Armed with the unwavering conviction born from the strength of truth, the victims of the asbestos industry’s lethal deception united in a resounding call for accountability; the trials and tribulations that lay ahead all but guaranteed a treacherous journey, yet the beacon of justice shined as an unwavering guide for the victims and their families.

The Struggle for Redemption

Despite the indefatigable resolve of those wronged, the path toward restitution and reparation for these countless victims of asbestos’s deadly effects lay steeped in challenges. Nevertheless, amidst the wreckage of such appalling deceit, the enduring human spirit emerged resilient; the indomitable will of those ravaged by asbestos’s lethal touch forged a united front in the pursuit of justice and redemption.

The Pervasive Legacy of Deceit

Today, the shocking revelations from Saranac Labs continue to reverberate through the annals of industrial history; the elaborate web of deception meticulously woven by the asbestos titans, their coercive influence over Saranac Labs, and the tragic suppression of lethal truths continue to serve as a somber reminder of the relentless sacrifice of human lives at the altar of corporate greed.

The extensive deception and concealment operations employed by the asbestos industry, Saranac Labs, and Dr. Lanza will be further unraveled in the subsequent chapters of this revealing asbestos exposé story, so stay tuned!