cancer." Speth concedes that the panel could not define the role toxic chemicals play in the development of the increase in cancer rates, but, he says, the high rates are "a matter of great concern to us." That the panel focused on cancer is a weakness of the report, Harris admits. But at the time the panel was assembled, more was known about cancer than any other disease. It is only since Love Canal that the scientific and medical communities have had a "heightened sensitivity to the potential effects of toxic chemicals on the nervous and reproductive systems," Harris explains. As a consequence of this heightened sensitivity, two new studies will flow from the so-called strategy document. One, a reproductive hazards study to be coordinated by Clement Associates, a Washington, D.C., environmental consulting firm, will begin shortly. The other, Harris says, will be a "better study of the causes of future cancer rates," and will build on the flawed HEW study to make the data a more "creditable component of probability estimates of future cancer rates." No contract has been signed for the second study. D
C. P. Snow dies at 74 in London C. P. Snow, the distinguished British scientist, novelist, playwright, and lecturer, died last week at his home in London. He was 74. Born Charles Percy Snow and later elevated to knighthood as Lord Snow of Leicester, he successfully made the transition from research chemist and physicist to litterateur while remaining comfortable and conversant in both the scientific and artistic worlds—"the two cultures," as he called them. Snow deplored the increasing specialization of modern science and life that has caused the rift between scientists and artists to widen, gradually isolating the two groups from each other. Snow was born in Leicester, England, in 1905. He earned honors in chemistry while attending Leicester University College on scholarships. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1930 from Cambridge University, he worked as a tutor at Christ's College while simultaneously developing what he called "my ultimate vocation—writing." He published scientific papers but also began authoring a number of nonfiction and fiction works. His masterpiece is a cycle of 11 related novels that began appearing in 1940 under the general title of "Strangers and Brothers." They have 6
C&ENJuly7, 1980
been described as a fictionalized his- Uniroyal, Firestone tory of technical, social, and moral developments in 20th-century Brit- cut compensation ain. One of the recurring themes is the moral dilemma scientists face when Two of the country's largest and most they develop technology such as nu- troubled tire companies—Uniroyal clear power that can be turned to de- and Firestone—separately have made structive ends. "Power in the modern changes in worker compensation in an state," he once remarked, is the cen- effort to hold down costs. Uniroyal has taken the more drastral theme of all his novels. In addition to his scientific and tic of the two measures, which may literary pursuits, Snow also served in affect all 20,000 U.S. employees. The high government posts, including the company will cut its compensation House of Lords, the Ministry of La- costs, mainly by trimming benefits, bour, the Civil Service Commission, for salaried employees and workers and the Ministry of Technology. D who are not members of the United Rubber Workers beginning July 1. The reduction will amount to about 12 to 13% of total compensation for Most nitrite-cured the remainder of this year, and about meats safe, USDA says 6.5% in 1981 from current levels. In addition, URW and Uniroyal Good news for consumers: The Agri- have reached an agreement to reduce culture Department has declared that URW compensation costs by similar with the exception of most types of percentages. This agreement has been bacon, nitrite-cured meats such as hot approved by the union's policy comdogs, corned beef, and sausages do mittee, but now must go to the 11 not form nitrosamines upon union locals affected to be voted on. At press time at least three of the 11 cooking. Nitrosamines have been shown to locals already had approved the cause cancer in laboratory animals. A agreement. If accepted, the cut will red flag was raised in October 1977 take effect for the URW members on when questions arose as to whether Aug. 1. Although the package at Uniroyal nitrite cures used to prevent botulism could combine with naturally occur- involves mainly trimming benefits, ring amines in meats to form nitro- each employee can choose to pay for samines under the heat of processing a continuation of the affected benefits, thus reducing take-home pay. and cooking. USDA began a study of the nitro- Also, pension accrual has been frozen samine content of variously cured for a year. Hence an employee exbacons, cooked sausages, fermented pecting to retire next year with a sausages, pickle-cured products, 20-year pension will have only 19 perishable canned products, shelf- years vested. The compensation cut at Uniroyal stable products, and sterile canned products. Except for pumped bacon, is the company's second attempt in the most widely sold type of bacon in the past two months to cut costs. In which liquid nitrite cures are injected May, Uniroyal laid off 800 salaried into pork bellies, and possibly im- workers (out of 10,000 worldwide), mersion-cured bacon in which the some of whom were research personcure is soaked into the pork bellies, nel, although a spokesman for the and dry-cured bacon in which the company declines to estimate how cure is rubbed into the pork, all other many. At Firestone, about 10,000 salaried nitrite-cured meats tested were found not to form "confirmable" nitrosam- employees will see their quarterly ines upon frying, broiling, baking, or cost-of-living increases disappear. The cost-of-living adjustments precooking in a microwave oven. Because of the indications of ni- viously have been based on increases trosamines in immersion- and dry- in the government's consumer price cured bacons, USDA's Food Safety & index. A spokesman for Firestone Quality Service will continue to test says that from now on salary increases samples of immersion-cured bacon, will be based on merit. He says that and proposes to extend its nitrosa- no one at Firestone has had to take a mine monitoring effort to include pay cut and only salaried personnel are involved in this latest action. dry-cured bacon. Firestone, which posted a loss of The question of whether nitrite itself is a cancer-causing agent was not $65.8 million including a $49 million decided by the three-year-long study write-down for plant closings in the of nitrosamines in nitrite-cured first half of its fiscal year, already has meats. Assistant secretary of Agri- eliminated its 15 cent-a-share quarculture Carol Tucker Foreman says terly dividend. Uniroyal operations the nitrite cancer-causing issue "will lost $120 million in 1979 and $12 D be evaluated separately." • million in first-quarter 1980.
