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Letters are welcomed and will be published, iffound suitable, as space permits. The editors reserve the right to edit and abridge letters, to publish replies, and to solicit responses from authors and others. Letters should be submitted in duplicate, double-spaced (including references), and generally should not exceed 400 words.

Russian Scientist Denied Exit Visa, Seeks Help I recently attended the Tenth European Congress of Rheumatology which was held in Moscow USSR during the first week of July 1983. While at the conference I had the opportunity to meet with several families in very unfortunate circumstances. These families have applied for exit visas in order to leave the Soviet Union and have been denied this right. In the meantime, they have been placed in a precarious situation where they cannot find employment, are considered adversaries of the state, and are being victimized by the system because they are deprived of their humanitarian rights to leave. On my Moscow visit, I met with Dr. losef S. Irlin and his family. Following Dr. Irlin's application for an exit visa, he was forced to leave his post as Senior Scientist at Moscow's Cancer Research Center. Dr. Irlin is an MD, PhD, with a publication record of over 100 scientific papers on oncovirology and experimental oncology. He has been denied the right to work and faces possible imprisonment. He wishes only to be granted an exit visa to Israel so that he can be reunited with his family and return to his academic research. Dr. Irlin asked me to deliver the enclosed letter to individuals that might be of help to his families plight. As a concerned scientist, I request that you publish the enclosed letter. Lewis E. Kazis, ScD Assistant Research Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Thorndike 3, Boston City Hospital, 818 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118

24 June 1983 Dear Colleagues, I'm applying to you for help. About 20 years I have worked in the field of experimental oncology and as it must be quite clear to you I have never had anything to do with state or miliAJPH May 1984, Vol. 74, No. 5

Letters to the Editor tary secrets. In spite of this, it's already 4 years I have been refused to leave the USSR, for Israel, to reunite with my family. It's already 4 years that I have been deprived the possibility to do any

scientific research. I'm applying to you for help. I'm sure that your appeal to President Yuri Andropov with a request to permit me to emigrate from the country will be considered with proper attention and due respect and I will be permitted to realize my legitimate will. Iosef S. Irlin Novoalekseevskaya str., 13, build 1, Apt. 54, Moscow 12%26

Information Sought on Nursing/Consumer Collaboration I am being funded by the American Nurses' Foundation to develop a model for effective collaboration between organized consumers and nursing. As part of this study I would like to hear from anyone who knows of activities currently going on in localities, states, your regions in which nurses and consumers are cooperating. Would you please send any information to: Dr. Claire M. Fagin Dean, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Nursing Education Building/S2, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Reader Would Like to Donate Journals I have a complete set of the American Journal of Public Health from September 1972 to September 1983 available to a college or library willing to pay postage. I would be happy to see these journals disposed of in a useful manner. Contact me at the address below. Mrs. Armand N. Spitz 3314 Barkley Dr., Fairfax, VA 22031, 703-280-5216

Asbestos Contamination of Vermiculite The article by Levin and Purdoml on Health effects of energy conserving materials touches upon a small portion of a more general problem, i.e., what are the health consequences associated with attempts to lower home energy costs (see ref. 2). Levin and Purdom's

discussion of asbestos is welcome,

since assessment of indoor exposures to asbestos is an emerging research need. The seriousness of the problem is underscored by the large-scale effort by the US Environmental Protection Agency to control asbestos-containing materials, specifically in school buildings. Unfortunately, the authors seem to have given a clean bill of health to vermiculite. Presumably, they are unaware that at least 80 per cent of the vermiculite used in the United States as of 1980 contained asbestos as a contaminant "at a concentration of at least 1 per cent."3 In our laboratory, we have observed such asbestos contamination in vermiculite used for packing hazardous materials into 55 gallon drums. We have also observed such asbestos fibers in spray-on ceiling materials containing vermiculite. One should therefore strongly suspect that most vermiculite used for building insulation is contaminated with asbestos, a material whose health effects have been so well summarized by Levin and Purdom. REFERENCES 1. Levin L, Purdom PW: A review of the health effects of energy conserving materials. Am J Pub Health 1983; 73:683-690. 2. Spengler JD, Sexton K: Indoor air pollution: a public health perspective. Science 1983; 221:917. 3. USEPA, Assessment Division, Office of Testing and Evaluation, Office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances: Priority Review Level 1Asbestos-contaminated Vermiculite. Washington, DC: EPA, 1980. Air and Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, California Department of Health Services, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94704 Steven B. Hayward, PhD Research Specialist/Microscopy Supervisor Glenn R. Smith Chemist

Levin and Purdom Respond We were unaware of the report cited by Hayward and Smith that vermiculite is contaminated with at least 1 per cent asbestos. It should not be surprising that asbestos mineralsprincipally of the serpentine type, i.e., chrysotile-may be associated with strata of hydrated magnesium-aluminum-iron silicates from which the raw vermiculite is obtained. Our review reported the demonstrable or recognized 519