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Due Diligence Exercised in Investigation

This is the response of McHenry County Department of Health Administrator, Patrick McNulty, to the Northwest Herald's Investigation of the McCullom Lake cancer cases.

We are deeply saddened by the ill health of some residents of the McCullom Lake area.

We have strived to understand the nature of what caused the health issues in these residents and have called upon a variety of resources to that end. We have utilized the skills and knowledge of our epidemiologist (study of disease) to make sense and display the limited data from the Illinois Depart-ment of Health Cancer Registry. Our epidemiologist previously had completed several analyses and presentations on a variety of public-health illness investigations during her tenure with the department. She remains a well-respected member within the department, her peers and the community.

Groundwater contamination and flow information generated by consultants for Rohm and Hass and Modine was reviewed and accepted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). The IEPA has complete jurisdiction over the review, approval and permitting for cleanup of contamination, sampling requirements, land, water and air discharges.

Groundwater flow and geologic information developed under separate studies by the Illinois State Geologic and Water Surveys (ISWS) and Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission also was used. Water samples were collected from private wells and nearby community wells sample results were analyzed to see whether the extent of the contamination was beyond the original estimates.

Information was provided to area residents in a presentation format to help them understand what was going on. It also was posted on our Web page (www.mcdh.info) to make it easily accessible. Throughout our analysis, we were in contact with IDPH, IEPA, ISWS, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to ensure that our interpretation of existing data was correct.

Although the historic data on cancer is useful to determine past problems or trends, we were limited in our ability to explain the ever-increasing number of people joining a class-action lawsuit against Rohm and Haas and Modine.

In May, 2006, the department requested plaintiff’s attorney Aaron Freiwald provide medical information on his clients so analysis of current records could be done. Freiwald agreed to that request but has not provided the information. In an attempt to obtain more current health information, the department developed a brain-cancer survey that was sent to all residents in the Village of McCullom Lake in July 2006.

That response indicated nothing unusual as far as any additional brain cancer. A second request was sent to Freiwald in December 2006 for medical information on his clients, which he has not supplied. The department typically investigates disease outbreaks several times a year. Joint cooperation is necessary to find answers to a common disease exposure. At no time did the department, and to my knowledge the state health department nor the Agency for Toxic Sub-stances and Disease Registry receive complaints or documentation of brain cancer from the McCullom Lake-area. Those who have expressed brain-cancer concerns are represented by Freiwald.

We have no authority to force the release of medical information previously requested. Without cooperation in this matter, we are forced to wait until the cancer registry information is updated. The health department has dedicated staff members that provide a variety of programs to improve the health of all McHenry County residents. The health department reports to a nine member Board of Health who are appointed by the County Board.

The health department is one part of a comprehensive public-health system. In order for the public health system to be successful, we need to work cooperatively with a variety of individuals and organizations, both public and private, toward the same endpoint of what is in the best interest of the community. Both the Board of Health and the health department staff members take our role as the health authority very seriously. We work hard to fulfill these responsibilities every day through our comprehensive programs. It is disturbing to us that we would be viewed as offering anything less.

• Patrick J. McNulty is Public Health Administrator for the McHenry County Department of Health.

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