Thomas Mancuso

Thomas Francis Mancuso was born in Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, on February 19, 1912. He attended Creighton University in Omaha, from where he received his bachelor's degree followed by his medical degree from its medical school in 1937. ==Early career==

World War II During World War II, Mancuso co-founded organizations in public health. He subsequently directed the Division of Industrial Medicine at the Oregon State Board of Health, and served it until 1945. During his time at Ohio, he showed cancer-causing effects of several chemicals including aromatic amines, cadmium, hydrogen sulphide, manganese, and mercury. After reporting that asbestos was harmful to both employees and customers, his contract was terminated. ==Career at the University of Pittsburgh==

In 1962 Mancuso joined the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public Health as research professor of occupational health, and remained there until his retirement in 1982. He took to independent research with epidemiologist Alice Stewart and mathematician George Kneale. In 1977 they revealed that Hanford Nuclear Weapons Plant employees were "dying of cancer from cumulative radiation exposures far below the standards established as safe". In response, in 2000 the US Government agreed to offer compensation to those affected. This is generally considered the first recognition of a link between beryllium and cancer. He found a likely under-reporting of deaths by suicide, including one where the wife was murdered prior to suicide. ==Later life==

Mancuso continued to investigate occupational hazards after his retirement. ==Honors and awards==

In 1961 the National Cancer Institute awarded Mancuso a career award. ==Death==

Mancuso died from oesophageal cancer on July 4, 2004, in Oakland, California. He was survived by his wife Rafaella, two daughters and one son. ==Selected publications==

Books • Articles • • • • • ==References==