The result has been the development of vaccines for a variety of diseases and an understanding of how disease spreads. Everett R. Hanel, Jr., who died in 1991, didn't retire after he left the Biological Laboratories in 1972. He became safety director for the National Cancer Institute's Frederick Cancer Research Center at Fort Detrick and a valued consultant on biological safety matters for a number of organizations including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Mr. Hanel was interviewed in 1987 and explained the impact of Dr. Phillips' work. Charlie's work was a real step forward in applied science.
Ethylene oxide is used enormously in the United States for medical supplies and equipment.
Hanel said the McCormick Company had used ethylene oxide to kill insects on spices brought from India and Ceylon. Libraries had used it to kill silverfish, which ate up pages in books. They didn't realize it was effective against microorganisms. Charlie wrote 20 or 30 publications on it. I have several folders on ethylene oxide and all of his work.