Asbestos and Its Historical Link to Tragedy and Compensation
Exposure to asbestos has been repeatedly linked to mesothelioma, a connection made as early as 1870 when E. Wagner recognized the disease. Two cases of asbestos-caused mesothelioma were also studied by Joseph Lieutaud via 3,000 autopsies. Though this sickness continued to be studied through 1960s, many fast-growing lung cancers had already been detected before this period. Only after the 1960s did mesothelioma become a well-recognized disease via a report from a South African mining community wherein thirty-three cases of the sickness were identified in persons between the ages of 31 and 68 years old. More cases were also reported from those who lived near the mining facility despite the fact that the patients were not employees of the mining facilities. Tracing Asbestos' Effects Asbestos, a known biological irritant, was first made for home use, such as insulation, gaskets, flooring and roofing. It was also commonly used for shipbuilding, brak...