History of Mesothelioma and Asbestos

An article was published in 1960 which first mentioned mesothelioma as a condition that arose from being exposed to asbestos. The article went on to document more than thirty cases of people living in South Africa.

The vast majority of these people worked in mines. The first diagnoses for the disease was made in 1962. It was made on an Australian citizen who worked at an asbestos mine for over a decade.

The Australian town of Wittenoom was known for building products which contained asbestos. Many of these products were used in schools and public buildings.

An article was produced in a British medical journal which found that many of the people living in the city suffered from mesothelioma even though they did not work in the mill.

Despite evidence that asbestos caused the disease, the mine continued to operate without safety measures for over twenty years.

By the 1970s, more information was circulated regarding the dangers of being exposed to asbestos.

After this, a series of legal attacks were made on the company who allowed the mines to operate, and the Asbestos Diseases Society was created.

However, Australia wasn't the only country where workers were exposed to asbestos.

The mineral had been mined and used for industrial projects since the 19th century. It was heavily used during the Second World War, and millions of people working in the United States have been exposed to it since this time.

Most people at that time were not aware of the dangers of being exposed to asbestos. It was later found that a large number of people who worked in shipyards developed mesothelioma. The list of affected workers grew to also include people who worked in mills, construction, or other industries.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set limits for how much asbestos a person can be exposed while working. Many people today wear special safety equipment when handling asbestos products.

It is well known today that exposure to asbestos causes a number of health problems. Despite this, millions of people, unknown to them, were exposed to it decades ago. Because of this, a number of problems have developed.

Various studies have linked asbestos to the growth of lesions and fluid within the lungs, abdomen, and other parts of the body. Asbestos has also been linked to the development of tumors.

Many people assume that asbestos is limited to those who have worked in the industrial sector. However, asbestos which is present in water or food may also be hazardous.

Despite the fact that many authorities think that brief exposure to asbestos cannot cause mesothelioma, others dispute these claims, and believe that any exposure to asbestos can cause this disease.

In the Wittenoom, Australia case, although there were no deaths related to asbestos in the first 10 years after exposure, these numbers greatly increased during the 1980s and 1990s. These numbers do not take into consideration the family members of these workers, who may also have been exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos. Due to the length of time it takes for diseases like mesothelioma to occur after exposure to asbestos, finding good estimates on the number of people who have been affected worldwide is very difficult.