History of Mesothelioma Litigation
On this page: Asbestos Link | Mesothelioma Cover-Up
Continued from: Mesothelioma Background
Page 2: Lawsuits, Fraud and Conspiracy
See Also: Key Statistics | Causes of Mesothelioma | History of Mesothelioma Asbestos Litigation
At the beginning of the 20th century, asbestos production was becoming a major industry. Asbestos was being mined throughout Britain, Australia, Canada, South Africa and many other countries, including the United States. The knowledge of asbestos damage occurred early in the evolution of the industry, with the first published medical report of a man dying from fibrosis of the lungs occurring in 1906.
By the late 1920s evidence of asbestosis was becoming obvious at several asbestos plants in Britain. The problem became so bad that in 1930 the British government funded a survey. This survey showed that if employees had worked with asbestos for ten years or more, the rate of sickness from asbestosis was geometric. But the report also stated that if the dust from asbestos could be kept to a minimum, then the disease could be controlled. It further stated that only those employees who directly handled the asbestos were at risk. While this report showed the high incidence of the disease, little was done to stop the dangers associated with asbestos.
Mesothelioma: A Clear Link to Asbestos?
While the relationship between asbestosis and asbestos was relatively obvious by 1930, the link between asbestos and mesothelioma was slower to emerge. Although it was common knowledge among workers and managers that an unusually high number of asbestos plant employees were dying of lung cancer, a clear causation was hard to prove. Lung cancer had other causes than asbestos, and the use of tobacco was on a rapid increase during this time period. Further, tuberculosis was widespread during this time, and unless an autopsy was done, there was no way to know whether the person died of a cancerous growth in the mesothelium, or from some other lung ailment.
One final difficulty of proof came from the long latency between asbestos exposure and the onset of mesothelioma symptoms. This time lag could be as long as 60 years, and many persons were diagnosed with mesothelioma long after they had worked with asbestos. But even with these difficulties of proof, a number of studies appeared in the British medical journals throughout the 1930s suggesting an association between asbestos and lung cancer.
Mesothelioma: A Major Cover-Up
The major breakthrough came after World War II in South Africa. The asbestos mines in South Africa were very busy after the war. Three researchers, Chris Wagner, Chris Sleggs and Ian Webster, found a stunning association between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. They presented this work in 1959 at a research seminar in South Africa. In 1960, a study was funded by the South African asbestos industry and the South African cancer society.
|
