History of Mesothelioma
The first lawsuit against manufacturers of asbestos was brought in 1929. The parties involved in the lawsuit, agreed to not pursue further cases. It was not until 1960 that an article published by Wagner el al first officially called mesothelioma a disease arising from the exposure to asbestos.
In 1974 the first public warnings of the dangers of asbestos were published in story called "Is this Killer in Your Home?" in Australia's Bulletin magazine. In 1978 The west Australia Government decided to phase out the town of Wittenoom, following the publication of a Health Dept. booklet, "The Health Hazard at Wittenoom", containing the results of air sampling and an appraisal of worldwide medical information.
Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally, for which there are large deposits on every continent. Due to the recent focus of asbestos-related lung diseases, such as asbestos and Mesothelioma, it is commonly thought that asbestos manufacturing and use is a modern phenomenon. But the usefulness of asbestos for insulation, as a fire retardant and for its tensile strength has been known for almost 6,000 years. As early as 4000 BC, it is documented that asbestos was used for candle and lamp wicks. The term "asbestos" was coined, meaning inextinguishable or unappeasable.
As far back as 2500, BC, asbestos was first used in Finland. There it was apparently mixed with clay to create ceramic pots and utensils. In ancient Greece, it was first mentioned in a book written by Theophrastus, titled, ‘On Stones.’ In this text, the author described a mineral that looked like ‘rotting wood’ that did not burn when doused with oil and set on fire.
The Greeks used to make lamp wicks and other fireproof products from asbestos because of its fire retardant characteristics. In fact the word we use today, asbestos, comes from the Greek word, asbestinon, which means unquenchable. It’s mentioned in Pliny’s work Natural History around 60 A.D.
Asbestos was use in the medieval ages. It was used in the padding of the medieval armor. Throughout history, it’s been used for various products but it was only found widespread use in the 1800s. The first patent for an asbestos product was issued in 1828. It was for a special lining of steam train engines. In 1868, a patent for a roofing material containing asbestos was issued. This roofing material was highly regarded for its durability and fire resistant characteristics
Despite the well-documented proof that the dust associated with asbestos mining and milling caused asbestos related diseases, mining continued to be an increasing industry. Even with the knowledge that asbestos mining and milling was causing disease, no one demanded that the workers be protected with safer work conditions and equipment. No one intervened and the incidences of malignant mesothelioma continued to rise. It is simply inconceivable that the mine and milling conditions continued unchecked and the workers continued to be exposed to the asbestos that could ultimately take their lives. This disease could have such long lasting impact for the people in this city.
