Asbestos Timeline

Although many asbestos companies claim that "no one knew" how hazardous asbestos was until the 1960's or 1970's, that is not true. Historians as far back as ancient Rome speculated that asbestos was hazardous, and modern science first began examining the dangers of asbestos in detail in the late 1800's.

As a service to the public, the Asbestos Legal Journal is compiling and reviewing the many hundreds of scientific and industrial articles relating to asbestos. Each article below is summarized in two or three brief sentences, with a hyperlink to a more in-depth summarization of the article. We would publish the articles in their entirety if not for copyright laws. That said, contact us if you have a true need for any one of these specific articles.

This timeline is of course organized in chronological order for our readers' convenience:

Asbestos Timeline: Prior to 1920

1902 - A.M. Anderson publishes the book Dangerous Trades and notes that the ancient Romans were aware that working with asbestos could be fatal. Anderson, A.M. 1902. Historical sketch of the development of legislation for injurious and dangerous industries in England. In: Oliver, T. (ed.) Dangerous Trades. New York, Dutton.

1907 - Dr. Murray publishes autopsy of man who died from respiratory illness that would later be called asbestosis. Murray, H.M., 1907. Statement before the committee in the minutes of evidence. In: Report of the Departmental Committee on Compensation for Industrial Disease. London: H.M. Stationery Office, P.127. For further commentary and analysis, see this entry as well.

1911 - Dr. Collis publishes a report that five out of forty asbestos workers died of asbestos-related illnesses. Collis, 1911. Dusty Processes. In: Factories and Workshops: Annual Report For 1910. Great Britain.

1918 - U.S. Department of Labor publishes "Mortality From Respiratory Diseases in Dusty Trades" and concludes that asbestos can cause pulmonary tuberculosis. The publication also mentions Dr. Collis' report about the deaths of five out of forty asbestos workers due to asbestos-related illnesses. US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Whole Number 231, Industrial Accidents and Hygiene Series, No. 17.

1918 - The American Journal of Roentology publishes a study that concluded asbestos dust can cause pneumoconiosis. Pancoast, H.K., et al. (1918). “A Roentgenologic study of the effects of dust inhalation on the lungs” American Journal of Roentology. 5.

Asbestos Timeline: 1920 to 1929

1927 - British Journal of Medicine publishes not one, but two articles about the dangers of asbestos in the same edition. The first article concluded that asbestos dust inhalation can actually destroy bronchi of the lung. McDonald, S. “Histology of Pulmonary Asbestosis.” The British Journal of Medicine. Dec. 3, 1927; p.1026 The second concluded that asbestos workers should only work in well-ventilated areas and even then should wear masks. and also Oliver, S. “Clinical Aspects of Pulmonary Asbestosis.” The British Journal of Medicine. Dec. 3, 1927.  p.1026

1928 - The British Medical Journal publishes a report from South Africa regarding four asbestos workers. One of them developed severe fibrosis after only 12 months of exposure to asbestos, while another had lungs that were "hard with an almost leather-like consistenc[y]." Simson, F.W. (May 26^th, 1928) “Pulmonary Asbestosis in South Africa.” The British Medical Journal. p. 885

1929 – Her Majesty’s Senior Factory Inspector concludes that asbestos workers are at risk of pulmonary fibrosis. Bridge, J.C. (December 21^st, 1929) “Occupational Dust” The British Medical Journal p. 1145

1929 - Dr. W. Burton Wood publishes "Pulmonary Asbestosis," an article in which he describes the symptoms of asbestosis and notes that workers who were exposed the longest to asbestos have the worst x-rays. Wood, W.B. (1929) “Pulmonary Asbestosis” Tubercle. May 1929; p. 355

Asbestos Timeline: 1930 to 1939

1930 - The first case of Asbestosis is documented in the United States. This shoots down the argument that is sometimes made that most early asbestos knowledge hadn't made its way across the Atlantic ocean until decades later. Mills, R.G. (1930) “Pulmonary Asbestosis: A Report of a Case.” Minnesota Medicine. July 1930; p. 495

1930 - American Review of Tuberculosis publishes a case study of a 30-year-old man with asbestosis. One of the conclusions of the article is that "asbestos dust... appears to be taking its toll without sufficient recognition of the fact on the part of physicians." Soper, W.B. (1930) “Pulmonary Asbestosis: A Report of a Case and a Review.” American Review of Tuberculosis. 22: 571

1930 - Letter is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association regarding the availability of workers' compensation in England to those who develop asbestosis. The letter explained that 1 in 3 asbestos workers who had been on the job for more than 5 years developed asbestosis. Regular Correspondent - London. (June 28^th, 1930.) Letters to the Editor. Foreign Letters. Journal of the American Medical Association. p. 2078 (emphasis added)

1930 - Dr. Merewether publishes landmark paper, Report on the Effects of Asbestos Dust on the Lungs and Dust Suppression in the Asbestos Industry. This report clearly and conclusively proves that exposure to asbestos dust can cause asbestosis. It further established that the longer one works with asbestos, the more likely one is to develop asbestosis. Merewether, E.R.A.; Price, C.W. (1930) Report on the Effects of Asbestos Dust on the Lungs and Dust Suppression in the Asbestos Industry. His Majesty’s Stationary Office. London. p. 7

1930 - The Lancet publishes an article entitled "Pulmonary Asbestosis" and explains that asbestosis is a progressive disease with no treatment options other than the cessation of the inhalation of asbestos. Wood, W.B. (1930) “Pulmonary Asbestosis” The Lancet. Mar. 1, 1930; p. 446

1931 - Based upon existing medical science and the examination of an asbestos worker, Dr. Kenneth Lynch concludes that "prolonged exposure to asbestos dust present[s] a very definite health hazard." Lynch, K.M. & Smith, W.A. (1931) “Pulmonary Asbestosis” The American Review of Tuberculosis. Vol. 23; p. 643

1931 - A dog that spent almost its entire ten-year lifespan in an asbestos plant is diagnosed with and has to be put down because of an advanced case of pulmonary asbestosis. The necropsy showed that "asbestos fibers are present in large numbers in all parts of the lung." Schuster, N.H. (1931) “Pulmonary Asbestosis in a Dog.” Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology. Vol. 34; p.751

1931 - The U.K. publishes a seven-page document explaining how workers who are harmed by exposure to asbestos will be compensated. Statutory Rules and Orders, 1931, No. 344. “The Asbestos Industry (Asbestosis) Scheme.” Home Office. Whitehall, UK. p. 1-2

1933 - Dr. Ellman concludes that "inhalation of asbestos dust must be expected" to cause asbestosis. Ellman, P. (1933) “Pulmonary Asbestos: Its clinical, radiological, and pathological features, and associated risk of tuberculosis infection.” The Journal of Industrial Hygiene.

1933 - Dr. Merewether concludes that death from asbestosis "is inevitable sooner or later." He further concludes that "work is a dense concentration of asbestos dust over a comparatively short period will lead to the development" of asbestosis. So as early as the 1930's it was known that short, but concentrated exposure to asbestos can be fatal. Merewether, E.R.A. (1933). “A Memorandum on Asbestosis.” Tubercle. Vol. XIV, 1932-1933

1933 - Dr. George Stock is very concerned that asbestos-related illnesses aren't receiving enough attention in the medical community. He notes that many cases of asbestosis are mistakenly being diagnosed as tuberculosis, and examines the case of a 27-year old who died of asbestosis after working with asbestos for 8 years. Stock, G.A. (1933) “Pulmonary Asbestosis” Medical Bulletin. United States. Veterans Administration. Dept. of Medicine and Surgery. Vol. 10; p. 127

1934 - The American Journal of Public Health publishes an article regarding the hazards of asbestos exposure in the workplace. The report concludes that "[i]t is doubtful if any single employee in certain departments of these mills can possibly escape some damage to his respiratory system because of the unavoidable inhalation of asbestos dust." Donnelly, J. (1934) “Pulmonary Asbestosis.” The American Journal of Public Health. 23; p. 1275

1934 - The Lancet publishes a review of 100 cass of asbestosis. The review confirms once again that "cessation of exposure to asbestos dust did not avail to check the spread of the disease." Wood, W.B., et al. (1934) “Pulmonary Asbestosis: A Review of One Hundred Cases” The Lancet. Dec 22, 1934; p. 1383

1934 - The British Journal of Radiology publishes an article by Dr. Ellman in which he notes that "the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to asbestos dust has been realized" only during the last six or seven years. He also notes that symptoms of asbestosis appear "some five to fifteen years after the first exposure" and that "asbestosis ... is a progressive disease with a bad prognosis." Ellman, P. (1934) “Part III: Pulmonary Asbestosis” The British Journal of Radiology 7; p. 281

1935 - Evil (and I don't use that word lightly) surgeon A.J. Lanza alters a medical report to conceal the risks of asbestos because his masters at Johns Manville don't want the public to know how deadly asbestos is. Because of this and other actions, Lanza is personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans. Arnold, M.P. (1998) “A Critique of Baron et al.” American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 34: 407.

1935 – Dr.’s Lynch and Smith document the death of an individual with asbestosis and squamous cell carcinoma, a type of lung cancer. The doctors conclude that “chronic bronchial irritation” caused the cancer. Lynch, K.M. & Smith, W.A. (1935) “Pulmonary Asbestosis III: Carcinoma of Lung in Asbesto-Silicosis” The American Journal of Cancer. Vol. XXIV, No. 1; p. 50

1935 - An article in Tubercle discusses the cases of two individuals who died of lung cancer after developing asbestosis. While this article stops short of claiming that asbestosis causes lung cancer, it does conclude that "in asbestosis a small tumor turns the scale." Gloyne, S.R. (1935) “Two Cases of Squamous Carcinoma of the Lung Occurring in Asbestosis” Tubercle. Oct. 1935; p. 6

1935 - Harvard mineralogy professor Cornelius Hurlbut publishes "The Mineralogy of Asbestos Dust" in The Journal of Industrial Hygiene and explains that asbestos dust is known to be harmful. Hurlbut, C.S. (1935) “The Mineralogy of Asbestos Dust” The Journal of Industrial Hygiene. Vol. 17, No. 6; p. 280

1935 - The State of Pennsylvania studies 64 asbestos workers and finds that 25% of them have pulmonary asbestosis. So by 1935, the asbestos industry knew that as many as one out of four workers could develop asbestos-related illnesses. "Asbestosis” (September 20, 1935) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Labor and Industry. Bureau of Industrial Standards. Harrisburg, PA. Special Bulletin No. 42; p. 4

1935 - "Memorandum on the Industrial Diseases of Silicosis and Asbestosis" is published in the U.K. The article lists 14 known causes of asbestosis, including the "sawing, grinding, and turning in the the dry state of articles composed wholly or partly of asbestos such as motor car brake and clutch linings." His Majesty’s Stationary Office: February 1935. “Memorandum on the Industrial Diseases of Silicosis and Asbestosis.” London. p. 12

1935 - The Association of American Railroads holds its 15th annual meeting, and the Medical and Surgical Section notes that asbestos dust can cause asbestosis. Association of American Railroads, 15^th Annual Meeting. 1935. Proceedings of Medical and Surgical Section; p. 89

1936 - The Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology publishes an article in which the health hazards of asbestos are discussed, and the Journal notes that "protection of asbestos workers has been woefully lacking" by the industry. Donnelly, J. (1936) “Pulmonary Asbestosis: Incidence and Prognosis” The Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Vol. 18; p. 227

1936 - The American Review of Tuberculosis publishes a case study of an individual who died of lung cancer after developing asbestosis. The journal notes that this case report is "especially interesting since it is apparently the first [report] to describe primary carcinoma of the lung as an associated condition [of pulmonary asbestosis.] So as of 1936, the asbestos industry was on notice that at least some in the medical community believed that asbestos exposure could lead to lung cancer. Egbert, D.S. et al. (1936) “Pulmonary Asbestosis and Carcinoma” The American Review of Tuberculosis. Vol 34; p.143

1936 - The Lancet reports that from 1930 to 1934, there had been 50 deaths in which asbestosis was a primary or contributing factor to the cause of death. So much for the argument that it wasn't until the 60's or 70's that the industry knew asbestos was deadly. Middleton, E.L., et al. (1936) “Industrial Pulmonary Disease Due to the Inhalation of Dust” The Lancet. July 11, 1936; p. 59

1936 - Radiology publishes "Asbestosis: A Roentgenologic Review of 71 Cases” and found that 71 out of 100 workers in local asbestos plants had at least mild degrees of asbestosis. The actual percentage may be higher than 71 percent, as only 71 out of 100 were actually examined. Shull, J.R. “Asbestosis: A Roentgenologic Review of 71 Cases” Radiology Vol. 27, p. 279

1936 – Doctor Roodhouse Gloyne concludes that oat cell carcinoma of the lung can be caused by asbestosis. Dr. Gloyne also notes that the medical community already accepts that certain other types of cancer are already known to be associated with asbestosis. Gloyne, S.R. (1936) “A Case of Oat Cell Carcinoma of the Lung Occurring in Asbestosis” Tubercle December 1936; p. 100

1937 - The American Association of Railroads notes that asbestos is one of the “principal toxic dusts” that workers will be exposed to. Proceedings of Medical and Surgical Section. Association of American Railroads. 17th Annual Meeting. 1937; p. 20

1938 - The Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology publishes a case report in which a doctor determines that there is a "causal relationship between the presence of asbestosis and the development of [a] carcinoma." At least some doctors believed in 1938 that asbestos exposure could cause cancer. Telsky, L. (1938) Summary of “Clinical Considerations on the Questions of Industrial Cancer of Asbestos Workers” Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Vol. 20, No. 8; p. 184

1938 - U.S. Treasury issues bulletin that summarizes the health risks of asbestos workers in the textile industry. It concludes that "[t]he primary effect of asbestos dust on the body is to set up an interstitial, pulmonary fibrosis.” United States Treasury Department Public Health Service. Public Health Bulletin No. 241. August 1938. “A Study of Asbestosis in the Asbestos Textile Industry” p. 1

1938 - The British Journal of Radiology publishes "Asbestosis," an article that discusses the dangers of asbestos inhalation. The article notes that asbestos is uniquely harmful because of the long, sharp shape of the dust particles. Sparks, J.V. (1938) “Asbestosis” British Journal of Radiology. Vol. 11, No. 126.; p. 371

1939 - Dr. Sayers published "Asbestosis" in The American Journal of Public Health and found that over half of workers exposed to 10 million particles per cubic foot of asbestos for five years developed asbestosis. The study confirmed once more that the more asbestos someone is exposed to, the more likely he or she is to develop an asbestos-related illness. Sayers, R.R., et al. (1939) “Asbestosis” The American Journal of Public Health Vol 29; p. 205

Asbestos Timeline: 1940 to 1949

1940 - "Clinical Studies in Asbestosis" is published, and is one of the early articles to confirm that asbestosis can lead to enlargement of the heart. One third of individuals studied had an enlarged heart. Stone, M.J. (1940) “Clinical Studies in Asbestosis” The American Review of Tuberculosis. Vol. XLI, January-June 1940; p.17

1940 - Dr. Leroy Gardner publishes "The Pathology and Roentgenographic Manifestations of Pneumoconiosis" and notes that 60% of workers he studied with more than 15 years of asbestos exposure had developed asbestosis. Gardner would die three years later, and Johns Manville would suppress some of his additional research. Gardner, L.U. (1940) “The Pathology and Roentgenographic Manifestations of Pneumoconiosis” The Journal of the American Medical Association. February 17, 1940. Vol. 114; p. 26

1941 - Dr. Rutherford T. Johnstone published a book titled Occupational Diseases: Diagnosis, Medicolegal Aspects, and Treatment, and devotes an entire chapter to asbestosis. Dr. Johnstone confirms once again that asbestosis is caused exclusively by exposure to asbestos. Johnstone, R.T. (1941) Occupational Diseases: Diagnosis, Medicolegal Aspects, and Treatment © 1941 W.B. Saunders Company. Philadelphia and London. Page. 348

1942 – Dr. Leroy Gardner notes that as little as eight years of asbestos exposure can cause permanent and irreversible asbestosis. He also provides a good description of the effects of asbestosis. Gardner, L.U. (1942) “The Pneumoconoises” The Medical Clinics of North America July, 1942; p. 1257

1942 – Dr. W. C. Hueper notes that an individual with asbestosis can be at 20 times the risk of developing lung cancer as someone without asbestosis. More importantly, he notes that the asbestos industry needs to undertake a “thorough and clinical causative” study of the interrelation of asbestos and lung cancer. Hueper, W.C. Occupational Tumors and Allied Diseases © Charles C. Thomas, 1942; p. 403

1942 – The tenth article associating lung cancer with pulmonary asbestosis is published. Holleb, H.B. & Angrist, A. (1942) “Bronchiogenic Carcinoma in Association with Pulmonary Asbestosis” American Journal of Pathology. Vol. 18. p. 123

1942 – Dr. Homburger writes that “the association of [asbestosis and carcinoma] is remarkably high.” He found 4 instances of primary pulmonary carcinoma in 8 cases of individuals with asbestosis. Homburger F. “The Co-Incidence of Primary Carcinoma of the Lungs and Pulmonary Asbestosis: Analysis of Literature and Report of Three Cases.” Am J Pathol. 1943 Sep;19(5):797

1943- German Doctor H.W. Wedler writes that “the mechanical and probably also chemical effects of asbestos dust” can lead to lung cancer. This is but one of several articles to come out of Nazi Germany that implicate asbestos as a carcinogen. Wedler, H.W. (1943) “Asbestosis and Lung Cancer” Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 69:575; p. 2

1944 – Dr. William Boyd writes in The Pathology of Internal Diseases that asbestos is absolutely known to cause respiratory illnesses like asbestosis, and that “[t]here is a possible relationship between pulmonary asbestosis and carcinoma, as the two conditions are not infrequently associated.” Boyd, W. The Pathology of Internal Diseases, 4th ed. © Lea & Febiger 1940. Philadelphia, PA. p. 170

1947 - British Journal of Cancer publishes study that shows asbestos workers had a much higher rate of lung cancer than the general population. Kennaway, N.M. & E.L. (1974) “A Further Study of the Incidence of Cancer of the Lung and Larynx” The British Journal of Cancer. Vol. I; p.260

1947 – The New England Journal of Medicine publishes the case of a 37-year old asbestos worker who died of mesothelioma. This is early evidence of the link between asbestos and mesothelioma. Mallory, T.B., et al. (1947) “Case 33111” New England Journal of Medicine 236; p. 407

1947 – A Scandanavian medical journal describes 126 instances of asbestosis in asbestos workers. The article notes that in advanced cases, an individual may have as many as 1.3 million fibers of asbestos per cubic centimeter. Wegelius, C. (1947) “Changes in the Lungs in 126 Cases of Asbestosis Observed in Finland” Acta Radiologica Vol. 28; p. 141

1948 – The British Journal of Cancer describes the case of a 37-year old asbestos worker who died of lung cancer. The article notes that the incidence of lung cancer among asbestos workers was between 11.6 and 16%, compared to between 2 and 6% among the general populace. Cureton, R.J.B. (1948) “Squamous Cell Carcinoma Occurring in Asbestosis of the Lung” British Journal of Cancer. Vol. 11, No. 3; p. 250

1948 – The medical journal CHEST publishes a review of the autopsies of 40 asbestos workers who had developed asbestosis. The article notes that as little as 28 months of exposure to asbestos can cause the disease. It also notes that lung cancer occurred among this population at a rate of over seven times what would be expected. Lynch, K.M. & Cannon, W.M. (1948) “Asbestosis: IV. Analysis of Forty Necropsied Cases” CHEST1948 14(6):874

1949 - UK Inspectors note that asbestos factories have made some improvements in dust control and in the recognition of he hazards of asbestos dust exposure. His Majesty’s Stationary Office. London, England. “Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, for the year 1949” p. 146

1949 – The book Industrial Toxicology describes the hazards of exposure to asbestos dust, including the development of asbestosis. Fairhall, L. T. Industrial Toxicology © The Williams & Wilkins Company (1949). Boston. p. 80

Asbestos Timeline: 1950 to 1959

1950 – A Danish medical journal publishes a study that found that 53.2% of individuals who worked with asbestos for over 20 years developed asbestosis. The article also mentions the association of lung cancer with asbestosis. Frost, J. (1950) “Three cases of asbestosis” Ugeskrift for Lœger Vol. 112, No. 37; p. 1285

1951 – Dr. Hueper finds that the rate of lung cancer in asbestos workers far exceeds that of the general populace, and that men and women are equally at risk. Hueper, W.C. (1951) “Environmental Lung Cancer” The Journal of Medicine in Industry February 1951. Vol. 20, No. 2; p. 57

1951 – The Archives of Internal Medicine publishes “Asbestosis Associated with Bronchogenic Carcinoma,” an article that posits asbestos is a carcinogenic substance. Stoll, R., et al. (1951) “Asbestosis Associated with Bronchogenic Carcinoma” The Archives of Internal Medicine. Vol. 88; p. 831-832

1951 – The book A Text Book of X-Ray Diagnosis discusses asbestosis and notes that if an individual with asbestosis has a large opacity on his or her X-Ray, “carcinoma should be thought of at once.” Shanks. S.C. A Text Book of X-Ray Diagnosis. 2^nd ed., Vol. 2. © 1951 W.B. Saunders Company. Philadelphia and London. Pp. 416

1951 – The Lancet publishes “Pneumoconiosis,” and reports that the rate of individuals with asbestosis who develop lung cancer was 14%, compared to anywhere from 2% to 6% among those who do not have asbestosis. Gloyne, S.R. (1951) “Pneumoconiosis” The Lancet. April 14 1951. p. 812

1952 – The Encyclopedia Britannica lists “asbestos dust” as a known cause of “cancers of the respiratory tract” in the entry on cancer. “Cancer” Encyclopedia Britannica Volume 4: Brain to Casting. © 1952 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. 731

1952 – Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine publishes an article relating to widespread industrial cancer in England and the rest of Europe. An entire section is devoted to cancer among asbestos workers. Smith, W.E. (1952) “Survey of some current British and European studies of occupational tumor problems” American Medical Academy. Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine. Vol. 5; p. 250.

1953 – The American Journal of Medicine publishes “Asbestosis and Bronchogenic Carcinoma,” an article discussing the relationship between cancer and asbestosis. The article finds that the rate of cancer amongst those with asbestosis is between 7 and 14 times higher than those without asbestosis. The article concludes that “the association of bronchiogenic carcinoma with asbestosis is more than coincidence.” Isselbacher, K.J., et al. (1953) “Asbestosis and Bronchogenic Carcinoma” American Journal of Medicine November, 1953; p. 721

1954 – The chief physician at the German Pathology Institute of the District Hospital of Ludwigsburg states that “it may be considered proven that the dust of asbestos can trigger autonomous tumor growth.” The doctor discusses the high rates of lung cancer among asbestos workers, but also posits that asbestos dust can cause stomach cancer. (Which it can – Ed.) Leicher, F. (1954) “Primary Epithelial Tumor of the Peritoneum in Asbestosis” Arch. Gewerbepath. Gewerbelhyg. Vol. 13; p. 382

1955 – Epidemiologist Richard Doll publishes a review of autopsies of asbestos workers and finds a striking correlation between asbestos work and lung cancer. He concludes that “lung cancer was a specific industrial hazard of certain asbestos workers.” Doll, R. (1955) “Mortality from Lung Cancer Among Asbestos Workers” British Journal of Industrial Medicine Vol. 12, p. 81

1955 - The British Medical Journal lists asbestos as a known carcinogenic occupational factor. Kennaway, E. (1930) “Some Problems in the Study of Cancer in Man” The British Medical Journal. May 7, 1955; p.1108

1955 – The American Journal of Pathology reports that lung cancer is an “associated cancer” of asbestos exposure, and suggests that decreasing occupational exposure to asbestos will lead to a decrease in occupational lung cancer. Bosner, G.M., et al. (1955) “Occupational Cancer of the Urinary Bladder in Dyestuffs Operatives and of the Lung in Asbestos Textile Workers and Iron-Ore Miners” American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Vol. 25, No. 1-12; p.132

1955 – Dr. Donald Hunter’s 1,000+ page textbook The Diseases of Occupations discusses asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis. The textbook concludes that death may result from as little as 12 years of asbestos exposure. Hunter, D. The Diseases of Occupations © 1955 Little, Brown and Company. Boston. p. 876-877

1955 – Dr. Kenneth Lynch describes the pathology of asbestos, and notes that in the final stages of asbestosis, a person’s lungs are “tough, coarse, inelastic, fixed in expansion, grayish marbled in appearance, and generally… in an extreme state of fibrous induration.” (Fibrous induration means ‘scarred to the point of being hard.’) Lynch, K.M. “Pathology of Asbestosis” American Medical Association Archives of Industrial Health Vol. 11, p. 185

1956 - The Danish Medical Bulletin publishes a study in which individuals exposed to asbestos for at least 20 years were 16 times as likely to have pleural plaques than the general population. Frost, J et al. (1956) “Asbestosis with Pleural Calcification among Insulation Workers” Danish Medical Bulletin. Vol 3. No. 7; p.202

1956 – Dr. E.R.A. Merewether publishes the third volume of Industrial Medicine and Hygiene. He notes that asbestos workers are at a higher risk of cancer, and that “[a]s long ago as 1938 the suspicion arose that asbestos workers might be more than normally prone to lung cancer.” Merewether, E.R.A. Industrial Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 3 Pub: Butterworth & Co. Ltd 1956. London. p. 215

1956 – The Journal for Clinicians notes that asbestos workers are at an elevated risk of lung cancer, and that the best way to reduce the risk is to reduce the amount of asbestos inhaled by workers. Hammond, E.C. (1956) “Etiology of Bronchogenic Carcinoma” Journal for Clinicians 6(1); 157

1956 – The Medical and Scientific Director of the American Cancer Society publishes “The Truth About Cancer,” a book in which he explains that it is well-accepted that asbestos can cause lung cancer. Cameron, C.S. The Truth About Cancer © 1956 Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. p. 71

1956 – Dr. H. Corwin Hinshaw describes asbestosis in his book Diseases of the Chest. Dr. Hinshaw explains that asbestosis can lead to pleural plaques and thickening of the alveolar walls. He also confirms that there “is no treatment known to be of value” for asbestosis. Hinshaw, H.C. & Garland, L.H. Diseases of the Chest © 1956 W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia. p. 667

1956 – The Danish Medical Bulletin publishes an article in which pleural plaques were found in 35% of asbestos workers examined. That’s in comparison to 0.2 percent of individuals without asbestos exposure. This article shows that asbestos workers are 175 times more likely to develop plaques than the general population. Frost, J., et al. (1956) “Asbestosis with Pleural Calcification Among Insulation Workers” Danish Medical Bulletin Vol. 3, No. 7; p. 202

1956 – Swedish Medical News publishes a report on asbestosis, which is a “new occupational disease” to that country. Although Sweden was late to discover asbestosis, it’s conclusions were the same as every other country: “Asbestosis results from inhalation of asbestos dust.” Ahlborg, G., et al. (1956) “Asbestosis, an Occupational Disease New to Sweden” Swedish Medical News. Stockholm. Vol. 53, No. 21; pp. 1376

1957 – Australian doctor D.L. Gordon Thomas notes asbestosis is not a disease of the aged, but often occurs in those in the “thirty to fifty age group, and for this reason it is imperative that conditions improve in the dusty trades.” He further suggests that “the most important single factor is to educate the worker to protect himself.” Which unfortunately, the asbestos industry never did. Thomas, Gordon, D.L. (1957) “Pneumonokoniosis in Victorian Industry” The Medical Journal of Australia 19 Jan 1957; p.75

1957 – P.F. Holt writes in his book on lung disease that rates of lung cancer of individuals exposed to asbestos is as high as 13 or 14 percent, compared with a rate of 2 to 6 percent in an unexposed population. Holt, P.F. Pneumoconiosis: Industrial Diseases of the Lung Caused by Dust © 1957 Edward Arnold LTD. London. p. 142

1957 – A group of noted asbestos researchers undertake a study to show the carcinogenicity of asbestos in laboratory rats. They succeed in causing lung cancer in 47% of male rats and 28% of female rats. The study exposed rats to asbestos dust for eight hours per day, five hours per week. Lynch, K.M., et al. (1957) “Pulmonary Tumors in Mice Exposed to Asbestos Dust” Archives of Industrial Health Vol. 15. March 1957; p. 207

1958 – The British Medical Bulletin publishes that there has been agreement “on the relation between asbestosis and lung cancer” since the International Symposium on the Endemiology of Lung Cancer in 1953. Goldblatt, M.W. (1958) “Occupational Carcinogenesis” British Medical Bulletin Vol. 14, No. 2; p. 136

1958 – In his book The Pneumoconiosis Problem, Dr. Eugene Pendergrass confirms that inhalation of asbestos dust can lead to asbestosis and other health problems. He concludes that all asbestos workers should be x-rayed to monitor their health. Pendergrass, E.P. The Pneumoconiosis Problem © 1958, pub Charles C. Thomas, Springfield IL, USA. p. 24

1958 – The French Medical Journal La Presse Medicale publishes an article entitled “Asbestosis and Bronchial Cancer,” an article that found “t]he frequency of bronchial tumors among patients suffering from asbestosis is ten times higher than the normal incidence.” Chauvet, M. (1958) “Asbestosis and Bronchial Cancer” La Presse Medicale Vol. 66, No. 40; p. 1

1958 – The Netherlands Journal for Medicine published an article on the relationship between asbestosis and pleural cancer. The article explains that “[a] long series of anecdotal reports on the concurrence of cancer and asbestosis finally lead to the universal acceptance of the opinion that asbestos should be regarded as one of the factors in the genesis of lung cancer.” Van der Shoot, H.C.M. (1958) “Asbestosis and Pleural Tumors” Netherlands Journal for Medicine Vol. 102 (I) 23; p. 1125

1958 – Dr. B.M. Fried publishes his book Tumors of the Lung and Mediastinum and observes that “[t]he concept that asbestosis is carcinogenetic and apt to cause bronchiogenic cancer has dated back to the mid-thirties.” He concludes that asbestos workers are between 3.5 and 7.2 times as likely to develop lung cancer as the general population. Fried, B.M. Tumors of the Lung and Mediastinum © 1958 Lea & Febiger: Philadelphia, PA. USA. p. 65

Asbestos Timeline: 1960 to Present

1960 – The British Journal of Industrial Medicine publishes a landmark study of mesothelioma among 33 patients in South Africa. Not coincidentally, 32 of them had heavy exposure to crocidolite asbestos. This was the first major study linking asbestos to mesothelioma and was a clarion call to the asbestos industry. Wagner, J.C., et al. (1960) “Diffuse Pleural Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure in the North Western Cape Province” British Journal of Industrial Medicine Vol. 17; p. 260

1960 – One of the earlier articles discussing the ability of asbestos to cause lung problems even in those not occupationally exposed to asbestos came from Stockholm. Kiviuluoto, R. Pleural Calcification as a Roentgenologic Sign of Non-Occupational Endemic Anthophyllite-Asbestosis (from the Roentgen Department of the Central Hospital of Northern Karelia and The Roentgenologic Department of Turku University) © 1960 Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Kirjapaino Oy Helsinki: Stockholm. p. 48

1960 – The book Modern Occupational Medicine describes the risks of exposure to asbestos dust and specifically explain that there can be a multiple-decade latency period between exposure and illness. The book also notes that exposure to asbestos dust can lead to lung cancer. Pell, S., et al. Modern Occupational Medicine (eds Fleming, A.J., D’Alonzo, C.A., and Zapp, J.A.) © 1960 Lea and Febiger. Philadelphia, PA. USA. p. 466

1960 – The Archives of Environmental Health publishes “Asbestosis and Carcinoma of the Lung,” an article which details the connection between asbestos exposure and lung cancer. Anderson, J. & Campagna, F. (1960) “Asbestosis and Carcinoma of the Lung” Archives of Environmental Health Vol. 1; p. 27

1960 – Occupational Diseases and Industrial Medicine is published and lists asbestos as a known cause of lung cancer, citing studies dating back to 1935. Johnstone, R.T. & Miller, S.E. Occupational Diseases and Industrial Medicine © 1960 W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia and London. p. 328

1960 – A Swedish medical textbook summarizes existing bodies of research on the health hazards of asbestos and concludes that “asbestosis may constitute a grave health hazard” in Sweden as elsewhere. Ahlmark, A., et al. Silicosis and Other Pneumoconioses in Sweden © 1960 Scandinavian University Books, Sweden; p. 353

1962 - American Practitioner publishes "Pleural Asbestosis" and confirms that (a) asbestosis is a progressive disease that is caused by exposure to asbestos, and (b) that the best way to prevent asbestosis is to limit exposure to asbestos though proper ventilation and respirators. Eisenstad, H.B. “Pleural Asbestosis” Medical Practitioner. Vol. 13, No. 1; p. 573

1964 - Dr. Irving Selikoff publishes a landmark study of 1,522 asbestos workers. Dr. Selikoff discovers that those workers developed lung cancer at a rate of six to seven times what should be expected, and nearly one out of five asbestos workers did in fact develop lung cancer. Further, Dr. Selikoff notes that the rate of mesothelioma among these workers is "strikingly high for a tumor which is generally considered to be extremely rare." Selikoff, I.J., et al. (1964) “Asbestos Exposure and Neoplasia.” The Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol 188, No. 1; p. 22

1965 - The New England Journal of Medicine lists asbestos as a cause of mesothelioma. No one can claim after this date that the full hazards of asbestos weren't known. “Asbestosis and Malignant Disease” The New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 272, No. 11; p. 590

1966 - Dr. W.C. Hueper explains that "cancers of the lung, pleura, and peritoneum are directly related to occupational and environmental exposures to asbestos dust..." Hueper, W.C.. (1966). Occupational and Environmental Cancers of the Respiratory System. Springer. New York

1973 - Dr. J.C. Gilson publishes "Asbestos Cancer: Past and Future Hazards" and explains that despite their different chemical makeup, each type of asbestos (there are five types of asbestos) can cause cancer. Dr. Gilson also confirms that there is a dose response relationship to asbestos, meaning the more one is exposed to, the more likely one is to develop cancer. Gilson, J.C. (1973) “Asbestos Cancer: Past and Future Hazards” Section of Epidemiology & Preventative Medicine April 1973, Vol. 66; p. 397

2001 - The American Journal of Epidemiology publishes a long-term study which concludes that exposure to Chrysotlie asbestos can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. Yano E., et al. (2001) “Cancer Mortality among Workers Exposed to Amphibole-Free Chrysotile Asbestos.” American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol. 154, Nov. 6, 2001; p. 539

The asbestos timeline is published by mesothelioma lawyer Justinian Lane.