How Asbestos Causes Disease
By this point, most everyone recognizes the dangers of asbestos fibers.
Exposure to asbestos can lead to several different cancers as well as other health conditions.
Thankfully, we now know the hazards of this fiber, and we are taking steps to remove it and prevent it in the future.
Asbestos has been a recognized and utilized material for over 3,000 years.
Scientists have found evidence of asbestos as chinking in huts in what is now Finland.
Additionally, Greeks and Romans both appreciated this substance for its wonderful properties, such as fire resistance.
However, even 2,000 years ago, they noticed the health problems that came with asbestos exposure.
Strabo, a Greek geographer, realized that slaves who worked with asbestos, like in the mines or as weavers of the substance, developed lung issues.
Pliny the Elder, a Roman doctor, historian, and naturalist, among other things, also noted the problems.
He actually recommended that people not purchase slaves who had come from the asbestos mines as they were more at risk for developing diseases of the lungs.
Sadly, though, people still used asbestos due to its beneficial properties.
It is part of the silicate family of minerals, which imparts several useful characteristics based mostly on its ability to resist other things.
Silicates are typically unaffected, or only slightly affected, by chemicals, heat, flame, electricity, and degradation.
Asbestos' unique qualities make it even more helpful because it has high tensile strength while also being flexible.
However, asbestos also has one main drawback, which contributes to its ability to cause disease.
The substance is composed of many tiny fibers.
This is what allowed it to be added to everything from cloth-like materials to concretes to gaskets.
At first, asbestos-containing products may not be dangerous.
Then, things like age or abrasion leads to the fibers shearing off into microscopic particles.
These particles are extremely resilient, as noted above, and they cannot be broken down in our bodies.
Instead, our tissues are forced to form scars around the tiny fibers.
This also leads to inflammation in the tissues where asbestos is present.
Chronic inflammation and widespread scarring is what leads to things like asbestosis, pleural diseases, and other such problems.
Additionally, the irritation and mutagenic properties from asbestos can cause cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Asbestos-related disorders can be serious, if not fatal.
Treating cancers such as mesothelioma can be costly, both financially and emotionally.
If you or someone you know has developed this type of cancer, you should speak to a mesothelioma attorney today.
For more information, contact a mesothelioma lawyer at the firm of Williams Kherkher today.
Exposure to asbestos can lead to several different cancers as well as other health conditions.
Thankfully, we now know the hazards of this fiber, and we are taking steps to remove it and prevent it in the future.
Asbestos has been a recognized and utilized material for over 3,000 years.
Scientists have found evidence of asbestos as chinking in huts in what is now Finland.
Additionally, Greeks and Romans both appreciated this substance for its wonderful properties, such as fire resistance.
However, even 2,000 years ago, they noticed the health problems that came with asbestos exposure.
Strabo, a Greek geographer, realized that slaves who worked with asbestos, like in the mines or as weavers of the substance, developed lung issues.
Pliny the Elder, a Roman doctor, historian, and naturalist, among other things, also noted the problems.
He actually recommended that people not purchase slaves who had come from the asbestos mines as they were more at risk for developing diseases of the lungs.
Sadly, though, people still used asbestos due to its beneficial properties.
It is part of the silicate family of minerals, which imparts several useful characteristics based mostly on its ability to resist other things.
Silicates are typically unaffected, or only slightly affected, by chemicals, heat, flame, electricity, and degradation.
Asbestos' unique qualities make it even more helpful because it has high tensile strength while also being flexible.
However, asbestos also has one main drawback, which contributes to its ability to cause disease.
The substance is composed of many tiny fibers.
This is what allowed it to be added to everything from cloth-like materials to concretes to gaskets.
At first, asbestos-containing products may not be dangerous.
Then, things like age or abrasion leads to the fibers shearing off into microscopic particles.
These particles are extremely resilient, as noted above, and they cannot be broken down in our bodies.
Instead, our tissues are forced to form scars around the tiny fibers.
This also leads to inflammation in the tissues where asbestos is present.
Chronic inflammation and widespread scarring is what leads to things like asbestosis, pleural diseases, and other such problems.
Additionally, the irritation and mutagenic properties from asbestos can cause cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Asbestos-related disorders can be serious, if not fatal.
Treating cancers such as mesothelioma can be costly, both financially and emotionally.
If you or someone you know has developed this type of cancer, you should speak to a mesothelioma attorney today.
For more information, contact a mesothelioma lawyer at the firm of Williams Kherkher today.
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