History of health concerns of asbestos

The serious health concerns that are associated with asbestos fibers were first discovered as far back as first century AD. Those of higher status in the Greeks and Romans era started to see problems within their slave's conditions and patterns of lung sickness began occurring in those who were given jobs involving the weaving of asbestos cloth.
Post mortem exams raised a further awareness of the related diseases with this mineral around the 1900's when a patterned occurred in young asbestos factory workers who were found with presence of the fibers in their lungs. It was feared that the inhalation of the dust had at least contributed if not caused the death of these workers.
But it was not until the 1920's when a large public health investigation was actually introduced due to the case reports presented by a pathologist named Dr. Cooke. His case description of a 33 year old female victim of the asbestos related disease encouraged further investigation in asbestos textile workers and later resulted in the improved regulation of the manufacturing and asbestos management of contaminated products. The disease that was killing the examined asbestos workers was named asbestosis.
In 1936 further development for research on the health effects of asbestos dust was agreed and sponsored by a group of asbestos companies. The companies were willing to provide the support needed but in return the results of the asbestos surveys conducted were required to be in their full control. It was later revealed that in the 1950's the companies removed all references to cancer prior to the publication of research.
The 80's show a heightened scare within various parts of the world when the U.S issued the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule which was subsequently overturned in the case of Corrosion Proof Fittings. This was later followed by Australia in 1995 and New Zealand in 2002 with a ban on the importation of raw amphibole asbestos and chrysotile asbestos