June 6, 2011

History of Asbestos Usage

Now, everybody knows about the dangers of asbestos usage. On the other hand, we have been employing asbestos for thousands of years and are only just now outlawing unsafe use of this material. Lengthy ago, ancient men and women recognized the wondrous properties of asbestos that allowed it to turn out to be such a widespread item in our lives.


The first civilization that utilized asbestos that we know of had been the inhabitants of Finland from 3,000 years ago. Communities have been discovered and excavated that consist of log cabins and dwellings that have asbestos mixed in as portion of the chinking. Additionally, pottery shards contained the material as nicely.


Next, the Egyptians utilized asbestos to embalm pharaohs, and they wove it into their clothes to make them additional durable. The Persians also utilized the substance for their dead, importing in from India to be utilized as a wrap for the deceased.


We have far more extensive records from ancient Greece. Slaves wore clothing that was woven from asbestos, and Greek geographer Strabo noted that these consumers tended to develop lung diseases, which we now know is caused by breathing in asbestos fibers. Strabo also wrote about an asbestos quarry that was on the Greek island of Evvoia. Greeks also utilized this fiber for the wicks for the eternal flames of the vestal virgins. Lastly, they dressed their dead kings in the substance for cremation and even used it for napkins.


The Romans copied the Greeks in their use of asbestos in day-to-day cloths. It was woven into napkins, towels, tablecloths, nets, and women's head covers. The Romans also initiated the usage of asbestos in constructing materials. Like Strabo, Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder noticed the prevalence of lung challenges in those who had been exposed to high amounts of asbestos or who had been around it for lengthy amounts of time. He noted that slaves from asbestos quarries tended to die young.


Though there is some mention of asbestos in stories about Charlemagne and Marco Polo, it was not created well-known again until the Industrial Revolution that started in the 19th century. With the creation of machines that were hot and could quickly catch on fire, asbestos became well-known as an insulation. This popularity eventually lead to an estimated 30 million tons of asbestos employed in the United States in the last 100 years alone.


Sadly, it was not until the 1970s and 1980s that individuals began to take note of the really hazardous effects of asbestos. Therefore, it was outlawed for most uses. Even so, this was too late for many many people for the reason that of the illnesses caused by asbestos, which includes mesothelioma.


If you or an individual you know has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you might possibly be entitled to monetary compensation. For additional facts regarding mesothelioma and illegal asbestos exposure, check out the mesothelioma law firm of nowadays.

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