Medimun Health and Medical Blog

In ancient Greece, asbestos was considered to be a miraculous mineral, both soft and pliable as well as able to withstand very high levels of heat without melting. The mineral itself is composed of fiber-like crystals and is amazingly strong. Due to its its ability to withstand heat and damage from chemicals or electricity, asbestos was heavily utilized in the 1900’s as an industrial component to a wide variety of products. It could be mixed into cement or fabrics as an aid to resist fire since it is considered to be a flame retardant. Even certain electrical appliances used in the kitchen employed asbestos as protection for the wiring within the appliances. Unfortunately, years ago asbestos was discovered to cause a very severe disease called Mesothelioma.

This disease is a form of lung cancer triggered by exposure to asbestos. Since the mineral was so heavily used both in the United States and Europe, many have been exposed to it over the last century, particularly those who work in construction fields, mining and manufacturing. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the US and Britain’s Health and Safety Executive have gone to great lengths to prevent asbestos exposure in order to lower the risk of individuals contracting this disease. The number of those filing a Mesothelioma claim has risen sharply over the past few years as more and more people discover their exposure to asbestos has lead to onset symptoms of this deadly disease. Experts in the legal field are now advising people to take companies to court after the early symptoms occur in an effort to stop the use of asbestos in all work places.