Asbestos is a rather remarkable naturally occurring substance. Known as "rock floss" or "mountain leather", man has found many uses for asbestos throughout the ages.The word "asbestos" comes from the Greek name for "inextinguishable" or "indestructible." For thousands of years asbestos has been admired for its heat- and fire-resistant properties as well as its strength.There is evidence that Egyptians, five thousand years ago,...more
Although asbestos, which is a naturally occurring silicate mineral, is well known for its ability to resist heat, absorb sound, and resist chemical and electrical damage, the inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause many serious illnesses that include mesothelioma, malignant lung cancer, and asbestosis.These dangers have been known by manufacturers and insurance companies for more than 100 years. The United States Bureau of Labor...more
From the beginning of World War II through the Korean War asbestos was used extensively by the US military. Anyone who served in the armed forces between from the early 1940s and the mid 1950s, particularly those aboard Navy vessels - and anyone who worked in a shipyard - were often regularly exposed to asbestos.It wasn't until the end of the 1970s that the results of asbestos exposure became widely known to the general public.Prior to the dangers being known asbestos was widely used throughout all Navy ships. You'd find it in the boiler room, the fire and engine rooms, sleeping quarters, the mess hall, the navigation room - the list goes on and on.And because people lived in small quarters and the ventilation throughout the ships was poor it is pretty much a given that anyone aboard one of these vessels at that point in time was exposed to asbestos fiber contamination.The reason asbestos was so widely used is because this naturally occurring substance is resistant to heat, fire, and chemicals. And it does not conduct electricity.If left undisturbed it can actually be quite harmless. But if this fibrous material is disturbed or handled then very small particles are...more
Many asbestos manufactures and other companies that used asbestos in their products have known about the dangers associated with asbestos exposure since the early part of the twentieth century. Nonetheless, because of its unique properties, the demand for products that incorporated asbestos continued to grow for many years. And these...more
A popular construction material during the late 19th and 20th centuries, asbestos is a strong and flexible answer to many building needs. It is no longer permitted in the UK, however, as if damaged asbestos can release dangerous fibres which can cause a major threat to health. If inhaled, the fibres will lodge in the lungs and cause scarring and...more
If you are considering career as a solicitor you should be aware that the path is long and hard. Law is an extremely competitive industry with many graduates wanting jobs in this sector. Responsibilities of solicitors include offering clients advice on specialist areas of law and representing them if problems should arise during their case.Many people are shocked to discover that non-law graduates can progress into law through a one year Graduate Diploma in Law (GDP). This allows them to stand on a par with law graduates when entering onto a Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is the final stage of study to becoming a solicitor. Specialist areas and vocational training are taught on the course with the advantages of real-life experience.A 2 year training contract with a legal firm as a trainee solicitor is required before you can be fully qualified. This should help you decide which area of law you want to go into. Solicitors gain expertise in numerous areas including family law, conveyancing and criminal defence.Asbestos solicitors give specialist legal advice to those affected by asbestos. If you choose to specialise in asbestos litigation you will need to have a large degree of...more
As with any cancer, treatment for Mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the progression of the disease, the age as well as state of health of the patient.It is the oncologist who specializes in the disease who will decide...more
Tragically the word mesothelioma is becoming more and more well known, the mere mention of it striking fear into all of us for we know that it is associated with death. Asbestos is the reaper, mesothelioma its hand maiden. Asbestos,...more
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. This disease attacks the protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs and in almost all cases is fatal, although new treatments for cancer are...more
Clinical research to treat malignant mesothelioma is very active and although no treatment has yet proved entirely successful, there exist a range of treatments available to individuals diagnosed with the disease. There are three...more
Pericardial Mesothelioma is an extremely difficult cancer to treat and presently, all treatment methods used have a poor success rate. The chances of a patient's survival depend largely on how early and how aggressively the cancer is...more
One interesting study is called, "Generation of hydroxyl radical by crocidolite asbestos is proportional to surface" by Andrew J. Ghio, Jing Zhang and Claude A. Piantadosi Division of Allergy, Critical Care, and Respiratory Medicine,...more