Does Asbestos Exposure Cause Tuberculosis: 1937; Big Problem. Today; Not So Much.

Once again, science is either the problem or, it has advanced so far as to change what old school scientists thought was not subject to any dispute.

While undertaking my asbestos historical research, I ran across the issue of whether asbestos was a potential cause of tuberculosis. I can already see many of my technology and scientific-bent readers saying “what are you talking about?”

Let’s talk 1937, with a specific focus on the extensive (1000 plus pages) book titled Toxicology: Industrial Medicine by William McNally. In 1937, the relationship between asbestos exposure and tuberculosis was indisputable. As stated very simply and precisely by Dr. McNally:

“Many of the workers in asbestos have a terminal death of tuberculosis”

Issue scientifically done and closed, right? Not so fast. Move forward toward today, and the issue of whether asbestos exposure causes tuberculosis is scientifically closed, but in the opposite direction: that, is, there is no causation. See the below:

And even at the top of a Google Search response:

I have previously blogged on my concerns about science as related to asbestos. See https://theasbestosblog.com/?p=2052. I guess my takeaway, and the point that I would like to make, is that science often improves over time, so that even issues thought to be beyond dispute are, well, in dispute or can be proven wrong with the passage of time and advancement of technology.

Let me know what you think either by leaving a comment or sending me an email at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thanks. Marty