1791: When and Why the 11 Types Asbestos were Pretty much Useless
This blog is pretty much pure history taken from the English translation from Latin in the 1791 publication by Torben Bergman of Essays Physical and Chemical. I have the complete book set up at https://theasbestosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1791-Asbestos.pdf should you want to see how typesetting looks from that era or desire to read the complete story of asbestine (asbestos) in the Contents page and/or in the incredibly detailed discussion starting on page 180 and continuing through 204. Yes, 24 pages devoted in 1791 to this then almost worthless mineral. It seems to me that although the commercialization of asbestos didn’t shift into second gear until the 1830’s (see https://theasbestosblog.com/?p=11519 for that discussion), it wasn’t for lack of effort 40 years or more beforehand.
As to the breadth of the 1791 asbestine discussion, Section IV is entirely devoted to the then believed 11 types of asbestos. The author noted, however, that
“Our knowledge of the asbestine earth has been hitherto uncertain and superficial.”
Most of the people familiar with ancient history have heard that asbestos was, at one time, used to wrap dead bodies so that the ashes of those bodies were preserved after being put to fire. However, lesser known was that this asbestos use ceased because “funeral piles” were abolished. As to clothing? The fibers were too harsh (“intolerable irritation”) and short to be desirable. As to paper? Too brittle and absorbent to be adapted to writing. Matches or wicks for lamps? Could work with the correct type of asbestos, but still needed to take off line and clean periodically because of carbon deposits forming from the oil. Chinese clothing sleeve ruffles? The testing on this clothing by Mr. Bergman showed that the ruffles were easily destroyed by fire. As such, asbestos was thought at the time to be a curious phenomena in physics, and very little more.
In conclusion, by 1791, a lot of effort had been put into the commercialization of asbestos fibers, but such attempts were mostly unsuccessful.
The book has a lot more to offer if you want to read all of the pages from 180 to 204 as discussed in the Contents Section IV which is attached above. This includes known areas of the world for each type of asbestos, results of significant testing for each type of asbestos when put to the flame, the difference between mountain cork and mountain leather, and similar types of scientific testing.
Given this publication, I think that asbestos wasn’t just an after thought prior to the 1800s but, rather, it was a topic of scientific discussion looking for practical applications even while George Washington was the first POTUS and Marie Antoinette was the last Queen of France.
Let me know what you think about this blog by either leaving a comment or sending me an email at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thanks. Marty
4 Responses
I am amazed and rather shocked about the knowledge of asbestos in the 1700s and you have done a awsome job marty in education..facts and truth to this issue. I have always believed that those who knowingly used and exposed millions such as wr grace and others created and allowed this asbestos holocaust to effect the world and life…and make a killing from killing us. With wr grace out of the asbestos killing business and owning the insurance companys collecting the billions it cost to treat the victims i would bet the twin towers..manhatten was done to create millions of victims meaning…making a killing from killing us. People are big business to them with govt just as guilty for knowing and allowing this asbestos holocaut to kill millions today. Just blows my mind how this is reality for generations to come. Thank you for your careing nature..i wish the world would be as educated to what you teach. Gid bless my friend and thank you
Mike, thank you. I recently found and purchased off EBay a 1948 publication about Libby, Montana by Eugene Perry titled “Talc, Graphite, Vermiculite and Asbestos in Montana.” I am curious what was known that far back. It should arrive in a week or so.
I have always thought that, in the United States, there are too many non-injured who feed at the asbestos trough or who try to get a cut that really doesn’t add to society. Quite honestly, that issue and proposed remedies are a large part of what I hope to address for a PhD dissertation after I complete my Masters this coming Fall. We may not be able to change the past, but we can all try to make the future into a better system that addresses the continuing exposures, those who are already symptomatic, and preventing new exposures. The ability to educate on the history is, in my opinion, key as a starting place. That presumes that I can find a PhD program that takes old people like me. All my best to you and the family. Marty
The first two chapters are good for any scientist.
Thank you for your comment. I very much like the book. Even with all my previous historical research, this one had a lot of good, and new to me, information. It also showed that even with asbestos eventually becoming popular a century of so later, they recognized and were experimenting in the 1700s to really understand what society could use back then.
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