1930 “National Problems of Canada: The Asbestos Industry of Canada” Edition Two: The Forest Fires that led to the Asbestos Availability and Good Housekeeping Practices.

This week, we continue our discussion about the 1930 book written as part of the McGill University Economic Studies titled National Problems of Canada: The Asbestos Industry of Canada authored by M. M. Mendels. This blog focusing on two issues: the Forest Fires which led to the discovery of asbestos en mass in Canada and what the Canadian asbestos mines and manufacturing operations knew about the need for good housekeeping practices at the time.

Let’s start off with the accidental discovery of asbestos. As stated in the book:

“The accidental knocking off of a fragment of rock, and the consequent exposure of a vein of chrysotile signalized the beginning of an asbestos industry in Canada. The quality was pronounced by experts to be good and thus justified commercial exploitation. The burning of the forest which formerly covered Thetford, Coleraine and the entire range of the Black Mountains, and the occurrence in the vicinity of other large forest fires, facilitated the discovery of asbestos veins by he weathering of the mineral on the surface.”

Think about the possibilities. If no forest fires, then no weathering at the surface and, potentially either no asbestos mining or substantially delayed activity. How the world may have changed; the possibilities are endless.

As to the good housekeeping when dealing with asbestos, remember that asbestos was thought at the time to have “many uses and has no substitutes.” (page 75). Further, “In every field of modern production, in every phase of modern life, it has proved itself indispensable.” (page 10). As such, it is not surprising that this book claims:

“One more point is worthy of mention under the production of asbestos. Continual efforts on the part of various operators, especially the Asbestos Corporation, are made to insure complete safety and cleanliness. Mills are continually being swept clear of the dust and sand that cover the floors. Cleanliness, safety, and labour-saving machinery are insisted upon.”

Obviously, the hole in the logic is that sweeping asbestos fibers and dust on the floors likely, instead, decreased the safety and led to the premature deaths of so many of the workers.

I hope that you found this book interesting. If you have any comments or questions, just leave a comment or email me at TheAsbestosBlog@gmail.com. Thanks. Marty