When did people find out that asbestos caused mesothelioma?

In the early 19th century, there were reports of workers in asbestos mines and factories developing a rare type of lung cancer. However, it wasn't until the 20th century that the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma was firmly established.

In 1906, Dr. Montague Murray of London published a paper describing the case of a man who had worked as an asbestos weaver and died from mesothelioma. Dr. Murray suggested that asbestos fibres could cause cancer, but his findings did not receive much attention.

In the 1930s, Dr. W.E. Cooke and Dr. Eric Selikoff conducted a study of asbestos workers in the United States. They found that asbestos workers had a much higher risk of developing mesothelioma than the general population. Cooke and Selikoff's study provided strong evidence of the link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma.

In the years that followed, more research was conducted on asbestos and mesothelioma. This research confirmed that asbestos exposure is the leading cause of mesothelioma. Today, mesothelioma is considered to be a preventable disease, and asbestos has been banned or severely restricted in many countries.