2 posts tagged “asbestos insulation”

Labour MP John MacDougall died of Malignant Mesothlioma, caused by asbestos exposure, had again highlighted the poor prognosis of mesothelioma victims. All ex-shipyard workers are cautioned by Mesothelioma-Junction.Com to immediately consult their specialist at the first sign of what may be symptoms of mesothelioma.

Labour MP John MacDougall, Labour MP and close friend of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, sadly died at the age of 60, on 13 August 2008, within 24 months of receiving the diagnosis malignant mesothelioma.  He passed away at the Victoria Hospital, in Kilkaldy and his funeral is set for Monday 18 August 2008.  He revealed in May 2007 that he had serious health problems.

After being diagnosed with asbestosis he had one lung removed at the Guy's Hospital in London.

Labour MP John MacDougall blamed his asbestos disease on his work in the shipyards in 1960’s. That was before asbestos regulations were implemented globally by developed nations. The average asbestos mesothelioma victim normally lives for only 6 to 24 months after being diagnosed.

Many mesothelioma treatment options are currently available but they are yet unable to affectively heal asbestosis mesothelioma patients. This well loved politician had vowed to beat the disease and return to work, after undergoing a trial procedure to try and beat the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma.

Labour MP John MacDougall contributed his education to the excellent technical training that Rosyth Naval Dockyard gave to its apprentices. A boilermaker by trade, he was employed for a period as an engineer in the dockyard and then in the mines. From 1964 John worked at the RGC oil rig construction yard in Methil.

His political career commenced in 1982 when he was elected to the Fife County Council.

Even though society at large has known about the dangers of asbestos exposure and asbestos poisoning for decades, industrial tycoons and government departments continued to use or produce asbestos products to sustain their profits, employment figures and/or economic growth.

However, lobbyists for asbestos toxin health concerns and regulation, eventually succeeded. So varying efficiencies of asbestos mesothelioma law was written and implemented globally.

Ship yards, boilermakers, dock yards, mining are all terms that are statistically stacked with a high level of occupational asbestos risk. The mesothelioma death of labour MP John MacDougall serves as yet another example in this regard.

Even a very brief asbestos exposure can lead to a range of chronic and fatal medical dispositions known as asbestos poisoning diseases.

For many years, asbestos insulation was a preferred thermal component of boilers due to its heat resistant properties.

What is asbestos and what does asbestos look like? All forms of asbestos are composed of fibers with widths less than 1 micrometer, that occur in bundles and have very long lengths. This is called fibrillar. Asbestos identify with particularly fine fibers and is sometimes also called amianthus.

So asbestos is a classification of minerals with a unique, crystalline fiber texture. The main groups are: Chrysotile (“white asbestos”), Amosite (“brown asbestos”), Crocodolite (“blue asbestos”), Tremolite (Amhibole), Anthrophyllite and Actinolite. View asbestos pictures asbestos pictures here

Why are asbestos fibers dangerous? The microscopic fibers become easily airborne. The asbestos fibers are then easily breathed in through the nose and mouth. It becomes lodged forever in the lungs or other parts of the body.

The body’s immune system targets these fibers to break it down, but the body acids excreted to dissolve the asbestos always fail. The lesion caused by the asbestos fibres, is called asbestos injury.

Asbestos symptoms begin slowly and unnoticed. Since the asbestos particles are indestructible, connective scar tissue builds up around them.

It may take between 5 to 50 years for the first symptoms to appear, gradually developing into asbestosis mesothelioma (asbestos disease mesothelioma.) For Labour MP John MacDougall it took 40 years. Shortness of breath with an absence of coughing is one of the first asbestos poisoning symptoms.

If the scar tissue is allowed to develop undiagnosed, the presence of body acids causes some cells to mutate into malignant mesothelioma cancer cells.

Once asbestosis mesothelioma cancer had advanced, other organs begin to weaken from the lack of oxygen. The heart is especially vulnerable.

Occupational asbestos risk, even in modern day industry, can not be over emphasized. This matter is once again being brought to the attention of environment and health concious groups, by the sad loss of Labour MP John MacDougall.

He was a pillar in society, member of Scottish Constitutional Convention Vice-President and Treasurer of the Assembly of European Regions. He was also asked if he would act as liaison officer between the AER and the Conference of Periphereal Maritime Regions

For more information about the diagnosis malignant mesothelioma and to browse asbestos pictures, visit http://www.mesothelioma-Junction.Com  

Also view our picture study of asbestos at a popular seaside holiday town titled, "A Silent Killer Stalking Your Favorite Beach Destination?" at our Asbestos Pictures Page.