Dr. Irving J. Selikoff (1915 in New York City – May 20, 1992 in Ridgewood, New Jersey) was a medical researcher who in the 1960s established a link between the inhalation of asbestos particles and lung-related ailments. His work is largely responsible for the regulation of asbestos today. He also co-discovered a cure for tuberculosis.
In the 1960s Selikoff documented asbestos-related diseases among industrial workers. He found that workers expose...
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Dr. Irving J. Selikoff (1915 in New York City – May 20, 1992 in Ridgewood, New Jersey) was a medical researcher who in the 1960s established a link between the inhalation of asbestos particles and lung-related ailments. His work is largely responsible for the regulation of asbestos today. He also co-discovered a cure for tuberculosis.
In the 1960s Selikoff documented asbestos-related diseases among industrial workers. He found that workers exposed to asbestos often had scarred lung tissue 30 years after exposure. His research is credited with having pressured the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to limit workplace exposure to asbestos.
In the 1950s, Selikoff had opened a general-medicine practice called the Paterson Clinic in Paterson, NJ. A few years later, the Asbestos Workers Union asked him to add their membership to his practice. He agreed, and business picked up noticeably. In a few years, however, Selikoff noticed surprising events; several new cases of...
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