Deadly Dust: Silicosis and the Politics of Occupational Disease in Twentieth-Century America

Before you conclude from the title of this work that its contents are as dry as dust, let me assure you they are not. Notwithstanding its scholarly, measured language and meticulous documentation, this is a passionate, absorbing, and infuriating story of corporate greed and criminal contempt for the health of our country's foundry workers. The authors persuasively argue that the lower the status and power of the workers, the greater was their exposure to occupational health hazards. Despite the efforts of courageous lone voices in government and academia, the facts about silicosis were often suppressed. For example, a prestigious academic hired with industry approval to investigate the relationship between sandblasting and silicosis could not even publish his findings in a U.S. journal; his article was published in Germany instead! That millions of workers suffered severe disability and premature death due to silicosis had nothing to do with ignorance. As in the case of the cigarette industry, the facts were there: what was lacking was the government mandate and power to act on the facts. Anyone who carefully follows this tragic tale of unrelenting, unregulated greed and callousness by the foundries would do well to ponder the overly generalized assaults on the evils of big government in the U.S. Greater accountability and regulation earlier could have saved millions of lives. By the way, as the authors point out, industry was quite willing to embrace big government when it suited them. "Employers who had opposed the inclusion of silicosis... came running to the State pleading for the inclusion... so that they would be protected against the unlimited and terrifying common law damage suits which were being filed."