The published paper caused a firestorm. A study was then funded by the South Africa's asbestos industry and by the South African cancer society. The study published a preliminary report in October of 1962. The report showed that an extremely high number of mesothelioma cases were uncovered in people living around or working in the asbestos mines. It became clear that the residents of mining towns were contracting asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma from environmental exposure.
The mining industry was alarmed by these findings. However, instead of closing the mines or investigating safer mining techniques, the industry officials attacked the report and did not allow the public release of the data. Extreme political pressure was placed on the researchers who published the report. Moreover, Chris Wagner came under such intense pressure, he left South Africa for a university in Britain and never to returned to mesothelioma research. The industry was effective in their cover up, and no research into the connection between mesothelioma and asbestos was undertaken in the South African mining towns for another 20 years. This strategy allowed the mining companies to have record sales volumes during the 1960's and 1970's.
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