Document jg4mNvmwrKy79QDXXZnBMMRM5
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1 How do we know that those five reasons
1 of every five cases. One to two out of every five
2 really prevent brake and clutch parts from causing
2 cases, no known exposure to asbestos.
3 mesothelioma?
3 So given those numbers and those
4 Well, this is probably the central issue of
4 percentages, it is not surprising that mechanics just
5 the case.
5 like everyone else, farmers, lawyers and dentists and
6 It requires us to go to another branch of
6 music teachers sometimes get mesothelioma.
7 science called epidemiology.
7 What it doesn't mean though is that they got
8 The dictionary defines epidemiology as
8 their mesothelioma from brake and clutch parts.
9 simply the science which investigates the causes and
9
All right. That is what we know today.
10 control of diseases.
10 But as you know, we know much more today
11 So epidemiology is the branch of science
11 than we knew 10 or 20 even years ago. Medical science
12 devoted to finding out what causes various diseases.
12 has advanced much further in the last decade or so
13 In the last several years, epidemiologists
13 than we ever thought possible.
14 have conducted several large scale studies to see if
14
In the late 1960s and into the 1970, the
15 garage workers and brake mechanics are at an increased 15 epidemiology studies about garage mechanics and brake
16 risk of contracting mesothelioma over or as compared 16 mechanics had not been done, so it remained an open
17 to people who are not exposed to any type of asbestos 17 question as to what would cause mesothelioma.
18 whatsoever.
18 At about the same time some of you may
19
And what these epidemiologists have found is
19 recall that asbestos started hitting the news, so what
20 that garage workers and brake mechanics are at no
20 did Ford do about this?
21 increased risk for contracting mesothelioma from 21 Well, although Ford did not manufacture
1 working with brake and clutch parts.
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1 brake and clutch parts that went onto its cars and
2
So the epidemiology evidence shows the brake
2 trucks, it obviously knew that those parts were
3 and clutch parts don't cause mesothelioma.
3 comprised at least in part of chrysotile asbestos.
4 But I want to be very clear on one point and 4 So when asbestos started hitting the news,
5 that is because you are going to hear testimony during
5 Ford decided to do a couple of things.
6 the course of this trial that people who work as
6 The first thing that Ford did was starting
7 mechanics sometimes get mesothelioma.
7 in the late 1960s and carrying into the 1970s, Ford's
8 But the evidence that you are going to hear
8 own research scientists started experiments to see if
9 on that point doesn't mean that they got their
9 the braking process and brake repair work would
10 mesothelioma from brake and clutch parts. Although
10 release chrysotile fibers.
11 mesothelioma is a very rare disease, anyone can get
11
As I told you, the epidemiology studies
12 it.
12 weren't in yet, so there really was no firm answer as
13 There have been reported cases of
13 to whether brake and clutch parts could cause
14 mesothelioma in farmers, dentists, lawyers and even a
14 disease.
15 judge, and none of those cases had any known exposure 15
So the Ford scientists started doing
16 to asbestos.
16 experiments and what they found was that almost --
17 In fact, in the reported mesothelioma cases
17 that the braking process and brake repair work
18 that we know of, somewhere between 20 to 40 percent of 18 released almost no chrysotile fibers, and that is
19 all mesothelioma cases had no known exposure to
19 because what we talked about earlier, the scientific
20 asbestos. 20 to 40 percent.
20 process behind the braking process. Most of the
21 What that translates into is one to two out
21 chrysotile fibers had been converted to forsterite.
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