Medical studies dating back to 1900 suggested that there was a link between asbestos and cancer. By 1945, there were more than 100 studies that discussed the dangers of asbestos. In 1964, Dr. Selikoff of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine showed asbestos insulation workers had a lung cancer death rate more than six times than was expected statistically from men who smoked over a pack of cigarettes a day.
There are many documents that show officials of corporations that manufactured asbestos knew that it was harmful to their employees. Through litigation, internal memos have been discovered that prove there were discussions about asbestos and the dangers were intentionally hidden from the employees.