Ferruginous (asbestos) bodies in the lungs of rural dwellers, urban dwellers, and patients with pulmonary neoplasms.

The lungs of 100 consecutive patients at autopsy and of 24 patients with various pulmonary neoplasms were analyzed for the presence of ferruginous (asbestos) bodies. The population comprised both rural dwellers and urban dwellers, in contrast to previous similar studies involving only urban dwellers. More than 90% of both population groups had ferruginous bodies in their lungs. There was no apparent difference in the incidence or quantity of ferruginous bodies between the group with pulmonary neoplasms and the randomly selected group. These findings raise the possibility of more widespread asbestos dust contamination of environmental air than has been previously thought and indicate that rural as well as urban populations are exposed. The failure to demonstrate more ferruginous bodies in the lungs of patients with pulmonary neoplasms is in accordance with the view that asbestos acts as a cocarcinogen in this regard.