[Asbestos fibre dust, an actual hazard (author's transl)].

Late results concerning the effects of fibre dust in the human lungs have enormously raised the actuality of fibronous and cancerous reactions of airborne asbestos fibres. The hithero experiences with diseases, resultant from airborne asbestos fibres (asbestoses, cancer, and mesothelioma) are looked on and discussed with respect to 2 asbestos diseases out of the office of the author. Special attention is given to the asbestos-caused mesothelioma which has also been affiliated in the 7th decree of diseases resulting from the work (Berufskrankheitenverordnung) on the 1.1. 1977. Own experiences resulting as well from preventive control examinations as from special collectives of patients (workers in asbestos contaminated surroudnings and smokers) are discussed with respect to restrictive or obstructive ventilation problems. Finally some examples of asbestos free materials wich could be used substiutionarily are quoted.