We thank the Comisión Asesora de Investigación Científica y Técnica for supporting this study (Project No.

The inhalation of asbestos particles has been found to cause a number of serious illnesses among mine workers. The major illnesses, asbestosis and mesothelioma, are caused by the direct inhalation of asbestos fibers into the throat and lungs (1, 2). Other experiments suggest that certain types of asbestos belonging to the amphibole class (amosite, crocidolite, and