A battle for compensation for Welsh coal miners: JS Haldane v "Sericite" Jones, 1932-1934

Toward the end of the 1920s, technical advances in mining led to an increase in airborne burdens of dust in the South Wales coal mines. This coincided with a dramatic increase in the incidence of disability and death from respiratory disease among the miners. For their condition to be compensable, claimants were required to have worked with rock containing more than 50% 'free silica.' Dr W.R. Jones, a mining geologist, was asked to help obtain compensation for those claimants who could not satisfy the 'free silica' condition. He was unable to identify high-silica rocks where none had been said to exist. He did however, successfully argue the brief against the eminent Professor J.S. Haldane (who was the dominant authority, having had lengthy experience in the field of health and mining), for the fibrous form of sericite being commonly the important agent responsible for pneumoconiosis. As a consequence, the category of miner eligible for compensation was broadened. Evidence was gathered worldwide that supported the hypothesis that silicates and not just crystalline silica could cause pneumoconiosis. Despite the suspicions raised about the special power of mineral fibers during this public debate, some 40 years were to elapse before potential health hazards from fibers other than asbestos were to be taken seriously and investigated.