01. History of Asbestos Use
Arthur H. Thomas Company History of Asbestos Use
Nearly 125 years ago, Arthur H. Thomas Company was founded in Philadelphia. Its namesake, Arthur H. Thomas, founded the company with J. Edward Patterson in 1900. The company, now located in New Jersey, is still in existence today.
In 1983, it was renamed Thomas Scientific Inc. That year, it also became a holding company, overseeing the operations of other companies it owns. Before this, Arthur H. Thomas Company spent decades distributing laboratory and scientific equipment. It also branched out into design, partnering with manufacturers to make custom products. Some items in the Arthur H. Thomas Company design portfolio were asbestos products.
Much of the company’s product sales came through catalogs. These detailed product listings provide clear insight into its history of asbestos use. Many of the products it sold were made with asbestos insulation. It also sold other asbestos products, like asbestos cord and paper.
It’s unclear when Arthur H. Thomas Company fully stopped selling these products. But catalogs show it continued at least through the late 1970s. These products put many workers and consumers at risk of asbestos exposure and related diseases. In recent years, asbestos victims have begun filing lawsuits against Thomas Scientific Inc.
Resources for Mesothelioma Patients
02. Asbestos Products
Arthur H. Thomas Company Asbestos Products
Arthur H. Thomas Company once sold a variety of asbestos products in its catalogs. These products were primarily laboratory and scientific equipment. It also sold materials that could be used to make other products, like asbestos mats and pads.
Some Arthur H. Thomas Company catalogs are available online. These show a wide range of asbestos products for sale. Many consumers and companies may have ordered these products.
As the company evolved, it did more than simply sell asbestos products. It also worked with other asbestos companies to design products containing the mineral. In the early 1900s, the company even created product blueprints that the United States used for World War I supplies.
Some asbestos products designed or distributed by Arthur H. Thomas Company include:
- Asbestos boards
- Asbestos cords
- Asbestos fibers for Gooch Crucibles
- Asbestos gloves and mittens
- Asbestos mats
- Asbestos pads
- Asbestos tape
- Ascarite (derived from asbestos)
- Bacteriological incubators
- Beaker tongs
- Boekel drying ovens
- Centrifugal filters
- Glass blowing kits
- Hoskins ovens
- Hot air sterilizers
- Laboratory mills for asbestos
- Long and medium fiber asbestos
- Micro combustion furnaces
- Paraffin embedding ovens
- Platinized asbestos
- Precision Freas water baths
- Serological baths
- Thelco gravity convection ovens
- Vertical autoclaves
- Weber ovens
03. Occupational Exposure
Arthur H. Thomas Company and Occupational Exposure
Arthur H. Thomas Company put consumers and workers at risk of exposure. It sold different types of laboratory and scientific products. It also helped design blueprints for some products. Many of these laboratory products contained asbestos materials.
Anyone who manufactured products based on its designs may have faced these risks. Other companies also purchased asbestos products from Arthur H. Thomas Company. Employees at these companies may have been exposed to asbestos while handling these products.
Some specific high-risk occupations for exposure include factory workers, scientists and others. Any amount of asbestos exposure may lead to an asbestos-related disease.
04. Asbestos Litigation
Asbestos Litigation Against Arthur H. Thomas Company
In recent years, victims have begun filing asbestos lawsuits against Thomas Scientific Inc. While filed recently, these lawsuits cite asbestos exposure from decades prior. At the time of these exposures, the company name was Arthur H. Thomas Company.
For example, a pleural mesothelioma patient filed an asbestos lawsuit in 2016. She alleged her asbestos exposure occurred from 1975 to 1979 through lab equipment. The lawsuit named various manufacturers and distributors, including Thomas Scientific Inc.
Other people have filed similar lawsuits for their asbestos diseases. These lawsuits may result in compensation for patients and their families. The average mesothelioma settlement ranges from $1 to $1.4 million. The average mesothelioma verdict is $2.4 million.
Some mesothelioma patients may suspect their exposure occurred through products distributed by Arthur H. Thomas Company. Patients and their families may be able to file lawsuits against the companies responsible for their exposure. Mesothelioma lawyers can evaluate cases and determine legal options.
