Dr. van Steenis Speaks: Unedited Footage
MP3 UPLOAD – Dr Van Steenis Speaks to Douglas
SLIDESHOW – Audio and Some Photos, No Video – Doctor van Steenis speaks to Douglas
FULL VIDEO – Dr Dick van Steenis speaks to Douglas community
Photo & Video Credit: Nicholas Roberts
The St Bride Centre was packed this past Wednesday, 23 September, with around 100 attendees. Among the attendees were 3 doctors, in addition to Dr. Dick van Steenis himself.
The Sunday Herald published an article on Dr. van Steenis’ lecture that has gone to press today: Opencast mines will lead to public health disaster, warns poison expert
Early on in his lecture, Dr. van Steenis cited examples of ill-health arising from pollution, and in the case where such ill-health effects are denied, he decried corruption in the field of public health in the UK. Dr. van Steenis also disputed the veracity of environmental reports issued by consultancy companies in the employ of coal companies.
Later on in his lecture, Dr. van Steenis described the mechanisms whereby particulate matter less than approximately 3 microns (a micron is a millionth of meter) causes inflammation and damage in the lungs, and leads to the development of cardiopulmonary disease and other disorders.
Coal Health Study Blog 
on October 26, 2009 on 1:36 am
have there been studies of other diseases related to coal mining? has cancer, autoimmune system diseases , etc. ever been correlated? thanks for reply.
on October 26, 2009 on 8:08 pm
Cancers, especially of the lung, have much greater incidence in communities adjacent coal mines, as noted in the Douglasdale Coal Health Study. In addition, COPD has been found a precursor to lung cancer irrespective of whether the patient smoked (see literature review for COPD reference). In summary, incidence of diseases formerly found only in coal miners are now increasing in the communities adjacent open-cast coal mines.
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid pneumoconiosis (results in large lesions on the lungs) have been correlated to exposure to crystalline silica (quartz dust) in ceramics workers and coal miners. To my knowledge, here have been no studies to date on whether communities adjacent coal mines have greater incidence of such autoimmune diseases.