Asbestos-containing materials have recently been discovered in the former John Umstead hospital building, in Butner, North Carolina. The discovery was the result of an environmental study that was conducted by Matrix Health and Safety. The full report was received by the state of North Carolina on February 27th.

Many older buildings, including the hospital, which opened in 1947, contain asbestos materials such as floor tiles or insulation.

Exposure to asbestos may lead to the development of asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Because asbestos-caused diseases tend to have such a long latency period they are very difficult to treat, as they are often in advanced stages when they are finally discovered. Typically, victims of such diseases will live for only a short period following diagnosis, as mesothelioma treatment methods - including chemotherapy and radiation - are simply palliative.

John Umstead Hospital first served wounded Army soldiers returning from overseas during World War II. The structure was purchased from the federal government, and served residents in sixteen surrounding counties.

According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services, John Umstead Hospital was scheduled to close in 2008. Staff and patients were prepared to merge with Dorothea Dix Hospital in Raleigh, also scheduled to close last year, to form the new Central Regional Psychiatric Hospital on S. Boylan Avenue.

Although the majority of patients are now receiving treatment at the new facility, the gym at John Umstead Hospital is still used. Other parts of the hospital are being used as staff offices.

Air quality samples were taken last month, and parts of the hospital building have been closed off for several weeks to prevent exposure to asbestos or the high levels of mold that were reported.

Source:

The News & Observer

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