The paper is a continuation of the communication published in this journal entitled How Man Used Asbestos from Ancient Times to the End of the 20th Century. It summarizes contemporary knowledge of the noxious effect of various types of asbestos on the human organism. Non-tu- morous diseases caused by asbestos include asbestosis (interstitial diffuse fibrosis affecting in particular the lower pulmonary lobes), benign pleural exudate, frequently relapsing, hyalinosis of the parietal pleura, diffuse pleural thickening (pachypleuritis), foci of atelectasis and benign nodules in the pulmonary parenchyma. As to tumourous diseases bronchogenic carcinoma which is many times more frequent in smokers exposed to the risk of asbestos than in non-smokers with the same risk and malignant mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum. In relation to asbestos also some tumours of the digestive system are mentioned and carcinoma of the larynx. The most effective carcinogen is crocidolite, but all used types of asbestos are carcinogens.

        Key words: asbestos - asbestos-related disorders.