A high prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis, or the formation of fiber-like tissue in the lungs, was reported in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties in upstate New York. The mining of talc, a powdered soapstone used as a dusting powder, is common in these New York counties. Previous studies have shown that talc miners and millers have an increased incidence of lung disorders, including pneumoconiosis, a respiratory disorder caused by dust exposure; respiratory symptoms; thickening and patchy ...