After his death his lungs were examined. His lungs were hard because of all the dust in them. It was difficult to cut them even with a scalpel. Thousands of People are exposed to crystalline silica dust at work every day. Silicosis is lung damage caused by breathing dust containing extremely fine particles of crystalline silica.
Crystalline silica is found in materials such as concrete, masonry and rock.
When these materials are made into a fine dust and suspended in the air, breathing in these fine particles can produce lung damage. Initially there may be no symptoms. Infectious complications may cause fever, weight loss, and night sweats. See a physician if you experience these symptoms and suspect that you are exposed to crystalline silica. Most crystalline silica comes in the form of quartz.