Jon,
That I have not heard of. Asbestos is a fibrous material that was used for insulation in many industries for decades.
It's main problem is that when it becomes airborne and is breathed in, it can cause lung cancer. Big law suits have been fought and won about this.
I've used asbestos years ago before this was a known issue. But I didn't breathe it in.
I get what little info I have about fabric covered cords from these sites:
{
http://www.sundialwire.com/sundialwi...veredwire.aspx }
{
http://www.antiquelampco.com/Catalog/Cord.htm# }
Joe