RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine, quackery, science, and pseudoscience (and anything else that interests him).

History Medicine

Another reminder of how times have changed

Post author By Orac
Post date June 17, 2007
22 Comments on Another reminder of how times have changed

I’ve seen ads like this before in issues of LIFE Magazine from the 1940s that I inherited from my uncle, but they never cease to make me cringe when I see them:

(Click for a larger image and to read the text of the ad more clearly.)

Get a load of the text:

Family physicians, surgeons, diagnosticians, nose and throat specialists, doctors in every branch of medicine … a total of 113,597 doctors … were asked: “What cigarette do you smoke?” And more of them named Camel as their smoke than any other cigarette! Three independent research groups found this to be a fact.

One thing I could never understand is how physicians could fail to realize for so long that sucking noxious gases and particulate matter into one’s lungs as often as 40-60 times a day might–just might–be bad for you. In any case, this ad is yet another reminder of just how much times have changed in 60 years.

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By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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