View report page

by the new Deputy Medical Officer of Health T.F.M. Jackson, visited the Edmonton
junior and senior schools from the 21st to the 30th November, 1962. About
5,900 scholars heard for themselves the health hazards associated with smoking.
Doctor Jackson reported on the teams visit as follows
'The lecturers employed flannelgraphs and demonstrated a specimen of lung
removed in post mortem from a case of cancer of the lung. The film of a
lecture by Doctor C.H. Wood of London University's Occupational Health Department
was also used for children in the older age groups.
Some of the facts and figures given are worth quoting. Each day 20 people
are killed in road accidents in this country whereas 60 individuals die daily from
cancer of the lung.
Tobacco smoke contains a number of irritants some of which are carcinogens
which have not only been isolated from the smoke but have actually produced cancer
in experimental animals such as white mice. The irritants of the smoke are
probably responsible for much of our bronchitis, which of itself accounts for
30,000 deaths annually.
In 1930 of every million people who died, 35 died from cancer of the lung.
In 1940, the figure had risen to 125 and in 1950, the figure was 275. In 1960
it had risen still further to 480 deaths per million. Each year as more and more
people smoke, so the figures of deaths from this painful killer disease increase
steadily.
Surveys conducted in 16 countries including United Kingdom, United States
of America over a period of 30 years show that of non-smokers, 1 in 300 will die
of lung cancer. Of average smokers (10 cigarettes per day) 1 in 25 will die of
lung cancer and of heavy smokers (those smoking 20 or more per day) 1 in 8 will
die of lung cancer.
Twenty cigarettes daily cost about £80 per year.
Smokers are more likely to develop coronary artery disease. Smoking is also
associated with the slow healing of stomach ulcers.
From the smoke of 140 cigarettes an actual tar deposit can be distilled.
Those who wish to uphold the cigarette as being in no way connected with lung
cancer, attribute the rise in mortality from the disease to atmospheric pollution.
However, while there is slightly more lung cancer in towns than in rural areas,
countries such as Iceland is worth considering. The air there is very pure and
virtually free from atmospheric pollution. Nevertheless with the introduction of
tobacco to Iceland, the Icelanders began to show an increased incidence of lung
cancer similar to the pattern in other cigarette smoking nations.
- 49 -