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106
"A SURVEY OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND SMOKING
"The classic method of stopping an epidemic - eradicating
the cause at its source-cannot be used in this particular cancer
epidemic. It appears that the commonest attempt to eradicate it is
by education. However, education, even though it may convince will
not necessarily procure a change of smoking habit. This survey was
carried out in an attempt to —
(a) assess how many people could be intellectually convinced
of the relationship between smoking and cancer by health
education
(b) to find out how frequently smoking habits altered in those
who were intellectually convinced.
The Audience: From previous experience, an appeal to the general
public to attend lectures or discussions meets with minimal response.
This proved to be no exception. The only results from an advertisement
in the local press were four enquiries. Several local
organisations were then circularised and agreed to a lecture and
group discussion.
Content of the Lecture: The main emphasis was to demonstrate the
relationship between dust and pulmonary disease rather than
emphasise cancer and smoking. X-rays of silicosis and stannosis
were shown. Opacites of fibrosis on the X-ray film were pointed
out and abrief accountof the symptoms produced, particular emphasis
being placed upon the fact that neither of these dusts were
carcinogenic. These films were followed by an X-ray demonstrating
asbestosis, opacites again being remarked upon but here the fact
that this particular dust could cause malignant change as well as
fibrosis, in contra-distinction to silicosis and stannosis which produced
only fibrosis, was emphasised. Other carcinogenic dusts
such as arsenic and chrome were mentioned and finally an X-ray of
carcinoma in a heavy smoker.
Simple charts of the increasing incidence of lung cancer compared
with other cancers were shown and slides of the prospective
and retrospective studies of Doll & Hill.
All this occupied about an hour following which there was
informal group discussion which averaged up to an hour.
Questionnaire: At the time of the lecture I did not mention a follow
up study but 6 months later the following questionnaire was sent to
the organisations:-