Peter VanVechten Hamill

A public health physician, Hamill did things like study growth to update charts on childhood development used by family doctors, and treat Native Americans in Alaska for tuberculosis. But he was best known for being the medical director for a special study commissioned by Dr. Luther Terry, the Surgeon General of the United States. In the early 1960s, concern was growing about the health effects of smoking. Tobacco companies had issued reports saying "studies" showed cigarettes were "healthful", but evidence was mounting to the contrary. Hamill's team studied the issue and issued a landmark report which proved the link between smoking and deadly diseases, including lung cancer; the findings were so conclusive that the government waited until a Saturday -- Jan. 11, 1964 -- to release the report to minimize the effect on the stock market. "He and many of the panel members smoked," said Hamill's daughter, January Gatza, "but at the end of the study, I think, they had all quit" because the findings were so clear. Still, it took Congress a full year to require tobacco companies to print a warning on cigarette packs, the meekly worded "Caution" that cigarette smoking "may" be dangerous to health; the "may" wasn't dropped until 1970, when the "Caution" was replaced with a "Warning". Dr. Hamill died March 10 from pneumonia. He was 80. From This is True for 11 March 2007 Suggestions for further reading: The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-Smokers U... by Allen Carr Amazon Price: $14.95 Customer Review: Memorial day this year marked my two year, non-smoking anniversary. I can't tell you how many times people have asked me, "how did you do it?" and I've been able to reference this book. Then they ask, "what *is* the 'Easy Way'" and for the life of ...   The Easy Way to Stop Smoking: Join the Millions Who Have Become Non-smokers U... by Allen Carr Amazon Price: $9.32 Customer Review: If you're serious about stopping smoking and if you read and understand what Allen Carr is saying in "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking," YOU WILL QUIT. There are no scare tactics, no gloom and doom, but everything he says makes sense. I read the ...   The Easy Way for Women to Stop Smoking: A Revolutionary Approach Using Allen ... by Allen Carr, Francesca Cesati Amazon Price: $10.17 Customer Review: I used this book and the regular one. They are both good the other one was what I preferred it was a more updated version. I quit and am now so happy I have not gained one pound, that was my greatest fear. I was however active prior to quitting. I am...   The Sixty-Second Motivator by Jim Johnson Amazon Price: $10.76 Customer Review: Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD. Using Jim Johnson's book, The Sixty-Second Motivator, in just 1-2 hours (the time it takes you to read this book), you can learn what it often takes courses, lengthy DVDs, and major volumes to teach. ...   Stop Smoking in One Hour: Play the CD... Just Once... and Never Smoke Again! by Susan Hepburn Amazon Price: Customer Review: I was a pack a day smoker for 19 years and had never tried to quit because I was too afraid to fail. I found out I was pregnant and thought for sure knowing that alone would make me quit... It didn't. I knew I needed to figure something out because I...   Newsfeed display by CaRP

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