Harvard Professors Help Draft Government Report Blasting Cigarette Danger

Two Harvard professors helped to draft the U.S. Surgeon General's report on "Smoking and Health" released Saturday. The report concluded that "cigarette smoking is a health hazard of sufficient importance in the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action."

Louis F. Floser, Sheldon Emery Professor of Organic Chemistry, and William G. Cochran, professor of Statistics, were among the ten scientists asked to serve on the federal advisory committee formed by Surgeon General Luther L. Terry.

Although no new medical evidence was submitted, the committee's findings are expected to have an important effect on smoking habits and the tobacco industry because of its official and authoritative nature.

Combining the results of Italy surveys, the committee concluded that "cigarette smoking is causally related to lung cancer in men." The incidence of the disease, the most frequent form of cancer in men, is almost ten times higher among smokers than non-smokers, the report said.

Smoking Causes Bronchitis

The government study group also found that the ever-all death rate is 68 per cent higher among cigarette smokers than among non-smokers. It cited seven population studies involving 1,123,000 men and 37,391 deaths.

Although Cochran explained yesterday that he was involved with the population studies and other statistical evidence relating to smoking and cancer in the initial stages of the study, he said that "everyone was involved in almost everything in the end. Of course, all of us subscribe without reservation to the findings of the report," he said.

No University Action Planned

Dana L. Farnsworth, director of the University Health Services, said that his office did not plan any further section in the light of the Surgeon General's report. The Health Services distributed its own report, warning against the dangers of smoking, to administration and students nearly a month ago.

Fieser could not be reached for document last night.

Battle lines are already being drawn in Congress on the smoking report and bills relating to it. Senator Maurine Neuberger (D-Ore.) yesterday announced she will introduce two bills in the Senate this week, including one to establish a federal education program aimed at discouraging smoking.