The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 53, 719-725, Copyright © 1992 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Thoracic surgery and the war against smoking: Richard H. Overholt, MD
RL Berger, RF Dunton, MM Ashraf, HK Leonardi, KJ Karlson and WB Neptune
Overholt Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, New England Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Richard H. Overholt was born at the beginning of the twentieth century when
thoracic surgery hardly existed. During the first 20 years of his life
progress in the field was slow. The next 20 years, which coincided with
Overholt's surgical training and his early years as a thoracic surgeon, saw
a rapid and almost explosive growth. Overholt's contributions were legion.
They included the world's first successful right pneumonectomy,
advancements in surgical treatment of tuberculosis, development of
segmental resection, and introduction of the prone operative position. He
was a bold and creative pioneer thoracic surgeon with consumate technical
skills. Sixty years ago, when Overholt started his career as a thoracic
surgeon, the hazards of smoking were not appreciated, the habit was
fashionable, and consumption of tobacco was rapidly rising. In the early
1930s Overholt was among the very few physicians who recognized the perils
of smoking and initiated a long but initially unrewarding antismoking
crusade. By the early 1950s evidence about the ill effects of tobacco use
began to accumulate. Organized medicine, voluntary health groups, and
governmental agencies joined in a concerted effort to educate and to
contain smoking. During the ensuing 30 years the antismoking movement
achieved ever-increasing success. Today, it is widely recognized that
smoking is a major health hazard and tobacco consumption is on the decline.
Richard Overholt issued the first warning signals about the perils of
tobacco and served as an indefatigable leader of the antismoking crusade
throughout his professional career.
