Cigarette Century

Dr. John A. Meyer’s “Cigarette Century” in the December issue is the confirmation of my long-held views on the evolution of cigarettes and their habitual use. My father, Laird O. Miller, Sr., M.D., was a member of the staff of the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; he and a number of others on the staff volunteered in 1917 to go to France as a medical unit. They returned in late 1919. Dr. James Lee Gilmore was the youngest of that group.

Dr. Gilmore attended the birth of my youngest brother in 1920. My mother died of lung cancer in 1933—the same year that Dr. Gilmore became the first patient to survive removal of the whole lung for cancer. My father and I gathered with others at the AGH to bid good-bye to Dr. Gilmore as he left with high hopes for St. Louis for his historic surgery.

Later, after his return, my father died of post-operative lung disease in 1937. Dr. Gilmore attended the birth of our four children; our eldest daughter died of lung cancer at forty. My middle brother died of lung cancer at seventy. I hope and pray that your article will be thoroughly read by my twelve grandchildren.