What cigarette would your doctor recommend?
An ad campaign for Camels from the mid 1940s. The Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising site (where I found them) notes:
The none-too-subtle message was that if the doctor, with all of his expertise, chose to smoke a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depicted were never specific individuals, because physicians who engaged in advertising would risk losing their license. (It was contrary to accepted medical ethics at the time for doctors to advertise.) Instead, the images always presented an idealized physician - wise, noble, and caring - who enthusiastically partook of the smoking habit. All of the "doctors" in these ads came out of central casting from among actors dressed up to look like doctors.
Comments
In the early 1970s, a doctor recommended I smoke to relieve a sinus problem that standard practices and medication couldn't cure. Last year, I tried yet again to get answers and permanent relief. The GP and two specialists can't identify the cause, and their laundry list of medications don't work as well as lighting up a few times a day.
There are other problems (like IBS) for which smoking is still the best medicine.
I'm not worried about the statistical effects of smoking -- my sister did a genealogy and found that, going back many generations, men on both sides of the family who didn't smoke or drink died in their early to mid-40s but those who partied hardy lived at least until their 50s.
There are other problems (like IBS) for which smoking is still the best medicine.
I'm not worried about the statistical effects of smoking -- my sister did a genealogy and found that, going back many generations, men on both sides of the family who didn't smoke or drink died in their early to mid-40s but those who partied hardy lived at least until their 50s.
Posted by Phideaux on 01/10/13 at 12:07 PM
If smoking is having these beneficial effects, I suspect it would be due to the stimulant effect of the nicotine, rather than the act of sucking in smoke. So nicotine patches would probably be healthier. But that's just my guess. I'm not a doctor!
Posted by Alex on 01/10/13 at 12:17 PM
It's not the nicotine.
These days, I mostly vape a no-nic flavor. It's about 90% as effective as a real cigarette.
I read an article about a theory why it's so beneficial for patients with IBS, but it was talking about interactions between chemicals with 96-syllable names, and it was only a theory, so I didn't delve too deeply into it.
These days, I mostly vape a no-nic flavor. It's about 90% as effective as a real cigarette.
I read an article about a theory why it's so beneficial for patients with IBS, but it was talking about interactions between chemicals with 96-syllable names, and it was only a theory, so I didn't delve too deeply into it.
Posted by Phideaux on 01/10/13 at 12:29 PM
How to smoke a camel:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79934530@N00/4869048503/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79934530@N00/4869048503/
Posted by tadchem on 01/10/13 at 12:32 PM
@Tad: Once you get over the hump of keeping them lit, smoking them is easy! http://www.picgifs.com/smileys/smileys-and-emoticons/3d/smileys-3d-411801.gif
Way back in the '40s (and even more way back than that) it was a know fact that "smoking stunted your growth" and was "a filthy habit" and "wasn't healthy for you" but gubments, jumping on the band wagon of propaganda used "newly discovered evidence" to cow the tobacco companies into coughing up $Bs and hoodwinked a gullible population into paying outrageous taxes to "discourage smoking" which only keeps the flow of revenue coming in so the subsidies paid to tobacco farmers doesn't hurt too much. 😡
Way back in the '40s (and even more way back than that) it was a know fact that "smoking stunted your growth" and was "a filthy habit" and "wasn't healthy for you" but gubments, jumping on the band wagon of propaganda used "newly discovered evidence" to cow the tobacco companies into coughing up $Bs and hoodwinked a gullible population into paying outrageous taxes to "discourage smoking" which only keeps the flow of revenue coming in so the subsidies paid to tobacco farmers doesn't hurt too much. 😡
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 01/10/13 at 01:55 PM
I'd rather believe a celebrity endorsement where I know the face. A generic doctor touting lighting up a Camel has less credibility than Babe Ruth pushing Old Gold - "Not A Cough In A Carload".
Anyone under forty years of age has no concept of how heavy television advertising was for cigarette companies. It seemed like every third, and sometimes every second, advert was for a tobacco product. Do I miss those days? Not at all. The companies used some really annoying jingles at times.
"Winston tastes bad,
Like the one I just had.
No filter, no flavor.
Just 25 cents of used up toilet paper."
Anyone under forty years of age has no concept of how heavy television advertising was for cigarette companies. It seemed like every third, and sometimes every second, advert was for a tobacco product. Do I miss those days? Not at all. The companies used some really annoying jingles at times.
"Winston tastes bad,
Like the one I just had.
No filter, no flavor.
Just 25 cents of used up toilet paper."
Posted by KDP on 01/10/13 at 02:54 PM
Now docs that smoke tell their patient 'do as I say not as I do'.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 01/11/13 at 12:55 AM
Q: What do you call the guy that graduated last in his class at medical school?
A: Doctor!
A: Doctor!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 01/11/13 at 12:56 AM
This ad and many others like it are found here: http://collectmedicalantiques.com/gallery/pulmonary-medicine
Posted by Fritz on 01/11/13 at 10:16 AM
Here is a link to a song called "Mild and Good Tasting" that samples heavily from the radio ads from that same campaign. Great stuff!
http://jamesfreemanstudio.com/15 Mild and Good Tasting.mp3
http://jamesfreemanstudio.com/15 Mild and Good Tasting.mp3
Posted by Artemis B Knab on 01/11/13 at 04:00 PM
the guy on top's eyes are really close together. weird.
Posted by the on 01/13/13 at 01:27 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: Addictions | Advertising | 1940s