It is also one of the most beguiling, thanks to more than a century of manipulation at the hands of tobacco industry chemists. Golden holocaust is the book big tobacco doesnt want you to. Last summer robert proctor, a stanford professor who studies the history of tobacco, was surprised to receive court papers accusing him of witness tampering and witness intimidation, along with a. Familiar as we are with the horrific history of nazi medicine and science, it may come as a surprise to learn that the nazi war against cancer was the most aggressive in the world. Proctor draws on reams of formerlysecret industry documents to explore how the cigarette came to be the most widelyused drug on the it is also one of the most beguiling, thanks to more than a century of manipulation at the hands of tobacco industry chemists.
Many different methods have been proposed to steepen this downward slope, including increased taxation, bans on advertising, promotion of cessation, and. Program in history and philosophy of science and technology, professor robert proctor. This unsettling and fascinating account is a must read for every medical scientist. Brandt, author of the cigarette century robert proctor unpacks the sad history of an industrial fraud. Proctors thoughtprovoking book, the nazi war on cancer recounts this littleknown story. A lot on the line submitted by anne landman on november 2, 2009 3. Proctor draws on reams of formerlysecret industry documents to explore how the cigarette came to be the most widelyused drug on the.
Robert proctor lays bare the deliberate choices made by the tobacco companies to addict their customers and cause premature death. Stanford historian robert proctor breaks down an industry that still kills more than. I also work on the history of scientific rhetoric, tobacco and body history, nazi science, expert witnessing, evolution and human origins, geology and gemstone aesthetics, and the cultural production of ignorance agnotology. Golden holocaust origins of the cigarette catastrophe. Robert proctor spoke to the johns hopkins community about cigarettes or the deadliest artifact in the history of human civilization, and the cause for their abolition. While a professor of the history of science at pennsylvania state university in 1999, he became the first historian to testify against the tobacco industry. Many different methods have been proposed to steepen this downward slope, including increased taxation, bans on advertising, promotion of cessation, and expansion of smokefree spaces. Most of the richer countries of the globe, however, are making progress in reducing both smoking rates and overall consumption.
The author, now professor of the history of science at stanford, has written a large, and hotly. It is also a defective product, a financial burden on cashstrapped societies, an important source of political and scientific corruption, and a cause of both global warming and global warming denial. How to lie with statistics guy worked for the tobacco. The cigarette is the deadliest object in the history of human civilisation. Molecular anthropology, the refigured acheulean, and the unesco response to auschwitz. He says most expert witnesses avoid drawing attention to.
Proctor s fascinating book, the nazi war on cancer. Proctor follows his own advice, using colorful turns of phrase throughout the volume. But i am skeptical of jon wieners hagiography of antibig tobacco stanford university historian robert proctor big tobacco and the historians. For more on the future of tobacco and marijuana industries as more laws are opening marijuana legalization in america, cctv americas rachelle akuffo spoke to robert proctor, a leading tobacco. Golden holocaust is a model of impassioned scholarly research and advocacy. Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition, a book the tobacco industry tried to stop with subpoenas and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. His tightly reasoned exploration touches on all topics on which the tobacco makers lied repeatedly to congress and the public. He has served as a witness for the plaintiff in trials against the tobacco industry. Proctor draws on reams of formerlysecret industry documents to explore how the cigarette came to be the most widelyused drug on the planet, with six trillion sticks sold per year. For example, he says the tobacco companies operated a giganticand deadly oncologic ponzi scheme p. While robert proctor focuses on cancer research in nazi germany, his book is a detailed examination of the basic value system underlying medical research and public health policy.
He is presently working on a book titled darwin in the history of life, framed. Robert proctor talked about his book, golden holocaust. The cigarette is the deadliest artifact in the history of human civilization. Proctor, a stanford university professor specializing in the history of science and technology, and linguist iain boal coined the neologism on the basis of the. Agnotology formerly agnatology is the study of culturally induced ignorance or doubt, particularly the publication of inaccurate or misleading scientific data. Brandt, author of the cigarette centuryrobert proctor. John mashey points to this, from robert proctors book, golden holocaust. Proctor was very well pieced together and completely exposed the deepest secrets of the tobacco company. Robert neel proctor born 1954 is an american historian of science and professor of the history of science at stanford university. It is also one of the most beguiling, thanks to more than a century of. Rendezvous with robert proctor the antitobacco campaign of the nazis. So says stanfords robert proctor, author of the new bombshell study, golden holocaust.
Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition, a book the tobacco industry tried to stop. He paints a harrowing picture of tobacco manufacturers conspiring to block the recognition of tobaccocancer hazards, even as they. Hinds professor of history of science and the barbara d. Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition merits comment. Some academics quietly take side jobs helping tobacco.
They erase history by acting as if the things we know today have always been known. Proctor draws on reams of formerlysecret industry documents to explore how the cigarette came to be the most widelyused drug on the it is also one of the most beguiling, thanks to more than a century of manipulation at the hands of. Among his twenty imperatives for tobacco prevention activists is the admonition to be creative in the language we use p. Oct 30, 2019 stanford university history professor robert proctor, who wrote a book about the tobacco industry called golden holocaust, says most of these academics have never published any research about. Nazi doctors committed these and countless other atrocities as part of hitlers warped quest to create a german master race. Proctor is among a smaller group of academics who testify in opposition to tobacco companies, on behalf of smokers dealing with cancer, chronic lung disease and heart problems.
A generation ago, hannah arendt increased the worlds understanding of nazi behavior and caused a lot of controversy by talking about the banality of evil. My current work centers around the history of scientific controversy, especially in 20th and 21st century science, technology, and medicine. Proctor is currently writing another book on this topic, agate eyes. Golden holocaust goodreads meet your next favorite book. Tobacco companies have made many efforts to prevent proctor from testifying in these cases.
Proctor notes how several scientists during the 1930s, such as the argentine pathologist angel h. Don kennedy, president emeritus, stanford university and former editor, science this book is a remarkable compendium of evil. The great cause of global health is in robert proctors debt. Proctor is professor of the history of science at stanford university and the author of the nazi war on cancer 1999 and cancer wars. Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition, historian robert proctor reveals littleknown secrets of the cigarette, starting with the ingredient. The cigarette is the deadliest artefact in the history of human civilisation. Mar 29, 2012 proctor notes how several scientists during the 1930s, such as the argentine pathologist angel h. The book has a very relatable system of statistics, showing the author obviously has prior knowledge in statistics and has researched beyond what most people would not find. Jan 02, 2017 for more on the future of tobacco and marijuana industries as more laws are opening marijuana legalization in america, cctv americas rachelle akuffo spoke to robert proctor, a leading tobacco. From the candy bar to the cigarette, records to roller coasters, a technological revolution during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Feb 28, 2012 the great cause of global health is in robert proctor s debt. As proctor so powerfully demonstrates, the time has come to hold the tobacco industry accountable for the massive disease, debility, and death that they produce around the world. Roffo, were demonstrating that the tars extracted from tobacco caused malignant tumors in.
Golden holocaust is the book big tobacco doesnt want you to read stanford historian robert proctor breaks down an industry that still kills more than 400,000 americans a year. The nazis were very concerned about protecting the health of the. As suggested by the title, cancer is a major focus, especially cancers related to tobacco use, but other matters are treated at length as well, topics such as diet. Here is clarity to the unprecedented scientific fraud perpetrated by the tobacco industry. Robert proctor unpacks the sad history of an industrial fraud.
Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition darrell huff, author of the wildly popular and aptly named how to lie with statistics, was paid to testify before congress in. Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition, in which he explores the history of the tobacco industry and the dangers. Stanford university history professor robert proctor, who wrote a book about the tobacco industry called golden holocaust, says most of these academics have never published any research about. Finberg director of the clayman institute for gender. Robert proctor recently made the explosive discovery, however, that nazi germany was also decades ahead of other countries in promoting health reforms that we today regard as progressive and socially responsible. The great cause of global health is in robert proctor s debt. He paints a harrowing picture of tobacco manufacturers conspiring to block the recognition of tobacco cancer hazards, even as they. A dissenting view of robert proctor by a fellow antismoking. Sheila jasanoff, harvard university about the author robert n. As big tobacco defends itself in court, it gets help from. Proctor s thoughtprovoking book, the nazi war on cancer recounts this littleknown story. This revelation piqued the interest of robert proctor, a science historian from stanford university, who started delving into the practices of tobacco firms. In writing the book, robert proctor has drawn on the tobacco industrys formerly secret internal documents to describe how the industry caused. The man who studies the spread of ignorance bbc future.
Golden holocaust is the book big tobacco doesnt want you to read. Last summer robert proctor, a stanford professor who studies the history of tobacco, was surprised to receive court papers accusing him of witness. He formerly worked at pennsylvania state university, and is currently in 2009 at stanford university in california. Proctor, a stanford university professor, and linguist iain boal.
His book is a study of medical science under the nazi administration in germany, emphasizing public health policy and research. This is a book about the history of cigarette design, cigarette rhetoric, and cigarette science. Worldwide, says stanford historian robert proctor, the tobacco industry continues to create toxic products that cause not just lung cancer but also cataracts, ankle fractures, early onset menopause, spontaneous abortion and erectile dysfunction, among other maladies. In writing the book, robert proctor has drawn on the tobacco industrys formerly secret internal documents to describe how the industry caused the epidemic of tobacco use and the resulting massive burden of. A dissenting view of robert proctor by a fellow anti. It turns out that the author worked for the cigarette companies. Professor robert proctor on future of tobacco and marijuana. My goal is to treat the cigarette as part of the ordinary. That appears to be what happened to the work of hundreds of scientists, physicians, bureaucrats and proselytizers described in robert n. Robert proctor, who, being first duly sworn, deposes and says. How politics shapes what we know and dont know 1995. Finberg director of the clayman institute for gender research at stanford university. Under the radar in his book, proctor lists the professors known to have worked on behalf of tobacco companies.
By contrast with diamonds or asbestos or granite or the minerals we burn for fuel, the lowly agate is the victim of scientific disinterest, the same kinds of structured. In writing the book, robert proctor has drawn on the tobacco industrys formerly secret internal documents to describe how the industry caused the epidemic of tobacco use and the resulting massive burden of premature mortality and morbidity. Short description robert proctor is professor of the history of science and professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at stanford, who has testified as an expert witness regarding negligence claims made by smokers against tobacco companies. Origins of the cigarette catastrophe and the case for abolition, winner of the rachel carson prize in 2014.
Dec 12, 2011 so says stanfords robert proctor, author of the new bombshell study, golden holocaust. Join facebook to connect with robert proctor and others you may know. The euthanasia of hundreds of thousands of people with mental or physical disabilities. A nearly 800page book that begins as the bible of the twentiethcentury.
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