Alton Ochsner. The man and his contributions

Alton Ochsner, the senior founding partner of the Ochsner Clinic and the Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, is a giant among twentieth century medical figures. He was the first to propose that cigarette smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, and he and four colleagues founded one of the nation's largest group practices and academic centers. A man of great personal charm, energy, and vision, he wished to be remembered foremost as a teacher. His two-generation polemic concerning the adverse effects of tobacco use provided a rich legacy for the amelioration and prevention of disease.