[Smoking and mortality in Swiss physicians: results of an 18-year survey]

A prospective mortality study of tobacco smoking of Swiss physicians is reported over a period of 18 years (1955-1973). The mortality rate increases with the intensity of the daily smoking quantity, going till to the double of non-smokers. This elevation is not seen in late smokers. Contrary to the habits of English doctors, who smoke mostly cigarettes, in Switzerland the death rates of cigars (mostly Stumpen) and pipe smokers are as much elevated as for cigarette smokers. In intensive smokers the mortality reached for all 3 the same rate (2,4-2,6). Under the various causes of death lung cancer was only seen in smokers (92,5% intensive smokers). Heart infarctions death has in smokers the highest rate in the age of 35-54 years, going back till 75 years where the death rate is nearly the same as in non-smokers. The passover in mortality of the intensive smokers in full activity of life is documentated by the statistic of Swiss Doctors. Therefore it is a positive factor that in the last 18 years the number of cigarette-smokers in physicians declined from 37% to 21% and the number of past-smokers has gone up from 17 to 38%, but the number of only cigars and pipesmokers is always the same.