A Study of Illness in a Group of Cleveland Families. XVIII. Tobacco Smoking and Respiratory Infections.

RECENTLY, there have been numerous studies of tobacco smoking in relation to diseases of the respiratory tract, in particular carcinoma of the lung,1 2 3 carcinoma of the larynx,4 emphysema,5 tuberculosis6 and chronic bronchitis.7 8 Though previous studies1 2 3 may suggest that a causal relation exists between smoking and carcinoma of the lung, and that smoking and tuberculosis6 and bronchitis7 , 8 are associated, the influence of smoking on other respiratory diseases, especially common infectious illnesses, is obscure. It is reported that the common cold9 and chronic cough9 , 10 occur more frequently in smokers than in nonsmokers. It is also popularly held, though not proved, that giving . . .