It was January of 1964. I was a graduate student at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. and it was announced that the U.S. Surgeon General, Luther Terry, was going to give an address at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University that coming Saturday, January 11th. His subject: the health risks of smoking. There was no question about it! I was going to attend.
Ever since childhood, I have been death against smoking. My mom and dad smoked and I had serious asthma. I had such a hard time breathing, that at night I had to sleep propped up by pillows. I loved the out-of-doors and being able to get away from people who smoked.
I arrived at the huge, medical school teaching auditorium where the prevention was to take place. I was so impressed by the state-of-the-art multi-media screens and the theatre-like seating. There I was, in the midst of doctors, nurses, medical staff and . . . the room was filled with smoke. It appeared that most of those who came to hear the landmark report were habitual smokers. It was horrible, but I was determined to stay. And, I did.
Terry's address was most forthright, data-filled, and convincing. The audience smoked through the whole 90 minutes. I was so relieved to be able to leave the building and return to the out-of-doors. I don't recall if Luther Terry smoked during his talk.
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