What is it about?
Duke University was founded in the 1920s and 1930s with money from tobacco magnate James Buchanan Duke. His cigarette company pioneered the mass production of cigarettes. At the time, little was known about the health effects of smoking. Duke gave millions to help fund and build Duke University Hospital and Medical School. Duke quickly became a leading global medical center.
Featured Image
Photo by Valiant Made on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This article explores an interesting contradiction. A fortune partly built on cigarettes funded a leading medical institution. It shows how philanthropy can offset unintentional harm.
Perspectives
As a medical doctor who interned at Duke University, I find this history fascinating. It shows how medical advancement has complex origins. Smoking causes immense suffering today, but that harm was not known in the early 1900s. The money from the Duke tobacco empire advanced medicine overall, and now Duke University is a global leader in treating tobacco-related illnesses and pulmonary research. Philanthropy, though flawed, can drive progress. We must acknowledge our past while working to improve health for all.
Thomas F Heston MD
University of Washington
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Big Tobacco, Cigarettes, and the Foundation of Duke University, April 2023, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.20944/preprints202304.0968.v1.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
