Seeing is believing and what could be a better way of creating awareness against smoking than showing people how the habit impairs lungs posing a risk to life.
In a noble act, two woman doctors from the city have come up with a "Smoker Lung Model" (SLM) to show the side effects of smoking cigarette on human lungs.
Dr Sheetu Singh, Assistant Professor at SMS Hospital and Medical College and Dr Nishtha Singh, a consultant at Asthma Bhawan, who created the SLM, said they would launch the model at the Joint National Conference of the Indian Chest Society (ICS) and National College of Chest Physicians beginning here on November 4.
"SLM shows the effects of cigarette smoke on human lungs. It would also help a pulmonogist to convince patients of lung diseases, caused by smoking or pollutants, and suggest them preventive measures," they said, adding it has been tested in front of several people.
Giving details of the model, they said, made up of about one-feet long polypropylene rubber tube, with a bulb in centre, and its one end is connected to cigarette while another with a cotton napkin.
When the cigarette is lighted, the bulb sucks smoke and sends it to the cotton napkin. The smoke not only burns the napkin by making a hole but also turns the white colour of the napkin to yellow, the doctors showed in an experiment.
Pointing out that cancer, heart attack, stroke, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) were among top 25 diseases caused by smoking, they said, education department could use this model to make the school and college students aware about the ill-effects of smoking.
The doctors duo said patent for SLM would be filed and its cost would be worked out later, but presently it would be distributed free of cost among the participants and experts at the international conference beginning here on November 4.
