Origins & Early Life

Sir William Richard Shaboe Doll (28 October 1912 – 24 July 2005) was a British physician who became an epidemiologist in the mid-20th century and made important contributions to that discipline. He was a pioneer in research linking smoking to health problems. With Ernst Wynder, Bradford Hill and Evarts Graham, he was credited with being the first to prove that smoking increased the risk of lung cancer and heart disease. (German studies had suggested a link as early as the 1920s but were forgotten or ignored until the 1990s.) He also carried out pioneering work on the relationship between radiation and leukaemia as well as that between asbestos and lung cancer, and alcohol and breast cancer.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He however, initially for many years, stood in opposition to research done by Alice Stewart which connected radiation exposure of pregnant mothers to development of leukaemia in their children due to her 'questionable' analysis. On 28 June 2012, he was the subject of an episode of The New Elizabethans, a series broadcast on BBC Radio Four to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, dealing with 60 public figures from her reign. Doll was born at Hampton, Middlesex (now part...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Adolf Galland — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): German Luftwaffe general and celebrated flying ace of World War II.
• Alan Turing — Contemporary (Born in 1912) (1912): Father of theoretical computer science, known for the Turing machine and codebreaking.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances.
• Anne Bancroft — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): Versatile American actress celebrated for her profound method acting prowess.
• Anthony Barber — Contemporary (Died in 2005) (2005): British Conservative politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (1970-1974)
• Bernadette Lafont — Shared historical date (10-28 · Born) (1938): Iconic French actress, celebrated for her role in the New Wave movement.
• Bernhard von Bülow — Shared historical date (10-28 · Died) (1929): German statesman and Imperial Chancellor, pivotal figure in early 20th-century German politics.
• Albert Ellis — Shared historical date (07-24 · Died) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Alexandre Dumas — Shared historical date (07-24 · Born) (1802): Master of French adventure literature, famed for The Three Musketeers.
• 1912 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1912
• October 28 (10-28) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 28
• 2005 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2005
• July 24 (07-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 24