They Can ana Do Come Back

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In other fields, John L Lewis was hit by coronary thrombosis last September. The Aga Khan had a heart attack last February. Comedian Eddie Cantor, since his attack in 1952, has filmed 39 television programs and taped 260 radio shows. However, Cantor does avoid the tension involved in live TV performances in his shows. ("Ida's feeling was that she'd rather have a live husband.") Actor Lee (Death of a Salesman) Cobb suffered his second attack last June, plans to return to work this week. Charles Henry ("Doc") Strub, managing director of California's Santa Anita race track, has survived three heart attacks and, apparently hale and hearty, at 71, feels "better today than I've felt for the last 15 or 20 years." His last seizure was in 1945. Says Strub: "I drink only moderately now."

One of the warmest, most encouraging accounts of personal experience with heart disease comes from a businessman: Victor Cullin, a vice president of the Chicago Title & Trust Co. "It was Sept. 18, 1948, a Saturday," says Cullin. "At about noon I was on the eleventh hole when I felt this pain in my chest. As I stooped over to pick up my ball, I thought maybe I had been smoking too many cigarettes—at the time, two or three packs a day. I finished the hole, and by the time I was on the twelfth, I was perspiring. I drove the 13th, but I realized I was through.

"The doctor adjusted me mentally, the most difficult part of the treatment. He had to tell me I was through smoking and would have to lead a regimented life. I've just eliminated the side phases of my job and continue to develop trust business. Since the attack, I've gotten a nice reputation for writing and congratulating new victims over their 'coronation.' I tell them how lucky they will be to be living nice clean lives. They can join the North Shore Coronary Circle—that's a bunch of commuters—or the Chicago Cardiac Club. The Coronary Circle is restricted to those who ride the 4:15 out of Northwestern station. We call that train the 'Coronary.' It's the only train that has an elevator meeting it at Winnetka. If you can't take the kidding, you're not getting along well. The whole trend in treatment is to kid about it. My first reaction was to keep my attack quiet. My doctor said, 'We will, like hell. I'm going to put it in the papers'—and he did. In that way, you're relieved of the secret.

"Nowadays I carry on as before. I watch my weight—just eating less, not dieting. I don't play golf, but I could if I rested after each hole—but that's not much fun. I've taken up woodwork—carpentry, that sort of thing. I do a little light fishing, a lot more reading; I play gin rummy, poker, bridge. My work is better since I concentrate more on the main job; I can take four ounces of liquor in a day if I want it . . . I don't lead a subdued life at all."