Harvard Group Will Investigate Heart Ailments

A research team led by a Harvard professor will survey the physical records of more than 25,000 Harvard graduates to assess the relationship of body build to heart disease.

The body measurements and physical condition of all men who graduated from the College between 1880 and 1920, and between 1943 and 1949, will be studied to test the theory that stocky, muscular people are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease than persons of other body builds.

The researchers will be directed by Dr. Albert Daman, associate professor of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, and will be financed by a grant from the Massachusetts Heart Association. Computers will be used to analyze the data that will be assembled.

The team will obtain statistics from death certificates and medical records of deceased alumni. Hopefully, some evaluation of the relative importance of body build and other high-risk factors, such as tobacco, cholesterol count, and high blood pressure, will be found.

Although the study will probably continue over a five-year period, the scientists may decide to take only a representative sampling of alumni. In that case the research will last only two years.