The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-02 00:00:00

DOES SMOKING PRODUCE CANCER.

There is still one other form of cancerous disease which
deserves consideration ; I mean came' of the lower lip.
The lower lip is affected, not unirequently, in the pre-
disposed, with a variety of cancer called from its spreading
and superficial character " epithelial cancer." It has been
observed unquestionably of this cancer that it occurs fre-
quently in persons who smoke short pipes, and that it
breaks out at that part of the lower lip where the pipe
produces an impression. Here therefore we may, without
hesitation, assume that smoking mites the caneerout.
disorder; but, as I said some time since, this exciting cause
is indirect in its action, inasmuch as it is convected with
the pipe, and not with the tobacco ; for it has been found
by experience that the mischief does not become developee
in cigar smokers, nor even in those who smoke pipes having
a smooth surface, and which are of sufficient length, and as
a consequence are cool—but that the accident happens
mainly from the use of the short cutty pipe, which is held
very firmly in the lips without any support from the hand,
and conveys to the lip considerable heat, amounting some-
times almost to pain.

Those who are opposed to tobacco will naturally accept
the fact above given as a condemnation of the weed. Those
who advocate tobacco, on the other hand, will assert that
the statement, it true, tells nothing against tobacco itself,
but simply against an objectionable way of using it; and
I confess that this latter view of the subject is the one
with which I should agree. Nay, Ido not know whether
something more may not be said even on the tobacco side
of the controversy, for the truth is this, that whenever the
pipe brings out the disease, as we have seen, there existed
in the person affected a strong predisposition which would,
almost to a certainty, become developed in some one part
or other of the body, it' it did not break out in the lip.
Under such circumstances the life of the sufferer will be
considerably lengthened or shortened, according to the point
at which the disease manifests itself, and if there is one
point of the body more favourable than another for the de-
velopment of cancer, it is the lip, and if there is one form
that is more open to cure by operation than another, it is the
epithelial cancer which occurs in the lip. Hence in the run
of cases, it may rather be an advantage than otherwise that
the cancerous disease should be thrown out at a spot where,
tor a time at least, it may divert the development of the
fatal growth from more vital organs, and where, in ex-
tremity, it lies within the reach of treatment, and even of
cure.—Dr. Richardson in the Social Science Review.

CONFEDERATE CRU I S ERS. —The New York Herald
says that the Confederates have no less than five
steamers and four sailing vessels at work preying upon the
commerce at the Federals, and that in fact they are getting
up quite a respectable flotilla upon the ocean. The steamers
are the Alabama, the Florida (late Oreto), Georgia (late
Japan), Robert Lee, and a steamer, the name of which is
unknown, stationed off Cape Horn. The sailing vessels
ale the bark Lapwing, tender to the Florida; the bark
Tacony, or Florida No. 2 ; and two vessels, names unknown,
cruising between Rocas Reef and 3 deg. east of the island
of Fernando de Noronha. Already they have captured,
burn, and destrt yed no less than 128 vessels.

EDINBURGH VERSUS DUBLIN.—The question of
precedence as between these two cities has been
raised in consequence of what passed on the presentation of
addresses to her Majesty on the occasion of the Prince of
Wales's marriage. Ulster King-at-Arms was requested to
report to the Lord -Lieutenant of Ireland upon the subject,
and discusses it accordingly in a paper in which he de-
scribes the claim of Edinburgh as founded upon three
reasons-1. That the Scottish Act of Union was earlier
in date than the Irish ; 2. That the arms of Scotland are
quartered in the Royal shield before the aims of Ire-
land ; 3. That by the Acts of Union and Scotland the
eirs of Scotland take rank before the peers of Ireland.
Ulster maintains the insufficiency of these reasons, and
he right of Dublin to precedence, and he mentions that
it was a city in the time of Ptolemy. But the Govern.
ment having referred this report to Garter King-at-
Arms for his observations thereon, that officer of State
has given his opinion, stating that these three reasons
satisfy him that precedency belongs to Scotland as the
elder, and as it were the twin sister of England. He relies
much on the position of the arms of Scotland and of Ire-
land in the national achievement, and remarks that since
the Union in 1801 the standard of Scotland has preceded
that of Ireland, the great officers of Scotland have pre-
ceded those of Ireland, and the officers of arms of Scotland
have preceded those of Ireland, as may be seen by the ce-
remonial of the coronation of George IV. Some reliance
has been placed on the privilege claimed by the Corpora-
tion of Dublin of presenting addresses to the Sovereign on
the throne, but Garter observes that this is not shown to
have occurred until January, 1821, in the reign of George
IV., and a similar honour was enjoyed by the Lord Provost,
magistrates, and Council of Edinburgh when they pre-
sented an address to the same monarch at ,Holyrood in
August, 1822. Many privileges may be given to one body,
not enjoyed by another, without thereby affecting the rank
or precedence of either.
THE GUARDS AT WATERLOO.—The Guards had
what in modern battues is called a hot corner of it,
and the greatest "gluttons" (and we had many such) must
have allowed, when night came on, that they had had fight-
ing enough. I confess that I am to this day astonished that
any of us remained alive. From 11 o'clock till 7we were
pounded with shot and shell at long and short range, were
incessently potted at by tirailleurs who kept up a most biting
fire, constantly charg, d by immense masses of cavalry who
seemed determined to go in and win, preceded as there visits
were by a terrific fire of artillery; and, last of all, were at-
tacked by "la Vieille Garde" itself. But here we came to
the end of our long fiery ordeal. The French veterans,
conspicuous by their high bearskin caps and lofty stature
on breasting the ridge behind which we were at that time,
were met by a fearful fire of artillery and musketry, which
swept away whole masses of those valiant soldiers; and,
while ire disorder, they were charged by us with complete
success, and driven in utter rout and discomfiture down the
ravine. The Prussians having now arrived in force on the
French right, a general advance on the whole line was or-
dered, and the day was won. During the battle our squares
presented a shocking sight. Inside were nearly suffocated by
the smoke and smell from burnt cartridges. It was impos-
sible to move a yard without treading upon a wounded com-
rade, or the bodies of the dead ; and the loud groans of the
wounded and dying were most appalling. At four o'clock
our square was a perfect hospital, being full of dead, dying,
and mutilated soldiers. The charges of cavalry were in
appearance very formidable, but in reality a great relief,
as the artillery could no longer fire on us; the very earth
shook under the enormous mass of men and horses. 1
never shall forget the strange noise our bullets made,
against the broasti laces of Kellermann's and 2dilhaukdeds
cuirassiers, six or seven thousand in number, who attacked
a
us with great. fury. I can only compare
preceded
w e
somewhat homely simile, to the noise
hailstorm beating upon pastes of glass.
felt by all 'who
No language can express the admiration .
During the
witnessed the heroic exploits of poor Adair.
always
as
t a
*of :at
*wvio*lenat
by a tremendous fire of artillery at poin
charges of the French cavalry, which wte.rheiaaalwk
s
a blowy y draogfohoins
sword:a
lost many men.
itrne
wits feared they would enter by the gap Which
so
delboesenthmaatde
in
our
square. Adair rushed forward, placed
The cuirsasnsdierwsiathndonhee
himself in the open space,
ki.led a French cfficer who had actually
. got amongst our
men. After many exploits, showing a coolness and a con-
fage rarely equalled, and never surpassed, Adair was struck
towards the end of the day by a canon ball, which shat-
tered his thigh near the hip. His sufferings dining the
amputation were dreadful. The shot had torn
arflpu ad away the
flesh of the thigh, and the bones were sticking up near the
hip in splinters. The surgeon, Mr. Gilder, had much
difficulty in using his knife, having blunted it, and all his
other instruments, by amputations in the earlier
f
the battle. Poor Adair, during the operation, hald) t o
suffi-
cient pluck to make one last ghasty joke, saying " T k
your time Mr, Carver." soon afterwards a e
died from
loss of blood,—tar' onote 40coilictions,