The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-12-11
Tobacco, Intemperance, Tempe
EaN ramce...NO. 3.

To the Editors Of the Literary Echo -
l quote again from your editorial. Gov
ernor Sullivan said" The tobacco pipe
excites demand for an extraordinary
quantity of some beverage, to supply the
waste of glandular secretions, in proportion
to the expense of saliva and ardent spirits
are the common substitute; and the smoker
is often reduced to state of dram drink
ing, and finishes his life as a sot."
Now | ask, where has been the instance
of person, who, within ten, fifteen, or
twenty years last past, finishes his life as a
sot, who made no use of tobacco' Again,
where has been the instance of a man, who
ended his life a sot, who did not use the
filthy weed before he became hard drink
er; l know very well that thing which
precedes another thing, is not.always the
cause of it, and does not bear to it the re-
lation of cause but here are two things
which are found in company-where in
temperance is found, there is found the
poisonous weed, and the intemperance fol-
lows, in the order of time, the use of the
weed. Now, it is certainly more than
merely right to inquire, whether the o"e
of these may not be regarded in the light
of cause, and the other in that of an
effect. 1t avails nothing, so far as the
argument is. concerned, to say, that call
who use tobacco are not Incorporate, and
therefore, the use of tobacco is not source
whence intemperance springs"-for it may
be said with equal truth, that all who use
Intoxicating liquors are not Incorporate
and then comes the inference therefore,
the use of intoxicating liquors is not a
source whence intemperance arises. If
the use of tobacco leads to the use of in
toxicating liquors - though it does not it.
self intoxicate-then it certainly sustains
the relation of cause to the final result
[ see no reason to doubt that many a
young man has become hard drinker, and
finally sot, in consequence of the thirst
produced by the use of the narcotic
t"boeco. No man can prore that such is
not the fact.
One quotation relative to the modes of
using tobacco, and my space will be filled
for this number. DR.. Warren says" Oh
the three modes of using tobacco, smoking
is that which seems to have insinuated
itself most extensively among the youth Of
our country. Tobacco employed in this
way, being drawn in, with the vital breath,
conveys its poisonous influences into every
part of the lungs. There the noxious fluid
is entangled in the minute, spongy air cells,
and has time to exert it's pernicious in
fuence on the blood-not in vivifying it
but--in vitiating it. The blood imbibes the
stimulant narcotic principle, and circulates
it through the whole system. 1t produces
in consequence, a febrile action in those
of delicate habits, where there is any
tendency to phthisis and the tubucular
deposit in the lungs, debility of these
organs, consequent on the use of tobacco
in this way, must favor deposit of tuber-
cular matter, and thus SOW the seeds of
consumption. The practice impairs the
natural taste and relish for food, lessons
the appetite, and weakens the powers of
the stomach. AS to the pleasure pro-
duced by it, it is, believe, well known
fact, that a person smoking in the dark, is
very often unable to determine whether his
cigar is lighted or not"
Yours truly,