The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-02-04
Tobacco and Tobacco Smokers
Chemistry of the Wecd-Enects of SmOk-
iny-Cigars, Pipes and Meerschaums.

TO
Chemistry of the Wecd-EfTects of smok-
ing-Cigars, Pipes and Meerschaums.
One Of the most interesting and novel of
all the speculations on the use Of tobacco
was submitted to the British Association
for the Advancement of Science at its late
session, and the Information afforded will
be we'll received by that large class Of per-
sons who indulge in the use Of the weed
DIR. Richardson first contrived an automa-
ton smoker, into whose mouth pipes, cigars
aud meerschauns were placed, and the
smoke from them being caught and collect
ed, enabled him to determine the products
Of the combustion. These he determined
as, l, water 2, free carbon; g. ammonia
4, carbonic acid; 5, nicotine; 6, an en-
pyreumatic substance of a resinous bitter
extract. He says: Gt3d oi 5,3aq
"The water is in the form of vapor, the
carbon, in minute particles suspended in
the water vapor, and giving the eddies of
smoke their blue color the ammonia is in
the form Of gas combined with carbonic
acid and the carbonic acid is partly in
combination with ammonia Thenicotiue
he says. being a non-volatile body, remains
is volatile body Of an ammoniacal nature
of the composition of which the Doctor
confesses himself unacquainted, but which
we have ventured to consider as resin
Whatever it is, it is that which gives the
smoke of tobacconits peculiar order, and
determines the favor of cigar 1t ad-
heres powerfully to woollen materials, and
when concentrated has most obnoxious
and intolerabie- smell. The bitter. sub
stance ia resinous ana o. -sscrk color, prob
ably having an alkaloid as it's base. TITS
not volatile, and only leaves the pipe or
cigar by being carried along in fluid form. y
The varieties of tobacco are innumera-
ble. Simple tobacco that has not under
gone fermentation yields very little free
carbon, much ammonia, carbonic acid, lit
tie water, a small quantity Of bitter extract.
The Latakia yields the same products uni
formly, theTurkish generallymore ammonia,
Havana all these products. Cavendish va
ries considerably in its constituents pig
tail yields all very abundantly; the little
Swiss cigars yield enormous quantities Of
ammonia, and 20 dry the mouth Manilas
give very little. The Connecticut tobacco
is comparatively mild in taste, from the abb
sence Of the bitter extract. 3a .mtai
EFFECTS OF SMOKING.
The water vapor of smoke is not injuri-
Gus, but the carbon in il settles on the mu-
cous membrane and irritates the throat
The narcotic effect of tobacco smoke, if re-
ceived into the lungs, resides in the car
bonic acid the ammonia causes dryness, a
biting Of the mucous membrane Of the
throat, and an increased flow Of saliva
experiences familiar to smokers. Absorb
ed into the blood, says DR.. Richardson, it
renders the fluid too thin, causing an angu-
larity of the blood corpuscles, suppression
of the hillary secretion and yellowness ol
skin, quickening and then reducing the ac-
+ tion Of the heart. In young smokers it
produces nausea. 1t is doubtful whether
all these effects are to be traced to the car
bonic acid. If so, most of our mineral wa
ters, so freely drank, are dreadful poisons,
instead of being remedial agents as they
are generally esteemed.
The empyreumatic substance seems to
have little effect except in giving the pecu,
liar taste to tobacco smoke, and after q
while Of making the breath Of smokers un.
bearable. "Nicotine is rarely ever imbibed
by the cleanly smokers" says DR.. Richard
son. 1t affects only those who smoke Sc
gars by holding them in the mouth, or. dir
ty pipes saturated with oily.matter When
absorbed, its effects are injurious, such as
pa. pitation of the heart, tremor and un
steadiness of the muscles, and great pros
tration. It will not, of itself, produce vom
ting, it is the bitter extract which is the
cause of this, imperceptibly swallowed ano
taken into the stomach.
~ HOW TO SMOKE.
The method of smoking makes all the
difference in the world Those who use
the clean. long pipes of clay--as did ou'
old Knickerbockers-feel only the effect o.
the gaseous bodies and the free carbon
Wooden pipes and pipes with glass stems
are injurious. Segars should never bF
smoked to the end otherwise they are
more injurious than all. DIR. Richardson
says they should be cast aside as soon. as
onc-half is smoked, and always smoked
from porous or absorbent tube. Pipes
are much less hurtful than segars. The
best pipe is long clay pipe; next TO this
the meerschaum is the most wholesome
Dr. Richardson says, the perfection of 9
pine will be found in meerschaum bowl
an amber mouthpiece and clay stem.---
All attempts at pipes to condense the OF
have thus far failed. Every smoker should
be careful ofthe manner in which he smokes
A short foul pipe is very unhealthy.
The fashion of the meerschaum has large
| " prevailed in this country of late years
The material is now imported in blocks
and manufactured here into various forms
some very handsome and costly. The pri
ees range as high as thirty-five dollars
The proprietor OF o good meerschau1
thinks as much Of it almost as OF himself
IF it is well colored, which is the result o
absorbing the oil of the tobacco, it not on
ly becomes beautiful-in his eyes, but thu
/ smoke is said to be sweeter to his taste.
The cigar dealers assert that, notwith
standing the heavy tax on tobacco manu-
factures, the demand has in no way falleI