Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-03-09
Sudden Death by the uss Of To
bacco.

4 bacco.
4 DR.. Bowditch, in his Life Of DR.. Amos
Twitchell, give the following as that emf
nent physician's theory Of sudden deaths
by the use of tobaeco:-
4 In discussing this subject, the doctor first
describes the effects i has on the nervous
system, particularly the nerves Of involun-d
tary motion---,hose whose function il is to
carry on the action Of the lungs, heart and
stomach. These nerves are placed beyond
the power Of the will, acting without our
consciousness. in sleep as we'll as when
, awake And it Is on these, he said, the
habituaf use Of tobacco produces its most
peruic;ous effects, BY paraly zing their ac-
tion.
II first manifests nself in the respira-
tion, which is imperfec'ly performed the
blood is not fully purified, and sense Of
anxiety or ineipent suffocation is felt to
relieve which voluntary efiest is made
to expand the chest 10 take in more air;
and, every now and then, deep inspira
ton or sigh is the result, giving rnomenia-
ry rehef.
But during Sleep especially when frst
going to sleep, the win not being so easily
excited to action, the sense of suffocation
is longer endured, till at length becoming
urgent and painful, a degree Of conscious
a.gf1 f1- 80 ~
ness is awakenedf;. the individual begins to
feel his condition. and rouses, perhaps sud-
denly starts, and sits up in the bed in
/, alarm, his heart palpisating violently and
having obtained relief, soon goes to sleep.
to pass through the same scene again.
But. as the habit continues, the whole
! nervous syrtem- becomes affected the
2 muscles become tremulous, the sensibihties
diminish. respiration and,the action Of the
: heart become more imperfect, and sensa-
e lion more urgent but consciousness now
J. fails to bs rousedto to put forth voluntary
a effort for relief and the poor abused and
n languishing nerves, whose office Il IS to
d stand sentinel at the fountains Of life, OBJ
'e tanning no help from the muscles Of yoli-
sr ton at last are compelled, quietly 10 yield
up the struggle and the person is found
II dead in his bed, the cause not KNOWN
to Tet it is a foolish sacrifice OF life to the
vile but enchanting habit Of using tobac-
CO. xF
e Uaers are doubtless some few who are
y found dead from disease of the heart
e But the doctor said he had for many years
b been extending his inquiries on this sub
d ject; tAei he had found almos. every in
! dividualy who had died during sleep, had
z long been IN the habis If the free use Of
tobacco, and it was his full conviction that
THAI was almost the only cause Of such
deaths.
= The habs,ual use of tobaeoo,. be said
! was most fruitful source Of disease.--
And this would appear evidsns when we
r consider it's effects upon the nervous sys-
8 tem. II lowers down the power Of those
nerves opon.which life depends !; the blood
u docs not fully undergo that change IN the
Q lungs which respiration ID designed 10 ef.
= feet, and goes to the heart impure and pur-
pie; the heart has not its original power
9 ioisend it forward in its circulation ti,rough
9 the body and an impure, sluggish cireu.
lation is the consequence, which predis-
poses to almost every disease the human
" system is subiecf tn
!, Among.the diseases caused by tobacco,
a the doctor enunerated palsy, inveterate
/" nervous headache, palpitation Of the heart
e disease of the liver, Indigestion, liberation
}, OF the stomach, piles, and many others
is and finally, he said, he hardly knew that
), there was aay disease II did not at times
Is produce. lie did not undertake. TO as sert
e that all who use tobacco must necessarily
: have these diseases fully developed. But
g he said sadividaals often experienced an
i noying, and sometimes alarming symptoms,
e. the result Of tobacco, which render them
infrm and wretched, while they are alto
70 gether ignorant of the cause. He men
e, toned giddiness, pain in the head. palpita
tion Of The heart, faintness. and gnawine
sensation Of the stomach, neuralgic pains
!" trembling, sudden loss Of strength, loss o
recollection, starting in sleep, &c; that b,
lis had been called to prescribe for . erea
a. many persons, whose diseases have spon
lis taneously disappeared on their discoatin
at uance Of tobacco.
The particular form in which tobs6 % j
% used is.not Of very material conse& 6enc<
He thought tobacco more freauep{iy Pre-
,r- duces palsy than all other causes, and tina
Nv snuff is more likely TO bring d on than an
ter other form in which it is used; but tina
{ chewing is more injurious to the digestiv
he, organs, affecting them in threefold way
= 1t robs the stomach Of It's saliva, lessen
md its nervous power, and diminishes its peris