Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-09-27

nous with surgical distinction and pro-
fessional honor. We have read his
brochure with great attention, and,
although skeptical as to radical counter
blasts against tobacco, and a moderate
crooking of the elbow, we do admit the
general principles laid down so vigor-
ously by Dr. Eve. The learned doctor
sets forth the important and startling
fact that the Confederate army was more
demoralzed by the use OF tobacco and
whiskey than from any other cause He
proves conclusively that perfect health
depends upon good stomach, and that
healthy apparatus cannot obtain for
those habitually indulging in nicotine
and John Barleycorn. Thus far the
doctor is unquestionably right, and we
20 even further in admiration of salu
brious appetite. We believe that nearly
every human wrong can be traced TO
dyspepsia and its accompanying furies.
Many man mistakes principles for po-
tatoes, and Indigestion for religious
zeal
1t must not be supposed that our author
is an advocate of total abstinence, under
all circumstances. On the contrary, he
mentions cases in which liquor is indis-
pensibe! His foray is against the i'm
moderate stimulation which has made
us the most drunken nation on the>face
of the earth.
The doctor shows that inveterate
smoking not only leads to frightful ner-
vous disorders, but also to partial
eclipse of vrile power.
Only the other day the French
among whom the practice was carried
even to greater extent than with us
made an estimate Of its effects in their
schools and colleges They took the
young men attending these institutions,
classified them into those who smoked
habitually, and those vino did not, and
estimated their physical and intellectual
standing-perhaps their moral standing
too The result was that they found
those who did not smoke were both the
stronger lads and better scholars, were
altogether more reputable people and
more useful members of society, than
those who habiiually used the drug
What was the consequence Louis Ma
poleon-one of the good things he Lad
done-instantly issued an edict that no
smoking should be permitted in any
school, college or academy. This edict
in one day put out about thirty thousand
pipes in Paris alone. Let our young
smokers put that in their pipes and
smoke it.
Our author quotes the opinion of the
late Professor Warren, of Boston, Presl-
dent of the American Medical Associa-
ton, who thus expresses his opinion
"Of the three modes of using tobacco,
smoking is that which seems to have in
snuated itself most extensively among
the youth of our community Tobacco,
employed in this way, being drawn with
the vital breath, conveys its poisonous
influence into every part OF the lungs.
There The noxious fluid is entangled in
the minute, spongy air cells, and has
time to exert its pernicious influences on
the blood, not in vivifyiug but in vtiat
ing it. The blood imbibes the stimulant
narcotic principle and circulates it
through the system. 1t produces, in
consequence, febrile action in those of
delicate habit Where there is any
tendency to phthiss and tubercuar de-
posits in the lungs, debility of those
organs, consequent on the use of tobacco
in this way, must favor the deposit of
tuberculous matter, and thus sow the
seeds of consumption.
These are words of tremendous imp ort
and consequence.