Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-02-13
THE EVILS OF TOBACCO,
BY GEORGE W. TOWNSEND, JR.
(of the State Normal University

am persuaded tnat tne evils arising IRON
the improper use of tobacco, are secondary
to those of intemperance. BY the improper
use of it, mean the practice of chewing,
smoking or snufiing it. There may be cases,
when il may be used with propriety, but
they are so few that they are not worth men
tioning. Indeed, am 10th to admit that
there is any benefit derived from it, even as
q medicine.
The evils arising from its improper use are
threefUld, viz: Physical, pecuniary and
moral. Its evils in physical point Of view
arc several. First, it gives a person u very
disagrceable and offensive breath. Though
this may not be noticed or realized by the
indulger, ii is very apparent to his compan-
ions. How exceedingly disagreeable it is
to one who abhors the use of tobacco, to
come in contact with the poisonous exhala-
tions of those who have no respect for them
selves nor any one else. But you may say
if persons dislike the odor of tobacco, let
them keep beyond it. Then | would say
that this is impossible. This abominable
practice is carried on so extensively, that we
can enter no public circles where the very
air is not poisoned by the exhalations of
those, who, regardless of the comfort of
others, will use tobacco Again, you may
have friends who love and respect you |;
friends who would sacrifice largely for your
good friends who would stand by and de-
fend you as long as life was permitted them,
and yet these may be adverse to the use of
tobacco. Then how miserable you may
render them by poisoning, at every breath,
the air they breathe. BY this one, filthy,
useless, objectionable habit, you make your
company disagreeable, when it might other
wise be just the opposite, and this for ha-
bit that does you harm instead of good
Then for the sake Of those who do not love
it, discontinue the use of it. Ifyou have no
respect for yourself respect those around
you; crafty the wishes of your friends, even
if it may cost you Il sacrifice at first, and let
me assure you, in after life, you will bless
the day that you threw oifthe chains, which
| am sorry to say, now bind some of you,
for chains.thcy arc You arc as it were, in
slavery, yes, slavery! Slaves to n habit
that is running your reputation, overthrow
ing your physical constitution and causing
your friends many unhappy and anxi0ns
moments. Secondly, il Injuries the teeth.
1t gives them dark yellow color, thus
spelling the beauty of those ornaments. If
God has provided you with beautiful set
of teeth, it is sinful to render them hdeous
by dctiling them with the use of tobacco
Again, it wears away the teeth. All tobacco
has more or less grit in it, which in coming
in contact with teeth, naturally wears them
out. Bat, admitting that ii contains no grit,
the constant use of the teeth in mastication,
will wear them away. A constant drop will
wear stone. Then upon the same principle
constant use of the teeth will wear
them away. Now it has been and
often is asserted, as miserable ex-
cuse, that the use of tobacco preserves the
teeth from premature decay. This l deny,
| until am convinced that am wrong.
have examined authorized works upon ply
| sology, but | have never seen il recon-
mended as Il preventive of decay, but, on tic
contrary, have seen it denounced as a det-
riment to the teeth, and as an agent of de-
| Cay. There may be some Doctors so short
| sighted and foolish as to recommend the use
Of tobacco But where we find one who
will sanction the use of it, we will find a
| hundred who deny it. And which arc we
to credit, the one or the hundred? The ply
sician who recommends the use of tobacco
is an alien to his profession, and not re-
| liable person. Now another point. We are
| furnished with secretion termed saliva,
commonly called spittlc. The use of this
| secretion is to aid in the digestion of our
| food, and the more the saliva becomes in
corporated with our food the better the food
is rendered fit for digestion. In fact, if the
food is not properly moistened with saliva
preparatory to entering the digestive organs,
these organs arc called upon to perform ,
| function not required OF them by nature
and consequently disease of these organs
is produced. Now it will appear unques.
tionably evident, that, if this saliva is vast.
| ed, as il is in the use of tobacco, the food il
deprived of its just amount and consequent.
| ly il goes into the stomach in IN unprepared
condition. But, some may say, have beer
using ii some time, and rhavc nevc, exper.
fenced any of these diseases you are talking
about Neither does that young man fee
any injury from the liquor he daily imbibes
but let him continue and where and how
will you find him? In the gutter misera-
Bile forsaken sot. So ifyou continue in your
runous habit, you will inevitably reap the
consequence, in the securcmcnt of dyspep
tic constitution and an impaired intellect
Then you will bitterly repent the day yor
commenced habit, that will Enthusiastically
bring you TO misery. How many alas; to
day regret their foolishness in youth. Wha
is the testimony OF every user of tobacco 81
wish had never used IT," Then profit by
the sad experience of others. Ccrtainl,
that shoald be sufficient to convince any in
teligcnt mind OF the evils of tobacco. /
you do not take warning now you will finally
become n burden to yourself and an oifenc,
to your friends There are many other dis
eases producee by this poison, but thes,
should be enough to persuade any one po
sessing good common sense.
Besides its injuries upon the system, it i
one of the iilthicst practices that is engage,
in. Go into any public circle, and witness
the effects of this abominabe. disgustn.
habits. What n spectacle. You will SCI
boys, from four, five and six years of age up
ward with pipes and segars in their mouths
rendering the atmosphere loaihsome. Yol
will see young and old, splitting here an,
there, besmearing every Thing with thei
filthy spiitle, making the sight hideous, an,
notwithstanding You may follow some Il
their homes and see the sam
results. Regardless of their wives
splitting about over the floor, as if it was
hog-pen and well ii might be termed a hog
pen, If no one but themselves occupied il
Ii is mark of ndecency and no gentlema
VIII 90 II. some are so cnslaVed That the
cannot attend the sanctuary of Almight,
God, but they must have their tobacco, an
then if not provided with spittoons, the
will even deiilc the temple of God by sp
ting over the floor. Such sight is enoug
to sicken a hu2zard. Then, young men, i,
me admonsh you for the sake Of dcccncy /
forsake it. Abstain from practice so /,
compatible with respect and so revolving I
your friends.
There is one other point, often presente
as an argument in favor of it, which to m
: mind is the most absurd of all absurditie
Many excuse themselves by saying that
it was not TO be used it would never ha,
been made Has not God caused 9th,
poisonous weeds to grow Do men get Il
! deadly nightshadc and chew it? Then wi
, must they use tobacco? The Almight
) never placed it here for men TO feed upol
and poison their lives. God also placed
the Garden of Eden the tree of knowled,
G of good and evil, but he forbade the inmat
r TO touch it, So it docs not argue that v
must eat everything God has seen proper
place upon earth. hope none will be
foolish as to be persuaded to the use of [
!. bacco by such ridiculous arguments as thes
of its evil in n pecuniary point of vic,