Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-11

EuECT> or ToBACC0 oN Man AND ANNALS.
pr Lebon Of Paris has given a great deal
of attention % the question Of the effects of
tobacco upon man and animals. and has late
! " presented report ON the subject 10 the
Medico-C hiugical Society of Liege. Among
the conclusions which theauthor has reached
in the course Of hiS researches the following
NAV be mentioned as the most important
/. smokers, and persons who without
smoking are enyeloped in an atmosphere Of
tobacco smoke. absorb for each quantity Of
ten grammc- Of tobacco a proportion of nico-
tine varying from some ccntigrammc- TO a
grammc They absorb also about an equal
amount of ammonia.
- The quantity of tobacco consumed daily
by a single individual addicted TO it, Use j.
scarcely less than twenty gmmmc~. \
smoker Is, therefore. liable TO absorb daily
quantity of nicotine which may reach TWEEN
ty-iye ccntigrammc- with an equal rrppor-
ton Of ammonia.
OF all kinds of -mokin. thc most dam
gerous is that of smoking cigar or cigar
cite and swallowing the smoke. The least
dangerous /, that Of smoking a nareiie or
pipe with long tube, in the open air.
l. The effect produced 10y the result of the
condensation Of tobacco smoke Is analogous
u that of nicotine Neyerthce-, there
must bee added the effects produced hy the
ammonia. which the smoke contains In com
siderable quantity
;. The reSinous ~emi-liquii which com
den~es in the interior af the pipe contains
considerable proportion of nicotine itself.
and rapidly destroy, the life of animals cx-
posed TO IL action.
6 The liquid produc, which coudcn-c- in
the lungs and stomach IF the smoker con-
tain, water, ammonia. nicotine. fatty and
resinous bodies and colorins matters \
dose Of one drop Of this speedily produces
paralysis of notion in small animals. and q
state Of apparent death The effects quick
ly disappear. but death actually SupeUcne>
if the dose Is carried up TO several
drops If. instead Of administering the IL
quid internally. thcanimal Is made 10 breathe
it for some time. il die all the same In
this last case the effect seems due in great
measure To the presence n ammonia.
= In dose of single drop dangerous
results are not produced upon large animals
but those Of a small size are killed iu,tanta-
neously Among the effects observed the
most constant are the fhrillar trembling. a
general congestion Of the superficial vessels,
stupor and especially the tetanilorm contrac-
ton Of the muscles Of the abdomen
: Nicotine Is one of the poison- the effect
of which is most speedily diS>iTatcd and the
habtuation 10 which is soonest accom- |
pli>hed
Q. Contrary TO what has generally been
assumed, the yapor of nicotine at the orii- /
nary temperature i not dangerous, but it ], /
quite otherwise if the liquid l. carried to
ebullition II then produces palpitation>.
decided suflocation, pre-coriial pain and YER
tigo Smaller animals exposed To this npor
die almost in>tantancou-ly.
10. Among the effects of tobacco upon |
man may be mentioned in small does. excl
tation Of the intellectual faculties for the
moment. in repeated doses it produces pal
troubles of vision, and more cspe-
,ially decrease of the memory. and parti-
'ularlv the memory of words