American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-02
The Abuse Of Tobacco.

The French association lately formed
for the purpose of warning against the
abuse of tobacco and alcoholic drinks, has
recently issued circular offering prizes
for the best essays ON the following sub
jects
To point out the relation which exists
between the abuse of tobacco and alcoholic
drinks and its influence on hygiene and
morals.
The influence of the use of tobacco and
the abuse of alcoholic drinks upon the So
cial relations and the family.
The means of weaving youth from the
use OF tobacco and the abuse of alcohol.
To establish by facts the influence of to-
baeco on the senses.
To determine the nature of the OdOrlf-
erous principle of tobacco. and establish
its connection with nicotine.
a writer in one of the French medical
journals, speaking of the poisonous action
of tobacco in the various modes m which
it is used, says that it is poisonous from
tine presence of nicotine, but, as in the
cases of alcohol and opium, the system
NAV tolerate the poison up to certain
limit when this is Overpassed, however,
a true and proper chronic poisoning takes
place. These limits vary not so much
with regard to the quantity and quality
of the tobacco used. rs in regard to the
different physiological and diseased con-
ditions. In general. the abuse of smok-
ing and chewing makes the chronic pois-
oning more rapid and more grave; and
this sometimes takes place when the hab-
its of life are changed from an active to a
passive state. 1t is usually only after a
great number of years that the symptoms
of chronic poisoning appear that is,
when the limits of tolerance have been
exceeded by the poison accommodating in
the system. The Indications of poisoning
are described as local and general.
The local symptoms at first consist IN
irritation and srbacute Inflammation, fol-
lowed by chronic Inflammation of the mu-
cous membrane of the mouth and fauces,
with abundant salvation, which may be
diminished with custom, and even cease
altogether: from which. too, may arise a
condition of dryness, which is often very
disagreeable, cancer of the lips, an affec-
ton called .'aphthp'' of smokers, which
takes its position in the buccal mucous
membrane. where the jet Ofsmoke impin-
ges on coming from the cigar or pipe.
Granular Inflammation of the pharynx is
also a consequence of the abuse of tObac-
co. To this is due the short cough of
smokers and chewers. cough which is
accompanied by sensations OF burning and
dryness. and consists in forcible BREATH
ing forth to detach from the fauces the
piece of mucus that may adhere thereto.
Great smokers and chewers are apt to be-
come hOarse, and this is especially elsa
greeable to them in the morning.
The general phenomena attending
chronic poisoning from tobacco are mus
cuIar tremors, vertigo, intermittence and
irregrlarity of the circulation. in some
eases difficulty of breathing. decrease of
intellectual power. loss of memory, hallu-
cinations. blindness, and not rarely cpl
Iepsy. In cases where the mind has thus
become impaired. the use of tobacco, ac-
corting TO this writer, occasions a tempo
rary excitement, which leads to its being
frequently employed to stimulate the fac
ulties. when in reality it is working seri-
GUS evil.-Gdidry.