Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-02-19
MISCELLANY.
Tobacco Its Effects on the Euman
Constitution, Physical, Intellectual
and Moral.
BY JAMES COULTER LAyARD, NJ. D.
[CoNrINUED.]
EXTENT OF ITS USE.

EATENI OF lIS USE.
Various estimates have been made
as to what proportion Of the inhabi-
tants Of our globe, relatively, use to-
bacco, opium, haschish, and other
things of that nature; bat as these
differ widely in their results. We give
none Of their figures. 1t is all specu-
lation at best guess work. But
however much authorities may differ
in this matter, upon one point they all
agree, and that is, that Of all the vari-
Gus substances resortcd to by man
kind for the purpose Of procuring sem
sual qualification tobacco is by far the
most extensively employed-to an ex-
tent greater, in fact, than that of all
the rest combined. Turkey and China
have their opium, India and Persia
have their haschish, the Eastern Arch
ipelago has its betel nut. Siberia its
fungus, New Grenada its thorn apple,
Bolivia and Peru have their cocoa,
and the islands of the Pacific their
hava; but all the world has tobacco.
These facts, taken in connection
with another fact. namely. the almost
universal prevalence in individuals of
all nations, both civilized and savage,
of a craving for intoxicating beverages
of come kind, have led some to argue
the existence of an instinct. a natural
appetite for these things, which makes
their use, therefore, a necessity, and
their moderate employment an advan-
tage. We can only see in them how
ever, an additional evidence of the
depravity of human nature, and of
mans enlargement from his Cod
Man was created pure and holy. but
he has sought ont many inventions,
the only tendency of which has been
to degrade him from lis high estate
and of these, the use Of rum and to-
bacco are prominent examples
The amount Of tobacco consumed
Throughout the world is astonishingly
large, and what is more, it is increas
ing and in a ratio far exceeding the
increase in population. As to the
amount consumed in our own country
we cannot give it precisely in pounds
as to DO so would involve on elabor-
ate calculation from certain statistics
of the tobacco trade, which we have
up to this time failed to obtain but
we can say that the lowest estimate
we have yet seen of its value is S5O,-
100000. The quantity consumed in
Great Britain is 24,000,O00 pounds,
producing a revenue of over efl,000,-
600 In France it is 100000; in
Austria, Sl,000,OO0 pounds, etc. 1t
is principal source of revenue to
every continental state. In 1865 Aus
tiia smoked l,90O.OO0.0GO of cigars.
nearly Russia raises $4,000 600
pounds of tobacco for home consump-
tion.
We may give our readers some
sligh: idea of the quantity of tobacco
used is this country by stating that a
single firm in the city of New York
paid to tLe government for the month
of September (1S67) a revenue tax of
s123 coo. rs average monthly tax
for internal revenue is over 100000
The shipment Of snuff by this house
to one town in North Carolina amount
to 100 barrels a month, or 1900 bar
rels annually. And this is but 1.-THE
of the snuf merely sold by one firm
The wonder is, what becomes of it
all :?
In the North the snufing il said to
he done mostly by foreigners and old
women. In the South it is used for
the purpose of dipping. As this is
practice which is confined, for the
most part, to the Southern section of
the Union, and is, therefore, compar-
lively unknown to Northern readers
we dare say wholly so to many of
tbem-it is proper that we should in
this place give more extended no
tice of it, as it exists in the late slave
States. Of all the methods of using
tobacco, this is at once the most filthy
and disgusting. Confined to the fe-
male sex, Goods best gift to man."
this fact seems, to sensitive and re-
fined mind, to give it added loath-
someness.
The dipper seats herself with her
box. or bottle of the precious stuff,
and her swab stick usually a green
twig, three or four inches in length,
well chewed at one emo, in order that
the snuff may the more readily adhere
this, ever and anon, she dips into
her box, and thus conveys to her
mouth the filthy dust, rubbing well
her gums and the inside of her cheeks
at the same time. If in company with
a friend, she then passes to her the
bottle and mop that she may do Ike
wise. This is considered delicate act
of courtesy the came as when one
old topper asks another to take drink
out of his whisky bottle.
Sometimes the ladies Of neighboi-
hood meet together and hold circles for
the purpose of enjoying in company
social dip, and discussing the affairs of
their neighbors at the same time, the
same as at an old fashioned tea party.
Married ladies and bright young girls.
each lovely belle with her snuff box
and swab- stick-sometimcs all use a
common snuff bo1-dipping snuff and
retailing tit bits of scandal.
We have said that snuff dipping was
mostly confined to the women OF the
South. Yet it is not wholly So AL
though one of the peculiar institutions
Of that section of our country, and
having its origin there. the practice
has spread outside its original domain.
and within the last fifteen or twenty
years has come to be somewha. com
mon in some parts of the. North, espe-
cially in the city of New York. and