Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-03-26
Tobacco It's Effects on the Human
Constitution, Physical, Intellectual
and Moral.
BY JAMES COULTER LAYARD, NJ. y.
TCoSrISuED.I


ITs EFFECTS ON THE MORAL SENSE.
The legitimate effect of every kind Of
sensual indulgence is to stimulate the
passions and TO blunt the moral sense
The use of tobacco being mere sensual
qualification. has, then, this effect, az
matter of course, in common with every
other method of sensual indulgence. We
can treat this branch of the subject only
thus generally, having no statistics to Of
fer other than to point to our prisons and
penitentiaries, the inmates of which will
be found, in nine cases out of ten, to
have been habitual users Of tobacco pre-
vious to their incarceration. The same
is the fact, too, with regard to swindlers.
thieves and reprobates of every kind,
whether in or out of Jail.
The habit of using tobacco is likely
to lead to other habits of dissipation. 1t
is very likely to lead to the drinking of
alcoholic liquors. We know there are
many temperance men among the vota-
ries of the weed, but such is 10. the fact
with regard to the majority. Although
it is not true that every man who chews
tobacco or smokes cigars also drinks IL
quor, it is true that nearly every habitual
drunkard uses the weed in some form
The chewing of tobacco, and especially
Of smoking, awakens thirst which plain
cold water will not always allay and
this because it ia not thirst simply which
is thus aroused, normal demand of the
economy for fluids, but it is an abnormal
condition of the nervous system, which
demands something of stimulating ns-
ture for its relief. Hence resort is had
to spirituous liquors.
The chaplain of the New York State
Prison at Auburn reports that out of
700 male prisoners at one time confined
there, 600 were convicted of crimes COM
mitted while under the influence of IN
toxicating drink and that of these 500
as many as 500, or five out of six, had,
by their own confession, the desire for
strong drink awakened in them by the
depressing effects upon their nervous
systems of tobacco.
In places where spurious liquors are
cold, we almost invariably find tobacco
and cigars on sale, too, and receptacles
for the filthy juices expectorated i'll every
corner. Rum and tobacco are congeners;
they go together as natural as roast beef
and plum pudding.
EFFECTs OF TOBACCO uN PosTERiTY.
We have seen the general effects of
tobacco on the human constitution are to
depress the vital energies, and thus rem
der its votaries subject to various diseas-
es. We have seen that it begets con-
sumption, dyspepsia, neuralgia, and oth-.
er maladies that it Injuries the sight,
smell, and hearing that it enfceblss tie
intellect, causing loss of memory, etc
that it produces irritability of temper,
melancholy, and even madness and that
it blunts the moral sense. What then
must be its effects on the offspring of
those largely addicted to its usel
No physiological law is now more
generally recognized by men of science
than that of the hereditary transmission
of constitutional peculiarities and infrmi-
ties, physical, intellectual and moral, by
parents to their children. visiting the
iniquities of the fathers upon tho chill
dren unto the third and fourth genera.
tion.' Holy Writ affirms it, all inteIli-
gent men assent to it, and all experience
proves it, The man whose constitution
al energies are in depressed condition,
who is suffering from any disease who Is
short of memery, irritable in temper,
or with a blunted NOR
al sense, will inevitably transmit to his
posterity the same constitutional defects
possessed by himself. What fearful
responsibility thus rests upon parents
IF you will not for your own sake desis;
from practice which is liable to leave
all these evils IN its train, for the cake Of
your children and your ebildren's chill
dren. be persuaded to reform your habits
and thus refuse to entail upon your pos
terity your own infirmiiies, whether of
mind, body or soul.
ITO BE coSrISuEDl