Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-10
Smoking and Thinking.

blood, must, as matter Of course, affect
the health and activity of the brain. If,
then, we ascertain the physiological effect
of tobacco upon the life-fuid, we shall be
in fair way for deciding the question,
especially If we find individual cases con-
firming the views thus arrived at. There
is nothing stronger in medical evidence
than the agreement of physiology and pa
thology DR. Richardson has so clearly
explained the influence of smoking upon
the blood, that it will be best to quote his
graphic account His scientific eminence
entities his evidence to respect, and lovers
of the weed must recollect that 1t is
smoker to whom they are listening: "On
the blood the prolonged inhalation of to-
bacco produces changes which are very
marked in character. The fluid is thinner
than is natural, and in extreme cases paler.
In such instances the deficient color OF
the blood is communicated to the body
altogether, rendering the external surface
yeliowish, white and puffy. The blood
being thin, also exudes freely, and a cut
surface bleeds for long time, and many
continue to bleed inconveniently, even in
opposition to remedies. But the most inn
portant change is eXerted on those little
bodies which float in myriads in the
DipONt, dUNt ulG hIlo"u eS VIC INu SioouiNS
These globules have naturally a double
concave surface, and at their edges per
fectly smooth outline They are very sol
uble in alkalies, and are subject to change
of shape and character when the quality
of the fluid in which they float is modified
in respect to density. The absorption,
therefore, of the fumes of tobacco neces-
sarily leads to rapid changes in them they
lose their round shape, they become oval
and irregular at their edges, and instead
of having mutual attraction for each
other and running together, good sign
of their physical health, they lie, loosely
scattered before the eye, and indicate to
the learned observer, as clearly as though
they spoke to him, and said the words,
that the man from whom they were
| taken is physically depressed and deplor-
| ably deficient both In muscular and men
tai power" Tobacco modifies the circu-
! latiOn i'm the brain, rs in other portions OF
| the body. Hence, it would be remarkable
! indeed If ii did not exercise some inilu
ence upon the mechanism of thought.
"a sincere, selfobserving smoker cannot
fail" says NJ Meunier, ito recognize that
tobacco creates a new nature, more dis
posed to dreaming than action" AL
though great smoker himself, he con-
sidered the habit was inimical to the ma
tional mind His frequent diatribes
against this mort aur peoples excited
much raillery; but the habit of twenty
years was long too strong Tor him. so
| close was the connection between work
and smoke with M. Meunier, that the
amount of intellectual labor he had per-
formed was chroniclcd by the extent of
| his consumption of tobacco. When, at
last, after many fruitless attempts, he put
his conduct in harmony with his opinions,
! it required several weeks of undivided at
tention to break the chains Of habit which
bound him. The mode by which nicotine
acts upon the blood-vessels explains the
apparent contradiction that it should be
| able to excite into momentary activity an
organ which it has enfeebled and stupc
fed The excitement and over-activity
which it causes in the contractilc appa-
ratus of the walls of the blood-vcsscls, are
quickly followed by general fatigue,
which is only amodified paralysis. Think
ing, as we have seen, is closely related
with the cerebral circulation When, by
continual usage, the muscular tissue of
the blood vessels has become gradually be
numbed, the blood, in place Of its natural
" rapid flow, circulatcs slowly and slug
! gishIy, and the functional energy of the
brain is diminished. But with a
new exhibition of the slim
ulant, the muscular contractility is
again stimulated, the circulation becomes
| quicker, the brain, abundantly and regu-
larly bathed by the lifc-fiood takes up
| again its functions, the brain-power in
creases, ideas flow with greater rapidity
| but the activity thus produced cannot last.
| With this stimulation disappear the bril-
| liant results which it had produced, and
tho organ falls into relaxed condition,
| from which only increased doses can tenn
porarily rescue it. One Of the results
upon the brain is the loss of memory.
Many authors have noticed this fact. The
case of rAbbe Moigno, the celebrated ed
| tor of Les Nondes, is curious. He had
often been in the habit Of taking snuff,
which had always led to prejudicial re-
suits. After various temporary reuuncia-
tons, he had returned TO its use. In 1861,
| whilst engaged in some mathematical
| labors, he took twenty to twenty-five
grammes daily. and found himself con
| tinually having resource to the snuff-
| box. The effect was rapid extinc-
ton of the faculty of memory. He
had learned several languages by their
root words, of which he knew from
200 to 800 Of each tongue, but he found
that his power Of recalling the words was
gradually diminishing, and recourse to
the dictionary became each day more
necessary. Struck with this fact, he re-
solved to abandon the tabatiere and cigar.
Writing, after six years experience as a
non-smoker, he says: ut has been for us
the commencement Of u veritable resur-
rection of health, mind, and memory; our
ideas have become more lucid, our imagi-
nation more vivid, our work easier, our
pen quicker, and we have seen gradually
return that army of words which had run
away. Our memory, in a word, has re-
covered all its riches, all its sensibility.'-
LAncet.