Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-10
Smoking and Thinking.

THAT which Injuries or enfeebles the
blood, must as a matter Of course, affect
the health and activity of the brain If,
then, we ascertain the physiological effect
Of tobacco upon the life-tluid, we shall be
in a 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 it is a
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
yellowish, white and puffy. The blood
being thin, also eXudes freely, and a cut
surface bleeds for a long time, and many
continue to bleed incCnveniently, even in
opposition to remedies. But the most inn
portant change is eXerted on those little
bodies which float in myriads in the
blood, and are known as the red glObules
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 ncces-
sarily leads to rapid changes in them they
lose their round shape, they become oval
and irregular at their edges, and instead
of having a mutual attraction for each
other and running together, a 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 in the brain, as in other portions of
the body. Hence, it would be remarkable
indeed If it did not exercise some intlu
ence upon the mechanism Of thought
"a sincere, self-Observing smoker cannot
fall" says M. Meunier, ''to recognize that
tobacco creates 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 dur peoples excited
| much raillery; but the habit of twenty
| years was long too strong for him. SO
| close was the connection between work
and smoke with NJ Meunier, that the
amount of intellectual labor he had per-
formed was chronicled 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 stupe
fed. The excitement and over-activity
which it causes in the contractile appa-
ratus of the walls of the blood-vessels, are
quickly followed by a general fatigue,
which is only a modified 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, circulates slowly and slug
! gishlv, and the functional energy of the
brain is diminished. But with q
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 life-flood, takes ur
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, ant