Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-03-27
How to Quit the Tobacco Habit.

In reply to inquiries from correspond.
ents as to "How to Leave OFF the Use of
Tobacco" the Science of Health publishes
the following, from Tobacco Using" by
DR.. Trail:
"Touch not, taste not, handle not"
Do not think for moment of substitutes.
Abandon the foul thing at once and for
ever. Do not try abstinence as an expert
ment, but adopt it as duty, principle,
a necessity. Differences of opinion exist,
and much discussion has been had on the
question whether it is better to abandon
the habit of tobacco-using at once, or
leave off by degrees. My answer is, Leave
off at once. The experiment has been
thoroughly tested, in cases of liquor
drinkers, of leaving of gradually or sud-
denly, and the result has always been in
favor of breaking off at once.
DR.. Day, the Superintendent of the
InebTiate Asylum, publishes a letter, in
which he advocates the practice of totally
Withdrawing from the habitual drinker
all liquor, in opposition to the prevalent
idea that the patient must be gradually
weaned from the use of alcoholic sub
stances, and founds his assertion on the
fact that he has treated $500 cases of inc
briefly during the past ten years. He be-
horoo that a man who mas been in the
habit of drinking quart of liquor per
day will suffer more by being allowed
only pint, and gradually less, with
in the same lapse of time, than
he will if he is kept altogether from
the use of it. The blood of such
patients is, in his opinion, poisoned
by the substances which alcoholic liquors
contain, and he does not, therefore, see
the necessity of administering any more
Of such poison, even in infinitesimal
doses. He believes that nothing short of
absolute abstinence will keep the inebri
ate cured after he is raised up from his
former life of degradation.
The morbid desire for tobacco will be
overcome with much less suffering on the
whole by discarding the poison at once.
| The least indulgence perpetuates the dis
| ordered condition of the nervous system
| on which the desire depends. There is
no safety for the patient until the morbid
| iTrttdbtLity of the nervous system is sub.
| dued, and its normal sensibility restored !;
and this can never be accomplished so
long as the least particle of tobacco is
habitually used. An infinitesimal dose
the least quantity that the organic in
stincts can appreciate--is sufficient to
prolong forever the shattered state of the
nervous system; and, until this is re-
stored, the patient is not safe Tor a mo-
ment Until then, he can have no self
sustaining will-power. Until then, the
smell of tobacco, or the sight of a cigar,
may reproduce the morbid craving with
irresistible force.
Much, however, may be done to miti-
gate the miseries of the sufferer during
his transition state; and having had a
large experience in the management of
these cases | may confidently venture the
following practical suggestions.
For few days the patient should
be entirely quiet. He should abstain
from business, and do as little thinking
as possible He should take warm bath
daily; and whenever he has severe head
ache, or feels distracted with restlessness,
he should lie down, take a warm foot
bath, and have iodrm wet cloths-as warm
as he can well bear-applied to the head.
He will also find it greatly advantageous
to adopt very simple dietary. He
should, for week or two at least, live
principally on good ripe fruits and plain
bread and even eat sparingly of these.
All overlooking of the stomach will occa-
sion headache, and aggravate the general
feeling of wretchedness. He should also
exercise very moderately.
These rules, adhered to for a few days,
will emancipate the patient from one OF
the worst of slaveries that ever degraded
human nature. But if weeks, or months
or years were required, the victory would
be worth all il cost. 1t is rare, however,
when the plan have briefly sketched is
rigidly adhered to, that more than one OF
two weeks is required to redeem, regen.
crate and disenthrall the most besotted
devOtee Of tobacco. And in few months
thereafter he will look back upon his
former condition, and upon the habit OF
tobacco.using, with loathing and abhor.
renee of which he now can have no con.
cepton; and probably would not again
be thus besotted for all the wealth Of this
I world