Connecticut western news., 1874-07-24
TObaccO-DiSeaSes

OAAAAAs sAO A0SS AOW O@Ao A4AAAuUN @A'S3eA gations have been going on by medical sci entists at home and abroad, concerning the use of tobacco; but Germany has given us more light in regard to the poisonous qualities of the weed than any other nation; and why should she not ? Has not tobacco smoking become even more general in that country than in America and England? Let the army of German spectacled-men testify to the obstruction of vision and short-sight- edness so common among them.
 Drs. Vanden Broeck, Vleminks and Van Hassett were among the first to fully inves- tigste the acute symptoms of poisoning by tobacco and nicotina-the latter being the alkaloid of Nic0tiana 1a6aeuma, or com mon tobacco. Dr. Erlemeyer, of Germany, has observed of late several interesting cases of chronic poisoning by tobacco; in- teresting because they throw new light up on the baneful effects of the poison. Of course the more people are enlightened con- corning the almost sure destruction of health from the use of tobacco, opium anl spirituous liquors, the more it is to be hoped will they refrain from their use. Let us then calmly disc uss the subject of this paper.
 One of his cases was that of physician, also distinguished professor ln one of the leading universities, A years of age, with large practice and actively engaged in lec- turing, passionate smoker and partial to strong cigars. Up to five years ago he had been in perfect health, when he was taken sick. accompanied with twitching of the eyelids and obstruction to vision. Soon af- rewards he was attacked with vertigo, which lasted from five to six weeks and forced the patient to remain in bed for ten days. The use of proper remedies and en- tire rest of body and mind acted favorably, but every physical exertion increased the dizziness. This went on until the yesr fol lowing, when in addition to the dizziness, be was attacked with muscular weakness, he being unable to stand any length of time. This gradually passed away. A year later it returned; also pains in the head made their appearance, together with a feeling of anxiety and dizziness. He grad ually grew worse, and finally was obliged to give up his lectures and practice entire ly. It was at this stage of the disease that Dr. Erlemeyer saw him for the first time. In connection with the above symptoms he ascertained two more facts, viz that when ever the patient walked on a smooth sur face he had the sensation of being on a HnatiTrp vneon1. or,1 hot ho suffered with loss of sensibility, being equal on both sides of the body. This was hopeless case. Many others of like na- ture could be recited. In our large cities here is class of excited persons-express- men, clerks in wholesale stores and stock brokers for example-who patronize the contiguous bar-rooms many times daily for their drams, and have cigar or pipe in their mouths almost constantly. From this class patients with broken-down constitu- tons are constantly recruited and it can not be otherwise, considering the severe strain from these habits and the worry of business upon every part of the organiza- tion.
 According to Profs. Foureroy, Painte, Raooth, Dawosky and others, the work men engaged in the manufacture of tobacco leaves in the fabrics are troubled with oph- thalmia, skin diseases, headache, dizziness, colic, diarrhea, asthma, cancellation and other disorders. This agrees with our ob servations concerning the unhappy effect of tobacco manufactories in the city of New York upon some of the thousands of workmen engaged therein. That all are not perceptibly affected in these establish ments does not invalidate our argument, for there are certain individuals for in stance, who do not seem susceptible to smallpox; and without vaccination twen- ty out of thirty only would have small pox, and of the cases only sixty-seven per cent would be fatal. Only two observers of any note, namely Thackrah and Parent deny that the manufacture of tobacco is as- sociated with any danger to workmen en gagged therein. But they coincide with the majority of investigators in the belief in the injurious consequences of smoking, and especially of chewing tobacco. The espe- cial phenomena which are often produced from the continued use of tobacco in any form are as follows: Liberation of the mouth and gums black coloration of the teeth chronic bronchitis; cancellation dyspepsia; palpitation of the heart; great irritability of the nerves; hemorrhage of the lungs; apoplexy; paralysis; loss of sight; senile gangrene; delirium and ln- sanity. A sad record truly
 It has been observed that smokers who remain great deal in ill-ventilated rooms, filled with tobacco smoke, are subject to g considerable enfeeblement of the lower ex tremities, so that they are obliged either to ait or lie down. At the same time the sen sibility of the skin is materially diminished and the patient complains of headache and stupor. Fresh air and proper treatment with the entire abandonment of the habit will generally remove these symptoms in g few days. How important then is this abandonment of tobacco! Patients many times attempt to mislead physicians wher called to attend them in their maladies by disowning their indulgences, when in real ity, they have long been in the habit oi using tobacco and other poisons in some manner. But the skillful practitioner i: not slow in disentangling the knot and will cheerfully put the helpless victim on tht right road and it only remains with the patient to adhere to his instructions and tht advice of friends, and when out of tho woods not to venture in again.
 This gratuitous advice to the suffering ones is not applicable, in a practical sense 10 those who have never indulged, but it ii
 to be hoped that what has been recorded