The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-28

A correspondent propounds to ne a qucs-
ton which it IL not difficult to answer, and
we are somewhat surprised that a man who
seems to bc In other respects intelligent
should ask it, This is the question:
Being undecided as ia the presence any poisonou.
substance tobacco ask your opinion hoping you will
oligc 10y answering in your columns Bcns consumer,
will stop Its In chewing your answer is IN the at
hrmatv,."
FIRST we will observe that ~ all the forms
of using tobacco the chewing Of it IL the
most Offensive. This practice is one no gem
tIcuan should indulge in, for it carries in its
train disgusting necessities, and really rem
dcrs n man unfit for the society Of people Of
refinement. A tobacco chcwcr pollutcs the
places he frcqucnts. and outrngcs the So
cicty into which he intrudes himself The
longer he INDUCES in the habit. the more
careless he becomes of exhibiting its odious
incidents, until he grows TO be n veritahle
nuisance, with his dscOlorcd lips and bulg
ing cheek. his prOfuse expcctoration and of
icnSivc breath. He ought not to be tolerated
whore ladies are, certainly; and. unless he
can keep his quid out of his mouth while in
their society, he should not venture into the
company Of gentlemen. There is much cX-
cusc for the tobacco chewing of sailors for
pipes are not available at SEA; but no man
who lives ON shore and who prctcnds to the
least good breeding. should disgust people
with the filthy habit.
All forms in which tobacco Is used may
he made Offensive. and they are 81 made by
men who are careless whether they annoy
people or not, and pay no heed To- the seusi-
tive nostris of others. man may so
imprcgnate his clothing with stale to-
bacco smoke as to make himself dis
gushing when he goes into company. This
he has no right to do, and no man Of
proper sense will do It, Before entering
mixed society he will take pains either to
change his clothes. or to air those he has
ON; and he will not suffer himself to become
such Il slave of the habit that he cannot go
without his cigar or his pipe when they may
prove disagrceablc To his neighbors. Snun
taking. which used To be 50 general among
ladies and gentlemen, has fortunately passed
out of vogue, for it was an unclean prac-
tce, though some OF the courticrs Of for
mcr day used TO take their snuf with de-
gree OF grace, and the management Of the
7nuil box was great art, as the handling of
the eye glasses may Ice made now. II Is
painful To have 70 add that large quantities
of Scotch SNUFF are now sold for the disgust
ing and pcrnicious purpose of " dipping by
women. practi-rd in the South 10y reputable
women. but in the North by scarcely any
others than those who are in deep moral
and social degradation. There is no other
way Of using tobacco 80 fatal to health and
character n this.
Now. a. To- the poison Of tobacco. There Is
in it one Of the most violent poisons--nico-
tine which produces tromor, palpitation Of
the heart and. in sufficient quantities.
paralysis. II you wish to find out whether
tobacco has a poison or not, blow the smoke
Of il on an insect and see the result or try
1t on bird, and see how rapidly it sue
cumbs to the effect. Tobacco however, is
not IA poison that leaves important disease
of any particular organ or class Of organs
In its track and hence it is not an especial
object of attack by physicians the Majority
Of whom. indeed. use IL themselves. But
that its excessive use seriously damages the
nervous system Is fact proved beyond dis
pute and ono Of which large numbers of
smokers have personal experience. tobacco
l. an irrltant II the nervous system but the
body becomes accustomed to il, and in mod
Grafton it may be taken by many people
with slight injury, though no man addicted
To its consumption can bee said to be in per-
feet health from day to day
Bu, chewing, never!