The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-02-14
REPORT ON POPULAR NARCOTICS
Read Before the General Association of
Congregational Ministers and Church
es, at Gloversville, N. Y, Oct. IL, 1877,
by Ovid Miner.

by Ovid Miner.
1t is beyond doubt that existing use
of alcoholic liquors and tobacco Ito whiel
opium and one or two other drugs shoult
perhaps be added are seriously under
mining the physical stamina, and deprav
ing the intellectual and moral strength
of our countrymen. the christian churcl
is greatly hindered in her work through
want of a clear and Justly earnest testi
mony upon the whole subject of narcotic
drinks and drugs.
1t is our opinion that unless plans bs
devised for thoroughly instructing child
rem and youth as to the pernicious effectl
Of smoking and chewing las well as drink
ing), accompanied with wise parental re
preston, followed by an emphatic sane
tion of Christian discipline, it is sadly
| probable that great numbers-some from
religious families even-will be swept
away by these popular habits from health
sobriety and virtue Educational and
church influences, together as yet feebly
restrain or reform.
OF the nature and effects of distilled
and lermented liquors, forty years ol
/ public discussion have abundantly in
structed those who are willing to know
the truth. But of tobacco, essential facts
are hardly known. Professed reformers
and philanthropists have generally been
shy oftouching the popular tobacco habit.
Many Christian congregations are wont
to treat proposed inquiry into the mis-
chiefs Of smoking and chewing with the
same dread and dislike as was common
for the general public to show on the first
introduction of temperance truth and
pledWe veors pOna bv
PROPERTIES OF TOBACCO.
The United States Dispensary Opp. $50,
ct seq instructs US that tobacco of COM
merce is the dried leaves of a plant Of
strong, Supplying penetrating odor, and
of bitter, nauseous, acrid taste. Its
essential element, nicotine, is virulent
alkaline poison. Taken moderately into
the stomach, tobacco quiets restlessness,
calms mental and corporeal inquietude
produces a state of general languor or
repose, which has great charms to those
habituated to the eimpression. In larger
quantities it gives rise to the confusion of
the head, vertigo, stupor, faintness, nau-
sea and general depression of nervous
and circulatory fanctions, which, increas-
ed, eventuate in alarming and fatal pros
tration.
The Quarterly Journal of Science"
quoted and evidently endorsed in the
Popular Science Monthly" of December
1872, instructs US that Nicotine. the es-
sential principle Of tobacco, is so deadly
an alkaloid, that what is contained in one
cigar. if extracated and administered in
q pure state, would cause a persons
speedy death. Tobacco belongs to the
narcotic and exciting substances which
have no food value. Its stimulating adds
no vital force, but abstracts or takes il
away 1t involves the narcotic paralysis
of portion Of functions whose activity
is essential to healthy life. Let it lie
clearly understood that the temporary
stimulous and soothing power Of tobacco
are gained by destroying rifak force; and
the drug contains absolutely nothing of
use to the tissues Of a healthy body. Nor
is the poison easily expelled from the
system: it remains sometimes years after
persons have ceased to use the weed -
Indeed, nicotine has been detected in the
tissues Of the lungs and liver after death
COST OF TOBACCO.
The internal revenue report OF the fis-
cal year ending June, 1877, instructs US
that the government tax on this single
article for the state OF New York was
| 81 ,O40 9S5; warranting the conclusion
that from thirty to forty millions Of dol
| lars are annually wasted in Il is common
wealth for one nauseous and hurtful in
diligence; a large share Of which comes
/ from laboring classes and the poor, who,
/ having spent their scanty earnings for
tobacco and strong drink, hand over their
/ suffering families to pauper boards for
/ sober industry to support.
The internal revenue report also in
forms US that the amount OF government
| taxation from the whole country for
cigars, tobacco and snuff during 1876 was
! S39 7qj, ,33g The number of cigars on
which duties were paid in the same pc
Rod was almost two thousand millions
Adding to these ore hundred and ten
millions of pounds of tobacco manufact
ured for chewing and smoking, with
what no doubt escaped the United States
collectors, and we have an amount o
actual losses and waste from this tobacco
indulgence OF not less than two hundI ed
and fifty millions of dollars year. II
hardly need be added that this enormou:
burden (Which nigh. be greatly dimin
ished by the wise faithiulness. of good
, men) is one chief cause Of abOundinl
pauperism and vagabondage. as well as o
those sharp necessities among railway
men and miners, which precipitated tb,
recent bloody riots in several states.
TOBACCO AS A POISON.
Here some are ready to object, "Tobac
CO cannot be poisonous, as the book
allege, since great numbers who smok
and chew, during long life, do not seen
to themselves injured To this we reply
many OF these same Objectors. in late
years, have nervous trembling dyspepsia
heart pllpitations, dizziness, and some
times lucuIablc ailments, which, they ar
astonished to learn from medical counsel
have been caused chiefly by tobacco
Facts Of this sort are frequent 1t is tru
also, that persons OF heavy, plethoric hal