The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-02-14
OF INTEREST TO SMOKERS.
The Physiological and Mental Effects of
Tobacco, as Described by Various Medi-
cal Authorities.

Tobacco, as Described by Various Medi-
cal Authorities.
The discussion of the physiological
and mental effect Of tobacco upon man
and animals has recently been actively
revived among medical men abroad, in
stigated chiefly, it would seem, by the
very remarkable experiments made by
DR.. Smith, an eminent English ply
stefan, and by him communicated to the
British Association, and the no less in
teresting researches in the same line by
DR.. Lebon of Paris.
Briefly stated, DR.. Smith aims to show
that while tobacco-smoking causes a
large increase in the rate of pulsation OF
some persons, in others no increase oc-
curs-the fact being, therefore, that
there is diversity in the mode of action
in the case of this substance, as there is
unquestionably known to be in its good
or evil effects upon mind and body in
different persons.
In pursuing his investigation, DR..
Smith operated on an individual whom
he induced to prepare for the test by
sitting absolutely still until the pulse
stood at an average of about 753 beats
per minute The patient then began to
smoke pipe, and, during the first five
minutes of smoking the effects
were comparatively slight; the
pulse, however, increased in firmness
and fullness, standing at an average OF
70 $40 per minute. During the next IA
minutes, the frequency of the pulse was,
successfully, 81, So, "a, SO, 1O2, 102, 105,
105, 104, 105, 105, 107, 107, ITO, and there
was an increased sense of warmth, to-
gether with slight perspiration on the
brow. Smoking was now stopped, and,
during the next minute, the pulse rose
to 112; but it then began steadily to
decline, until, at the end of half an hour
from the commencement of the smOk-
ing, it was at little less than SO. For
more than two hours it remained above
the natural average of frequency and
force.
The time of 10 o'clock p. m. is as
signed by DR.. Smith as the proper one
for thus instituting tests as to the action
of tobacco, and, previous to such tests,
no food should be taken for four hours.
He also considers that to literary men,
ON whom tobacco may be found to pro-
duce this kind of stimulant effect, it
would be an efficient substitute for the
wine which they so frequently take to
assist them in brain-work which is done
late at night; when, however, the body
is of full habit, it must lead to disturbed
sleep and may produce apoplexy.
Though of a somewhat different char
acter from the preceding, the researches
of DR.. Lebon are to be regarded as per-
haps even more reliable and conclusive,
from their even wider range and detail,
the most important results being briefly
as follows: -
In the first place, according to M.
Lebon, smokers and persons who, with
out smoking, are enyeloped in an at
4 mosphere of tobacco smoke, absorb for
each quantity of ten grammes of tobac-
co proportion of nicotine varying
from some eentigrammes to gramme,
and also absorb about an equal amount
of ammonia; as, therefore, the quantity
of tobacco consumed daily by a single
individual addicted to its use is scarcely
less than twenty grammes, a smoker is
liable, therefore, to absorb daily twenty
five centigrames Of nicotine, with an
equal proportion of ammonia
|
dangerous, as shown by NJ. Lebon, is
that of smoking cigar or cigarette,
and swallowing the smoke, while the
least dangerous is that of smoking a
aarghile, or pipe, with long tube, in
tho open air.
Ihe effect produced by the result of
the condensation of tobacco smoke is,
he says, analogous to- that of nicotine
nevertheless, there must be added the
elects produced by the ammonia, which
fhe smoke contains in considerable
quantity; the resinous semi-iquid,
which condenses in the interior of the
pipe, is ascertained to contain consid-
cradle proportion of nicotine in all
cases, and the fact is the substance is
but little less poisonous than nicotine
itself, and is known to rapidly destroy
the life of animals exposed to it's ac-
ton
The liquid product which condenses
in the lungs and mouth of smoker, M.
Lebon finds to contain water, ammonia,
nicotine, fatty and resinous bodies, and
coloring matters, dose of one drop of
this speedily producing paralysis of mo-
ton in small animals and state of APP
parent death, and, though these effects
/ quickly disappear, death actually SUI
pervenes if the dose is carried up to sew
eral drops, or if, instead of administer
ing it internally, the animal is made to
breathe it for some time, it dies all the
same, TIE effect in this last case seeming
to be due, in a great measure, to the
presence of ammonia. In dose of a
single drop, dangerous results are not
produced upon large animals, but those
of small size are killed instantane-