The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-11-18
[Seientific Americana
Infected Cigars.


The occurrence Of occasional cases
of syphilitic sore mouth, among cigar
smokers unwilling to admit any other
source of contagion than the cigars
they use, gives rise from time to time
to sensational and possibly alarming
newspaper reports of cigar smokers
perils. Several articles of this charac-
ter are now before us. To one who
does not smoke cigars the alleged per-
lis from syphilitic faint seem to be
grossly exaggerated, for two reasons:
cigar smoking is extremely common
among respectable people, on the one
hand, and, on the other, the disease IN
question (syphilitic sore mouth) is by
no means common among such people;
while the probability that the relative
ly few victims who charge cigars with
their misfortune may have been infect
ed in some other way is certainly not
small. The assertions OF sensational
reporters refute themselves by trying |
to prove too much.
Nevertheless it must be admitted
that the indiscriminate smoking OF cl-
gars without the intervention OF a
holder is not nice practice, especially
when we take into account the large
number of cigars made by untldy peo-
pie in untidy tenement houses, and the
disgusting practice which IS SAID to
prevail in them Of finishing the cigar
with lick i
1t is asserted that over five hundred
syphilitics are or lately were engaged
in cigar making in this city; and the
fact is notorious that the tenement
houses in which cigar making is large-
ly carried on shelter some Of the low
est, filthiest, and most commonly faint
ed classes in the world. The thought
of putting into ones mouth an article
possibly handled by such people IS GER
tainly not a pleasant one. 1t is on the
score of cleanliness, therefore, quite as
much as on that Of sanitary precau-
ton, that the cigar holder should be
used by all who smoke cigars, unless
they know positively who made the
cigars they smoke, and have confidence
in the cleanly condition Of their man
ufacture.
The case reported in the London
Lancet by DIR. Mannsell, of Liverpool
is enough to show that the danger OF
syphilitic infection by cigars is not
wholly imaginary, although there is
nothing in the report to show that
such infection actually occurred. The
case was that Of a young girl with
syphilitic sore on her lip; and aftel
describing it, DIR. Mannsell says:
Independent altogether Of the fur
ther progress Of the case, or OF tn
question as to how she became possess
ed Of the sore, the interest of the cas-
land melancholy one it is for smok
ers), centers in the occupation b
means Of which the girl got her living
for, she had been pursuing it for pc
riod Of three weeks with this sore o.
her lip. She was employed in clga
factory, where her work consisted /
rolling the outer leaf around the bul
Of the cigar, and when she came t
finish off the end which is put int
the mouth, the custom was to bite O
the superfuous material with the teetl
making the ends to stick with lick
The girl naively supposed that som
poison had got from the tobacco int
a small crack Of the lip. But no
much poison is it possible got frol
the lip among the tobacco? She est
mated the number Of cigars g
through in one day at twenty dozen
There might not have been any s
rious peril in the act, still we doubt
any prudent person would choose
put into his mouth any one of tt
three or four hundred dozen ciga
which this unfortunate girl had licke
to a finish while her lip was sore.
The cases mentioned by DR.. L.
Bulkley. of this city, in his paper {
this subject read before the Americs
D Dermatological Association, seem
carry the possibility of syphilitic i
fection through cigars long Way
ward positive proof; far enough,
any rate, to make the use of cigar hol
ers not an unwise or unnecessary pr
caution on the part of cigar smoker
While we know that reputable Anne
lean cigar makers are careful to pr
vent the untidy practice which seer
to have been followed in the Engli
factory mentioned by DIR. Mannse
and require their fnishers to follo
more cleanly methods, there renal
the unpleasant fact that teneme
house workers are not under superv
ion, and are not by nature or habit /
clined to be fastidious in their ov
tastes or scrupulous with regard to t.
tastes of others.
Having no personal knowledge
the comfort to be derived from sue
ing the end Of roll of tobacco, '
are obviously incompetent to ADV
smokers in this matter; neverthele
we may be allowed to submit the OPT
ion that while the risk of syphilii
taint from infected cigars is extreme
small there is still risk, which Il
cigar holder is calculated to obviat
If we had to smoke cigars we shou
prefer to use holder
A SUDDEN change in habits-a ct
sation of an active life, and leadil
one of sedentary character, has
ways tendency to affect the heal