The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-22
GPFEcrs OF sMOKING.
Doubts and Certainties on the Questio
Of Injurious Results.

Doubts and Certainties on the Question
OF luxurious Results.
The London Lancet prints the following
. letter from the late Prof. Parker to an in
quiring friend, on the subject Of the effect
. Of smoking:
My DEAR MR. PRArT: I think my state
OF mind us regards tobacco Is very much
what yours seems to be. have honestly
triedFto collect evidence from moderate
smokers, both medical men and others,
and when tolerance has been established,
! have never been able to make out any
symptoms which implied injury. In the
case oil many medical men whom have
asked 10 study their own condition, the
answer has always been the same viz,
they could see no harm or disturbance OF
any function. Even in some cases OF enor.
nous smokers. e., men who rarely were
without pipe or cigar-I could learn OF
no injury.
On the other hand, have seen, like all
Of us, men complaining OF dyspepsia, ner-
vousness, palpitation, &C., and who were
much better for leaving of smoking; in
fact, In these cases there could be no doubt
of an injurious effect.
In boys OF IA or 10 who begin to smoke,
think l have observed that tolerance is
slowly attained; that appetite is less, and
presume digestion and nutrition less
good, and that the complexion becomes
pasty and less forid and clear. There was
a striking case Of this kind in the son Of
medical friend, who watched his son, ma
turally, very carefully, and who told me
that the effect OF the tobacco IA good deal
was smokey was quite nnmistakable. ]
persuaded the son to lessen his tobacco
ons-half, and his health certainly i'm.
proved, but he was then a young man.
That some injury, therefore, Is sometimes
produced, and especially on young people,
seems. to me quite clear; but 1t Is curious,
IN other cases, how difficult 1t is to find i'll
effects, even in the young, when the
quantity Is not excessive.
AS TO the effect on the young even, ii Is
curious in Burmah to see children smolt-
ing in their mothers arms, aud yet when |
was serving in Burmah, many years ago, l
often saw woman walking along smoking
her cigar Of tobacco rolled up in plantain
leaf, and carrying on her hip her child OF
or years old, who also had his or her
little cigar, which was smoked with the
greatest gravity. On talking 10 the
Burmese, (who smoke constantly they
would never allow that even young
children were In the least damaged.
When was in Turkey Tried to make in.
quiries OF some of the intelligent Turkish
gentlemen; one oftwo OF them said that
they thought the Turks had learned to
smoke from the Europeans, and had been
growing apathetic and dull ever since.
But others laughed at this, aud the rural
Turk, who smokes a good deal, is fine,
active energetic fellow.
l have talked TO many Germans, who
all stand out manfully for tobacco. In
conclusion, l confess myself quite uncer.
tain. I can find nothing like good evil
dence in books; too often foregone con.
clusion, without any evidence to back It,
is given. l think We rnust decidedly ad-
nit injury from excess; from moderate
use ! can see no harm, except, It may be,
in youth. My opinions are, you will see,
very indefinite, and would gladly see
some really good evidence collected. II
at any time you can send me any facts l
shall be very grateful. Believe me, very
sincerely yours, E. A. PARKEs.
BITTERNE, SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. %, 1876.
The British Medical Journal cites an inter-
esting communication from DR.. Decaisne
on the the subject OF smoking, particular
ly as regards children and women. In
1864, DR.. Decaisne related cases OF So young
people, in 81 OF whom the effects OF tobac.
co on the economy were observable,
especially in cardiac affections, palpita.
tons, intermittepces. He concluded by
saying that, whenever conditions may be
perceived in adult subjects, the pernici.
Gus effects OF tobacco smoking are incon.
testible in children. Even the restricted
use OF tobacco in children leads often to
change in the blood, and sometimes to
chlorotic anmmia, paleness Of the face,
emaciation, morbid sound in the carotid
the heart, dimtnution OF the normal guam.
tity Of the blood corpuscles, difficulty OF
digestion, &c. Young. people who
smoke show generally certain
sluggishness Of intelligence, and al
more or less pronounced taste for
strong drinks. In children who cease
to smoke, and who are not affected by
any organic LESSONS, the disorders OF econ.
omy which have just been mentioned,
disappear, often very quickly, and almost
always without leaving any trace. Since
1865 DR.. Decaisne has commenced TO ex.
anime the effects OF tobacco on women.
He has observed forty-three women who
present symptoms arising from this source,
including intermittance OF the pulse and
disorders In the digestion; and he has ar.
rived at the same conclusions as he arrived
at in 1864. He adds that the effects oil TO.
bacco smoking in women appear to him
TO resemble very closely those which he
observed in children; that in a certain
number OF them, as among children, even
in relatively small dose, tobacco leads
promptly to the symptoms OF anemia, as
well as intermittent pulse, and develops,
for the most part pronounced taste for
strong drinks.
Factory Facts.