New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE TOBACCO HABIT.
CAN IT BE GOOD FOR A MAN If BAD FOR BOY J.
WHIT IS MODERATE INDLLGENCEY

CAN 1T BE GOOD FOR MAN If BAD FOR BOY i
WHAT Is MODERATE DSDULGENCEf
To the Edftor OF The Trt6une.
SIR read this morning in your valuable
pages an article headed a Growing EVIL in which the
opinions Of two eminent physicians given concern
ing the Of tobacco l say opinions, because one
claims that tobacco an injury when INDUCED in by the
child, but benefit If moderately used by the adult;
while the other declares tobacco to be injurious Tor men
and boys and only claims that cigarette smoking Is
more injurious than TO smoke pipe or cigar.
first statement, with all due respect take e1
c-fion; and 90 this the more confidently because IL
seems to e that position there are haty contra
dictory statements For instance, he admits that
tobacco ia poison but claims that the moderate nse oil
IL Is beneficial to adults Now any who understands
the meaning Of poison knows mat IT Is something
infectious malignant that which destroys healh' oI
produces a deadly effect. How can that when II
destroyer of life be at the time beneficial ana tehu
to It's preservation True, many medicines are more
or less poisonous and yet used, bnt only when
destructive disease is 10 be removed upon which 1t VIII
exert It's deadly effect, and not as luxury to be In
dulged at al times No person Of ordinary intelligence
viii take poison unless as medical prescription for
specac purpose and stopped short when that IL
aiaiUed otherwise II might produce the very result
which it was intended to prevent Fight lire with fire.
il household phrase, aad 10 well understood ana pro-
dtably employed 70 prevent raging CONGREGATIONS but
the man who should be detected In setting fire To
prairie, forest. bOdsc merely Tor tho pleasure Vi
seeing it's sublime and magnificent effects, would surely
be punished as a villain or confined a lunatc. SO
when disease has poisoned system IL may be neces
sary to counterfeit its destructive tendency by another
poison Of uppose character but the physician VINO
,youll prescribe IL to healthy s effects, or
one VINO would iaduige in IL pleasure, Il III any way
INJURIOUS hls health would Justly DC Diueu az Ohu
mai - .
The reason why It is injurious to young person Is
stated IL mpairs digestion, because they cannot use
tobacco without splitting nOrdinatey. Then following
ms rs the statement for adults who only cl-
dren of larger growth IL Il beneficial because II pro
notes digestion" Whatever eXcitCs the secrctlons OF
saliva eACtCs the secretion Of gastric juice so That man
actually assists digestion by cigar As there Is no
material difference between the digestive process ID
man and thar in child what variants such an asser-
ton Il cannot bc the waste OF saliva In chd ana the
ur,seryaton of it in an adult | have men who
spit Unfortunately and boys who do not as often as the
reverse The doctor VINO interviewed furnishes an
example of the same lie says: To-day stopped II
little wretch and ;ook from him cigar That would nave
made me quail" Does not common sense perceive lhhl
tine little wretch" who could endure to s,n3se elST
would have made the man guam, cod uso s"dho"
the saliva easily aud thus promote MS dgesuoh ny
its Use q,
will only ask what is meant ~ the moderate use OF
tOb3CcOi IL expressly stared that the inUdcrac use
Injurious 10 the ADULT Does the doctor mean 10
furllsn example Of moderation "neh ne say -
never smoke ntl alter dinner, about p in ana tnen
smoke i've moderately stTOug cigars rom lhat
until midnight" cigars IN Our hours! what pedu-
tful Illustration Of moderate use, esp claiJ we hho"
tuat OrtV minutes uuc requisite Tor slhOh
inc cl.ar No; ID s neither beneficial Ia man nor emu
l. ii INJURIES the sight and bearing OF the child 80 II does
OF the Iuan; If II binders tue pLysra development O
the child ucTcrCs with tie mental ana moral
growth OF tHc ADULT, IL IL highly Injurious 10 those
whose nervous systems not developed. II also uhhc
mines the system IN those VINO are developed
IL ~ or called "A growing evil" aua Il does not cease
20 grow when the boy has developed INTO t,c man
AeuC- IOrk, Nov. ., 1881. h. NJ MlLLluAN'