Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-02-08
TOBACCO VERSUS Ale


SAVANNA, lst mo. 10th, 1889.
Tobacco properly stands at the hea'
of long list of Narcotic Poisons, amonI
which we find the Poppy, the James
town weed, the Henbane, the Deadl,
Night shade, etc, etc The aCtiveprin
ciple-the pOison--of those plants, re
sides in an alkaline sub lance, peculia
TO each species. and known under DIFF
ferenr names, but all agreeing in theil
narcotic and poisonous pr operties. Tha
Of tobacco (Nicotiaua tobaGClttn has
been called NicOtia While it exist.
only in very minute quantities. in the
plant, its extreme virulehce renders il
the most deadly poison known; perhaps
MT excepting even strycbniDe. DR.
Blodie, a well known English expert,
menter, found that one drop, injected
into the bowels of a cat or a dog, would
cause their death in five minutes.
Tobacco in sufficiently small doses,
acts simply az a narcotic. producing
lnthargy and stupor, and may relieve.
for a time, either corporal or mental
disQuietude. But AZ the quantity is
increased, it soon produces severe
nausea, vomiting and prostration of the
whole organism. Vertigo fainting and
stuuor follow till cOldncsa and profound
coma, perhaps commissions, close the
scene in death.
The promptness with which tobacco
was known to act. and the absolute
control which it exerted over the ami
mai organism, gave promise Of d pow
erfHl means for the relief of some
desperate diseases, which were not
amendabIe 10 less heroic remedies.
But it was soon found to be- too violent,
ard to unnanageabie to be- employed
with safety
The on!y use ever made OF it was
in the form Of an mi ction, at the
instance Of a consulting physician from
Philadelphia. The patieL.t survived
the operation, but | soon wished that
had not seen either doctor or his RENE
dy.
Prof Chapman saw several cases re-
sembllng mania'a potu from excessive
leaving off the tobacco.
have seen severe suffering from a
pinch ofsMuif spunh led on Il poultice
Tor child.
A physician Of my acquaintance IN.
rolled a q, gar, wet and applied it for
plenritic pain. 1t gave relief, but he
assured me that the remedy was worse
than the disease
A child was killed by tho application
Of tobacco to the scalp for the cure OF
scald- head.
DIR. Eberle writes In the Use of to.
Dacco AZ remedy it is OF the utInos'
Importance to proceed with very great
CAUTION. He adds;--I have known an
,inpiric TO destroy, in less than twenty |
minutes, the lite OF charming little |
boy the son of a gentleman III Lancas-
~, Pa
ia the contrary, cures have been eff |
ectcd by tobacco, where, perhaps, no
,'her known remedy would have avail
ri. But their recital would only show,
till more conclusively, and impress,
Till more deeply. the lesson which am
to teach, viz: The terrific
'irulence of the poison, the great dan
'er attending its use, and the propriety
4 holding it in reserve, only TO DO used,
nd then III the most cautious manner,
fier other, and safer means, have been
airly and full y tried, and have failed.
u'h is tobacco, under AL its various
jrms, and all the circumstances of its
II ADMINISTRATION.
These remarks are intended to illus
rate the impOr ant fact that tobacco,
'hereve., or in whatever form, 1t may
. applied to the vital organism, isl
cry rapidly absorbed into the blood,
nj thence carried throughout the man
lot more, perhaps, to the brain, than
, other organs, but you all know that
ie brain, with its ramitications, the
prves, is the absolute governor and
1ntroiler of all the other organic flnc.
ons. When the brain is thus poisoned
18th nicotia the wheel is broken at the
stern.
Now let me seriously ask, what must
, the condition Of the brain in those
,rsons who habitually SMOKE or chew Ii
bacco, or chose who continually han b
g the weed aud inhale its deleterious fl
,halations? My excellent friend, DIR. fl
enry Gibbons, now of San Francisco, Il
rites: THE brain and nerves suffer D
oSt from tobacco. Remember, the O.
ain is the instrument of all motion, ID
ought and feeling. You cannot move OF
ur tongue, you cannot see, or hear, III
feel, you cannot think or reason but OF
means Of the brain. In one sense re
o brain is the man. Not only must pl
at delicate and sensitive organ be in W
reject health, but the stream of vi r.
izlng blood which flows through it, OK
lst be pure and indebted In ordeI for "
perfect action" This is plain Jog 81
easily comprehended. You all un-
rstand it.
We must 60 a little further. ] will
insult your common sense by ask.
, you 1t the blood of tObacconist is uu
re. if his brain is in a healthy state, IN
if he can perform healthy functions. WI
IL know that it is impossible. What IN
N are the practical conclusions to be ke
lwn from the practical use of tobac- tn'
OF any other narcotic poison Go th'
, the high seats OF learning in this or sss'
' other country and they will tell vi
l that the students who habitually lu'
tobacco as a class have less ambi on
n, are less energetic, and are unable
compete in their studies with those
o have not used the weed. In other of
rds, tobacco enters the blood, mar. me
ICES the brain, enfeebling its func- ha
IL and necessarily producing de- me