The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-10-27
Fun THAT MAY KILL.

we want all the boys who are in the
habit of smoking cigarettes, or who are
beginning to learn how to smoke them,
to pay attention while we tell them of
sad event that recently took place in
one of our Eastern cities.
Among the number of bright boys
who had set out to become business
men was lad fifteen years of age, en-
ployed in "a lawyers Office. During his
leisure hours and on Sunday he was in
the habit of smoking cigarettes, the
smoke of which he inhaled. From this
he passed to chewing tobacco, and it
is said that when he was not smoking a
cigarette he always had tobacco in his
mouth, and occasionally he combined
the two. His parents endeavored to
break him of the habit, but all they
could say and do had no effect. His
health soon began TO fail rapidly, and
his family, who were not aware that to-
bacco would have such injurious effects,
fancied that his weakness was caused
by the close confinement which he had
to undergo at his place of business.
He soon became so i'll that he could
not sleep at night and his appetite be-
gan to fail. His countenance was very
sallow, and he had severe headaches
Finally his mother took him 60 see a
physician, who, on examining him,
thought that he was suffering from the
want of the right kind of food, and pre-
scribed tonics and things that are nour-
ishing and strengthening.
But instead of improving in health
the poor lad grew constantly worse,
and was soon confined to his bed. The
doctor then learned that the boy had
been addicted to the excessive use of to-
bacco in every form, and he came to the
conclusion that his patient was suffer-
ing from nicotine poisoning. Nothing
that could be done had any effect in re-
storing the suffering boy. He fingered
for about week, when congestion of
the lungs set in, and the heart began to
fail in its functions. This was the be-
ginning of the end. Within twenty
four hours he was dead, killed by the
foolish habit he had formed of smoking
cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
1t would seem as if such story as
this would be all the warning boy
could ever want against cigarette
smoking. But while we are on the
subject we want to tell our boy readers
something more about this foolish hab-
it, and what makes it so dangerous and
destructive to those who practice it.
A gentleman who writes a good deal
for Young People, on making inquiries
of one of the largest manufacturers of
cigarettes in this city, was informed
that the annual average Of cigarettes
consumed in this country amounts to
not less than thousand millions.
Now perhaps this statement in itself is
not so very wonderful, when we think
of the number of people in this country
of ours; but take it in connection with
the fact that the consumption of tobac-
co and cigars has not decreased in that
time, and one naturally asks how it is
that such an increase can be had in one
form of smokers articles without fall
ing off in the other forms of the ma
terial.
A gentleman who had two large re-
tail tobacco stores, on being asked the
reason of this increased demand, said
that so far rs his experience could be
relied upon it was due mainly to the
fact that they were consumed largely
by boys who took their lessons in smok-
ing by the use of these miniature ci-
SarS.
Now let us see if we can not find out
few facts about the materials that 90
to make up these cigarettes which are
so universally used: 90 b
OF course the cigarette is made of to-
pacco rolled in what is called rice-pa-
per; that every one thinks he knows.
Each manufacturer of cigarettes says
that his particular house uses none but
the best Turkish, Virginia or Havana
tobacco; but that other manufacturers
are perhaps dishonest enough to use
cheap Maryland or Western leaves,
while they also put in all kinds of ma
terial, such as old cigar stubs, and odds
and ends of all kinds.
1t is unite impossible to say that such