The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-11-29
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A FOOLISH AND DESTRUCTIVE
HABIT.

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 a
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 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
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-
baeco 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 ccuntenance was very
sallow, and he had severe headaches. 4
Finally his mother took him to 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-
baceo 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-
1t. 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
IN,
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 as 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 CT
gars. ut
OF course the cigarette is made of to-
bacco rolled in what is called riee-pa-
per; that every one thinks he knows.
Each manufacturer of cigarettes saws
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 quite impossible to say that such
material is used; but there is very odd
kind Of a fact to be taken into consid-
GRAFTON, which may have some eonnec-
ton with the charges some people
make against cigarette manufacturers.
Five years ago there were but few
cigarettes made in this country, and
at that time the ends of cigars which
were thrown into the streets were CON
sidered worthless, unless twas to some
of the news-boys and boot-blacks who
were willing to put great deal of dirt
IN their mouths for the sake of smoke.
Three years ago the demand for Amer
ican-made cigarettes began to increase,
and then the ends of cigars that had
been thrown away had such a value
that the Italian immigrants in this city
began to gather them from the street,
and to-day there are on Crosby and
Mott streets alone, as has been found
from personal inquiry, over hundred