The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-11-03
A FOOLISH AND DESTRUCTIVE
HABIT.

AAEADAAs
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 q
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-
oloyed in a lawyers office. During his
leisure hours and ON Sunday he was in
he 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 sill they
could say and do had no effect. His
health soon began to fail rapidly, and
his family, who We're not aware that to-
bacco would have such injurious effects,
fancied THAT his weakness was caused
by the close confinement when he had
to undergo at his place of business.
He soon became so i'll that he 6uld
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 tlset 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
Aodtor then learned that the bov had
been addicted to the excessivems of to-
baeco in every form, and he came to the
conclusiOn't 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 a 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 10 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 bGw 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 anformed
that the ;annual average of cigarettes
consumed in this country amounts to
not less than q thousand millions.
Now perhaps this statement ia itself is
mot so very wonderful, when we. think
of the nun8ber of people in this country
OF ours; hut take it in connection with
the fact that the consumption of}tobac-
GO and cigars has not decreased in that
time, and Gne naturally asks how it is
that such am increase can be had in one
form of smokers articles without Il fall
mo off in the other forms OF the ma
terial.
A gentleman who had two large re-
tai tobacco SHORES, on being asked the
reason of this increased demand, Aaid
that so far as his experience could be
relied upon it was due mainly to the
fact shat they were consumed largely
by boys who took their lessons in smDk-
ing by the use of these miniature al
gaISs
OF course the cigarette is made of to-
bacco rolled in what is called rice-pa-
per; that every ome thinks he knows
Each manufacturer of cigarettes says
that his particular .house)uses none but
? the best Turkish, Virginia. pg1 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 una
terial, such as old cigar stubs, and odds
and ends of all kinds. ke...-a ~.
1t is quite impossible so say that such
material is used; but there isavery odd
Kind of fact to be taken into consid-
Grafton, which may have some conmec-
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
We're thrown into the streets were con-
sdered worthless, unless twas to some
OF the news-boys and boot-backs who
were willing to put a great deal of dirt
IN their mouths for the sake of a smoke.
Three years ago the demand for Amer
lcan-made cigarettes began to increase,
and then the ends of cigars that had
neen thrown away had such a value
mat 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