The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-01-13
The Use of Tobacco.

This old-fashioned subject is noted in
late number of the Boston Medical
and Surgical Journal, as having been
brought to its attention by very sen
sible article on the physiological effects
of tobacco in the London Lancet
of November fourth. In the use of to-
bacco the three main points to be con-
sidered are, according to the Lam
Get, the local effect of the oily
vapor from the burning leaves, the im-
mediate effects, and the secondary
effects. There can be no question that
smoking produces an important local
effect on the mucous membrane of the
lips, mouth, tongue, fauces, larnyx, etc.
The immediate effect may be stimulat-
ing, sedative or narcotic, according to
the quantity of nicotine actually in
troduced into the system and the idio-
syncracies of the smoker. The second
ary effects are not cumulative, but
gradually affect the system. A man may
exhaust the strength of his nervous sys-
tenn, and lower its tone, or he may i'm
pair his digestion by habitual excess in
smoking, but these results are in no way
cumulative. A young man should not
smoke before his majority, and it would
be well to wait till the age of 26, or the
extreme limit of development. The
dangers to be avoided are: Irritation of
the mucous membrane of the mouth and
fauces, loss of salivary secretion and
super-exciteEaent of the nerves and
nerve centers. Cigars are better than
pipes, and far better than cigarettes, but
not more than two-thirds of cigar
should be smoked, the last third con-
tanning the poisonous oil, which will be
given off In smoke. The smoke should
be taken into the front of the mouth and
elected as rapidly as possible.
The tobacco chewer is not referred to
in this article of the Lancet; he is, we
fear, says the Journal, indigenous to
our own country, product of American
soil. We have occasionally seen some
old man who enjoyed harmless quid
was the happier for 1t, and his neighbors
none the worse, but the average Ameri-
can chewer, with hydra mouth, who
penetrates into every phase and aspect of
public life, is national disgrace. As
great as this evil still is, however, we
believe that it has already lessened, and
will continue to grow less as soeial re-
finement becomes more widespread.
Our greatest danger now seems to be
from the excess OF cigarette smoking.
The number of young men who smoke
cigarettes is startling. It is not only
students, but even schoolboys In their
teens, who vigorously and openly in
dulge in this dangerous habit. A little
cigarette, filled with mild tobacco,
| which lasts for only few minntes, ap-
pears harmless enough. But the very
ease with whick these bits Of paper can
be lighted and smoked adds considerably
to the tendency to indulge to excess.
Then, too, young men and boys with
vigorous and partly formed bodies
do not feel the bad effects of tobacco.
which, nevertheless, will eventually tell
on the vitality of the nervous system.
and. feeling no immediate bad effects.
smoke on ad infnitum. One of the per-
nicIous fashions connected with cigarette
smoking is s'inhaling." The ideal cigar
cite smoker is never SO happy as when
| he inhales the smoke, holds it in his air
| passages for some time, and then blows
it out in q volume through nose end
mouth. If he realizes the force of the
statement of the Lancet, that s9the
smoker who draws the greatest amount
OF smoke, and keeps it in contact with
the lining membrane Of the air-passages
undoubtedly takes the largest dose of the
OIL" he might at least endeavor to
modify his smoking In this respect. The
dangers, then which are incident to
cigarette smoking are, first, the early
stage ct which it is taken up; second,
the liability TO excess; snd third, the
bad custom OF inhaling the smoke. These
are dangers superadded to those attend
ant on the ordinary use of tobacco and
/ should be carefully considered By all
| o1sao1