Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-06-05
PHYSIOLOGY Of Smoking.

and third, its remote or secondary eff
fects. Each of these would call for
special study III an exhaustive investi-
cation of the subject. We cannot, on
the present occasion, do more than sug-
gest the line of inquiry to be pursued.
As regards the local effects. it is espe-
cially desirable to be observant. There
can be no question that the influence
exerted on the mucous membrane of
the lips, mouth, tongue, palate, epi-
CLOTHS, larynx, and fauces, by smoking,
is important. There is first dryness,
then hyper9mia of the membrane it.
self; ne1t comes excitation of the
nervous filaments distributed through
out the region, with direct irritation of
the centers, and reflex stimulation of
the glands. In consequence of this
last mentioned set of effects, we get
either increased secretion or very
prompt emptying of the salivary
glands, and either waste of the saliva,
or the passage of that fluid into the
stomach probably at the time empty.
The saliva is, moreover, to some ex-
tent impregnated with the oil derived
from the smoke of the tobacco. 1t is
easy to see how local disturbances, such
as epithelial growths, inocuous or ma
lignant indurations and the like, may
be induced by smoking; h y the nerv-
ons centers connected wit. the various
nerves distributed to the mouth, tongue,
and face may be effected; how the sail
vary glands may be overstimulated and
exhausted, and how the stomach may
be disordered. The passage of salivary
fluid into an empty stomach may help
to appease the appetite, but it can
scarcely improve the digestion. Other
local effects might be mentioned, but
they will suggest themselves Then
come the Immediately contingent effect
of smoking. These may be either
stimulating, sedative or toxic, as the
quantity of the nicotine actually intro
duced into the system-a very difficult
point to settle-varies, or the idiosyn-
Grassy of the smoker may determine.
The sum of the Investigations that have
been made in connection with this
phase of the subject would seem to
show that nothing short of direct ex-
pertinent in any particular case can
supply the requisite data for determin-
ing how the smoking of tobacco is
likely to affect an individual.
And the deduction which may be
hastily drawn from few experiments
will need to be qualified by further
consideration that the susceptibility of
the organism for influence of tobacco
smoking varies in very special degree
with those changes of state to which all
systems, and especially those of the
class of persons who require or desire
the use of tobacco, are subject One
man can smoke with the best results
when he is hot; another when he is
cold; ore needs to have full stomach,
while another enjoys his smoke most
in the early morning, OR when he is
hungry; one will take his pipe or cigar
when he has to think; another must be
idle to profit by it, and so on. With
every change of mind, nerve-state, and
| condition of health, the susceptibility
to tobacco varies. 1t is useless to try
to lay down any precise law as regards
its action. The use Of the weed" is in
every case experimental, and its imme-
diately contingent effects are incapable
of prediction.
As a rule, however, we believe they
| are, in the moderate use of tobacco, ac-
cording to the individual taste, good
instead of evil; but the patient rather
than the doctor is the Judge Of results,
and it is policy on the part of the latter
to refrain from dogmatizing on the sub
ject in any special case. The remote
or secondary effects of tobacco smoking
are certainly not cumulative There is
not particle of evidence which can be
legitimately pressed into the services
of the mption-sometimes reckless
y and unscientifically made that they
are so. A man may exhaust the
STR myth of his nervous system, and
thus lower its tone, or he may impair
his digestion by habitual excess in
smoking, but these results are in nc
sense cumulative, nor has the agent
by which they have been produced been
cumulative in its energy. The dis
astrous effects of tobacco smoking
when too much is smoked or the
tobacco is too strong-are those of per-
sistency In the use of an injurious ar
ticle, not piling up of its effects.
This is especially indicated by the
state OF the pulse in habitual smokers
to excess. The sphygmograph shows
"a depressed state of the vessels while
the smoking continues. and for short
tine after a pipe, but the effect gen
orally passes off when the use of the
drug is abandoned for few hours. So
with the disturbance of digestion pro.
ducad hy excess in tobacco smoking,
and with its other "evil consequences,
which have been much exaggerated.
There is very little, if anything, to be
said against the moderate use of tobac-
co in an average state of the organism.
Those who are unfavorably affected by
it should abstain, and it is wholly in
admissible in youth. We would go Sc
far as to say that no young man should
smoke before he has attained his ma
jority, and it would be well if he de-
ferred the use of tobacco altogether,
and in every form, until the extreme
limit of development, which may be
placed at the age of 26.-Lo1adon
Lancet.