St. Landry democrat., 1885-03-07
BOYS WHO SMOKE.
The Evils That Accompany the Use of To-
bacco by tho Young.


boys in the street, two of them hard at
work smoking, and the other, still
smaller boy, receiving the favor of an
occasional puff. If to-day a census
could be found of all boys who smoke,
it would surprise, and ought to dis
tress, our American people. For it is
one of the facts that has to do with So
cial, moral and political degeneracy.
We pass by, for the time, any question
as to the effect of tobacco on the mature
man. 1t is enough for our present duty
to inquire into the effects of the habit
upon the growing child. Tobacco has
no doubtful position in the list of toxics.
No one need turn to the records of anti
| tobacco journalism, or to the utteSances
of so-called reformers. The materia
medica of the physician speaks plainly
enough, and all the authors are in ac-
cord. Taylor, on poisons and medical
jurisprudence generally, does not fail to
discuss it. While it is admitted that, in
those full-grown its effect may be tenn
porary, and that liberation of it is es-
tablished, yet so pronounced is it's eff
feet on the nervous system that there is
no hesitation in condemning it for chill
dren.
Special observations of the effects of
tobacco on thirty eight boys, from nine
to fifteen years old, have recently been
made by DR.. G. Decaisne, French
physician. With twenty-five of the
boys there was q distinct disturbance of
the circulation, with palpitation of the
heart, deficiencies Of digestion. slug
gishness of the intellect, and craving
for alcoholic stimulants. In thirteen
instances the pulse was intermittent.
Analysis of the blood showed, in eight
cases, notable falling off in the nor
NAL number of red corpuscles. Twelve
boys have suffered frequently from
| bleeding of the nose. Ten complained
of agitated sleep and constant night
mare. Four boys had liberated mouths,
| and one of them contracted consump-
tion-the effect DR.. Decaisne believed,
| of the great deterioration of the blood,
produced by the prolonged and excess
/ i've use of tobacco. The younger chill
dren showed the more marked symp-
toms, and the better-fed children were
those that suffered least. Eleven of the
boys had smoked for six months, eight
for one year and sixteen for more than
two years. Out of eleven boys who
were induced to cease smoking, six
were completely restored to normal
health after six months, while the 9th
ers continued to suffer slightly for year.
DR.. Kostral, in the Austrian State
Tobacco Mandatory says that the
workmen are subjected to many dis
eases, especially in the case of young
| women and boys. DR.. Tracy, of the
New York Board of Health, several
years since put on record some serious
facts as to the effects of tobacco, and
shows that it is very desirable to keep
young persons from its use. So serious
! is the unmistakable effect of TINS habit,
| that it has not been found difficult in
some of our Legislatures TO pass laws
against the sale of tobacco to minors.
| We believe that all licensed tobacco
sellers should enter into obligations not
to sell to those below certain age, and
that any person should have a right to
enter complaint against children found
1 to be indulging this habit. Beside the
direct effect on impaired physical
vigor, there is another view not enough
| considered. The power of choice, self
! control, self-restraint Will-power, in
| its best sense, is the greatest power be-
meath the sky. The freedom of the will
is far more than theological doctrine.
! 1t is the reserve hope of manhood, and
not only decides individual character
and destiny, but social and National
/ destiny also. Our most outspoken
quarrel with tobacco, as with other
| stimulants and narcotics is this, that,
INDUCED in so early, they so effect the
brain and nervous system that habits
/ become dominant and uncomfortable,
which lead to a general law of self-re-
| straint
The stamina, the pluck, the true grit
of life succumbs to masterles that are
ignoble. The one habit, if it does not
lead to loss of this power in the indi-
vidual, as it generally does, shows this
loss marVellouslY in entailments. We
hear much discussion as to whether in
temperance is disease. The real dis
ease that is gaining ground is debility
in self-restraint, and in producing that
debility among the young tobacco is the
most threatening power. 1t leads often
to intemperance, to general yielding
of self-control, and so to many an evil
greater than that of physical infirmity.
Il is because we ere profoundly inn
pressed with this evil that we would
earnestly draw attention to it. The
cigarette is one of the most unfortunate
toy pistols that has ever been put in the
hands of American youth. Many are
playing with it who not only acquire a
habit evil to the body, but, through it,
get an unmistakable breakdown of the
noblest possession of manhood, which
shows itself in the individual or in his