The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-08-15
USE OF TOBACCO.
THERE IS ONE FEATURE CALCU-
LATED TO EXCITE ALARM.
What the Doctors Say In Favor of the
Weed-"SOothing Influence of
Cigar"-Tobacco as
Medicine.

Medical and Surgical ReporterI
The fact has been pointed out that men
are the whole healthy as women,
while nine out of ten OF the male POPULATE ion
of the world use tobacco, and women as a
rule abstain. In the learned profe ssionS.
about one-half of tho ministers are addicted
to it In some form, likely three fourths OF
all physicians, and nine tenths of members
of the legal fraternity
In looking calmly at the tobacco question,
there is one feature calculated to excite
alarm, and hat is the habit OF chewing and
smoking SO widely practiced among boys.
This, to young, growing boys il unquali-
fediy hurtful- They voluntarily endure
the first di,a1reeable effects of the to-
bacco to acquire what they consider an
accomplishment, the habit i; lin div
confirmed, and with entire ignorance of
its powers, added to a tendency t. im.noi-
GRAFTON, the growth and development is
often seriously interferei WITH and tho
worst results follow. They smoke and crew
generally the worst tobacco, and to lie
gree which would positively be harmful
with the majority of adults. This matter
should be corrected by proper action of
legislators, with whom the responsibility
rests.
Smoking, when done at proper times, ia
cilitates digestion. The sense Of relief OBJ
tanned by cigar, after heavy meal, is
we'll known to smokers. Dyspepsia some
times follows the discontinuance of tobacco,
and is removed when the habit is resumed
While the abuse of tobacco weakens the
system and leads to emaciation. used intelI
gently it exerts a favorable influence upon
nutrition.
Hammond, by observation upon himself,
found gain in weight with the use of to-
bacco. Fiske attributed increase of
twenty-four pounds in three months to to
bncco. Tobacco, when the food is sufficient
to preserve the weight, increases it; when
insufficient, and the body is losing, tobacco
restraints the loss" tHammOnd). Boerhaave
Of Holland, over 200 years ago referred to
tobacco being antidotal to hunger. 1t
seems that the power to undergo severe ex-
ertion and fatigue, either mental or physi.
cal, is aided by tobacco "Soldiers of all
nations use it 1t standing injunction
of Napoleon that his troops should have to-
bacco, and it was of great advantage in the
retreat from Moscow. (Fiske) During our
late war the soldier would be patient under
very severe privations, If he bat had a good
supply Of tobacco to smoke or chew, and
when on picket duty would risk his life to
strike a match for his pipe.
Situations of loneliness arc always rem
dered more tolerable by tobacco, and it is
the constant companion OF tho 50 VINO lead
lives of solitude such a that of the herds
men and ranchmen. A feeiIn, of unrest or
discomfort, made up of ill defined hon ,ings,
OF imaginary disappointment. "a ii IN" cas-
ant anticipations. commonly tl,N.l as
ennui, is responsible for much uInt mess.
This unfortunate condition q. mind
Is removed by the soothIn rrtI nee
of cigar, ani tn, mrrD 81, ..ld
gloom are quickly dispelIsi, \ uuch
of every day is filed up with care, ou.- de-
grees of comfort i'll thi; lie VIII tc.enl
largely upon our ability to bear it u:ic IN
plainingly. That tobacco Iii IS 4, t, 10
this, that it enables us t., iUol up>l lie
more complacently, must be the III oI
OF everyone who has experienced ITS iufiu-
ence. That it enables to toll wttI I,s
fatigue, is equally true. TIL, rsaiio t
writers generally 80 ,bacco, and canios
accomplish the Same amoa.nt of work il tho
same time without it, and those connected
with newspaper and other literary work,
who have often to write against time. find
it OF inestimable value
Tobacco formerly enjoyed a de scrved rep
utation a medicinal agent, and ex-
tensively used in scabie5 and other cUta-
nsous disorders. 1t has been largely sup
planted, however, in modern practice, by
other remedies The of tobacco during
a mercurial course decreases the ri,1 of salt
walton, and cases of ptyalism have been
ported cured by its employment. Before
the discovery of chloroform, tobacco served
a useful purpose in tho hands of the surgeon
in cases of strangulated hernia for obtaining
complete relaxation. Tobacco constitutes a
most valuable addition to the ordinary poul-
tice in local painful affections. In two
cases of caE -inoma of the breast, by incor-
porating it in a local application, marked
advantage was noticed by the writer in the
relief of pain. As an ingredient i'll asth-
matics, cigarettes with belladcna, stra-
monium, etc, it is entitled to share in the
remedial effect
The limited medicinal range of tobacco is
unimportant i'll comparison with it social
and psychical influences Among its many
beneticent powers it appears to alay worry
and Tighten toll 1t is aid to mental
work, and help to reflection and COM
placency. 1t promotes sociability, and in
the words of one of its champions. makes Il
man act moro like Samaritan"