The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-17
WHY GENERAL GRANT QUIT SMOKING.
A Swelling of the Tongue that Recalls the
Case of Senator Ben Hill.

New York Sun
In the latter part of last summer General
Grant, who was then stopping at Long Branch,
suffered from swelling OF the tongue. 1t was
at the back of the tongue, and he paid little
attention to it at first. He consulted physicians
who were also sunmering at Long Branch, and
when his regular physician, DR.. FOrdyce Barker,
returned from Europe, he was called in This
was in September, and the swelling had then in
creased SO that the General could hardly speak,
and swallowed with difficulty. DR.. Barker
thought the trouble very serious, and advised
General Grant to consult DR.. J. II. Douglass for
local treatment.
Gen. Grant had at this time a very bad tooth,
and by advice of both physicians he had this
tooth extracted early in November The oper-
alton was intensely painful but he bore it with
his usual frmness. The physicians thought
also that Mis- incessant smoking aggravated the
disorder, and ordered him to smoke only the
first half of a cigar three times daily. OF his
own accord he cut down his habit of smoking.
from twelve orr fifteen cigars daily to half of one
cigar day. He continued this for week and
then ceased smoking altogether until Christmas.
On Christmas morning he lit cigar, but had
taken only two puffS when he recollected that
he had gone two months without smoking and
threw the cigar away. determined TO stop the
habit altogether. Dr. Parker said last night:
General Grant Is the most extraordinary
man | ever saw He combines and this is very
strange, great sensibility and great power Of en-
durance in his nervous system, 1t is most re-
markable thing that man should suddenly
cease smoking who has been accustomed to
smoke SO many and so very strong cigars with
out injury to his nervous system. Yet this is
the case with him He has not lost his appe-
title, and has slept as soundly as since his
determination not to smoke. When l first
learned of his trouble was greatly alarmed, but
since his troublesome tooth was extracted and
he gave up smoking be has improved greatly.
We told him to smoke only the first half of
cigar, because all the nicotine a smoker receives
from cigar is from the FAST half. He can eat
and speak distinctly now, and feels quite we'll
generally. | cannot say that he is out of danger,
because do not know that, but he has i'm
proved greatly. He writes a great deal, and
takes considerable pleasure in his literary
labors."
Doctor it is reported that the General has
been suffering from cancer of the tongue, SIM
liar to that which caused the death of Senator
Hill, of Georgia. Senator Hills physicians
thought that the cancer was caused by his in
cessant smoking
We'll, won't say whether there was danger
of cancer or not. cannot state, either, wheth-
er the trouble was caused by smoking; but DR..
Douglass and thought that the smoking irritat-
ed the swelling and made it worse By the use
of the new local anBsthetic, muriate of cocaine,
the pain of the tissues has been greatly con-
trolled, and the whole appearance as to swelling
and redness has improved. l cannot say about
the similarity of the Generals case to that of
Senator Hill, because ] do not remember what
Senator Hills trouble was"