The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-16
Advice to Tobacco chewers.
[New York Ann.l


 The Sss's advice ts smokers, which we published the other day, seems to have attracted widespread interest. l. has also aroused the curiosity of tohacco chewers, as is apparent from the follow. ing letter:
 SctoTo, O., April IA, 1888. To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
 SIR: Here in Ohio the use of tobacco i. almost universal, but instead of taking the ferm ot smoking cigars, it assumes the more democratic form of chewing plug. You were kind enough in late issue to give some sound advice to smokers. Will you be kind enough ia another issue to give some eouaiv sound advice to chewers of plug tobacco. as they greatly fear the effects of poison from nicotinef Please state the color and brands of plug tobacco least liable to produce can. cer or discolor the teeth. Is there an instance of cancer caused by the use of plug tobacco on records w RAwFFv
 We believe that there is no medical record of cancer produced by chewing tobacco. ca the contrary, the Hon Thomas L. Chngman and others advo- cate firm belief in its curative and med icinal qualities. Mir. Clingman narrates numerous cases where tobacco quids have been used in curing sore eyes and other ailments. Itis universally conceded that the chewing of tobacco is not personally SO harmful as the smoking ef the weed. The nicotine does not coat the stomach. nor are the throat and lungs affected, as is frequently the case when excessive smoking is practiced. There is some. thing pleasant, however, in the aroma of good cigar. It promotes good fellow. ship, and is rarely offensive to those who do not use the weed. Tobacco chewing. on the other hand, is disgusting and filthy. No slave of this habit can be a welcome guest among ladies or in parlor or si,- ting room. The habit is on a par with snuff dipping. No man with a common sense of cleanliness would knowingly marry woman who chewed snuff; and very few enlightened women, in these days of progress, will be willing to marry professed tobacco chewer. Tastes diff fer among chewers as to the brand of the weed. The old fashioned long plug, sweetened with hcorice, which sold for one dollar during the war, seems to have gone out of existence. Navy plug, we are informed, is used only by sailors, lopgshoremen, stevedores, Floridians and the old time residents of northwest ern New Jersey and Pike county, Penn sylvania. It is sweetened with molasses and was at one tune very popular. Ken tuckians and Virgipians chew the natural leaf, destitute of molasses and com pressed into a plug of a golden color. A similar tobacco is highly prized by chew CTS in the Carolinas and most of the gulf states. The finest plug tobacco, how ever, is said to be raised on the river bottoms of Arkansaw. Vast quantities are used in tha. state, in west Tennessee, and by the cowboys of the plains. In New York, New E England. and Michigan fine cut tobacco of various brands ispre- terred to plug tobacco. All brands, however, whether plug or fine cut, stain the teeth. Tobacco chewers credit the habit with the prevention of toothache. Even if this is granted, it is a question whether the comfort of the human race would not be enhanced if the use of all brands of chewing tobacco was produc- tive of cancer.