Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-14
DISEASE IN TILE CIGAR.
Smokers Who Reap the Consequence
of Infection.


of Infection.
The New York Commercial AdUer-
User some time ago referred to
the evils of making cigars
in tenement houses, where men, women
and children, sick with contagious dis
eases, continue their work undated,
since to stop work is to do without food.
/ Oftentimes the invalid, in the last stages
Of disease, is obliged to bunch leaves for
his healthy companions, in order to pro-
long his life.
1t mas been grave question among
smokers whether or not tobacco is a me-
dunn Of infection. Ii has been popularity
believed that the aromatic qualities of
the leaf destroy the germs of disease much
after the manner that the simple Od0r Of
carbolic acid is supposed to prevent the
/ spread of cOntaglon. In Cuba, during
the cholera epidemic twenty years ago,
/ tobacco leaves were burned in chatting
dishes IN the sick room, and usually caus-
/ ed the death OF the patient by sutfOcation.
/ A room treated in this wav was supposed
to be cleansed from any danger of intec-
ton.
AT the bureau of contagious diseases Of
/ the health department inquiry was made
this morning whether tobacco can carry
Infection. One of the Oldest physicians in
[ the service replied: "Fhere can be no
doubt Of it. Tobacco may carry infection
as well as anything else in nature that
has pores and is capable OF absorbing
moisture. This question has been an
interesting one to the Board OF Health on
account Of the recent action in the Leg
/ islature in regard 10 the manufacture OF
cigars in tenement houses. 1t was proved
by the authors of the bill, which sought
to restrict such mauutacture, that
/ the health OF the community was endau-
/ gered by the practice. The gravest ques-
tions were brought forward and discussed
in regard TO the danger from the tene-
ment houses, and it was conceded by every
right thinking man that blood poison
ings, always mysterious in their work
/ ings, might be produced and accelerated
| by the smoking of cigars made by diseased
I persons. Some little time ago we had oc-
| casion to Investigate case of death from
smallpox. We went to the tenement
where the man died and found it was 0c-
cupied almost exclusively by cigar max
ers. In the room where the death oc-
Cured were two persons sick from the dis
ease, one of whom was nearly dead and the
other calmly making cigars. We imme-
diately isolated the family, disinfected the
| tenement. traced the cigars so far as we
could and seized and destroyed them.
Had this family not been discovered as
EOOh oD ~ Was AuEiG Eti NC lAD GHIludblbl
of the spread of the disease. The cigar
makers, especially those living and work.
ing in tenements, are BOhemlans. They
| are the hlthiest people we have in this
/ cIty-WOrse, in fact, than the lowest class
Of Italians. They resist vaccination
fOrcbly, and we had many times to call
in the police to assist us. In fact, 80
widespread among them is this dread of
vaccination that at the time | speak Of
Bohemian priest spoke from the altar Of
one of their churches in this city and coun-
seled them to resist the Board of Health
To the utmost. As in this case, so in all
others where the health officers came in
contact with these people.
Briefly, no man who smokes cigars or
/ cigarettes is free a moment from the dan
/ ger of becoming infected with some con-
tagious disease of the most disgusting
character"
A case was mentioned of a gentleman
in this city who was attacked by diph-
iberia of the most virulent character.
Believing there was some defective
plumbing in his house, he had a sanitary
engineer Inspect 1t, and to his surprise it
was pronounced perfect so far as SANTA
ton was concerned. But the gentleman
was a great smoker.
Chat" interrupted the doctor, tex
| plains the case. The gentleman you re-
/ fer to evidently smoked a cigar which had
/ been made by person who was either
suffering from or recovering from case
/ of diphtheria. The cigar-maker probably
used his saliva to mOisten the end of his
cigar, and left the germs OF disease ready
/ for infection. In the circumstances re-
lated there is no doubt in my mind that
1 the smoker caught the disease by infec-
I ton from his cigar. If a man smokes
who has the slightest abrasion on his lip
or fingers, he is in danger Of contracting
the most detestable of blood diseases.
There is little doubt that Gen. Grant
might have caught his cancer from a
similar cause. While this is not certain
il is by no means unlikely. Another evil
OF Infection by means of cigars is that the
disease is usually intensified. One case
remember, which occurred in this city
/ four or five years ago. A man bought an
/ expensive cigar and began smoking 1t.
Before he had smoked more than half way
to the butt he detected a strange cd0r and
to ascertain the cause be unwrapped the
cigar. He discovered within the roll
piece Of rag, which he placed TO his nos
trils and smelled. Two days after he was
stricken with smallpox, and died within
four days. The cigar was traced, and the
makers were found TO be persons who had
been suffering from smallpox"
"In case OF cholera, would the disease
be carried about bv cigars?"
"NO, | think not, as cholera, strictly
speaking. Ia contagious-nOt an infectious
disease, But there is a greater evil than
mere contagiOn from cigars To guard
against. The filth in which these people
live is sufficient to originate the most
dreaded diseases. Should cholera seize
one Of these tenements nothing could save
the tenants from death. They would die
/ like flies in the autumn. The bill which
forbade the manufacturing OF cigars in
tenements was urged on purely philan-
thropic and hygienic grounds. II was
defeated simply because Of its uncOnsti-
tutionaity, the Court OF Appeals holding
that every man has a right 20 prosecute
an innocent means Of earning livelihood
within his own home. The advantages of
such a law, II passed, would be manifest
( 10 the veriest tyro IN questions OF santa
/ ton. In great factories wOrkmen must
| be clean, because they are continually
under the supervision Of foreman. In
/ tenement house they can work In what
/ 9th they please so long as they manufac-
| ture the requisite number Of cigars"