Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-02-20
WHAT WE slTOKE AND CHEW.

Not Pure Tobacco, but Sweetened and
lIedicated Preparations.
Haelth and Home.
1t is rather late in the day to enter a
protest against the use of tobacco. What
ever the faculty may say on the point Of
its injurious qualities, however much the
clergy may point out the possibility Of
its leading to incompetence, the fact re-
mains that a large proportion Of the
world uses tobacco in some form or other.
The Chinese, according to their accus-
toned vanity, pretend to have been ac-
quainted for many ages with tobacco.
But we must remember that IN the earli-
est written Oriental tales which have
come down to us-the Arabian Nights
entertainments Is no allusiOn to
the custom of smoking, and there is every
reason to believe that all Oriental smOk-
ing was imported from England, and
that Sir Walter Raleigh lighted the first
pipe smoked out Of America.
In spite of all that has been said
agsinst it by fervid nt-tobacconists,
pure tobacco is an excellent remedial
agent; but it must be absolutely pure.
No poisonous decOctiOns must eat into
its substance or change its nature. Used
in a proper way to relieve neuralgia
pains, or applied in various affections,
under the advice of a skilled physician,
it is a valuable medicine. The adultera-
ton Of tobacco, very common both In
this country and abroad, arises from two
considerations. The pure, natural leaf
in the yellow hue, is undoubtedly the
finest tobacco in the market. But so
many accidents cOnspire to render the
finest leaves scarce that even the natural
leaf itself is initiated. Coarse leaves are
bleached by the use of chlorine to the
bright yellow color Of the natural leaf
and sulphuric acid, properly diluted, is
used to make the little ''freckles'' which
are supposed by cOnnoisseurs to indicate
a superior quality Of leaf.
But the natural Leaf somehow,
doesn't seem to suit the taste of the aver
age chewer of tobacco. He asks a Ger
tain degree Of sweetness in his plug. To
Sill this bill and create a special flavor
which shall give kind of identity to a
particular brand and cause 1t to be Gag
erly sought for Is the object of the man
ufacturer. When the bundles of steamed
leaves are fully dried they are
ready for the application of the mixture
of strip and GcOrice, which imparts to
the chewing tobacco of commerce its
sweetness and flavor. The leaves must
be as dry as a bone when subjected to
icorice bath, for the least dampness VIII
render them white with mold IN a few
hours. This mold is removed tone of
the authorizations by a dip into diluted
unuriatic acid, and In too many cases
forms part Of the solid cake of a better
quality. The heat Of the mixture causes
the pores of the leaf TO expand. and the
sweet sirup, penetrating every fibre, i'm
pregnates it thoroughly. From the vat
the dripping bundles are carried out on
the fiat roof of the factory and exposed
to the sun, for one days sunshine Is
worth more than can be told In the man
ufacture. After this the leaves are taken
into a drying-r0Om, where the themom-
eter during the day is at go degrees. AT
night the whole power OF the furnace Is
turned on, and the heat IS so intense
that In the morning the room has to be
cooled OF before the operators can enter
It When the tobacco has, under this