Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-09-23
NASTY CHEWING GUM.
Physicians Declare That 1t Causes Seri-
Gus Bronchial, and Other Troubles.

Gus Bronchia, and Other Troubles.
In the thousand and one shops
sprinkled through the narrow streets
of this city, where Youngsters buy
loliipops, where boys invest their saw
ings in base-balls and cigarettes at a
penny apiece, and where the young
ladies of tenemepts purchase the latest
yellow-bound literature, there is al
ways for sale substance known as
black chewing gum. Whether it is
done up in spangled tinfoil, or re-
splendent in gaudy tissue paper, or
decorated with parti-colored ribbon, it
is still black chewing gum. it Is gem
orally made out of refuse gum arabic
stuff that can not be used in the
apothecary shops. and is favored
variously with the cheapest OF cheap
extracts, licorice, wintergreen, pepper
mint, or, more usually, one OF those
poisonous havors that are compounded
| from acids. The manufacturers cut i.
huge slab of the gum into quadrangle
lar pieces apout the size of IA domino.
In cold weather the bits are friable and
break easily; when it is warm. they
have the consistency OF 4 piece OF India
rubber.
Il is surpris ing how much of this
black chewing gum is used. A little
girl gets hold of 4 penny somehow,
and she can not get to a shop quick
enough to buy some of it. She chews
and chews and chews on it, her jaws
working rs regularly and vigorously rs
those of Fourth of July orator. Ii
she has bosom friend. she may bite
off bit of gum and set the other girl
to chewing. If she wishes to show par
ticular favor to her tive-year-Old sweet
heart she gives him 4 morsel. The
young ladies' who devour the yellow
bound novels devour gum, too. They
place fragment of it between the
hindermost of their pearly teeth, aud
while their souls 60 out to Elvira in
her prison, or their hearts tiutter in
sympathy with Edgar de Montmorenci
in his attempt to carry off the heiress,
they don't forget to chew that gum.
Young beaus, the leaders i'll tenement
house society, chew it, too: for the
men who make it advertise that it per.
fumes the breath and lends the mouth
the Odor of a new-mown field, also that
it aids digestion and clears the voice
and Is harmless and beautiful SUBJ
stitute for tobacco; that it is, in fact, a
penny bit of ambrosial for the gods.
1t isn't. The physicians of Amster-
dam, n Y, have just declared in SOL
emn conclavc that the practice of
chewing this black gum is most harm
full and pernicious; they have traced
directly to it innumerable eases of sore
mouth and sore throat that they have
treated of late Their brethren of the
medical profession in New York agree
with them. and not only condemn black
chewing gum. but all chewing gum of
| whatever color.
The physician who has charge of the
throat dispensary in one of the largest
hospitals in New York. said yesterday:
| DAY after day patients, nearly all
girls between eight and eighteen years
! of age, come in here and complain that
it hurts them when they swallow. or
else that their mouths sting when they
drink any thing warm. On examining
their throats, | find the delicate mu-
cous membrane marked here and there
with little inflamed patches. In nine
eases out Of ten it is caused by chewing
gum.
"Why is the gum hurtful?"
1.-The favoring is usually poisonous"
replied the doctor, ''and by its con-
slant presence, in however small guam
tity, it sets up an inflammation. But
the habit is otherwise pernicious; the
untiring. motion of gum-chewer's
jaws provokcs superiluous flow of
saliva-just as if there was always
pinch Of salt on the tongue-and
wears out the saliva glands. Gum
chewing retards digestion. If a wom-
an fills her stomach with water or Sal
iva she browns the gastric juices; also
the interminable attrition wears out the
teeth, and foreign flavor by degrees
renders the breath more and more dis
agreeable; the practice is bad in every
| way."-N. T. Star.
Aa Cot I ar1o Eco