Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1886-12-24
BETEL NUT CHEWlNG.
By JdHies BrOirH, ". d., LII d., Pro-
1cssor in tie Medical CoilcJe.
Portland, Oregon

In many persons there is an intense morbid
craving for vegetable narcotics which science
has failed 10 explain. To such persons the
chewing of these substances seems as natural
| and as pleasant as the chewing Of the cud to
the ruminant. And there is facination in the
habit very difficult to understand facination
SO strong that few have moral courage
enough TO resist it, Rarely indeed does the
inveterate chewer discontinue the habit and of
| those who have tried TO do so, only few
have succeeded. The chewer of tobacco
would rather sacrifice half of his meal than the
quid which invariably follows it. But the
| craving for tobacco, though strong, is less ur-
gent and less irresistible than the craving for
the betel nut When the habit of betel nut
chewing has become fixed ii seems utterly i'm
possible to abandon it. The victim wears
out his teeth, his gums, his digestion, and then
dies hungering for another chew.
The betel nut is the great narcotic of India
and the habit of chewing it ''has extended
from the islands of the Indian archipelage,
where it is chiefly found, to the continent of
Asia; its use IS now universal from the Red
sea to Japan" The nut grows on species
of palm known as the arec0 cdtec1u. II is
about the size of cherry, slightly pear shaped
very hard, of bright yellow color and en-
closed in a husk similar to that Of the cocoa
nut. 1t is called by the natives penaug The
palm on which il grows is a graceful tree,
about thirty feet in height and eight inches in
diameter; and at the age of six years It begins
to bear. 1t thriyes well in most parts Of
tropical India, the Indian archipelago, and the
Philippine islands. In Java and Sumatra
| there are large plantations OF it TO meet the
demand for home consumption and for export
| TO distant islands and provinces; the greater
part of Sumatras export going to China.
| The betel nut, as prepared for chewing, does
not consist of the areca nut alone, but of a
small piece Of ''cbunam" tqucklime made
from shells) to give it a favor and correct the
bitterness of the covering in which they are
enclosed These two 1.-THE slice of areca nut
and the piece of chunaml are wrapped in a
leaf of the betel pepper Upper betle) which is
an evergreen creeping or climbing plant like
the ivy, having leaf somewhat resembling the
citron. II the chewer is a man of delicate
taste and can afford the expense, he will add a
little tobacco with view of augmentnp his
pleasure to the highest degree A ouid thus
prepared consists, then, of four ingredients
viz, a betel leaf, piece of penaug, bit Of
lime, aad scrap Of tobacco, and is supposed
/ to leave nothing to be desired.
| In the Philippine island, buyo, as the betel
roll is called is offered to every one who enters
house precisely as pinch Of snuff or cigar
is offered in western countries. Every one
who can afford it takes fresh buyo every
hour.
Under the use Of the betel nut the lips, gums,
tongue and teeth are stained a brick red: and
in time the teeth become perfectly black and
often crumble to level with.the gums, more.
over the skin becomes dry, and the flow Of
saliva is increased. But as an Offset to these
disadvantages, 1t sweetens the breath, and
cleanses and cools the mouth
! ''The juice is usually but not always, swal.
lowed. On those who are accustomed 10 its
use it exerts weak but continuous and sus.
tained exhilarating influence. Only tobacco
among the narcotics in common use, is con,
sumed in larger quantities than the betel nut
In India indeed where on an average, MOI
more than sixpence a head is annually paid
| for clothing, indulgence in betei forms ths
second great necessity Of common life, -