The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-09-03

colored ribbon, it is still black chewing
gum. 1t is made generally 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 favorings that are COM
pounded from acids. The manufacture
ers cut huge slab of the gum into
quadrangular pieces about the size of n
domino. In cool weather the bits are
friable and break easily; when it is
warm they have the consistency of a
piece of india-rubber.
1t is surprising how much of this
black chewing-gum is used A little
girl gets hold OF u penny somehow, and
she can not get to 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 u
Fourth of July orator. If she has bo-
som friend she may bite off bit of gum
and set the other girl to chewing If
she wishes to show particular favor to
lser 5-year-old sweetheart she gives him
a morsel. The young ladies who de-
your the yellow-bound novels devour
gum, too. They place fragment of it
between the hindermost of their pearly
teeth, and while their souls 90 out to
Elvira in her prison, or their hearts
flutter 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 in
tenement-house society, chew it, too; for
the men who make it advertise that it
perfumes the breath and lends tho
mouth the odor of q new-mown field;
also that it aids digestion and clears
the voice and is harmless and beauti-
full substitute for tobacco; that it is, in
fact, penny bit of ambrosial food for
the gods.
1t isn't. The physicians of Amster-
dam, N. Y, have just decided IN SOL
emn conclave that the practice of chew
ing this black gum is most harmful and
pcrnicious. They have traced directly
to it innumerablc cases 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 chcwing-gum of
whatever color.
The physician who has charge of the
throat dispensary in one of the largest
hospitals in New York said the other
day: DAY after day patients, nearly
all girls between 8 and Is years of age,
come in here and complain that it hurts
them when they swallow, or else that
their mouths sting when they drink
anything warm. On examining their
Threats find the delicate mucous men,
branc marked hero and there with little
inflamed patches. In nine cases out of
ten it is caused by chewing-gum.
''Why is the gum hurtful?"
THE tlavoring is usually poisonous"
replied the doctor, "and by its constant
presence, in however small quantity,
it sets up an Inflammation. But the
habit is otherwise pernicious. The I'M
firing motion of u gum-chewer's jaws
provokes superfluous flow of saliva
just as if there was always q pinch OF
salt on the tongue, and wears out the
the saliva glands. Gum-chewing re-
tards digestion. If woman fills her
stomach with water or saliva she
browns the gastric juices; also the in
terminable attrition wears out the teeth,
and foreign flavor by degrees renders
the breath more and more dsagreeable.
The practice is bad in every way."-M
" Sun