Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-07
WHAT CHEWING GUM DOES.
Doctors Say 1t Causes Serious
Bronchial and Other Troubles.
Fron, the Ee,o York Star.

bEOuGAAfAl anu NJAiCl
Prom the Ne1o York Star.
In the thousand and one shops sprin-
Killed. through the narrower streets OF this
city, where youngsters buy lollipops,
where boys invest their savings in base
balls and cigarettes at penny apiece
and where the young ladies Of the tene-
ments purchase the latest yellow-bound
literature, there 10 always for sale a sub
stance known as black chewing gum.
Whether it is done up IN spangled tlnioiI,
or resp endent in gaudy tissue paper, or
decorated with parLl-cOlOred ribbon, 1t Is
still black chewing gum, Ii 10 MADE
generally out OF refuse gum arablc-sluH
that cannot be used in the apothecary
shops, and is favored variously with the
cheapest OF cheap extracts, licorlce, WIN
tergreen, peppermint, or, more usualIy,
one of those POISONOUS faVorings that are
compounded from acids. The manutac-
turers cut huge slab OF the gum into
quadrangular pieces about the size OF
domino. In cool weather the bits are
friable and break easily; when 1t IL warm,
they have the cOnsistence Of piece OF
india rubber.
L. is surprising how much of this black
chewing gum is used. 4 little girl gets
hold OF penny somehow, and she cannot
ges TO shop quick enough 10 buy some OF
it. She cnews and chews on II, her Jaws
working as regularly and vigorously as
those OF Il Fourth oil July orator, II she
has a bosom friend, she may bite of bit
OF gum and set the other girl to chewing.
If she wishes TO show particular favor 10
her five-year old sweetheart, she gives
him a mOrsel. The young ladies who
devOur the yellow hound novels deVour
gum, too. They place fragment OF 1t
between the hindermOst of their pearly
teeth, and while their souls go out 70 Ell
Vira ia her prison, or their hearts fiutter
in sympathy with Edgar de MoAtmo-
rency in mis- attempt to carry of the heir
ess, they don't forget TO cnew that gum.
Young beaux, the leaders in tenement
house society, chew it, too; for the men
who make IL advertise that it perfumes
the breath and lends the mouth the 0dor
OF a neW-mOwn field; also that 1t aids di-
gestlOn and clears the voice and Is harm
less and beautiful substitute tor tobacco;
that il Ia, in fact, a penny bit of ambrOsial
food tor the gods.
1t ISN'T. The physicians of Amsterdam,
n. Y, nave just declared in solemn con-
clave that the practice OF chewing this
black gum is most harmful and perni-
cious. They have traced directly TO it IN
Vulnerable cases of sore mouth aud 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.
Tne physician who has charge of The
throat dispensary in one of the largest
hospitals in New York said yesterday ::
lay after day patients, nearly all girls
between 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 thrOats, l find
the delicate mucous membrane marked
here and there with little Unframed patches.
In nine cases out et ten it is caused by
| chewing gum"
"Why ie the gum hurtiulY
''rhe flavoring is usually poisonous"
| replied the doctor, land by Its constant
presence, in however small a quantity,
| IL sets up an Inflammation. But the habit
! is otherwise perniciOus. The untiriug
motion OF a gum chewer's jaws prOvokes
supertiuous flow OF saliva-iust IA il
there was always pinch of salt on the
| tOngue--aud wears out the saliva glands.
Gum chewing retards digestion. If q
| woman fills her stomach with water or
| saliva she browns the gastric juices; also
the interminable attritiOn wears out the
teeth, and foreign flavor by degrees rem.
ders the breath more and more disagree,
able. The practice is bad in every way