The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-12
THE USE OF TOBACCO.
where the Virtues and Vices of the
Weed Lie.
New York Medical yournal.

Tobacco contains an acrid, dark
brown oil, an alkaloid, nicotine, and
another substance called nicotianine,
In which exists its odorous and VIOLA
tile principles. When tobacco is
burned. a new set OF substances is pro-
duced, some OF which are less harmful
than the nicotine, and are more
agreeable in effect, and much of the
acria ola substance quite as irritat.
ing and poisonous as nicotine-is car
ried off. These fire-produced sub
stances are called, from their origin,
the "pyridine SERIES BY great heat
the more aromatic and less harmful
members OF the series are produced,
but the more poisonous compounds
are generated by the slow combustion
OF damp tobacco. This oil which is
liberated by combustion is bad both in
flavor and in effect. and il is better.
even for the immediate pleasure OF the
smoker, that il should be excluded
altogether from his mouth and air
passages.
Smoking in a stub OF pipe is par
ticularly injurious, for the reason that
in il the oil is stored in a condensed
form. and the smoke is therefore
highly charged with the oil Sucking
or chewing the stub OF a cigar that one
is smoking Is serious mistake, be
cause the nicotine in the unburned to-
bacco dissoives freely in the saliva.
and i absorbed. Chewing" Is on
this account the most injurious form
of the tobacco habit, and the use of a
cigar holder is an improvement on the
cnstom of holding the cigar between
the teeth. Cigarettes are responsible
for n great amount of mischief, not
because the smoke from the paper has
any particularly evil effect. but be
cause smokers-and they are often
BOYS or very young men-are apt to
use them continuously or at frequent
intervals, believing that their power
for evil Is Insignificant. Thus the
nerves are under the constant iniiu-
ence OF the drug, and much injury to
the system results Moreover. the
cigarette smoker uses a very consider
able amount OF tobacco during the
course of day. Dipping and
shutting are semi-barharities which
need not to be discussed. Not much
effect is obtained from the use OF the
drug in these varieties of the habit.
Nicotine is one Of the NEST powerful
OF the nerve poi~on>" known. Its
virulerce is compared To that of
prus~ic acid. Ii birds be made To in
hale its vapor in amounts too small
"a be measured, they are almost in
family killed. IL seems 10 DESTROY
life, not by attacking a few. but OF all
the functions essential 10 il, beginning
al the center OF the heart 4 ~ignti-
caut indication OF this is that there il
uo SUITS ance known which can coun-
tcract its efeCtS, the system either
~uCcumh- or survives. It, depressing
action IN the heart Is by far the most
noticeable and uotew urthy symptom
81 nicotine poisoning The frequent ex-
is,enCe ot what l. known a, smoker
heart IN men whose health l. in no
other re-pect disturbed = due To this
fact
Those who can Use tobacco without
immediate injury wili have all the
pleasant effects rever-td. and vii
suffer from the symptoms OF POISON
lag u thev cNcred the limits III toler-
ance- The e symptoms are |. The
hearts action ttcomeS more rapid
- hen tobacco j. U>ea. Palpitafioa.
pain, or uuH~uA sensations in the
heart, 5 There l. 10 appetite in the
morning. the tongue j. coated. deli
cate havoT- are not appreciated, and
acid dy>Tep~ia oCc1tr, alter eating,
Soreness q; The mouth and throat, or
nasal cztarrh, appear. and becomes
Verv troahle~omr. 5, The eyc~Ight be-
comes poor. agt improves when the
habit = abandoned; 6 A desire. often
= craving. for hqaor or some other
stiululant, i experienced.