Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-20
Z GRAND PRESENTS CIV
~ EN- AWAY JANUARY
FIRST 1889. COME ND
GET A TICKET.
THE USE OF TOBACCO.
THE QUESTION BRIEFLY DISCUSSED
BY A MEDICAL MAN.

'VG 0Oc0 ION onJcTIv OlSOUSSEO
BY A MEDICAL MAN.
Matter Of Importance to Smokers.
Habits to Be Avoided--The Cigarette
Smoker-Properties Of Nicotinc-Expcrl-
mental Observation-The Maoris.
Tobacco contains an acrid, dark brown
oil, an alkaloid, nicotine and another
substance called nicotianine, in which
exist its Odorous and volatile principles.
This description Of the active principles
Of tobacco is Of importance to smokers;
for, when tobacco is burned. a new set
of substances is produced, some of which
are less harmful than tho nicotine, and
are more agreeable in effect. and much
of the acrid Ola substance quito as
irritating and poisonous as nicotine-is
carrid off. These fire produced sub
stances are called, from their origin,
the ''pyridine SERIES" By great heat
members of the series are produced, but
the more poisonous compounds are gen.
Grated by the slow combustion of damp
tobacco. This oil, which is liberated by
combustion, is bad both in flavor and in
effect, and it is better, even for the i'm.
mediate pleasure Of the smoker, that it
should be excluded altogether from his
mouth and air passages.
Smoking in stub of a pipe is particu.
larly injurious. for the reason that in i
the oil is stored in O condensed form,
and the smoke is therefore highly
charged with the oil. Sucking or chew.
ing the stub of cigar that one is smoE:-
ing is serious mistake, because tho
nicotine in the unburned tobacco dis
solves freely in the saliva, and is alb
sorbed. "Chewing" is on this account
the most injurious form of the tobacco
habit, and the use Of cigar holder is an
improvement on the custom of holding
the cigar between the teeth.
MISCHIEF OF CIGARETTES.
Cigarettes are responsible for great
amount Of mischief. not because tho
smoke from the paper has any particu-
larly evil effect, but because 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
influence of the drug. and much injury
| to the system results. Moreover. the
| cigarette smoker uses very considerable
amount of tobacco during the course of
day. Dipping" and "snuf1ing" are
semi barbarities which need not be dis
cussed. Not much effect is obtained
from the use Of the drug in these vari-
cites of the habit.
Nicotine is one of the most powerful
Of the nerve poisons" known. Its viru-
lence is compared to that of prussic acid.
| II birds be made to inhale its vapor in
amounts oO'small to be measured, they
are almost instantly killed. 1t seems to
destroy life, not by attacking few, but
all of the functions essential to it, begin
ming at the center, the heart. A signifi-
can't indication Of this is that there Is no
substance known which can counteract
| its effects: tho system either succumbs
or survives. Its depressing action on
the heart Ia nv. far the mnst Noticeable
and noteworthy symptom OF nicotine
poisoning. The frequent existence Of
what is known as smokers heart" In
men whose health is in no other respect
disturbed is due to this fact.
| AN EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATION.
In an experimental observation OF
thirty-eight boys of all classes of society
and of average health, who had been
using tobacco for periods ranging
from two months to two years, twenty
seven showed severe injury to the con-
stitution and insufficient growth; thirty
two showed the existence Of irregularity
| OF the hearts action. disordcred stom-
achs. cough, anda craving for alcohol;
thirteen had intermittency Of tho pulse,
and one had consumption. After they
had abandoned the use Of tobacco, within
six months time one-half were free from
their former symptoms. and the remain
der had recovered by the end of the year.
A great majority of men 60 far be-
You'd what may BIO called the temperate
use Of tobacco, and evidences Of injury
are easily found. l, is only necessary to
have some record Of what the general
health was previous to the taking up Of
the habit, and to have observation cover
long enough time. The history OF to
bacco in the Island of New Zealand fur
nishes quito suggestive illustration for
our purpose, and one on o large scale.
When Europeans first visited New
Zealand they found In the native Maoris
the most finely developed and powerful
men of any Of the tribes inhabiting tn,
islands Of tho Pacific. Since the intro.
duction Of tobacco. for which the Maoris
developed passionate liking, they have
from this cause alone, it Is said, become
decimated in numbers, and at the game
time reduced in stature and In physical
well being so as to be an altogether infe'
rior type of men.--C. w. Lyman In New
York Medical Journal.