The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-03-13
The Influence of Tobacc0-SmOke npon
Young Children.

| DR.. Hiram Corson, of Consho
en-, Pa, widely known as one OF the
oldest and most respected physicians
of that State, makes the following re-
mark upon an almost unrecognized
source of disease in young children in
the Medical and Surgical Reporter:
During my many years of practice,
there have been many occasions on
OH which I found it necessary to warn
persons who used tobacco against using
| it in the sick-room, especially in the
lying-in room. I have often known
poor men, after coming from work, and
also in the early morning, to fill the
room, where there was an infant only
few days old, with tobacco-smoke;
and that some of these shildren sick
encd and died from the effects of it l
have no doubt. Three years ago, ]
was passing along Green Lane, street
running from RoXbury to Manayunk,
when met Il young man proudly car
rying Il child of but few months on
his shoulder, with the child's face
close to his own head. He was smok-
ing, and, as he faced the wind, the
smoke was carried back into the child's
face. 1t was Sunday, and himself and
wife had apparently just started to Wis
it friends in Manayunk-a very short
distance. After I had gotten away
from them 1 reproached myself for not
having accosted them and warned
them of the child's danger. 1t is quite
probable that, before they reached their
friends, the child was sick; then, if a
doctor was sent for, he was doubtless
told: "It was quite well when we
left home, aud we can't tell whatever
has made it 80 sick" Being so very
sick, and malaria being so plentiful in
that region, the doctor could readily
see that it ought to have medicine
some antiseptic or some germicide-
and then-well, We may fancy the
rest.
have often, when called to young
children, believed that the cause Of the
sickness was due to the fumes of tobac'
co; removing them from the cause Of
ten soon placed them in safety. AND
yet that many suffered from that
cause, and that it was not recognized
as such by me, I have no doubt.
Can it be possible that all infant
Fcould he subjected to so potent cause
of disease without being deeply affect
ed by il? But it would be difficult fol
the most vigilant physician, however
anxious to prove this frequent cause
of sickness, to do so. Children, nc
doubt, often become accustomed gradu
ally to the fumes Of tobacco, and after
awhile they have little effect on them
But that it has deleterious effect or
children of even one or more years o
age is probably true.
With rich people, in cities, the
"smoking- room" saves children, in
fants at least, from early poisoning by
tobacco smoke. But that thousands o
infants, in the homes of the poor il
the small crowded houses of the alleys
in cities, are sufferers from this cause
is quite probable. People with con
sumption and other exhausting dis
eases are sometimes greatly nauseateo
by the odor of tobacco brought into the
sick-room by physician much given
to the use of tobacco. I have several
times heard them speak fits being
very offensive to them.
AS "a word to the wise Is sufficient u
it seems to me quite proper to call the
attention of the profession to this cause
of disease, of suffering, and oft-times
Of premature death.