Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-07-31


Habits to DO Avoided-The Cigarette
smoker-Properties of Nicotine-Experi-
mental Observation-The nIaoris.
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 the nicotine, and
are more agreeable in effect, and much
of the acrid ola substance quito as
irritating and poisonous as nicotlne-ls
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 1t
should be excluded altogether from his
mouth and air passages.
larly injurious, for the reason that in it
the oil is stored in a condensed form,
and the smoke is therefore highly
charged with the oil. Sucking or chew
ing the stub of cigar that one is slnok-
ing is a serious mistake, because the
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 a great
amount of mischief, not because the
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 tho system results. Moreover, the
cigarette smoker uses very considerable
amount of tobacco during the course of
day. Dipping" and "snufing" 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.
If birds be made to inhale its vapor in
amounts too small to be measured, they
are almost instantly killed. It 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: the system either succumbs
or survives. Its depressing action on
the heart is by far the most 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, disordered stom-
achs, cough, and craving for alcohol;
thirteen had intermittency of the 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 go far be-
yond what may be called the temperate
use of tobacco, and evidences of injury
are easily found. 1t is only necessary to
have some record of what tho general
health was previous to the taking up of
the habit, and to have observation cover
a long enough time. The history Of to-
bacco in the Island of New Zealand fur
lishes quite suggestive Illustration for
our purpose, and one on a 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 the
islands of the 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 same
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.