The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-07
The LOATHsoME CIGARETTE.
Why so Many Fiends Go to the Asyl um
and the Grave.


Boston Herald.
Kielburg holds that nicotine is capable of
producing insanity. He thinks that it oc-
ours more frequently among chewers of
tobacco and snuff-takcrs. but that smokers
sometimes fall victims to il. 1t begins, he
sOmnia, nervousness and depression. Soon
after these hallucinations develop, and
there is a tendency 10 suicide.
There Is reason to doubt III In the habit
| OF chewing tobacco or taking snuff there is
any greater Liability of nicotine poisoning
than in cigarette smoking, or even as
| great liability for that matter.
Cigarette smoking must, from its very
nature, be immoderate in almost every
| case. Cigarettes are flied with mild to.
| bacco. and, as they last but few minutes
they seem harmless enou b; and yet the
| very ease with which they can be lighted
and smoked. also their trifllng cost, adds
very greatly to the tendency to indulge to
excess.
Another thing, considering the fact that
the smoke from cigarettes is inhaled and
| expelled through the nose, the indulger is
| sure 10 take into the system all the nicotine
| possible, for the mucus membrane of the
air passages is exceedingly delicate, and it
| absorbs at once all the poisonous properties
| of the smoke. This fact is very evident, for
even after one or two inhalations the effects
| are felt to the tips of the fingers, and in a
| few moments there is general feeling of
enHui. malaise, incidence and muscular
| hehe u6e.
III . is yet another fact which bears
rongy upon this subject--namely.
the tobacco in cigarettes is invariably
! very dry. The nicotine in them goes out
| IN the smoke from the moment they are
| lighted, and the same can be said of dry
cigars. Whereas. in cigars yet q little
green" the nicotine recedes from the
| burning end, and but little of it appears in
the smoke until nearly two-thirds of the
| cigar has been consumed. One does net
need more than ordinary discernment
TO enable him to' recognize at 8
! glance the young man who Is given to an
excessive use OF cigarettes. His face is we'll
nigh beardless, and it never has the ruddy
| hue of health. His eyes are not bright and
| sparkling; they lack luster and have but
| little expression. Generally he stoops bit:
| at any rate, his carriage is never upright
and manly. Nor can the lad given TO free
use oil cigarettes ever be man, no matter
| how long ne may live.
Such person Is invariably nervous and
| mentally he is more or less deficient It is
impossible for him TO be bright and keen.
his mental defects are less noticeable at
| frst than his physical, but on intimate &C.
| quaintance IL will be found that he ia
neither broad nor liberal in his views or
tendencies. nor has he deep penetration or
acumen. In fact. it will be found that he
Is marrow and selfish, superficial in every
thing; In word, he is the victim OF mental
poverty.
But laying aside this effect of nicotine,
that cigarette-smoking kills is fact which
no weil-lnformed person will undertake to
denv. One OF the first fatal cases occurred
IN 1883, since which time the list has meas.
urably heightened every year.