The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-09-19
THE CIGARETTE HABIT.

Woman lives longer than man, goes in.
sane less numerously, commits suicide
one-third as often, makes one-tenth the
demand on the public purse for support in
jails' prisons, almshouses, and in every
regard manifests potentiality above that
of man, says Mr.. S. F. Hershey in a recent
article.
This is All observed fact in the genera
ton now passing, and it will be yet more
so in the rising generation The hysioal
and mental fiber ofyoung men is weakening.
Contributory to this is the disgusting habit
of cigarette smoking The hour is come for
a serious consideration Of this evil. Parents
should be apprised OF the danger await
ing their boys. School boards should III
struct their teachers TO begin vigorous
crusade Demands should be made upon
legislative bodies to enact laws to stay
the widespread and growing use of these
| health destroying evils
Last year the internal revenue from
cigarettes was over 1000, 900 The in
crease over the year before was s145, 900.
And this indicates the increase Of the con-
sumption of the deadly article During
the year boys and young men consumed
?, 250, 600 900 of these little paper rolls of
poison. There are multitudes of boys, not
yet grown, who smoke from twenty to six
ty day While the population of the coun-
try was increasing about l, 5000 during
the year the consumption of cigarettes in
creased nearly 300, 600 900.
All cigarettes contain, according to Prof.
Latin, competent scientist and chemist,
five distinct poisons. Three of these are
the most deadly oils, one in the paper
wrapper, one in the nicotine, and the
third, and the worst, in the fiavoring.
The other poisons are saltpeter and opium.
The smoker draws the smoke into his
lungs. A brown stain Is being deposited
continually upon his throat and lungs,
and it is combined coating made of all
the five poisons. In time this frequently
stains the very skin, showing that he
whole system is permeated by it.
The main reason why the cigarette
obtains SO fatal power over young men
is because of the opium in it, The little
paper rolls seem to soothe, when in fact it
paralyzing the very forces of life. 4 con-
firmed cigarette smoker shows the appear
ance and actions of the opium eater Mis-
cry, insanity, or death, one or another, is
sure to result. Such are some OF the recent
occurrences connected with this dangerous
habit. A dozen small boys made insane
by cigarette smoking have within short
time been confined in the Napa (Cal.)
hospital for the insane. Walter Fletcher
died at Louisville the other day of cigar
cite poisoning. The brightest boy in his
recently had been smoking from fifty to
sixty day. He was stricken down with
heart disease, directly brought on by
smoking. A young man of 16 died in
twenty day. A postmortem showed
that death was due to congestion of brain
from cigarette poison. A fine young man
of Troy drops dead. After death one of
his veins burst; the blood was as black as
ink. Several physicians said it was cigar
cite poisoning.
A cigarette bill has recently passed the
Georgia Legislature, 1t makes it a crime
to sell or give a cigarette or cigarette
paper to any minor. Illinois has such
law also. The city of frankfort, KY,
prohibits the entire sale of cigarettes
This shows how it is regarded by careful
legislators.
Business managers of large commercial
enterprises begin to understand that the
habit incapacitates for business. A prora-
ineut business house ia an eastern city has
sign over the head cashiers desk: mo
cigarette smoking by our men, As a re-
suit, couple hundred clerks are said to be
superior to those of other houses in the
same line of business.