Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-24

l. u l.
adept do these people become in the man.
ipulation of the fragrant roll that it is not
unusual to see lady fan herself with one
hand, and with the other tear off piece OF
maize husk, gather up portion OF tobacco,
and with one hand roll it up with deft,
quick motion. and convey it to the mouth.
1t is almost impossible to describe this
achievement The tobacco is gathered in
pinch In the palm of the hand, the husk be.
ing held in the fingers, jerk ot. the Wrist
turning the hand under drops it on the husk,
and the two first fingers and thumb roll IL
up. They cannot do the trick at all If they
try to do it slowly. In Brazil the cigarette
is also wrapped in maize husk and is omnl,
present, and a traveller newly landed and
taking a ride on surface car. receives Sc
we're shock when richly dressed young
lady on seat in front of him, turns around
and asks the loan of his cigar to light the
cigarette she has rolled with one hand IN
the recesses of her pocket.
INTRODUCTION TO AMERICA.
Previous to 1867 we had only the Cuban
make to supply our then very limited wants,
but in the midwinter of 1867 two Armenians
came as emigrants from Constantinople to
New York. They were the Bedrossian
stock of 100 pounds of genuine Turkish to-
bacco for the purpose of introducing it. In
February, 1867 they hired store and with
two workmen commenced the manufacture
of Turkish cigarettes, unknowingly laying
the foundation stone of the present industry.
About 1872 the industry began to boom; in
1878 they commenced to be exported to
England; in 1885 pictures were first given
away, and in 1890, with yearly output of
about 1900, 600, 900 cigarettes, the five prin-
cipaI firms formed grand combination un-
der the name of the American Tobacco Com
pany.
AS regards the methods OF production en-
ployed by the principal firms there is little
to be said except that, notwithstanding all
sensational reports to the contrary, the sys-
TEN of health, sanitation and cleanliness is
perfect and that only the finest quality of
Leaf is used, combined with nothing but the
necessary amount of moisture required TO
work the tobacco. What method the fac
tories making the very cheap goods may
employ is immaterial, as their combined
output is very limited, but the principal
factories are above suspicion in this respect
England gets her supply from America.
John Bull knows good article when he
meets it.
THE CIGARETTE WRAPPER.
As regards the paper used for wrapping
cigarettes it is not made of rice, but either
of fine linen or the pith of q plant. The
cheaper grades are wrapped in a very COM
mon paper made from rye straw, etc. A
new paper hailing from France is called
papier aux sells de Vichy, or literally paper
of Vichy salts, and it is claimed that reg
ular use of this paper will have the same
moderate but desirable effect upon the in-
testines obtained by the water OF the Vichy
springs. A wonderful machine in use in
Paris cuts the paper, counts them, fastens
them into cardboard cases, labels them, at
taches the rubber bands and delivers them
ready for sale to the French consumer.
There has been much said about opium
in cigarettes, and it is as well to set this
idea straight right here. Aside from the
high price of opium there is one special
reason why it is not put into cigarettes, and
is never likely to be, and as it would not
burn, but would fall off unconsumed with
the ash. When opium is smoked it takes
about one minute to "boil" the opium for
each pipe and get it dry enough to be
burned and inhaled at one swift draught
If this were not done Immediately it would
absorb moisture from the atmosphere and
would not burn. Now place opium in d
cigarette containing moisture until it is
saturated, anu consequently VIII uOL UuIu
at all. Apart from all other arguments of
reason or policy, this one statement OF un-
deniable fact should be sufficient to set at
rest the question of opium in the cigarette.
ARE THEY INJURIOUS?
Much has been said about the injurious
character of the cigarette. But as a matter
of fact, our best medical experts agree in re-
garding the cigarette as the most innocuous
form OF using tobacco if used in moderation
and without inhaling. When inhaled it is
the paper that deadens or kills the young
tissues and prevents them fructifying in q
natural way, and consequently the stamina
and general health of the smoker fails by
degrees according to his physique.
If a pipe or q cigar were inhaled it would
be injurious in a smaller degree, but the
smoke of these is not generally taken into
the lungs. An absurd idiotic fashion has
decreed that the smoke of the cigarette
must be inhaled, and any excess in this di-
rection is generally to be found among that
peculiar type which can best be spared in
any community, it being eminently survival
of the fttest. It is especially worthy of
note in this connection, that in the Turko-
Russia war, the men who fought so GAL
lantly, handicapped by insufficient ration
and clothing amid all the rigors of Balkan
winter, were to man, confirmed cigarette
smokers. WILF. P. POND.