Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-20

influence of the weed on mankind
Doubtless there are instances in whicl
, the soothing effect of cigar is desir
able, and there are others in whicl
smoking Immediately after a meal in
creases the amount of gastric iuie
secreted, and hence facilitates the diues
tive process, but there are so many NOR
cases in which tobacco instead of sooth
ing irritates, and still greater numbe
in which, SO far from facilitating diges
ton, ii positively retards that function
that humanity would be none the lose
If tobacco as a soother of rufiled spiri
and as a prod for the secretion of thu
gastric juice were to be utterly sven
from the face of the earth. We hay,
other and more eifectual methods Of
| quoting the agitated mind and much
better stimulators of digestion which
are in no way harmful; for although
| tobacco may do some good to some PEG.
| pie, there are probably few who use il
IN whom the Injurious effects 10 moi
more than counterbulance whatever
good may be derived from it.
Still it may, ! think, be asserted with
out fear of contradiction that the dis.
| tinctly deleterious results ensuing from
| the moderate use of tobacco by adults
| are lntrequcnt. In making this decla-
| ration desire TO be understood as Law
ing particular stress on the words mod
crate and adults, and also as limiting
the employment of tobacco solely to the
smoking Of cigars.
Chewing is thoroughly filthy and
disgusting habit, and moreover is iniu-
rious, no matter how moderately it may
be INDUCED in. 1t takes away from the
system the saliva, one of the chief digps-
tive juices; it yitiates the other score
tions Of the mouth, and it renders the
person who practises it offensive to
those who come in contact with him.
Cigarettes are rarely, if ever, used
without the smoke being inhaled into
the lungs, and the consequences of this
practice are almost inyariable deplor-
able, owing to the great amountof nico-
tine which is absorbed into the system
As TO snuff, the taking of tobacco
through the nose is now so infrequently
practiced that il mny be dismissed with
out further discussion. 1t is almost as
dirty habit as chewing, and in very
short time SO impairs the integrity Of
the mucous membrance of the nose rs
to alter the voice and induce catarrh,
and ultimately destroy the sense of
smell.
Dipping, as it used to be called, has
also pretty much gone out Of vogue. 1t
consisted in applying the snuff to the
teeth by some kind of brush, usually
one made from hickory twig, and was
q modification of chewing. 1t was
almost entirely confined to women of
the southern and western portions of
the country, and was never practised to
any very great extent
The objection to the best kind of pines
is, that very much more of the nicotine
and oil OF the tobacco are absorbed into |
the system than is the case with cigars.
With common pipes, especially those
with short stems, the degree of irritation
which is excited in the lips and interior
IF the mouth is far greater than that re-
sulting from tobacco used in any other
form.
Now to return to cigars. One good
'igar smoked after each meal is what
nay be called moderate use, and can
'arely inflict any damage to the system
The exceptions occur in those persons
# peculiar organization, impressionable
ind easily disturbed by stimulants,
edatiyes, or narcotics There arc others.
IS we know, in whom cup of ten or of
Office or a saucer of Strawberries causes
arrangement of some one or more
rgans Of the body, and others with
ven more remarkable peeuIiarties, so
hat il is not strange that there should
&c individuals To whom tobacco is more
+ less poisonous Such instances, how
yer, are true, and do not conflict with !
he foregoing statement.
L can see, therefore, no very great
eason why, if 4 person desires or thinks
e desires mental or physical consola.
on or benefit, he should not indulge :
imself in the moderate use of cigars in
ie manner that have mentioned. But S
lould he pass the proper limits, lie
lakes himself liable to the occurrence Q
one or more serious physical dis 4
-ders, any one Of which will certainly Y
ltail great suffering upon him. Thus T
1uralgia may harass him by day and 8
Y night, and especially when he has Il
posed himself to Indictment weather, y
been subject to mental anxiety, or t,
her emotional Disturbances The y
'rves Of the face arc particularly prone Il
be affected in such cases, and the q
I'm may consist of that most atrncious ei
all neuralgia pains, tic douleureux, in n
Aich the pans come Spasmodically n
d arc accompanied with twitching of
G muscles. hi
Again he may suffer from derange- nj
mt of the eyesight, consequent upon
optic nerve, tobacco 81
as it is sometimes called. ~
II long time oculists differed in re- ~
ri to the existence of such disease, n
d | was among the doubters, but sv
ieve there is now no difference of ma
inipn among those who make a speci- OF
y of diseases of the eye, and | have Sll
several years been convinced from W
ual experience of the reality of in AL
of the optic nerves caused ne
the excessive Use of tobacco, several m,
es OF the kind having come under my WI
n immediate observation. In all of sh
Sc, as soon us the victims ceased to sci
Pike the optic nerves began to assume sh
ealthy appearance, the vision to i'm de
We, and eventually the sight to be en- Gil
ny restored. In one case the use of no
acco was resumed, and shortly after
ri The vision again began to fail, to lei
! second time restored on the patient dal
1ring upon course of entire alb shl
cnGe. Ing
he influence of tobacco upon the pre-
1T is frequently more strongly marked An
4 in any other direction There are she
persons who use this substance to say
ass who do not suffer from the dis low
cred action Of the organ in question. spe
impulse is rendered weaker and see
g irregular. So that faintness, inter wo
ent pulse and palpitation are re-
ed. The tobacco-heart is so well
wn and recognized by physicians I
when the organ is found 10 be in be
hnormal condition questions 10 the the
emit in regard to the use of tobacco bill