The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-10
No SMOKE WHERE HE IS.
An Infant Tobacco Fiend Succumbs
to Diphtheria.


| NEWARK, Nov. 10, Winfield Scott
Hancock Doran, who was known all over
the country as the ''baby smoker died
Saturday morning ef aiphtheria. after a
weeks illness.
Winfield, who only celebrated his fourth
birthday last May. had used the weed tor
almost four years before his death. He
was bright hoy. with big black eyes and
round cheeks, in which the roses OF
| health boomed. The boys mother,
Mrs. William Il. Doran, is a buxom,
good-natured woman. Her family
are all large, and the boy was
robust by Inheritance. The father is a
small, thin man, and not the healthiest
| at alf times. For many years he has been
an inveterate smoker. From the father
the boy had taste for tobacco. and he
began smoking before he was months 5
old. The Dorans reside at 303 Soutl.
Warren street, and keep boarders. Win
field was the pet of the household and
the pride of the bachelor boarders. who
devoted part OF each evening to nursing
him. While listening to the songs of the
nursery the baby learned TO smoke. The
men allowed him to puff on their pipes,
and were astonished to find that IL did
not make him sick
SMOKED A PIPE WHEN s MONTHS OLD.
When he was eight months old he
smoked rank pipe full of tobacco and
never as much as made a face. At ten
months he was an accomplished smoker
of the pipe. His appetite for tobacco was
found TO be normal one. He had every
appearance of thriving under it. All of
tine neighbOrs were shocked, however,
and many of them were indignant. DR..
Elmer Rogers was consulted, but he dis
covered no traces of nicotine poisoning
and found that the tobacco had sooth-
ing effect on the child, who was weaned
early. He smoked a pipe full OF tobacco
and was also able to enjoy from two to
five cigars daily.
Father aud mother were both proud of
their precocious son. and never tired of
reciting "reminiscences of their boys ca
reer as a smoker. During the last two
years and a half they encouraged him to
smoke cigars in preference TO the pipe.
This was a precaution taken at the re-
quest of the family physician, who
thought that the nicotine deposits in old
pipes might eventually become hurtful.
Winfield evidently craved the effects Of
the poison, as he would not smoke a new
clay or briar pipe, liking best one well
saturated with nicotine. He preferred
strong cigars. and was a fine judge of
them.
WITH BABY COACH AND PIPE.
Winfield attracted much attention
when he was pushed about in a baby
coach with a black pipe in his mouth,
smoking and putting like veteran. In
warmer weather he could be frequently
seen sitting ON the steps of his fathers
house smoking a cigar.
A number of the small boys in the
neighborhood have tried to initiate the
baby smoker" with dire results, some
being laid abed for repairs and others
having their knic kerbokers busted.
Winfield differed from the majority of
prodIgious smokers in so much as he was
never known to smoke cigarette. The
odor of burning paper was distasteful to
him and he was constantly instructed to
avoid the cigarette as he would SO much
poison.
DR.. Rogers watched the boy almost
daily with view of discovering the first
symptom OF nicotine poisoning, but he
never found any. The boys health was
very good and he was gradually growing
heavier, when diphtheria ended his brief,
but unique career.