Tombstone daily prospector., 1891-02-26
A TENACIOUS HABIT.
Fourteen Girls Made Weak Minded
 by Gum-Chewing.
The Vice Widespread Now. Hut Likely to Deeiine-Enormous Profits to Msnu- fseture-s of the stan - The
 Enbrzzi ing s.ot Machine.


 The constant chewing of gum, says the New York Sun, has produced weak minds in fourteen cases Of young girls now under treatment, the constant move ment of the mouth causing too great strain on the head.
 These cases are extreme results of the gum-chewing habit, but cynical critics assert that they indicate what the coun- try is coming to unless the pernicious habit is curbed. The cynics point out that no fancy of the American people has become such a craze as the public indulgence in the gum-chewing habit, and that no craze has fourished so in the face of public odium. The habit, as matter of cold fact, has reached stage now that makes it impossible for New Yorker to go to the theater or church, or enter the street cars or rail- way train or walk on a fashionable promenade without meeting men and women whose jaws are working with the activity of the gum-chewing victim. And the spectacle is maintained in the face of frequent reminders that gum chewing, especially in public, is an es- sentially vulgar indulgence that not only shows bad breeding. but spells pretty countenance and detracts from the dignity of those who practice the habit. Cynics who observe 1t have sighed for the return of the sturdy dis cipline of their youth, when the school master used to spank everybody caught chewing gum in public.
 This is one ray of hope for the de- T% ga s, Sk< assertion by those who profess to know all about the chewing gum business that the present prevalence of the habit is only the climax that precedes it's wane.
 The sale of chewing gum" said Druggist Charles J. Perry, has ap- parently arrived at the stage that the trade calls coming to a standstill.' The next step will probably be eretrogressive. Gum chewing is sometimes beneficial, even though in public it is a very vulgar and unseemly practice. Chewing gum after meal for a little while may facil- itate digestion, and thus be a benefit to dyspepsia"
 There is constant growl from the customers of the slot machines that dole out gum because the slots so often gobble up the pennies and make no re- turn. It is fact that few months ago there was talk among gum chewers of organizing boycott against the ma- chimes. The kickers say that the ma chimes are constantly out of order, and that the manufacturers, who has made a huge fortune out of the gum they are supplied with, takes no measures to reimburse unfortunate patrons whose coppers are ruthlessly embedded by the machines. Agents come around empty ing the brass treasury of the machine promptly enough, the kickers say, but there is nobody around to return misap- propriated coppers, or to put the ma | chimes in order. Haters of the gum | chewing habit, however, look upon the interruptions behavior of the machines | as really blessing in disguise that | may hasten the demise of the chewing | habi.
 It is doubtful if any business in the country yields such an enormous profit | on the capital invested as the manufact- ure of chewing gum when carried on on | large scale. Some idea of this profit | New York druggist that the sticks Of tolu gum, that contain five small blocks of gum, and are sold for five cents a stick, cost less than half a cent to man. ufacture, and that, with tinfoil and all, the article does not cost a cent. Two hundred per cent. profit is not bad thing when the trade runs into hundreds of thousands of d 1llars year.
 Three kinds of chewing gum are now manufactured--fay tolu,. spruce gum, and the small white sticks that were popular with school children a quarter of century ago. Spruce gum gum the cheapest
 "Therc is really no such thing now adays in trade" druggist said recent ly, ''as pure spruce gum. You vii have to go out into the country and gather the gum yourself to get 1t pure The manufactured article sold in large cities is adulterated-a mixture of glu cose and licorice, with precious little oi the original spruce gum. The genuine article is too expensive, and the supply wouldn't be equal to the demand. The white gum is made of paraffine as a basis, with glucose and little bit oi cheap gum thrown in"
 The gum that is in general use f made of tolu or gum chicle or gun catechu, wi..I Iicorice and glucose ana some favoring extract. It is boiled and rolled out in great heaps. and cu
 up into blocks by machinery. Gun arabic was used formerly to give 1t con sistency, but little of it is now employed because it is too expensive. Cum o
 turpentine is substituted The effort oi the manufacturers of gums is always, oi course, to cut down to a minimum the cost of production, and he secures substi' tutes for the iaost costly ingredient. wherever it caa b. done. 1t does not follow by any meaas. that these sabsti- tutcs are harnfa, ia their effects, but they are no. az gooi as the more costly
 ingredients. and profit i' quite enough to entitle tho public that cares for gun
 to the very best n inc ElaFSct at a cent block.