The morning call., 1894-06-29
TOBACCO SMOKE.
A Scientific Investigation Proves 1t
to Be Useful.

The habit of smoking, though widely preya-
lent, has many opponents. But TO those who
do indulge in the cigar or the pipe ii must be
matter of congratulaton that recent scientific
investigation has shown that tobacco smoke
has some useful qualities. There is popular
notion among smokers that tobacco smoke acts
as an antiseptic-a germ-killer. This whim.
however, is not altogether supported by scen-
tihc evidence. and until very recently the re-
suits OF exposing the baclli of various diseases
TO smoke from tobacco or cigars were not
known. The Investigations and experiments
of Professor Vincenzo Tassinarl of the Uni
versity OF Pisa, Italy, have now proved that to-.
bacco smoke is TO certain extent an annihi =
latOr of disease by its ac ion upon the growth
OF the bacili. DR.. TaSslnarl has taken great
pains TO demonstrate its utility in that diTec-
tiOn, and has constructed special apparatus for
the purpose.
In order to initiate as closely as possible
the process going on in the human mouth dur
ing the Inhalation of smoke. DIR. TaSsnari
passed tobacco smoke through a horizontal
tube into a chamber kept moist by bpnch of
wet cotton batting suspended In II and contain
Ing, in addition, some carefully nurtuted Oacii,
which were submitted to the action of the
smoke. The professor used In his EXPERT
ments the various qualities OF tobacco usually
smoked in Italy-thTee kinds OF cigars and The
best Turkish cigarette tobacco. The action of
all these was tried upon seven classes of
microbes, including those of tYphus fever.
| pieurO-pneumOntA, cattle diStemper and the
bacillus which is supposed to be he cause OF
cholera. The result was very remarkable, and
amply repaid DIR. TasSinari for his lshor, the
experiments showing unmstakaby that to-
baccO smOke reards the growth of some vari-
cites Of bacteria, while It prevents the develop
ment OF others.
| DIR. Tassinari carried his investigations
| further, actually fixing The length OF time dur
ing which the development of The bacili is pre-
vented; by comparing exUerimenlaIly the
growth Of the same micTO-OTganisms when not
exposed o the retarding action OF smoke, and
| their development during such exposure, IL was
! found that the smoke obtained from large
"CavOur' cigars, for example, delayed the de
| hours aud that the same smoke absolutely
! prevented the formation OF cholera and iyphus
bacteria IN fact, acted as eermicide STINT
| lar results were obtained in the experiments
with other descriptions OF manufactured to-
bacco.
DR.. Tassinau attributes the annihilating
effect OF tobacco smoke upon bacteria to the
action Of the chemical elements contained in il.
He is continuing his experiments with regard
especially TO the action of tobacco smoke upon
bacillus OF tuberculosis Consumption. and II
these should prove as conclusive as those he
has made with the mcro-org inisms mentioned
above it is not improbable hat tobacco-smoke
may be utilized In the treatment Of consumptive
PATIENTS.
The highly important results of Professor
FaSsinarfs observations are OF interestEto Hay
meS, whether smokers or not; they deserve,
and VIII doubtless receive, the careful atten-
Non Of physicians and scentists-Frank Les
lies Weekly.