The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-05-30
13o1E1 uBE OF N8xeu6.
IT. Abuse Leads T. nyhaiaal and Men.
til Decay at Times

= -
Did you ever hear this story O
the origin of tobacco? An ancien,
prophet, while strolling in the fields
was bitten by a serpent. The proph
ct sucked the wound and spat The
venom on the ground. On thai
very spot there sprung up q PLAN
which combines within itself th<
venom Of the serpent and the com
passion of the prophet. Men cal
the plant by the name of tobacco
The knowledge of tobacco is com
monty supposed to date back te
1892, when Columbus discovered
America. The plant was first taken
to Europe in 1853 by q DR.. Fer.
handles, who was sent by Philip II
of Spain to investigate the products
Of Mexico. The French Ambassa.
dor to Portugal, Jean Nicot, intro.
duced the culture of the plant in
France by sending the seed to Cath.
crime de Medici, and it is to this
fact that the term "nicotiana" owes
its origin. Miraculous healing
powers were at first attributed to
tobacco, and it was variously called
"herba panacea" and "herba SANTA
Spencer called it divine" and Will.
liam Lilly termed it "our holy herb
nicotiana." 1t became popular in
England, where it was introduced
by Sir Francis Drake and Sir Wal
ter Raleigh. In other countries,
notably Persia, smoking was re-
garded as a crime, punished by the
cutting off of noses and lips and
hanging.
France has for years made Gov
eminent monopoly of the importa-
ton, manufacture and sale of
tobacco. the profits of which have
largely contributed to the support
of the Government. In 1886 the
import duty on tobacco collected
in England was 99,288,OOO. In
the United States the tobacco crop
in 1881 was valued at $45, 600, 900.
"What is there in tobacco that it
is so universally desired?" asked
DR.. C. N. Ellinwood of San Fran
cisco during the course of recent
lecture. "What does the tobacco
user get from it to compensate him
for his great expenditure of money
and time? The physiological eff
fects Of tobacco are due to its aka.
loid, nicotine, a stable salt, also
nicotianine, a volatile substance
with the odor of tobacco and bitter
to the taste. This substance nico-
tianine, given in its purity, causes
sneezing, headache, nausea and
vomiting. Pure nicotine is deeom-
posed at moderately high tempera-
ture, developing pyridine, nicotine,
collidine, etc., all substances SINH
lar to nicotine in effect, but weaker,
causing contraction of the pupil of
the eye, spasms, etc. There have
been found in tobacco smoke car
bonic acid gas, cyanic hydrogen
and other substances in varying
quantities. While some men can
smoke cigars they become nauseated
when they use pipe.
'The notion that some people
have that holding an unlighted cigar
in the mouth is less hurtful is fall
lacious, as more nicotine is absorbed
in that way than by smoking the
cigar. Chewing tobacco is not only
vile and filthy, but the most poison
Gus way of using it. Shutting is
form of using tobacco which is not
in much vogue in this country, for
which we are thankful. The French
cling to the habit tenaciously. The
chewing of half a cigar has been
known to cause death. The effect
of excessive smoking is'seen in the
blanched and sallow complexion,
the soft and fiabby muscular sys-
tenn, to which the heart belongs,
and the consequent anemia of the
brain. 1t causes diseases, overex-
cites the heart, impairs the nutri-
ton of the blood vessels, the gland
ular organs, stomach, liver, spleen,
kidneys and intestines. Cancers of
the lip and tongue are frequently
caused by smoking pipes. Smok-
ing produces in many persons seri-
Gus diseases of the nervous system,
manifesto by impaired sight and
hearing, dyspepsia, loss of memory,
paralysis and mental weakness. ,
On the other hand the moderate
effect of tobacco quickens the ner-
vous activities, sharpens the senses ,
and increases the zeal for labor and ,
enjoyment. It stimulates the d. ,
,estion of a hearty dinner in those !
IF a sedentary life. 1t is not gen :
orally known that violent, brutal, !;
morose and cold blooded criminals :
nave been singularly exempt from :
he tobacco habit, and naturally so, :
or it restrans and subdues the vio- ;
ence Of human passions, modifies :
he intensity of revenge, hate ava :
ice, and encourages the compassion =
# the prophet and philosopher,
he human sympathies and kindlier :
which are inconsistent !.
With crime. Buffalo Express. 9