The herald., 1897-07-11
What It Really Does to
Those Who Use 1t
TRIED ON RABBITS AND DOGS
EXACT ACTION OF THE WEED
ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Smoking Proved to Injure or Soothe,
According to the Manner of
Life of the Smoker

LONDON. June 30.--The attention of
the medical fraternity has been attract
ed by a series of remarkable scientific
experiments to determine the effect of
tobacco on the human system.
These experiments, it is asserted, are
the first of their kind and the results
have proved of high value. Popular in
| tereSt has been aroused by the publica-
ton here of the conclusions reached,
coupled with the announcement that on
both sides of the Atlantic the consump-
ton of tobacco is largely on the increase.
There have been so many reports re-
Gently of young men dying and going
mad from the excessive use of tobacco
that the experiments to determine its
exact effects have been vested with ad-
ditional interest.
| 1t was at first proposed to use men as
the subjects of the experiments, but ma
ture consideration changed this idea,
as the amount of tobacco necessary to
produce the desired results would so
shatter the system as to make the sub
ject a physical wreck. While several
| ulcdlCdl Sluu6ulS HeTOlcdlly OlleT6u
themselves in the cause of science, their
services were declined and animals
whose systems most closely resemble
mans, being especially subject to toxic
| influences, were substituted. Professor
William Morrow, than whom no man
is better acquainted with the mortal ten
ement of humanity, conducted the in
vestigation. Heretofore there have been
|
the effect of tobacco, but Professor Nor
row has reduced the theory to practice.
He has proved by the only absolute test
of accuracy-machnery tobacco
stimulates those who use it, but always
| leaves a scar.
The accompanying charts show be-
yond peradventure the exact effect upon
the nerves of the nicotine which is all
there is of tobacco that really affects
us. The apparatus used was especially
interesting. consisting of what the doc
tors know as Marey's tambour. By this
apparatus the movements of the air in
and out of the chest are recorded on a
moving surface. A lever scrat tches
curves on a strip of lamp blacked paper
in such way that the up strokes of the
curve. reading from left to right, corre-
strokes to inspiration. The depth of the
curves is proportionate to the force of
the respira tions; that is, the force of the
breaths taken.
The accompanying chart, which is
marked figure l. shows the respirato tory
or breathing curves of a rabbit that is
poisoned with tobacco. The first line of
the figure shows the breathing of the
h, j,,c oft hoe hoo r1o oaI -,
der the influence. of ether An infusion
of tobacco was then injected into the
bowel of the animal the first effect of
which is shown in the second line, slower
breathing being indicated. The third
line shows the breathing of the animal
five minutes after the injection of to-
bacco and the fourth line eight minutes
after the injection.
Now, observe these lines and it will
be seen that the breathing has be-
come quicker again. The fifth line,
which shows the breathing thirteen min
| utes after injection indicates slower
breathing again, while the sixth line
shows that eighteen minutes after the
injection of tobacco the expulsion of air
from the lungs practically failed, and
breathing was reduced to a mere gasp,
breath
To read the charts correctly. one should
read from left to right, just as the print
ed page is read. The upstrokc of the
| line indicates expiration, or the eXpul-
sion of air from the lungs. The down
strokes mean taking in breath. 1t is,
| in other words, the rise aud fall Of the
chest reduced to the medium of black
lines. Looking at it from this basis,
the charts become simplicity itself.
Summed up, the chart shows the fleet
of tobacco to be this: First slower
breathing; second, increa, ,aL breathing;
third, shorter and slower breathing; :;
fourth, the breathing consists of merely
an infrequent deep breath or insupi-
ration, more in the mature Of gasp.
1t is generally supposed that that part
of the nervous system of person called
the pneumogastric nerves is the center,
as it were, of all nerve inspiration. With
out radiations of effect from them 1t
has been believed that no narcotic could
effect the system to any appreciable de-
gree. So, after the second chart had
been made for the purpose Of showing
the effect of ether alone upon the sys-
tenn of the rabbit the pneumogastric
nerves were cut and another injection
was made. The severing Of the pneu-
mogastric nerves removed them from
all possible communication with the re-
mainder of the nervous system. It was
not possible that they should affect any,
thing at all.
The result showed, almost as in the
first case, quicker and deeper breathing,
| then slower and weaker breathing, then
failure to expel the air from the lungs,
then deep breaths, the escape OF the air
from the lungs without any attempt to
expel it. This shows beyond question
that the effect of tobacco on the nerves
and the entire system of person would
be felt if there were no pneumogastrics
at all. 81,
The next experiment. the results of
which are shown in figure 4, was to
poison rabbit with toi,ncco, and the
pneumogastric nerves instead Of being
severed were stimulated a, intervals
with an electrical current The effec:
of this stimulation was at first to stop
breathing, or, in some cases, to render
1t slight and rapid. Toward the end o.
the rabbits life the effect of the stimu-
iation became less marked, and in final
stages Of poisoning the use OF the elec-
tricaI current failed to effect the breath