Evening star., 1899-01-28
4 PUFF OF SMOKE.
Some Facts About 1t That Smokers
Are Unaware Of.

/
Are Unaware Of.
| From the New York Herald.
Science ha5 calculated that an average
4 coo tiny particles. whiff from a pipe liber-
! atcs over l 1Soo,.oo.G 600 of these particles and
| one from a cigarette starts 2,900,0tU 900 of
| them lying through the surrounding at
| mosphere. very curious fact concerning
| tobacco smoke IS the remarkable change in
! color which ii undergoes after entering .
| mou,.l. From the burning end of a cigar
! the smoke issues In deep blue threads while
! that which is expelled from the mouth is of
| a decidedly brownish tint. Sir Wuliam
| Thompson Iord Kelvin recently accounted
| for this difference by proving that the
| minutest particles have an intense affinity
| for moisture. From this he reasoned that
! "nen tobacco smoke is drawn into the
| mouth its smallest particles are Immediate
iy detached from the rest oy the presence
OF moist surfaces, to which they fly and
lodge.
besides particles smoke contains several
gases and vapors. Though Sir Walter Ra-
ieigh won his famous wager with Queen
E.uZabeth ne took no account of these
when he attempted TO show her the weight
| of his smoke by subtracting the weight of
the maj ashes from that of the unburned
cigar. ard his demonstration would not hold
good with any scientist touay.
An error now common even among old
smokers exists in reference to the nicotine
IN tohacco. The dark stain which comes on
white handkerchief after blowing smoke
through 1t Is caused by SCOT and tar from
| the smoke, and not by nicotine as nearly
everybody supposes. This same stain is de-
posted on the teeth and finger rs of cigar
ette smokers. The cake in the bowI of :,
PIPE Is composed OF real coal as good as
any that is mined. 1T is formed by the iuices
0ozing under the high temperature from the
burning tonacco, and would burn if SUBJ
Jected to sufficient heat CIoeging in :,
pipestem is caused by the rapid accumula
,ioh OF tar Nicotine Is coIoriess and forms
less than one ten-thousandth part of ALI the
substances precipltated from tobacco
smoke.
1t has often been qIoted that a grain of
nicotine administered all at once youtd xiii
the strongest dog, and from this have been
argued its terrible effects on the body of n
human being. While this statement is un-
doubtedly true. it is somewhat rnislaa dino
In order 10 commit suicide by smoking the
dog would have to consume over 400 strong
cigars, one right after the other He coulS
put himself out of the world much .asiar
by eating the boxes.
Whatever the i'll effects of tobacco whom
uSed TO excess, IN moderation 1t acts on an
aeui. as. as milo sedatiVe: 1t is claimed that
after the thirtieth year i,s Use proioncs life
and preserves the mind, by lesseninp the
podliy functions of W-ste and repair
hkpefts say that Tor smo.-ng. tobacco is
one OF the least Injurious substances known
compared with other weli-knoWn yeeetahIn
substances use. for the same purpose TO-
bacco Is very mild. Opium, without doubt
Is most fearful In its effects for the drunk
enness II produces ultimately unbaIances
the mind Next to OF i'm in power are GER
tam Kinds of grasses, notable among which
Is hemp, which causes intoxication and an
aesthesia. There is evidence to show thar
the ancient Az.ecs made their victims In
male the fumes from smoking grasses affer
winch the intoxicated prisoners went neace
aDiy 10 the a.>-r TO be sacrificed to O,lstzaJ
'oau tthe sun god. Grape leaves which
are smoked IN parts of western PennsvI-
fania are in some ways almost as powerful
as opium, and Legislation has been under
taken against their use. Both cuhebs and
corn SILK iniiame the mucous membrane and
upset the digestive function. None of these
evils results from the moderate use of ro-
Dacco. Hygienically. strong tobacco is bet
ter than mild, for in smoke from the mild
varieties the tiny particles are far more
numerous, and tend to dry up the blood bv
absorbing large quantities of moisture from
the mouth and lungs For this reason
paper cigarettes. even when unadulterated
are held to be Injurious
tonnoisseurS of tobacco believe that in
the near future low prices for good cigars
VIII effect the extinction of domestic
skunk cabbage varieties. With the advent
or American colonies in The East and West
indies and reduced prices on their products
some dealers expect to see fine cigars sell
ing at 9 and ) cents apiece. Already seyera;
importing houses have begun to advertise
greatly reduced prices on Porto Rican to-
bacco, as q direct result of war Sey
efa1 shipments of 4.aniia tobacco and cigars
are already on their way from the PbiI;n
pines, and Will be rushed into the market In
few weeks On account of its high flavor
AID low price Philippine tobacco Is expected