The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-04

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Against PAYERS lie Users.
Last week the Maryland Public Health
Association devoted Itself to the cousit,-
Grafton Of IN essay which severely at
tackled the cigarette and implored the as
sistAnce or physicians In behalf Of An eff
Tort to discourage its use. particularly
among young men and boys. In the at
tack II was set forth that the constant
use OF cigarettes by youths dulis the eyes
and makes the person lazy. irritable and
unambitious; that II retards physical
growth, dwarfs the mind and deforms the
body: that It Injuries the heart. causes
throat troubles, and IL frequently q step
ping stone to the habitual use Of alco-
hoiic drinks. The cigarette, Il was
charged. antagonixes the best efforts OF
the mother for the welfare Of her boy.
In expressing their views upon the sub
Ject the physicians present failed to agree
with the conclusions of Mrs. z. A. Robin-
son. author OF the paper. DIR. John 8
Fulton. secretary Of the state board OF
health. said that. In his opinion. the
smoking Of cigarettes Il .the least tnturf-
Gus OF any form OF tobacco using" Ex-
perience and Investigation prove. he de-
clared. that the complaints usually made
against II are absurd. He regretted the
use OF cigarettes by boys, but believed
that the latter might smoke them in
moderation ard suffer none Of the
frightful effects commonly described He
did not believe that cigarette smoking
dwarfed the growth
In respect to the last statement DR..
Fuiton's view was not supported by DR.
Edward NJ. Schaeffer Dr. SchaefYer held
that tobacco does interfere with the
proper growth and development Of the
BODY. and he recommended that particu-
lar emphasis be given to that fact when
attempting to dissuade boys from smok-
hat vrha $nt.o
nishes solace and comfort as II often does
IN the case OF persons overworked or
fretfui. its use Is beneficial He did not
believe that cigarette smoking solely was
ever responsible for insanity.
Dr. Samuel J. Fort reported that In every
case or serious Illness among boy smokers
that had come to his notice. and which was
thought to be caused by cigarettes. some
mental or physical unaoundness produced
by other causes was at the bottom OF the
trouble He thought that II young men
were taught moderation in the use OF to-
bacco much more satisfactory results would
follow than could be- obtained by seeking
to horrify smokers with gross misrepresent-
atfons of the real effect OF their hahi,.
About year and half ago the coffin
naH.' a. II IS termed by some. was earn
estly discussed BY the Med4co Legal Society
OF New York. At that time Dr. Robert
Gum. speaking In condemnation Of the
cigarette. said that in children I, paved the
way to all sorts OF nervous diseases. led To
the use OF cigars and strong drinks and
often wrought bodily destruction. A. re-
CARDS insanity an result OF cigarette
smoking. a prominent doctor from Belle
vue hospital was quoted to the effect that
he had never seen such q case. and did not
believe that the cigarette habit alone ever
made any one insane.
In the fail OF 1927 a spirited agitation
against the cigarette In Chicago was sue
ceeded by a careful analysis OF the article
sold there. Fourteen different makes were
examined by the departments experts, and
IL was reported that the cigarettes were
found To be entirely free from opium
morphine. Unison weed. beliadonna afro
pine. hyoscyamux or other substances for
egu to pure tobacco. and there was no
lead or arsenic In the paper wrappers"
II was said that the tobacco IN the speci-
mems examined contained not more than
one-uuartsr as much nico.sne--the poison
generally complained of-as the average
cigars. and less than most az the smoking
tobacco sold TN the city. In short I, was
declared that there was nothing In any OF
the cigarettes analysed for any smoker To
he afraid Of.
The doctors have had their say and the
cigarettes enemies have had theirs. and
considering the evidence. the burden Of
proof seems ~ lie with the latter Nobody
denies that many persons who smoke IN.
paper-wrappets weed suffer from ailments
OF which ;sivy ~'ere not cognirans before
/ .neY commenced 20 ID -. Bat can cigar
cite smoking rightly Re held accountants
for their changed condition. That's the
question which confronted the doctors and
they reply. no.