The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-19
AMERICAN CIGARETTEs ANALFzEn
The Report of"The Lancet" Analytical San
itary Comm ission.
From tie London Lancet.

From the London Lancet
In 1888 rumor gained currency that cigar
cites contained a large proportion OF opium
and IAN unclassiled alkaloid." and further.
that tho paper contained arsenic. copper or
chlorine. The subject was obviously OF great
public interest. and The Lancet Analytical
Sanitary Commission was appointed in 1888 to
make inquiry on these heads. with the result
that we were able to say that there was no trace
Of opium or any 'unolassiHed alkaloid" in the
tobacco. not n trace OF chlorine or arsenic In
the paper. but that there was faint trace ~
copper. due to tho metallic lettering on the
paper wrapper The indictment TO which We
have referred nevertheless gained ground and
eventually. about the year 1891. disturbed the
minds Of many people In the United States,
where a large proportion OF the tobacco sup
ply OF the world Is produced. This ultimately
led TO a very remarkable movement against the
use OF the cigarette. which seems to show
no signs OF abatement OF the present
time In the States The tactics adopted by the
leaders OF this movement are decidedly odd
and. TO put II mildly. somewhat illogical APP
parently an endeavor has been made to prove
that cigarette smoking Is responsible Tor the
high lunacy returns. the ranks OF the insane
and criminal classes being. It Is alleged. re-
cru!ted from the boys who have been cigarette
correspondent secured various brands OF cigar
cites In shops In New York city and despatched
them to The Lancet laboratory for examine
tion and analysis. At the same time our Com
missoners purchased cigarettes of American
the majority OF instances the same brands.
The results which have recently been oh-
atom whatever ior the eIaaSera,ea Statements lat
stances were not found in 9 single Instance.
paper wrapper and In the tobacco. were
morphia. phosphorus. arsenic. mercury; copper
and other heavy metals. The only evidence OF
q metal being present was. as appears in the
table; IN the case OF COPPER In the paper. This
metal however was lust barely indicated and
chemical test for copper the quantity present
must be 80 excessively minute as to put any
question OF Its being Injurious beyond con-
Apart from the fact that our examination
shows that the allegations In regard TO the
presence OF foreign poisonous materials in
cigarettes are entirely unfounded. the figures
recording the composition OF tobacco and the
interest.
The average s weigh, q B. the Sisaretts bought
0'f in "ds london ff Hsa grams aaf T@s
weight q paper was the same in both cases,
VIZ o9S grain; the % Percentage g, Of mineral al
weight Of paper to tobacco az l to ~ in New
York and the same ratio In London; The per-
WINS O9+: in the London cigarettes Il was O5.
cigarettes was 1l.53 and In the London
| cigarettes 1882. The percentage amount OF
mineral matter In tobacco from New York
1900.
Tobacco normally contains organic bodies.
| sticky substances. which behave like sugar.
but glucose or saccharine matter is sometimes
added to tobacco for practical purpose. This
| addition is harmless. II would appear that the
American cigarettes purchased in London con-
| tanned slightly increased amount OF saccha-
rne matters We are Of opinion that neither
! glycerine nor glucose in the extremely limited
amounts shown IN our analyses is In the
| smallest degree injurious.
To sum up there Ia not q single factor Ia
| these numerous results upon which can be
| fairly based any allegation OF the presence OF a
| substance producing injury TO health. 1t IL
| possible that cigarette smok ing in particular il
| more injurious than any other form OF smok-
| ing. but this In the majority OF instances may
| be referred 70 the, method rather than to the
| materials OF the cigarette.