The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-04
0DD FACTS ABOUT SMOKE.
Some Of tho Strange Things Science Teaches Us
About lis Composition

Science has calculated that an aver
age pun OF cigar smoke sets free over
2,oO0.0O0,0o0 tiny particles. a whif from
a pipe liberates over l.S0O.0OO,Oo OF
these particles, and one from "A cigar
ette starts 2900,0O0,OO0 of them dying
through the surrounding atmosphere.
says the New York Herald. A very Gu
rious fact concerning tobacco smoke is
the remarkable change in color which IL
undergoes after entering the mouth.
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 decided brownlsh tint.
Sir William Thompson Uord Kelvin
recently accounted for this difference
by proving that the mlnutest particles
have an intense affinity for moisture.
From this he reasoned that when to-
bacco smoke is drawn into the mouth
hts smallest PARTICLES are Immediately
detached from the rest by the presence
of moist surfaces, TO which they fly and
lodge.
Besides particles, smoke contains sew
eral gases and vapors. Though Sir
Walter Raleigh won his famous wager
count OF these when he attempted 20
show her the weight of his smoke by
subtracting the weight OF the final ash
es from that of the unburned cigar. and
his demonstration would not hold good
with any scientist of today.
Ii has often been quoted that grain
OF nicotine administered all at once
would Kill the strongest dog. and from
this have been argued It's terrible eff
nf "A
While this statement is undoubtedly
true. IL is somewhat misleading. In or
der to commit suicide Oy smoking, the
dog would have TO consume over 400
strong cigars, one right after the other
He could put himself out of the world
much easier by eating the boxes.
Whatever the III effects OF tobacco
when used 10 excess. In moderation IL
acts on an adult as a mild sedative. 1t
is claimed that after the thirtieth year
its use prolongs life and reserves the
mind. by lessening the bodily functions
OF waste and repair.
Experts say that for smoking tobac-
co is one of the least injurious sub
stances known. Compared with other
well known vegetable substances used
for the same purpose, tobacco Is very
mild. Opium. without doubt. Is most
fearful I'm its effects, for the drunken
ness II produces ultimately unbalances
the mind. NeNt TO opium in power are
certain kinds OF grasses, notable among
which is hemp. which causes intoxica-
tion and anaesthesia.
Connoisseurs OF tobacco believe that
in the near future low prices for good
cigars will effect the extinction of do
mestic skunk cabbage varieties. With
the advent OF Ameican colonies in the
East and West Indies, reduced prices
on their products, some dealers expect
TO see fine cigars selling at 2 and 3
cents apiece. Already several import
ing houses have begun to advertise
greatly reduced prices on Porto Rican
tobacco. as a direct result OF the war
Several shipments of Manila tobacco
and cigars are already on their way
from the Philippines. and will be rush
ed into the market in a few weeks. on
account of its high flavor and low price
Philippine tobacco IL expected 10 come
into popular favor the instant IL is put
on sale in the ordinary retail cigar
store.
Before the war our tobacco importa-
tions amounted to many millions of
dollars annually and economists prcph-
esy that from a purely financial point
OF view the national policy of expansion
will be vindicated by the resulting
boom In the tobacco trade.