The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13
CIGARETTE AS A
RATIONAL SMOKE,
London Lancet Discusses the Paper
Rolls, Pipes and Cigars.

Whatever may be the explanation as to
why smoking in the form of cigarettes has
become so enormously popular during the
past decade, there can be no denying that
popularity from the fact that it has led TO
n very sharp industrial war. Millions OF
public money have been invested in cigar
ette-malling companies. Cigarettes are the
subject of advertisement In the daily pa
pers on an scale utterly incom-
parable with that on which tobacco anu
cigars are advertised.
The reason Is not far to seek: the cigar
cite is cheap, and, more than that. 1t is a
convenient form of Smoke The gooo
cigar Is not cheap. 1t is comparatively
bulky. and it takes some time to finish.
The pipe must be kept clean. it requires to
be filled, and a pouch must be carried TO
contain the tobacco. The cigarette Is ready
to smoke. scores can he carried in the pock-
ct, and one can be smoked in a snatched
quarter of an hour. The cigarette is. there
fore, popular. probably mainly because or
its convenience.
That being so, it is important to consider
whether cigarette smoking is more injurious
from the point of view of health than Is the
smoking of a cigar or a pipe. To begin
with, a much milder tobacco can be smoked
In cigarettes than in the pipe. and so lar
this fact is in favor of the cigarette. The
usually mild tobacco in the cigarette is
hot in the pipe. The cigarette is prac-
tically in direct contact with the air from
the lighted end to the mouthpiece. and thus
the smoke is invariably cool, while the
products of combustion are calculated TO be
complete. The pipe, on the other hand, Is
more like a retort in which to some extent
destructive dlstillation with the formation
of acrid oils is set up.
One very strong objection to the cigar
cite, however. is that the area of cumbus-
ton is very close to the nose and mouth.
and thus air is constantly and invariably
inhaled containing smoke from the llShted
end, which is usually of a very punSent
type. Infinitely more pungent than Is the
smoke drawn through the cigarette.
Much Of the mischief from cigarette
smoking arises from this fact, the cigarette
being persistently held in the mouth until
burning of the lips is threatened. If the
smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette
be purposely inhaled for a time a sense or
stupor sets in. while the smoke drawn
through the cigarette may be breathed In
the same way with comparative fmpunity-
The same result is obtained with the cigar.
but in a still more emphatic way. Tit use
of the cigarette or cigar holder Is. therefore.
calculated to obviate two sources Of mis-
c~hief-the inhalation of the powerful. pun
gent smoke from the lighted end and the
of tobacco juice and oils into
the mouth. A long and Clearly kept pipe
filled with mild tobacco preserves the smok-
er against both contingencies.
When, however. the cigarette is rat.olaliy
smoked, and not 20 excess. says the London
Lancet, a medical authority, it is probably
the mfldest form of smoking. and this fact.
coupled with its convenience and ~cheapness.
Is q sumicient reason for its immense popu-