Alaska sentinel., 1902-12-25
 EFFECTS OF TOBACCO.
Dats Gathered by Ya1e's Doctor of
 Physical Culture.

Date Gathered by Yale's Doctor of
 Physical Culture.
 The effects of tobacco on mind and body are of perennial interest to all interested in the health of others. Among recent adverse criticisms of the use of tobacco that of Seaver, di- rector of physical culture at Yale Uni versity, is evidently based upon care ful observation. He finds by a tabu- lation of records of the measurements of all the students taken in the Yale gymnasium during nine years that the smokers average fifteen months older than non-smOkers, and that their size in every respect, except weight. was inferior. The height of the non-smok- CTS was millmeters greater; their lung capacity 80 cc. greater. and their weight was only II kilograms less, though over year younger. The ob- served rate of growth at this age would lead us to expect that the smok- CTS would surpass the non smokers by millimeters in height and 100 co. In lung capacity.
 To estimate the effect of tobacco when they reach full maturity on boys from It to 25 comparison was made of the men of one class. which was divided into three groups, the first not using tobacco, the second using it reg ularly, and the third using it irregu- larly. During undergraduate life, es- sentially 3.5 years. the first group grows in weight 104 per cent more than the second and 6.6 per cent more than the third; In height the first group grows 24 per cent more than the second and II per cent more than the third; In glrth of chest the first group grows 267 per cent more than the second and 22 per cent more than the third; in capacity of lungs the first group gains v per cent more than the second and 49.5 per cent more than the third. Seayer refers to the obser- vations made by Dr. Hitchcock, of Amherst College. in q similar series of measurements of young men, no doubt suggesting to Seayer the possi- ble value of such studies.
 It is impossible to determine the ef- feet of tobacco on mental processes, but as giving some indication Seaver mentions that only per cent of the highest scholarship men at Yale used tobacco, and whenever 1t Is desired to secure the highest possible physical and mental working ability, for exam pie. in athletic sports, tobacco Is one of the first things forbidden. If the whole period of physical growth Is di- vided into periods of seven or eight years, the third period Is devoted to rounding out. At this time the most strenuous mental application is begun and opportunities for recreatlons are curtailed; at this period also the to- bacco habit Is usually begun, if at all. As a large part of the functional ac- tivity during this roundlng-out period pertains to growth, Seayer believes that 1t Is logical to remove the motor depressant influences In order that there may be the greatest possible in- crease in size and improved activity. This position has been taken by the directors of governmental schools not only in this country, but In Europe. Many private schools have been fol- lowing their example during the past ten years, and Seayer suggests that other institutions would do well to also take thls step.-American Medl-