The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-11-19
HOW CIGARETTES
DAMAGE HUMANITY.
Edison Offers a Scientific Explana-
ton Containing Some New
Ideas on an Old Subjsct

Ideas On an Old Sublsct
Selected.
The Chicago Tribune prints the fol
lowing article of special Interest to
cigarette smokers.
the smoking Of cigarettes has been dis
covered by Thomas A. Edison, the in
ventor. It is not nicotine, as has been
the general belief, but chemical in
gredlent called acroiein, which Is re
leased by the burning of the paper.
MIR. Edison, always has warred ON the
cigarette, yesterday gave in detail! the
reasons for bis opposition to the use OF
tobacco In that form. He said
"The smoking of cigarettes is one OF
the worst, most offensive and harmful
habits acquired by man. 1t ought to
be against the law to sell or to smoke
them.
"Now, I'm not doctor nor pathulo-
gist, but l am a chemist, and 1 have
studied cigarettes pretty thoroughly.
Let it be understood in the begin
ming, therefore, that it is not the to-
bacco that's harmful, although the
finely cut mixture of which cigarettes
are made is consumed SO entirely that
the smoke does some injury to the
throat and lungs. But the deadly part
is the aper-always the paper. The
contains poisonous substance called
acrolein (arid). It's the part OF smoke
that makes you cry when it gets in
your eyes or up your nose.
"We we're making phonograph cyl
inders one day, and in the sponlfica-
ton and burning OF the glycerin the
wax caught fire. Well, we had to run
for our lives, almost. It strangIed us
and eet the muscles all over our bodies
twitching.
what the stuff was, and I've found that
what is known as acrOlein Is liberated
in the combustion of any fiber made Of
wood pulp and other substances.
BEST PAPER is HARMFUL.
Don't tell me that the high priced
cigarettes are harmless. They're bad.
The best rice paper produces a slightly
sn aller quantity of acrolein, but they
all liberate it, and they are all harmful
Now, good many physicians think
the only harm in cigarettes ls the In
halation of the smoke. Why, the
effect of inhaling the smoke is mild
compared with the effect of acrolein On
human nerves.
"It's through absorption by the
mucous tissues that it gets in its dead
ly work. The mucous membranes OF
of the mouth, nasal passages, and the
throat have strange affinity for the
stuff, and it is taken directly into the
circulation and then skaters the nerves.
"Your nerves; you know, are the tel
egraph lines of your body. and when
the lines are out oil order there's trouble
all over.
"Not long ago one of my men was
working with glycerin, when 1t took
fire. The flames nearly smothered
him, and he staggered out of the shop
looking like person with the palsy
his face was working and every m uscie
was quivering and trembling. In the
fresh air he soon revived, but it goes to
show the powerful effect OF the stuff
Why, if one were to break tiny vial
OF it in my big laboratory we'd all have
to get out instanter.
NERVES CRAVE THE POISON.
"The poison Is absorbed by the mu-
cous Innings of the mouth and lung.
directly from the smoke, and the dread
feature is that after you have smoked
awhile the nerves crave the stimulat-
ing effect and you become a Save to
the habit, jnst like whiskey topper OF
a morphine f1end.
"Leglslate against it, that is the
proper course. The law doesn't allow
the adulteration of food, does 1t; and
you can't buy poison in the crude form
can you; 80 why should the govern
ment allow millions on millions oi
filthy cigarettes to be manufactured
and sold every year?
II don't know what we're coming tc
nowadays, it's always something for the
stimulation OF the nerves-whlskev
spirits, cocaine, morphine, cigarettes
and frightful inventions for whlrIlng
upside down in loop-the-loop-every
thing to excite the nerves. That:
what the people want.
THROW SYSTEM OUT OF ORDER.
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