Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-06-01
THE EVIL EFFECTS OF CIGARETTES.

The evil effects Of cigarette smoking
comes under the eye Of the dentist more
than any other profession, because the
cigarette smoker does not consult his ply
sician until be is already in nervous
collapse, while ID dentistry be is the hard
est patient to operate upon.
The dentist does not have to be told
whether the patient is or is not slave Of
the cigarette, and patients, even small
boys, have been surprised when informed
by their dentist that they smoke cigarettes,
and of course they ask at once, How can
you tellsu / have seen them with fingers
and lips coated with a yellow deposit, and
when looking in their mouth find at once the
teeth full of cavities and exceedingly sensi-
tive to operate npon, also find the gums and
mucous membrane a mass Of inflammation
II the use Of the cigarette increases in
proportion, during the next few years, as
it has in the past ten years, what will the
coming generation be
/ would that I had the ability Of an
artist to paint picture, as reply. It
would not be an attractive picture, bnt
instead series Of pictures Of degeneration
which would cause any ambitious young
man to turn with disgust from the ciga-
ette and all its associates.
/ / believe cigarette intoxication is the
/ greatest of all evil insoxications, and yet it
surprises one how little is said against its
use. Few, if any, ministers of the Gospel
ever speak of this great abuse. have yet
to hear the FIRST preacher, in his pulpit,
speak against this great intemperance.
They speak against the use OF Intoxicating
liquors, while under their very eyes young
men are losing their health, strength,
moral character, respect and high ambi-
wrecked nervous system, and a con-
tracted chest and body, haggard face,
enlarged tonsils which lessons the capacity
for proper breathing, and when they are
:nfalaed serve as a possible point Of entry
for all manner of infections, and all caused
by this great evil Of cigarette smoking
I believe the day is not lar distant when
Insurance Companies will require an
examination Of the teeth by an expert
dentist in connection with the general
examination, to enable a person to become
a policy holder in any company; for de-
eayed teeth means poor health With poor
health no one is insurable, therefore an
Insurance Company that insures a cigarette
smoker is not doing justice to its policy
holders.
The question then will naturally arise
what about the tobacco smoker? From a
! physical point Of view there is a great
difference In regards to the teeth Il am
now speaking Of pure tobacco used in a
pipe, cigar or for chewing) / must confess
have yet to find an objection, for nicotine
1 has no destroying action on them. OF
course there is a tobacco deposis that must
be kept off The teeth or else it will canse a
recession Of the gums and loss of the teeth
by becoming loose, if not watched closely.
An excessive use Of tobacco will produce a
tobacco heart, and in extreme cases have
seen tobacco poisoning, and in one or two
cases cancers Of the tongue. But this is
caused by years and years Of its nse, while
an excessive cigarette smoker in one year
has his nervous system in such state that
it takes years, if at all, to get his system
built up aga n.
/ The question arises, why are cigarettes
so Obstructive ?n It is caused by the paper
IN which they are wrapped, its effect has a
destructive acid action, Of what nature I
was unable to learn until one day I came
across an article written by Thomas A.
Edison on this subject, and be says the
smoke from burning cigarette paper con-
tains a poisonous substance called acrolein
{acrid) It's the part Of smoke that makes
you cry when it gets in your eyes or up
your nose. !"
It is liberated in the combustion Of any
fibre made Of wood pulp and other sub
stances, and the very best paper produces
slightly smaller quantity il acrolein, but
they all liberate it and are all harmful. On
Investigation find that acrolein is a sub
stance which readily combines with other
substances and forms various kinds Of COM
pounds. When combined with oxygen il
burns into acronic acid.
| II has q great affinity for the tissues
which il readily attacks, and when COM
bined with the various acids Of the mouth
it Immediately turns or combines and
| forms various kinds Of destructive acids
according to the acid present. This is the
reason you will find more Obstructive
action IN some, than in others. The
action on the teeth ii some cases reminds
me Of some patients who are employed in
the chemical departments Of powder works.,
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