Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-20
TOBACCO AS A DIsINFECTANT.
Formaldehyde is One Of the Germi-
cidaI Constituents of the Smoke.


cidal Constituents of the Smoke.
From the Lancet.
Although there is a general impression
that tobacco smoke is a germlcide, TINS
property has not been assigned hitherto TO
any one particular constituent OF the
smoke The author of a note on the sub
1eet in the Lancet gives reason FOR oehev-
ing that among other germicidai constit-
uents the smoke contains formaldehyde. He
says:
THE composition of tobacco smoke Is, OF
course. complex, but everybody knows that
tarry oils are principal constituent. and
certainly many oils are powerfully anti
septic. Nicotin, again. is a strong disn-
fectant. but the quantity OF this poison in
tobacco smoke is minute, II. indeed. 1t IL
present at all. At least, in a number OF
chemical analyses of tobacco smoke made
At different times II was difficult to declare
with absolute certainty that nicotin was an
important constituent. The oily matter
which accumulates In tobacco pipe Is de-
cidedly poisonous, but Il does not contain
any appreciable quantity OF nicotin, the
chief constituent being the very poisonous
oil pyridin. Tobacco smoke contains de-
cided quantity of the very poisonous gas
carbon monoxid which has been used for
preserving purposes, and which therefore
must possess germicidal properties. Some
simple experiments which we have recently
made would seem to confirm the observa-
ton that one of the principal constituents
accounting for the germicidal properties or
tobacco smoke is the powerful antiseptic
formaldehyde
1.-THE amount present is more than just
apprecable for II water through which a
few puffs of tobacco smoke have been
passed is tested for formaldehyde the re-
suit is strtkingly positive The quantity OF
formaldehyde in tobacco smoke would ap-
pear to depend on the quality and kind OF
tobacco smoked. Thus the cigar appears to
yield more formaldehyde than the pipe, and
the pipe more than the cigarette. Possibly
the peculiarly irritating property of the
smoke Issuing from the glowing end OF a
cigarette or cigar or from the bowl of a
pipe IS due to formaldehyde. 1t has more
than once been stated that tobacco-smokers
enjoy an immunity from certain diseases:
and the frequent presence of a powerful
antiseptic In the mouth, nasal passages, ana
sometimes the lungs (as In the case OF
those who foolishly inhale tobacco smoke)
would to some extent Justify the statement.
When 1t is considered that In the nose a
vast number of microbes are hourly de-
posted 1t is conceivable that these may be
effectively destroyed by the frequent pas
sage Of tobacco smoke through that organ.
In the same way the organisms exposed to
tobacco smoke in the mouth would sue
cumb. Formaldehyde is one OF the most
powerful disinfectants we possess. part IN
10000 parts of water serving to destroy all
microbes while such a dilute solution has
practically no poisonous action on the hu-
man organism. All the same, 1t is most I'M
desirable that this fact should stimulate the
practice of smoking tobacco TO absurd ex-
cess for tobacco poisoning is a greater real
ity than many persons think, and to employ
tobacco in abusive quantities for the sake
of destroying microbes might amount pos
sibly to killing the seeds OF one disease only
to contract another"