The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-10
THE HARM IN SMOKING.
English Physician Says Greatest Dan
ger Lies in Overindul-
gence.
Pearson's Weekly.

Smokers are frequently tempted
to increase their consumption Of to-
bacco, in proportion to the extension
Of leisure at command. Smoking ex-
erts a special fascination when it may
be INDUCED in every moment through
ont the day. The temptation has al
ways been found difficult to resist,
when it besets a man who is on holl-
day bent. The mere absence OF re-
strictions tends to induce pleasure
seekers to be more free than they 9TH
4, erwiSe would.
The Two grounds upon which smok-
ing is condemned which appear wor-
thy Of serious consideration are the
poisonous action Of the nicotine and
the useless expenditure entalled. Let
us take the latter objection first.
That tobacco is a necessity for
health and happiness no sane person
would ever contend. All that its
most devoted friends can claim IS
that smoking is an expensive lux
ury. A luxury, in fact. that affords
an amount Of enjoyment out OF all
proportion to its tGifling cost.
More serious harm results from
lack of self-control with regard to
dietary than is ever likely to follow
from even an excessive use Of tobac-
co. Indeed, there is not single thing
we enjoy, though it be perfectly
right and lawful in itself, that is not
equally open to some similar obJec-
ton.
Perhaps the strongest argument
supposeE to tell against the smoker
is based upon tie lc'scncus action
Of nicotine when i. mas *ntered ."s
cireulatory system. This intozlea-
ton has never been disputed, tor it
inevitably follows too extravagant
consumption Of tobacco. Yet 1t IS
only when the smoking is excess:Vo
that any baneful influence is e1erted
on the healthy body.
Exactly the same kind OF toxic
| properties that non-smokers aSer1oe
TO tobacco attach to other vegetable
rrovths in common and daily use.
Now, what are the conditions so
frequently described rs the direct
ontcome Of excessive smokingg They
are but two in number. (D An alter
ed rhvthm in the beating Of the heart;
and (2), an impairment OF vlslon'
which reduces the power Of dlstln-
gushing colors.
These conditions are never brought
about unless the smoking has been
carried to unwarrantable excess.
When either Of them is detected
either by the physician or the smok-
er himself, there Is apple warning TO
mt a man on his guard. 1t he Is
prompted to reduce his consumption
of tobacco. or 10 abandon smoking al
to~ether. the trouble soon clears up'
AM 70 permenent injury is the least
likely 70 tnSue.
The late Prof. Huxley once wrote
::Thcre is no more harm IN pipe
than there is in a cup Of tea. You
NAV poison yourself by drinking too
ma' tea, or kill yourself by eating
too many becfsteaks.'
DR. Lancaster said: II dare not as
nhvsiologist or a statist tell you,
that there exists any proof Of an IN
;urious influence (of tobaceo) when
used in moderation. The first symp-
toms Of giddiness, palpitatlon' 1ndo-
.lence or any uneasiness while smok-
ing should influence YOU to lay 1t
aside.
Of course, whether at home or on
holiday, if a man stuboornly persists
in smoking after it shows signs OF
disagreement, he must expect to have
TO nav for it. If a man who ordlnar-
| ily smokes, say, two ounces week
doubles or trebles this quantity as a
holiday pleasure, then his smoking
laws him open to serious risks.