The Washington herald., 1909-07-04
d. RUpoLPH d zAPP.


Uncle's Sans seamen wlI have 10 90
without cigarettes II Rear Admiral Sea
ton Schroeder. commander-in-chief Of the
Atlantic battle-ship feet. has his way.
In fact, Admiral Schroeder has recon-
mended TO the Secretary Of the Navy
that no cigarettes be sold al the ships
store on any OF the vessels under his
command II is probable that Secretary
Meyer viii take action In acc0rdancs
with this recommendation, and al Ieas,
one source OF supply OF cigarettes VIII
be closed 70 the jackies
Admiral Schroeder is anxious 70 have a
ban put on cigarette smoking By the en-
listed men in the navy. He has made
observations az different times while ne
was executive officer on several Of the
ships OF the navy. He believes that
cigarettes impair the health OF tie men,
and that they DO not Ia any way tend 70
Increase their efficiency.
IT'S bad habit" admits the smoker
70 his friend. who asks with reference 10
his pipe. cigar, or his cigarette. If I
ever catch you with tobacco IN your
mouth" says this same man to his son,
taking his own cigar out Of his mouth
fOr emphasis, IN take ali the hide on
your back" But. according 20 e medical
expert this man. neither as friend nor
father, conveys a shadow Of the serious
ness OF his vice 70 either friend OF son
He does not know IL himself, says the
physician. and. more than that, the doc
tor says that not even the profession
appreciates the serious CONSEQUENCES they
are inseparabIy connected with the smok-
ing habit
II Is a queer situation ne saws,
while every authority IS agreed that the
use OF tobacco IS most harmful 10 a
young person. there are physicians who
VII even prescribe It 70 a man as a
sedatve. And il IS a soothing influence
for just so Tar as .ts use as a drug
makes tolerable: but one pipe too many
makes IL a source OF irritabilIty and ner-
vous excitement"
Look at It as a poison. Every pine
which has been used a half dozen times
has enough nicotine in It % KIN the
smoker several times over. That II has
not killed him Is due 70 the disposition
of the poison 10 stick 10 the pipe. But
not ali OF this IS so How. then about
its unquestioned influence upon the sys-
temp Again, as 70 tobacco, there IS the
unQuesuoned story Of the man who stole
a bunch OF tobacco leaves from a Havana
dock, secreting them under his clothes
next the skin He went on with MS work
perspiring freely, and suddenly fen un-
conscious 70 the floor. Treating him first
for sunstroke. the mans plight was dis
covered. but not TIL he had nearly lost
his lie.
There are other stories sufficiently au-
thenticated showing how a man who
rubbed tobacco decOcti0as over his body
Tor skin disease was nearly killed by
the poison; of the mother who rubbed
tobacco ointment on her chud's head and
face, causing the little ones death. and
of the man who died from swallowing an
accidental dose Of tobacco water
Probably every pipe that has been used
half a dozen times contains dose OF
poison sufficient 70 XII the smoker IN q
few minutes Fortunately. 70 stays IN the
pipe, as a rule But most OF Us get e
taste OF what's there now and again. In
one case a man got a particularly large
quantity OF the poisonous juice IN his
mouth In a few seconds be fell unco--
scioUs, and but for the presence OF a
doctor he would inevitably have died. As
i was, his life hung in the balance for
long time. but was ultimately saved
Even animals are affected in a severe
manner by tobacco. 4 calf washed with
a tobacco infusion as remedy for some
disease died in q few hours Dr. Murray
hlled three glass Jars with tobacco smoke
and placed in them a sparrow. a maybe.
and a frog. AL three died. LaastIv. we
have something % learn from the effects
OF tobacco on dogs II a dose Of tobacco
juice be given 10 a dog daily he soon