Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-28
Cigarette Boys Need Not Apply.


The state Board of Health has just
issued a leaflet which is to be dis
tributed through the schools and it is
hoped will enter every home in the
State. Last year 10 of these Health
of Home and School Leaflets We're
printed in large enough editions so
that they had pretty wide circulation.
They are all compact in form, and
right to the point in logic, ON practi-
cal topics relating to health. which
every family. teacher and pupil should
know. The superintendent of the
Board of Health in their distribution.
The newspapers, also, so far as they
have been able to devote space to it.
have published these bulletins and
have called attention to them and
their good advice editorially. 1t is a
creditable work, and one that we feel
is receiving more and more attention
from the parents III the home as well
as the pupils in the schels.
The leaflet just issued deals lengthily
with the effect of tobacco upon youth,
and particularly upon the intellect
and moral nature. The first sentence
is characteristic, relating to the cigar
cite and the boy, and declaring that
bxa txya CHI Tn
many countries and in many states
there are laws which provide severe
penalties by fine or Imprisonment, or
both fine and Imprisonment for per-
sons who sell, or give away, cigarettes
to boys" says the leaflet, and con-
tinues: Maine has such law. 1t is
good, reasonable law. Why every
right thinking man CT boy should wish
to haye this law strictly enforced, and
should be willing to use his influence
te nave II enforced, may be learned by
reading this leafet
Farther along the bulletin says:
THE 10y or youth who uses tobacco is
almost certainly dwarfing body and
mind After the age and full develop
ment Of manhood. many men use to-
bacco without apparent harm. while
the effects in other men are serious
disturbances of the action of the heart
and of the stomach, dimness of vision
and serious changes in the arteries.
In the University of Michigan it was
shown that the use of even moderate
amounts of tobacco by smoking low
ers the working power of the human
muscle in a high degree. Aside from
lowering the power of muscular con-
traction, tobacco interferes with the
fine control of the nervous system over
action. On account of the
damaging influence on muscles and
nerves, young men in the colleges who
use tobacco are, as a rule, absolutely
excluded as unfit when making up
teams for athletic contests.
Though many men may not be APP
probably affected by the use of tobac-
co the results of cigarette or other
forms of tobacco smoking are disas-
trous on boys. This has been proved
again and again. Many young men
for West Point cadetship,
and still larger numbers wishing to
enlist in the army, have been rejected
on account of tobacco heart"
DR.. Stuyer as president of the Wy
oming Scientific College, made a study
of the effect of tobacco on boys. He
says that it has a peculiarly demor-
alizing effect on the moral nature of
the young. In addition to making boys
tired. stupid and lazy. it makes them
irritable, perverse and careless of the
rights and feelings of others. Many
others besides DIR. Stuver have come
to consider as untrustworthy the boys
who use cigarettes Many business
firms Low make it a rule not to en-
ploy them. In some of the cities there
are associations OF business men
pledged not to employ any cigarette
boys on the ground that the
average cigarette 10y is not worth
hiring.
The State Board of Health might
have added at this point that some of
the great railroad systems, express
telegraph and telephone
companies in sending out advertising
for employees declare that cigarette
smokers need not apply. The boy or
man whose brain and energies are be-
logged by nicotine poisoning are un
trustworthy in critical times. Again
they waste the time of their employ
ers in INDUCING their vicious habit.
Clean, bright-eyed and ar-headed
salaries. s' SAP a''-s