Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-06-07

The increase of cigarette smoking
ancrg women and girls is becoming a
most potent tendency toward race sui
eide in the civilized nations" declared
DR.. D. II. Kress in his address in the
evening.
In vigorous arraignment of the
soothing herb" Dr. Kress placed it in
the same class with alcohol morphine
and cocaine as destructive influence
against the physical and moral health
of individuals and nations.
The use of tobacco, he said, was orig
inally the vice of a savage race. From
these savages 400 years ago 1t spread
to the civilized nations, and by them
in turn was given to other savage o.
partly civilized people. Every one of
the lower races which had been ad-
dicted to its use, he said. showed
marked signs of degeneracy.
He instanced the Hawaiians, original
ly a fine race physically, and with a
comparatively high order of intelli-
gence. This race, he said, after 100
years, use of tobacco, was now virtual
" on the verge of extinction and the
surviving members had degenerated
physically to great extent.
The natives of New Zealand were
covered the islands. the finest race of
people with which civilization had
been brought in contact. They Their
numbered 120, 900. but since the habits
and vices Of the white men had been
introduced, he said, they had degen-
now numbered not more than Al 900
Among them women and children
smoked the same as the men. Fewer
children were born he said, and those
born were degenerates.
The rejection of three out of every
| four young men in Manchester, Eng
| land, who reported for army service
| was ascribed to the use of toba eco
| In America during the Spanish-Amer-
/ lean war Sc per cent. of the applicants
/ for the medical department of the army
We're pronounced unfit owing to to
| bacco hearts, This is a serious com
ment on modern civilization. If thEee-
/ fourths of the best young men these
! countries could produce We're unfit 70,
/ army service. they were certainly IN
| fit to marry and to propa gate theii
! kind Yet this is what they have beer
! to learn we have in the United States
over eleven million children of schno
! age who are physically or mentally
! defective. A corrupt tree will brins
| forth corrupt fruit. and ultimately M
fruit Nature cannot perpetuate
/ family of degenerates.
| Men and Womer Smoke.
| Commenting on the fact that in Al
| the uncivilized races where decay wa
/ marked smoking was INDUCED in b,
| women and men alike. DR.. Kress de
! ciared that the greatest menace from
| tobacco to the civilized races a pres
ent came from the growing use o
! cigarettes among women and girls
! 1T is reasonable to suppose" h
said, that race decay will become NOR
| prevalent in civilized lands as the us
of tobacco increases among women. 4
the use of cigarettes by girls an
| women becomes more general a de
clining birth rate and weak and sickl
offspring will become more frequent.
DR.. Kress expressed the belief tina
the increasing use of tobacco everv
where was the true explanation of tn
rapidly incrcas ing number of death
from heart failure. On the economi
sids of the question he said
There are as many smokers 4
voters in this country; 500 tons of to
hacco are daily used in the Unite
States. If several cities should b
completely DESTROYED by fire we shoul
| regard it as a national calamity We
We burn up their value in tobacco ev
1 cry year. The annual smoke bill of tn
United States is s940. 900. 000-greate
than all the taxable property of De
troit, Cincinnati and Buffalo