The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-01-13
TOBACCO IS nor BAD.
Professor Of Columbia University
Makes Numerous Tests.
Physical welI-Belns OF Mature Men
Little Affected by lts use-Apprs.
elable Differences Between
Non.smokers and Smokers.

New fork-The results OF an inves.
ugation OF the effects OF smoking on
students Of Columbia university, which
was made by Or. George L. Meylan,
head OF the Columbia gymnasium,
have been made public In the Popu.
lar Science Monthly.
Ihey show that on the whole those
who smoke are not injured seriously,
u at all. DR.. Meylan Experimental"
IN something more than 200 students,
about 90 per cent. OF whom smoked.
Dr, Meylan points out at the be.
ginning Of his article that his ,chief
am was TO determine n smoking ex.
srted any influence upon the physical
ma mental characteristics of college
students, He does not try to present
me moral or economic sides OF the
question. He examined 223 students,
no OF whom smoked. The ago at
which they acquired the habit varied
rom one at seven years to IS at six.
'een years. 30 at seventeen, 16 at nine.
cen and one at twenty,one.
The average physical measurements
'f l4b students form the basis for n
able OK their development over a pc.
nod or two years. Sixty-six students
who smoked gained about eight
'ounds In weight, against a gain of six
'unds by n non.smokers.
Ihe same students made a net in.
crease OF l.2 centimeters In height for
'he smokers and IL for the non.smok.
srs' In lung capacity, however, the
aon'smokers surpassed the smokers,
gaining 20 as against .0S. In total
strength the smokers were ahead
again, however having an increase Of
lOS units, as against 1Ol.
1t appears from the tables" saws
Or. Meylan that there is no apprecl.
lbie difference between the measure.
nents Of smokers and non-smokers in
he matter Of age, where the smokers
re the older. The slight advantage
the average measurements of the
smokers is undoubtedly due to the
act that they are eight months older.
Fhe slightly larger gain made by
mokers in weight, height and total
trength during the first two years in
'ollege is really too small to have any
ignifcance."
In scholarship the non-smokers had
distinct advantage. The smokers
lveraged so per cent in their studies
It entrance, 62 per cent. during the
'rst two years, and per cent of fail
res.
The non-smokers got 81 per cent. in
heir entrance examinations and 60
'er cent. in their first two years in
ollege, while only per cent. were
ailures.
In this respect Dr. Meylan thinks
here is a distinct relation between
moking and scholarship.
OF the same set of students AZ per
ent. Of the smokers won places on
arsity athletic teams, while only 81
'er cent. of the non-smokers could get
places. 1t was discovered that Sc per
cent. of all the varsity athletes at Co
umbia were smokers, as compared
With So per cent. of all students.
In conclusion Dr. Meylan says:
"All scientists are agreed that the
use of tobacco by adolescents is injuri.
GUS; parents, teachers and physicians
should strive earnestly against its use.
There is no scientific evidence that
the moderate use of tobacco by
healthy, mature men produces any
beneficial or injurious physical ef-
fects that can be measured.
1T has been shown that the use Of
tobacco by college students is closely
associated with idleness, lack of ambi-
ion and application, and how scholar
ship"