The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-15
EFFECT OF SMOKING ON MEAlTm
BY ENEMIES OF THE WEED.

, systems. wen from tendencies to inso-
monia, as a consequence of the free
| use of tobacco. The tobacco heart
is we'll known n possessors of it are
likely to suffer from considerable dis
comfort at least, if not from actual
disturbance of circulation. from the
use of tobacco. The tobacco heart is
q, family trait hat passes by heredity
from N generation to another. There
are Il number of people who stand a
certain amount of tobacco we'll, hut
who suffer much from excess, and
what constitutes excess is an individ-
ual matter.
In many of these cases local con-
ditions are responsible for the syrnp-
toms. Some of the sufferers have
hyperemic mucous membranes in
their mouth and throat, or enlarged
sensitive tonsils. and they are likely
to absorb more nicotine than others.
Where local conditions exist smok-
ing has to be limited until an i'm
provelnent is brought about or the
habit may have to be given up. Then
there are individuals whose ~salivary
glands furnish more saliva thai 9TH
ers, and this has to be either swallow
ed or e~%pectorated. AS e~Xpectoration
has gone out of fashion to a great
extent their stomachs are disturbed by
the alnount of saliva holding in solu-
ton acrid products from the tobacco
that finds it's way into them.
There are other adventurous cir
cumstances that make tobacco harm
full or at least productive of passing
disturbances of health for which to-
bacco is often blamed. There is no
doubt, for instance. that certain gas
eous products which result from in
<0 ~, ynlot0 o,N,l,,rx:~- ln,o %~S,so sc
ferts distinctly disturbing at least to
sensitive nervous systems. Cigars that
draw poorly. then. or those in which
a break In the wrapper prevents prop
err combustion. are likely to prove dis
tlrbins because of this and similar
products. Every smoker knows that
a cigar with a broken wrapper pro-
dllces certain effects not noted when
cigars draw we'll. Pipes that become
clogged with nicotine have something
of the same effect. There are good
products of incomplete combustion
that represent more of the harmful
ness of smoking than the nicotine that
is absorbed.
The whole question of the place of
the use of tobacco in pathology is as
yet open. There is no doubt that
there is gross eXaggeration. on the part
of the opponents of the habit who
have the fanatics way of believing all
the worst. There is a definite tend
ency on the part of those who them
selves have an idiosyncracy against
tobacco and who should not use the
weed in any form to prevent others
from using it because. forsooth. it af-
fects them ~unfavorably. 1t is prob
able that people who feel and
irritable and restless after smoking
are likely to he harmed by it. When
ever i man is using such an amount
of tobacco that these irritable condi-
tions develop and he finds it difficult
to sit quiet and he restful after sInok-
ing. then. no matter how little tobacco
he is using. the amount is for him an
excess. On the other hand, when men
are soothed by smoking. when the
worries Of the day drop from them
under it's influence. when they are
able to sit quietly for hours without
being disturbed by thoughts of bust
ness. just because they are looking at
business troubles through a fine tobac-
co haze. it is probable that smoking
does them good rather than harm.
We know that worries wear out ar
teries and produce premature arterio-
sclerosis and p%rccocious senility. 1t
Is worry. not work, that kills. If to-
bacco allays worry it probably does
good rather than Ill. Worry is an evil
and tobacco may be an evil. but Of the
two evils tobacco is for most people
the lesser.