The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1916-03-24
How Tobacco Smoking Effects ths
Lungs

Good health depends on IL proper
nourishment: II proper functional
activity; and 81 the free discharge
OF waste matter. Proper nourish-
ment depends IN part on wholesome
food and good digestion That %
bacco smoke has : bad effect on ap-
petite and digestion has already been
noted.
Pure air Is as necessary to proper
nourlshment as Il wholesome food.
The relation Of impure air TO disease
of the lungs l. everywhere recog-
nized. Breathing impure air Ia one
of the great causes Of consumption.
The air We breathe ought To be ~
pure as the food We eat OF the water
we drink. To breathe any smoke
laden air Is injurious. The smart OF
the eye. the disposition 10 snsoze or
cough. the ache Of the head indicate
that such air ought not To be inhaled.
Tobacco smokers who do not inhale
directly from their pipes. cigars. or
cigarettes do. nevertheless, Indirect
ly inhaie the fumes Of tobacco. Not
only do there smokers Lnhale the
fumes. but they frequently compel
the non-amnker to do the same. The
cigarette user almost invariably In
halea the smoke directly from The
cigarette. To breathe any smoke IL
harmful. 10 breathe tobacco smoke ID
very harmful. and 10 inhale smoke
directly from the cigarette Is most
harmful.
The mucna membrane Of the lungs
is Of the most marYelously delicate
character. This membrane presents
surface Of more than six hundred
square feet So exceedingly thin b
II thai 1t forms scarcely any obstacle
10 the passage Of gases which enter
the lungs By respiration. Just IN
derneath this delicate membrane
passes all the blood Of the body. OF
an amount equivalent 10 the whole
volume of the blood. once every three
minutes Hence Il l. Ihat the most
speedy way Of getting any volatile
/ poison Into he system i BY inhala-
/ tion. It Il well known that when
ether or ehIoroform are inhaled un-
consciousness l. produced In > very
short time. The poisonous fumes OF
/ the cigarette. some Of them. are very
/ Irritating even 10 The mucus mem-
/ hrane Of the mouth and throat They
are much more irritating to the more
delicate membrane oI the lungs. The
redneaa and dryneaa of the muonH lin
/ Ing of the mouth and throat. 30 eOan-
mon with smokers. may Be easily OBJ
served Smokers. sore threat -
now recognized aa distinct malady.
/ Though the irrItaIed surface Of The
lungs cannot be seen there Is evidence
OF 1t In the dry. hacking cough OF the
smoker. Indirectly the lungs are af-
fected through the blood and the
nerves. The blood being charged
with the poIsona from tobacco smoke
| is incapable Of carrying proper nour-
ishment to the various organs. No
organs work more constantly than
the heart and the lungs. Hence these
organs suffer very quickly from The
| lack Of proper nonrishment. The
lungs Of the growing boy need es-
pecially to Be veil nonrished. De-
cause smoking Interferes with their
nourishment the lungs Of cigarette
users do not grow as rapidly -
/ the lungs Of non-smoEers. Smoking
| impedos the growth Of the whols
body. but It frequently has q muek
greater effect unon the lungs than
upon the other portions Of the body.
/ This Ii why there are % many hol-
| ilow-chested boys among cigarette
smokers. Dr ]. y. seaver. who for
many years had charge Of physical
education IN Yale University, where
he examined and watched the devel-
opment Of thousands Of young men.
stated. In 1897. that smoking sta
dents In that institution gained -
lung capacity II per cent more than
those who had been regular smokers
for year or more. Like obserya-
tions with Ike results have been
made IN other schools Of higher
learning. II the effect upon young
men who are 30 near maturity IL %
marked. It must b more marked mp
on small boys. Tobacco smoke irYt-
tates the nerves and has : paralyzinE
effect upon them. This. where he
lungs are fully developed. effects
very seriously respiration Il pro-
duees shorInesa Of breath. Hence 1t
is that athletes are required to re-
frain from smoking.
This irritation Of The lung tissue.
lack OF proper nonrlshmenl and do<p
regular breathing prepares the way
| for pulmonary tuberculosis Hence
1t is that smoking IN youth Is no mn
common cause Of this dreaded NAL
ady. DR.. D. B. Kreaa. Of Washington.
D. G.. states that It i believed that
consumption l. almost twice a. fatal
among smokers - among non-smok-
ers
To be contInued.l
E {. F0RLINES.