The sun., 1917-09-21

cigarette are now published In the
Lancet. and as usual afford the un-
biassed inquirer another amusing H.
lustration Of the petty interference Of
medical science with the tastes and
comforts Of the soldier. For these
experiments we're all performed on
soldiers in the Hampstead Military
Hospital for Heart Cases. The feature
is new and sworthy Of scrutiny. For
merly Psychologists experimental on
animals. on medical students or on
themselves.
Dr. Parkinson. who writes the pres
ent report for the Medical Research
Committee, expresses q certain scep-
ticism as to the value Of the results.
He says:
The dificuities Of carrying through such
a line OF observations and the risk Of de-
ception by the patients seemed too great
to accept. Hence. as a lesser contribu-
tion to the problem. we decided to inves-
tigate the immediate effect OF cigarette
smoking on the circulation and on the
reaction to exer,ion of these patients. and
to compare this with Its effect on healthy
soldiers In training.
This is candid. 1t has always been
the opponents Of smoking who have q
reluctance to face the facts Of experi-
ence and the fallacy Of their own
arguments. DIR. Parkinson evidently
realizes the futility Of laboring any
longer In a field OF experimental effort
proved to be barren. He frankly aban-
dons the old methods OF tobacco SCI
ence, with its incantations over men,
tai tests. His position in science 10
on the side of logic and common sense.
His final opinion Is moderation itself:
There can be little doubt that the SOL
der looks upon the cigarette As part Of
his kit. as affording him . source Of gem
uine comfort In strenuous times. and a.
increasing the pleasures OF relaxation
when his nerve racking duties are for the
time In abeyance. The practice Of smok-
ing provides questionably . mental ano-
dyne. and that fact alone accounts for
the universality of the cigarette In the
present bitter days.
1t is therefore natural that, since
the war. the cranks and anti-all to-
bacco gospellers have somewhat sunk
into the background. At present the
habit Of smoking Is regarded with
sympathy. This Is the only way nom
smokers will ever be able to suppress
the inroads Of tobacco upon mankind.
Generally. to the savage or the mod
ern civilized person alike. two ex-
tremes who are in pretty much the
same fix. tobacco means the difference
between a miserable life and a toler-
able life.
But the question is. Of course,
whether cigarette smoking is q worthy
way Of taking tobacco. AS the medi-
cal authority says. the question is
| whether cigarette smoking does ma
terial harm to health. BY the word
material" the writer doubtless means
to imply that 1t is possible to enjoy
| the usual allowance Of cigarettes with
| out any disturbing immersion in the
| effects Of nicotine. But the science OF
tobacco, IL. indeed II can he called a
science in our present state Of knowl-
| edge, Is still largely an open field. The
tobacco plant and nicotine, its sup
posed toxic agent. are delivering up
their secrets very slowly and the new
knowledge has a stern fight against
! the vested interests of prejudiced
theorists. Fortunately 1t has sue
| ceeded in showing that the tobacco OF
cigarettes is neither hemped, opiated
nor simply perfumed. Lately German
and Russian chemists have worked
with the ingredients Of tobacco smoke
with astonishing results which have
put some contemporary Investigations
out Of date. They reject the idea that
the effects OF smoking are due to nico-
| tine; 1t is not the toxic agent, what
ever 1t may be in it's isolated state.
The record of the new researches is
so long and the technical points are
so numerous that the task Of distrib-
uting criticism is unusually difficult
The clearest plan Is to divide the tota
results into several parts. The inves-
tigation was started because in this
war many soldiers proved inefficient
because they became unduly breath.
less on exertion such as military ser.
vice entails. II has been freely as.
serted that excessive smoking. partic-
ularly Of cigarettes, is one OF the chief
causes OF this weakness Of wind.
Where so many factors are In opera
ton definite conclusion as to the
assertion must prove difficult. In fact
there Is no necessary connection be
tween breathlessness and cigarette
smoking. Nevertheless, certain per
sons OF the total prohibition school
confusing cause and effect, have
sought to prove that smoking itself /.
a kind Of narcotic which dulls the ex'
ercise Of breathing.
Medical experiments OF this sor
often exhibit some CHASTITY haw. 81
that it is not always profitable to &C
ccpt their conclusions. In DR.. Park
insons Investigations the patient!
were thirty soldiers between the age.
Of seventeen and thirty-two. They al
complained Of undue breathlessness or
exertion: what Is more significant
they appeared more breathless aftel
simple exercises than did healthy mer
who were also smokers. Other symp
toms, such as pain over the heart, pal
pitation. giddiness and exhaustion
were present in many No signs O
disease were found. He summaries
the effect on pulse. breathing an'
blood pressure. The thirty soldiers
of whom twenty were .men having
Soldiers heart" that is, palpitation
exhaustion after exercise and pain
and ten were perfectly healthy men IL
training smoked four or Ave ciga
rettes during period of forty minutes
The average pulse rate during smok