Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-16
pv J. II. KELLoGG. M. d., IL. D.

BY j. II. KELLOGG, M. D., LII. u
TNHE cigarette is small. 1t looks IN
L noccnt. It is within range OF th'
average small boys purse. There JUS
there, you have the secret OF the popa-
larity of cigarettes among )uyeh"'
smokers.
When one smokes cigarette, IL means
that he Is filling the delicate passas., q.
the lungs with nicotine. "Nicotlne
not just name. II Is Neiy .,.r
substance, a poison moro deauiy ,a,,
opium, fifteenth grain having oeos, .s,
known to cause death. When pun
of cigarette smoke is drawn in,o w
lungs, the poison vapor IL in
through the numerous tiny ar pass -. .
and leaves deposit OF nicotne U" '''
sensitive membranes. =,
The hot smoke causes drynsss ~ !,
the mouth that calls for some nduiu,
Water seems insipid, as the nerves oi
taste are In a half paralyzed state. AS
\ result liquid of stimulating cha,
acter Is resorted to. and so the hap''
t drinking alcoholic liquors follows 'he
'ormation OF the smoking habit. a..
Again. the cigarette weakens tne
nerve that controls the heart. The heart
II the nicotine user begins to beat IT.
regularly-flrst too rapidly. tnen W.
slowly, sometimes stopping suddenly @ m,lu
causing great pain and discomfort. ne
blood becomes impoverished ana ,he
smokers face takes on that pasty, yeliow
hue.
Tobacco also makes the stomach more
active in preparing Juices to digest loou.
Secreting digestive Juices when they are
not needed and cannot be used, II soon
grows weak and falls to produce enough
for use when really needed. Thus tns
boy. dgesting badly, begins TO be hair
starved, pale and weak.
It Is n great error to suppose tha'
smoking aids digestion. The very un-
easiness which 1t is desirable to remove
Is occasioned by the tobacco Itself, Artei
laying aside the habtual use or the
poison, most individuals experience an
increase of appetite. Of digestive energy
and an accumulation of flesh.
Next In the train of the cigarette boys
miseres comes chronic neurasthenia
lie cannot sleep normally--he fidgets and
frets the greater part of the night, ano
whatever sleep he does get is not Q
sound, hcalthful energy-producing KIND
The victim becomes dlsinclined tt
exert himself. and avoids, SO far as pos.
] SIDE, inc VI HOItSI idboi' sH'
neglects proper exercise. Naturally, at
| this stage, since he gets too little air
| has weak heart, loses sleep and gets
too little exercise. he begins to stoI
growing as fast as he should. This II
shown by the fact that cigarette-smokint
boys are invariably smaller in stature
than abstainers.
! But the terrible effects of this per
niclous habit are not confined to the
body alone the intellect also suffers
The cigarette fend grows careless, dul
and irresponsible. He loses interest II
honest sports and his studies, and thinks
more and more about his cigarettes. H'
is determined to have them-often Il
there Is no other way to get them III
resorts to stealing.
Then the morals are injured. Th'
record of fifteen boys who were sen
fenced in one lot for crimes show tina
ten Of them had stolen to get cigarettes
A Judge of the Supreme Court of New
York said that in one year nine boy
were discharged from his private offic
for stealing postage stamps to buy Gig
arettes.
How can we combat this scourge? ii
one way by legislation-if the statute
are properly enforced. Most of ou
States have already passed laws pro
hibitng the sale Of cigarettes to minors
and there is no doubt that these law
will eventually become universal.
Employers of labor. too, can aid tn
cause by refusing to engage cigarette
smokers. Many progressive concern
have already taken this step and in thl
way are doing yeoman's service in tn
fight against the cigarette. Railroad
and large motor manufacturing estab
lishments are especially uncompromisini
in their attitude toward the cigarett
and the boy who uses II.