Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-22
WHY PEOPLE SMOKE
REVEALED BY DOCTOR
Tobacco is Diverting Without In
terfering With Users Work,
He Declares.

Why do people smoker asks DR.. w. A
Bloedorn, lieutenant-comrnandcr In tht
Medical Corps Of the United States Navy
in an article entitled The Custom o.
Smoking published in "The Medical
Record" DR.. Bloedorn analyses tn,
craving for smoke that was universa
among soldiers and sailors during ths
war, and then answers the question
From his answer the following paragraph:
are taken:
Tobacco is a means Of diversion which
far from interfering with a mans per.
formance Of duty, attaches him to II and
renders it less buriensome.
II we smoke entirely for the phys.
biological effects OF the active principles oi
tobacco, which are absorbed during the
act of smoking, VIC could obtain these
active principles in pill or tablet form and
administer them much more cheeply, ac-
curatcly and efficiently than by tho act OF
smoking.
Yet who would be satisfied with .
tablet containing his usual dose OF nico-
tine instead Of his satisfying sfter-dinner
ciSar7 What soldier awaiting the order TO
advance would be soothed and calmcd BY
a nicotine pill instead OF his friendly
cigarett1f
the cigar or cigarette is lighted. The
smoker csrefully salects and inspects his
cigar. and the preparation Of tho tobacco
for smoking receives much attention. All
these thing. reflect the state Of mind Of the
individual. Then the sound OF tho light
ing match, The sight Of the curling smoke
and the glowing tip, tho aroma OF the
burning leaf the familiar taste, the touch
and feel of the cigar or cigarette all OF
these factors combine to produce the
pleasurable effect. =,
The appeal j. not 20 one scnse, but 10 all
the senses, and the psychic effect resulting
from this stimulation OF the senses il lar
more important to the smoker than the
physiological effect Of the nicotine se-
scrbed
The increased pulse rate and heightened
blood pressure noted in some cases follow
ing the use Of tobacco and sscribed by
Investigators along the line to nicotine
absorbed. are not conducive TO pleasur-
able sensations on the part OF the in
dividlIsi concerned, and we are safe IN
assuming that il Ns not for thi. effect that
he indulges in tobacco.
The effects which appeal more to the
smoker are soothing, sedatlve, tending
toward relaxation, contentment and mem
tai rest He appear, less acutely swsre OF
his own shortcomings and more tolerant OF
the shortcomings Of his associates.
The practice Of smoking was observed
bv the companions Of Columbus on their
first voyage. It was first introduced into
Spain BY some Of the followers Of Column
bus on his second voyage, who returned
about 1914. introduced into the British
Islee about 1860, it was not until l5se
that the plant and ite use we're widely
known and that Raleigh distinguished
hir aelf by growing tobacco on his estate
and himself smoking publicly.
From Spain and England the use OF
tobacco spread by degrees over all the
known world. Ia America the culture Of
tobacco began in Virginia with the earliest
settlement of the colony.
The tension under which we live, the
continual striving for gain, for advance
ment, in many cases for even the neces.
saries of life; the petty annoyances,
grievances and worries which enter our
daily life, the restlessness, the lack Of
contentment which is everywhere mani
fest, all these factors create demand
which must be satisfied.