The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-11-17
THE HARMFUL EFFECTS
OF TOBACCO

The following prize winning essay
was written by Glenwood McMullin,
son Of Mr.. and Mrs. A. C. McMullin,
Of lockwood. While the young lad is
aow in the 7th grade, he was in the
5th grade when this essay was writ
ten. 1t was awarded first prize in
state contest, against the strongest
possible competition.
The tobacco plant is nothing but
weed. 1t has broad, green leaves,
and in each leaf there are tiny cells
which contain poison called nico-
tine. This nicotine is as poisonous as
opium. When the plant is well grown,
it is gathered and taken into sheds
and hung up TO dry. When it is well
dried it is packed and sent away to
be manufactured into cigars, cigar
cites, chewing tobacco, and some of it
is cut up for use in pipes. All OF it is
very poisonous.
It wastes land and labor because
people could be raising crops that
would do people good, but tobacco on
ly harms them,
Tobacco harms all parts Of the
body. 1t dulls the brain SO that one
can not be quick; it hurts children
worse than grown people. 1t is just
like trying to cut wood with a dull
axe. The brain cannot work well
when it is dull.
There are two ways in which it
hurts the heart. 1t makes it beat too
fast and that tires it. 1t also causes
fat to gather around the heart.
Inhaling causes the nicotine in to-
bacco to coat the lungs. It affects
the Innings in the nose and the
| throat. Athletes get what we call
winded, when they have been running
or taking exercise.
| It weakens the nerves so that they
can not do their work properly.
The nerves control the muscles so
the muscles can not be very strong.
Tobacco users usually have indiges-
ton. The digestive organs can not
work properly so that the body does
not get the right nourishment.
The eyes are largely made up OF
nerves. Therefore they are harmed
by the use of tobacco.
1t is harmful TO the corpuscles of
the blood. 1t prevents them carrying
the oxygen they should The smok-
ing of cigarettes forms an oil in the
blood which is poisonous enough to
kill leech. When a leech is placed
upon the arm of a smoker, it will
swell up and then it will drop off
dead. The burning of the cigarettes
forms gas called carbon monoxide
which is exceedingly harmful to the
blood. 1t is the same kind Of gas as
that made by burning coal in stove
with the draft shut.
Tobacco mixed with water to make
i kind of tea will kill a goldfish il
put in bowl. with them.
Once two boys had calf. The cali
had insects on it. The boys wanted
to kill the insects, so they made q
strong tobacco tea. They rubbed this
on the calf. 1t killed the insects, but
it also killed the calf.
Tobacco smoking hardens the ar
teries. Doctors think that CarusC
might have yet been delighting the
world with his singing, had it moi
been for the constant use of tobacco
School tests show that boys who dc
not smoke have better grades, bet
ter manners, think quicker, are neat
er and seldom fail in promotion. Tn
tobacco habit is filthy one and will
cause the spreading Of disease. 1t il
dangerous on account of causing fire.
= by carelessness of the smokers.
Tobacco will make one lie, steal
, and cheat, so it is bad for the morals
!, A child who uses tobacco cam
, grow in body, mind or soul, in "grac'
+, and stature" as Jesus when he was ;
boy, who should be our example.
, Some people call smoking small
vice.
This poem tells what | think abou
, it:
cigarettes they say are harmless,
Just tiny little roll;
But the appetite they awaken,
Soon might get beyond control.
And tobacco chains would bind us
, Slaves in body and in soul"