The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-03-27
TOBACCO SMOKING AND CARBON
 MONOXIDE

There is reason to believe that the poisonous effect of tobacco smoke Is chiefly due to the carbon monoxide in the smoke. This Is the same gas that makes the exhaust of an auto- mobile engine so deadly in a closed garage, and the odorless fume from gas stove, coal stove or other fire with faulty iue or none, the creeping death that gives the Vctim no "arh- ing of its approach.
 Not only the smoker but the non-smoker in the same room, breathing the same atmos- phere, i1 subject to carbon monoxide poison ing Some years ago Dr Collins of Wilkes- Barre and MT Walsh, mines inspector. made tests of air laden with cigarette smoke ana found approximately per cent or IL Tn var ious samples. Normally fresh air contains no carbon monoxide though the air of 0 street with heavy automobile traffc Fosoaiiy shows traces
 ReceEt4y Alexander o. Gettler, Ph D., and Marjorie R. Mattice, A. B., Sc. M., made blood. Ideally the blood should contain none but in these days almost every persons blooo | contains at least a trace Most city dwellert
 tested showed an average of O.27 per cent country residents 0.24 per cent. New York street cleaners 0.89 per cent, two taxi drivers 1.47 per cent and 4.33 per cent. These lnves. tigators found that smoking causes a marked increase in the carbon monoxide content or the blood, a cigarette quickly jumping the rate up to 0.7O or 0.8O per cent.
 One of the street cleaners. whose duties ex- pose them to greater hazard of carbon mon- oxide poisoning than traffic police encounter,
 
 his blood as another who had spent the same number of hours at work on the street but had not smoked. The man with the nigh carbon monoxide had consumed six cigarettes while walking and riding several blocks to the hos- pital where the blood tests were made.
 Many studies of the co hazard, now in the literature become questionable now. because It must be known whether the subjects had smoked before the analyses of the blood for co were made, if we are to draw any con- clusions from the tests Heretofore this factor has not been considered and in few If any such observations has the smoking factor been checked
 The untoward effects produced by mild gas- sing with carbon monoxide are strikingly like those of tobacco smoke poisoning, whether of the smoker or non-smoker exposed to the smoke filled atmosphere. Habitual or excessive smokers seem to become needless of the amen- tiles: this loss of consideration for others is naturally more noticeable in the case of the feminine addict. It is not that the person is really bold hussy nor is she giving her im' personation of the sophisticated movie star; she is just forgetful of the fact that the second hand smoke really poisons non-smokers who have to inhale it and is sufficient to bring on the symptoms of mild poisoning in sensitive individuals unaccustomed to it.
 What are the symptoms of mild carbon mon- oxide gassing? They are quite the same as those of tobacco smoke poisoning: Tightness across forehead, headache, flushing of the skin If the victim is not rescued it this stage, the headache increases in severity. throbbing III the temples, weakness, dizziness, dimness ol vision and nausea follow. A few more inhala. tions of the poison and vomiting, fainting and collapse follow.