The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1860-09-04 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

HEALTH AND DISEASE.  A CCRE FOR HYDROPHORIA.—The AWN Afeclicak Beige states, on the authority of Father Legrand de Is Liray, li.te interpreter to Admiral Rigsld de Genouill7, and one of the oldest and most venerable missionaries in Tonquin and Cochin China, that in those countries hydrophobia is cured with complete success by boiling a handful of the leaves of Datura Stranionium, or Thorny Apple, in a litre of water, until reduced to one-belt, and then administering the potion to the patient all at • time. A violent paroxysm of rage ensues, which lasts but • short time, and the patient is cured in the come of 24 hours. For the benefit of our readers we may stste that the leaves of Stramoninni are highly narcotic, and as such are recommended in asthma under the form of cigars, to be smoked as usual; but that the same leaves, taken in large quantities, whether in powder, or under the form of a decoction, will produce temporary idiotcy. As to its efficacy in confirmed hydrophobia, it swim to be very earnestly recommended by Father Legrand, who declares he has tried it several times, and invariably with success. The great difficulty will, of course, consist in administering the remedy to the patient, which probably must be done by main forte,  with the aid of a horn ; but on this subject the Prose Mb(wale is silent. TUE VSE AND ABUSE OF ToBACCO.—Sir B. C. Brodie in • letter to the Times on Friday last. on this subject, asys--" But the ill affects of tobacco are not confined to the nervous ',akin. In many instances there is a loss of the healthy appetite for food, the imperfect state of the digestion being soon rendered manifest by the loss of flesh and the sallow countenance. It is difficult to say what other diseases may not follow the imperfect assimilation of food continued during • long period of time. So many causes are in operation in tie human body which may tend in a greater or less degree to the production of organic changes in it, that it is only in sonic instances we can venture to pronounce as to the precise manner in which a disease that proves mortal has originated. From cascs, however, which have fallen under my own observation, and from a considerstion of all the circumstances, I cannot entertain a doubt that, if we could obtain accurate statistics OD the subject we should find that the value of life in inveterate smokers is considerably below the average. Nor is this opinion in any degree contradicted by the fact that there are individuals who in spite of the inhalation of tobacco smoke live to be old, and without any material derangement of the health; analogous exceptions to the general rule being met with in the case of those who have indulged too freely in the use of spirituous and fermented liquors. The inveterate tobacco smoker may be stupid and lazy, and the habit to which he is addicted inay gradually tend to shorten his life and deteriorate olf,pring, lint the dram drinker is imarrelacine, mis• chiceow, and often criminal. It is under the influence of gin that the burglar and the murderer become fitted for the task which they have undirt“ken. If tobaccosmokers would limit themselves to the ,wcasional indulgence of their appetite, they would do little harm either to themselves or others ; but there is always danger that a sensual habit once begun may be carried to excess, and that danger is never so great as in the case of those who are not compelled by the necessities of their situation to be actively employed. For such persons the prudent course is to abstain from smoking altogether.