Year: 1869

of ploughman, who has a certain amount OF work
to do, and had certain amount Of food, but thu
food is insufficient and 80 he loses weight. Tht
Doctor says: LET him smoke two or three pipe
of tobacco daily, and he will ascertain that he
to lose weight, though he has not diminished
the amount of his labor or increased the quantity
Of his food. The tobacco has enabled him to dt
the same work with less expenditure Of material
and has therefore retarded the destructive meta
morphosis of his tissue"


The experiments the Doctor made upon himself
be made at several different times, and always with
like results. He carefully took account Of the food
taken, and of his excretions. He says:
From the whole Of the experiments conclude


First-That tobacco does not materially affect
the excretion of carbonic acid through the lungs


Second-That it lessons the amount of aqueous
vapor given off in respiration.


Third-That it diminishes the amount of the in
|testine excretion.


Fourth-That it lessons the quantity of the re-
nal excretion, and the amount Of its urea and chic
rides.


Fifth-That it increases the amount Of free acid,
uric acid, and sulphuric and phosphoric acdselim'
mated through the kidneys.


It was ascertained that tobacco in moderation
lessons the destruction of the tissues as whole
and especially diminishes the wear and tear Of the
nervous system. The question, therefore, scarcely
admits of doubt that, other things being equal
person can do more mental and physical labor,
and with less fatigue, under the moderate use Of
tobacco than without it. The excessive use may
be injurious, just as may be the excessive use o1
almost any substance taken as food or drink. An
other important physiological effect Of tobacco is
seen in its action upon the stomach, as increasing
the secretion of the gastric juice, and thus promo
ting digestion.


Tobacco, the Doctor says, enables man to sup
port the effects of hunger with less loss fstrength
and less bodily and mental fatigue than would 9TH
erwise result. It affects the brain and nervous
system favoraby, and it is for this purpose that it
is used Civilization increases the wear and tear
of nerve tissue.


We look about us for some means capable of les
sening the i'll effects which are produced by the 10.
bors, the anxeties, the sorrows, the troubles, OF
which every man who keeps up with the world
must expect to bear large share, and which can
not be altogether avoided by persons Of the most
quiet pursuits The Doctor adds:


Among the substances which man has been led
to use in order to bring about this result tobacco
is one of the most eficaeious, as it is the least
harmful As asoother to the nervous system, and
q promoter of reflection it acts with degree OF
certainty, and yet Of mdness, which places it far
above all its congensrs. Under its influence the
nervous substance, especially that Of the brain and
sympathetic system, is preserved from the inroads
to which it would otherwise be subjected. The
ability to comprehend is increased, the judgment
is rendered clearer the power of the will is aug,
mented, and all this without the degree Of ex-
haustion which otherwise follows every prolonged
mental effort. The greatest men the world has
ever seen, used tobacco, and men, both great and
common place, will continue to use it until they
get something better.