THE USE OF TOBACCO
Tobacco a Poison
No one will question the fact that tobacco is a poison, who has observed the deadly sickness it usually produces when chewed or smoked by those not habituated to its use. There are but few substances in nature that are capable of destroying life so suddenly as tobacco. From one to two drops of the oil have frequently been administered to dogs and cats, and invariably in a few minutes life became extinct. Dr. Franklin applied the oily material which floats on the surface of water when a current of tobacco smoke is passed into it, to the tongue of a cat, and found it to destroy life in a few minutes.
Tobacco a Cause of Disease
Tobacco is a frequent cause of disease of the digestive organs, lungs, nervous system, head, eyes and brain. It causes heartburn, nausea and frequent belchings; pains and diseases of the liver; pains in the bowels, with disposition to diarrhea or costiveness. It causes, too, difficulty of breathing, oppression of the chest, pains in the chest, with inability to take in a long breath, and violent palpitation of the heart, as well as pain and stiffness of the back. Tobacco also produces a tendency to paralysis, causes drowsiness, unnatural sleep, nightmare, troublesome, anxious and frightful dreams, and a great number arid variety of affections which we have not space to mention. In fact we have noticed but a small proportion of the diseases which are asserted by some of our best medical writers to spring from the use of tobacco. Of course it affects different persons in different ways, searching out and seizing upon those parts of the body which are least able to resist its destructive force.
Yet there is seldom any one who habitually uses tobacco but will find himself troubled, more or less-, by the symptoms of the above named diseases as soon as he start its use; but while using it freely it will palliate or allay, as do aft poisons, the symptoms its use has caused. Not infrequently on rising in the morning, after having abstained from its use during the night, he will get a slight glimpse of his waning vital energies; but his view will soon again be obscured when he partakes of the alluring leaf.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY
The senior physician to the Metro-politan Free Hospital, in London, writes as follows: u I can testify, from long observation, that the chronic use of tobacco in any form is a very prevalent cause of debility and manifold diseases. Take, first of all, the sense of sight : one of the most celebrated London ophthalmic surgeons tells me that he is constantly consulted by young gentlemen for weakness of vision, caused by smoking; and I myself nave in many cases seen the prolonged use of tobacco, especially when it is chewed, cause the total loss of sight. Then take the circulatory system, and we find smokers subject to palpitation of the heart and far less able to bear up against the extremes of heat and cold than they were before making use of tobacco. The use of tobacco is apt to cause a relaxation of the muscles of the back of the mouth and dusky discoloration of the fauces, with hoarseness from congestion of the vocal cords. The overwhelming majority of cases of cancer of the lip are found in men who smoke, and cancer of the tongue has often been said to be caused by the irritation of the fumes of the pipe or cigar. Great smokers lose, to some extent, their vivacity; i. e., they are less vital than they used to be, and less easily moved by a slight 'stimulus' which might be pleasurable to non-smokers. They are notoriously dyspeptic. I need hardly refer, indeed, to such a well known fact. They are subject to constipation and 'malaise;' and when deprived of their stimulus are more miserable, perhaps, than even drinkers. I must take the liberty to protest against a custom which has been inveighed against by Brodie, Copland, Critchett, Guerrin, Mantegazza, Cacopardo, and numerous heads of my profession in all countries."
Mental Effects---
Mr. Solly, an eminent writer on the brain, said once in a clinical lecture on that frightful and formidable malady, softening of the brain, " I would caution you as students against the use of tobacco, and I would advise you to disabuse your patients' minds of the idea that it is harmless. I have had a long experience in brain-diseases, and I am satisfied now that smoking is a most noxious habit. I know of no other cause or agent which tends so much to bring on functional disease, and through this in the end, to lead to organic diseases of the brain, as the excessive use of tobacco."
The influence of tobacco on the human system is quite as much to be dreaded as the use of alcoholic drinks. Drunkards invariably are tobacco-users. Not one young man in a hundred would ever think of using intoxicating liquors did he not first learn to use tobacco in some form. Daughters of drunken fathers do not inherit a hankering after spirituous liquors; neither would the sons, did they but abstain from the use of tobacco. And yet ministers of the gospel and many of the deacons of our churches, good men, so-called, who preach temperance and cleanliness to the youths of the land unceasingly, keep their mouths filled with the vile stuff or make smoke-houses of their heads, as if the end and aim of life with them was to pickle their tongues in smoke; and their whole bodies are so saturated and polluted with the vile stuff that their neighbors' nostrils announce their coming afar off. Is it to be wondered at that so many of our young men, following in the steps of their illustrious fathers, learn to use tobacco and cultivate a taste for stimulants which at last becomes a direful disease and then finally die lunatics or drunkards?
The smoking of a single cigar, and especially by those not long habituated to its use, will increase the pulse from ten to fifteen beats. The results of both chewing and smoking often are depression of spirits, irritability, peevishness, loss of memory, dullness of per-ception and despondency, as a natural result of over-excitement. The teachers in our institution of learning not infrequently observe that young men who use tobacco, as a general rule, are much more dull and stupid than those who do not ; and they, as well as eminent physicians, have expressed the opinion that tobacco to-day is doing almost as great a physical injury to the present generation as alcohol.
Sudden Death Dr. Twitchell states that nearly all the cases of sudden death occurring during sleep, which came under his observation, were those of persons who had indulged largely in the use of tobacco. And subsequently the correctness of his statements was confirmed by investigations made by the Boston Society of Medical Observation.
Physical Effects---
The use of tobacco produces marked alterations in the most expressive portions of the face. In consequence of the constant use of the muscles surrounding the mouth there is occasioned an irregular development of these parts, which presents a coarser appearance when compared with the rest of the features. The eye loses its natural fire and becomes dull and vacant, and the skin assumes a sallow appearance.Uncleanly To say that this habit, with many, is uncleanly and even filthy, is only repeating what is expressed every day. The linen, the mouth, the breath, and many times the room of its victim, indicate the effect it produces.
Moral Effects--- The use of tobacco has a tendency to impair the taste, so that simple fluid and simple diet are liable to become insipid and unpalatable, and the natural resort is then to the "flowing bowl." It also excites the various animal propensities beyond their proper balance, and tends to debase the moral character and make man more animal and less intellectual.
Expensive--- Tobacco, in its different forms, costs the people of the United States more than $30,000,000 annually, all of which is far worse than if thrown away. It is not a natural food for man; it will not sustain life, but is a poison, and all its tendencies, except in rare cases, are to destroy life. Is it any wonder that we cry hard times, when there are hundreds of millions of dollars annually thrown away for tobacco and intoxicating beverages? Those who an- so adroitly seeking for the cause of this condition of aft'airs, would they but take the trouble to examine the statistics and inves-tigate this matter, would find herein one. cause for this great depression that has been more potent than all others combined.
Cigarettes and Tobacco are Ruining Millions of Young Men and Boys, thereby developing the passions, softening and weakening the bones, and greatly injuring the brain and nervous system. A boy who early and freely uses tobacco never is known to make a man of much energy of character, and generally lacks mental and physical energy. The larger proportion of the aged, and those of mature years, very much lament that they were led to indulge in this habit. This should be a solemn warning to the young not to fall into the same error. Many boys have erroneously conceived the idea that to "puff " a cigar or cigarette, or chew a quid of tobacco, is manly is genteel. Yet, if they did but know in what contempt such a course is held by the thoughtful and considerate, there would never be a repetition of it. I fancy I hear some young reader remark, u My father used tobacco many years, and died an old man; if tobacco killed him, it was very slow poison.' I am apprised of the fact that some men of strong constitutions, active lite and otherwise good habits, may use tobacco and alcohol, and even get drunk often, and yet live to a good old age; but they are exceptions to the general rule; a much greater number will die young.
Besides, it will be found that most of those who lived to an old age did not commence the use of these poisons very young; else they used them moderately and were never what we call hard drinkers or smokers. And we would further say to this young man, that if he were born after his father commenced using tobacco, he does not, for that very reason, if not for others, possess his father's strength of constitution, if the latter used tobacco as freely as most voting men use it to-day; neither can he follow in his father's footsteps without the chances of filling a premature grave. How many of us are to-day suffering from paternal errors in consequence of the iniquities of fathers being visited on their children.
Tobacco Destroys Health, Imperils Social Stand-ing, Extinguishes the Affections.--- Besides it produces consumption, feeds dyspepsia, cherishes nervous diseases and pal-pitation of the heart, excites liver complaint, creates cancers, encourages headache, engenders weak eyes, invites disease and promotes softening of the brain. Its foul perfumes invade every rail-road coach, street car and omnibus-line; contaminate hotels, "boarding-houses and private apartments; its stench invades the family and social circle, and nauseates the mother, sickens the wife and insults the daughter; it extinguishes the affections of the doting lover, the young bride and disgusts the young maiden. It weakens the digestion, perverts the taste and leads to intemperance. It creates an offensive breath, repulsive mouth and soiled linen. It impairs the voice, furrows the cheek and sallows the complexion. And last, but not least, it makes angry mothers and scolding wives.
by E. Ruddock
No one will question the fact that tobacco is a poison, who has observed the deadly sickness it usually produces when chewed or smoked by those not habituated to its use. There are but few substances in nature that are capable of destroying life so suddenly as tobacco. From one to two drops of the oil have frequently been administered to dogs and cats, and invariably in a few minutes life became extinct. Dr. Franklin applied the oily material which floats on the surface of water when a current of tobacco smoke is passed into it, to the tongue of a cat, and found it to destroy life in a few minutes.
Tobacco a Cause of Disease
Tobacco is a frequent cause of disease of the digestive organs, lungs, nervous system, head, eyes and brain. It causes heartburn, nausea and frequent belchings; pains and diseases of the liver; pains in the bowels, with disposition to diarrhea or costiveness. It causes, too, difficulty of breathing, oppression of the chest, pains in the chest, with inability to take in a long breath, and violent palpitation of the heart, as well as pain and stiffness of the back. Tobacco also produces a tendency to paralysis, causes drowsiness, unnatural sleep, nightmare, troublesome, anxious and frightful dreams, and a great number arid variety of affections which we have not space to mention. In fact we have noticed but a small proportion of the diseases which are asserted by some of our best medical writers to spring from the use of tobacco. Of course it affects different persons in different ways, searching out and seizing upon those parts of the body which are least able to resist its destructive force.
Yet there is seldom any one who habitually uses tobacco but will find himself troubled, more or less-, by the symptoms of the above named diseases as soon as he start its use; but while using it freely it will palliate or allay, as do aft poisons, the symptoms its use has caused. Not infrequently on rising in the morning, after having abstained from its use during the night, he will get a slight glimpse of his waning vital energies; but his view will soon again be obscured when he partakes of the alluring leaf.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY
The senior physician to the Metro-politan Free Hospital, in London, writes as follows: u I can testify, from long observation, that the chronic use of tobacco in any form is a very prevalent cause of debility and manifold diseases. Take, first of all, the sense of sight : one of the most celebrated London ophthalmic surgeons tells me that he is constantly consulted by young gentlemen for weakness of vision, caused by smoking; and I myself nave in many cases seen the prolonged use of tobacco, especially when it is chewed, cause the total loss of sight. Then take the circulatory system, and we find smokers subject to palpitation of the heart and far less able to bear up against the extremes of heat and cold than they were before making use of tobacco. The use of tobacco is apt to cause a relaxation of the muscles of the back of the mouth and dusky discoloration of the fauces, with hoarseness from congestion of the vocal cords. The overwhelming majority of cases of cancer of the lip are found in men who smoke, and cancer of the tongue has often been said to be caused by the irritation of the fumes of the pipe or cigar. Great smokers lose, to some extent, their vivacity; i. e., they are less vital than they used to be, and less easily moved by a slight 'stimulus' which might be pleasurable to non-smokers. They are notoriously dyspeptic. I need hardly refer, indeed, to such a well known fact. They are subject to constipation and 'malaise;' and when deprived of their stimulus are more miserable, perhaps, than even drinkers. I must take the liberty to protest against a custom which has been inveighed against by Brodie, Copland, Critchett, Guerrin, Mantegazza, Cacopardo, and numerous heads of my profession in all countries."
Mental Effects---
Mr. Solly, an eminent writer on the brain, said once in a clinical lecture on that frightful and formidable malady, softening of the brain, " I would caution you as students against the use of tobacco, and I would advise you to disabuse your patients' minds of the idea that it is harmless. I have had a long experience in brain-diseases, and I am satisfied now that smoking is a most noxious habit. I know of no other cause or agent which tends so much to bring on functional disease, and through this in the end, to lead to organic diseases of the brain, as the excessive use of tobacco."
The influence of tobacco on the human system is quite as much to be dreaded as the use of alcoholic drinks. Drunkards invariably are tobacco-users. Not one young man in a hundred would ever think of using intoxicating liquors did he not first learn to use tobacco in some form. Daughters of drunken fathers do not inherit a hankering after spirituous liquors; neither would the sons, did they but abstain from the use of tobacco. And yet ministers of the gospel and many of the deacons of our churches, good men, so-called, who preach temperance and cleanliness to the youths of the land unceasingly, keep their mouths filled with the vile stuff or make smoke-houses of their heads, as if the end and aim of life with them was to pickle their tongues in smoke; and their whole bodies are so saturated and polluted with the vile stuff that their neighbors' nostrils announce their coming afar off. Is it to be wondered at that so many of our young men, following in the steps of their illustrious fathers, learn to use tobacco and cultivate a taste for stimulants which at last becomes a direful disease and then finally die lunatics or drunkards?
The smoking of a single cigar, and especially by those not long habituated to its use, will increase the pulse from ten to fifteen beats. The results of both chewing and smoking often are depression of spirits, irritability, peevishness, loss of memory, dullness of per-ception and despondency, as a natural result of over-excitement. The teachers in our institution of learning not infrequently observe that young men who use tobacco, as a general rule, are much more dull and stupid than those who do not ; and they, as well as eminent physicians, have expressed the opinion that tobacco to-day is doing almost as great a physical injury to the present generation as alcohol.
Sudden Death Dr. Twitchell states that nearly all the cases of sudden death occurring during sleep, which came under his observation, were those of persons who had indulged largely in the use of tobacco. And subsequently the correctness of his statements was confirmed by investigations made by the Boston Society of Medical Observation.
Physical Effects---
The use of tobacco produces marked alterations in the most expressive portions of the face. In consequence of the constant use of the muscles surrounding the mouth there is occasioned an irregular development of these parts, which presents a coarser appearance when compared with the rest of the features. The eye loses its natural fire and becomes dull and vacant, and the skin assumes a sallow appearance.Uncleanly To say that this habit, with many, is uncleanly and even filthy, is only repeating what is expressed every day. The linen, the mouth, the breath, and many times the room of its victim, indicate the effect it produces.
Moral Effects--- The use of tobacco has a tendency to impair the taste, so that simple fluid and simple diet are liable to become insipid and unpalatable, and the natural resort is then to the "flowing bowl." It also excites the various animal propensities beyond their proper balance, and tends to debase the moral character and make man more animal and less intellectual.
Expensive--- Tobacco, in its different forms, costs the people of the United States more than $30,000,000 annually, all of which is far worse than if thrown away. It is not a natural food for man; it will not sustain life, but is a poison, and all its tendencies, except in rare cases, are to destroy life. Is it any wonder that we cry hard times, when there are hundreds of millions of dollars annually thrown away for tobacco and intoxicating beverages? Those who an- so adroitly seeking for the cause of this condition of aft'airs, would they but take the trouble to examine the statistics and inves-tigate this matter, would find herein one. cause for this great depression that has been more potent than all others combined.
Cigarettes and Tobacco are Ruining Millions of Young Men and Boys, thereby developing the passions, softening and weakening the bones, and greatly injuring the brain and nervous system. A boy who early and freely uses tobacco never is known to make a man of much energy of character, and generally lacks mental and physical energy. The larger proportion of the aged, and those of mature years, very much lament that they were led to indulge in this habit. This should be a solemn warning to the young not to fall into the same error. Many boys have erroneously conceived the idea that to "puff " a cigar or cigarette, or chew a quid of tobacco, is manly is genteel. Yet, if they did but know in what contempt such a course is held by the thoughtful and considerate, there would never be a repetition of it. I fancy I hear some young reader remark, u My father used tobacco many years, and died an old man; if tobacco killed him, it was very slow poison.' I am apprised of the fact that some men of strong constitutions, active lite and otherwise good habits, may use tobacco and alcohol, and even get drunk often, and yet live to a good old age; but they are exceptions to the general rule; a much greater number will die young.
Besides, it will be found that most of those who lived to an old age did not commence the use of these poisons very young; else they used them moderately and were never what we call hard drinkers or smokers. And we would further say to this young man, that if he were born after his father commenced using tobacco, he does not, for that very reason, if not for others, possess his father's strength of constitution, if the latter used tobacco as freely as most voting men use it to-day; neither can he follow in his father's footsteps without the chances of filling a premature grave. How many of us are to-day suffering from paternal errors in consequence of the iniquities of fathers being visited on their children.
Tobacco Destroys Health, Imperils Social Stand-ing, Extinguishes the Affections.--- Besides it produces consumption, feeds dyspepsia, cherishes nervous diseases and pal-pitation of the heart, excites liver complaint, creates cancers, encourages headache, engenders weak eyes, invites disease and promotes softening of the brain. Its foul perfumes invade every rail-road coach, street car and omnibus-line; contaminate hotels, "boarding-houses and private apartments; its stench invades the family and social circle, and nauseates the mother, sickens the wife and insults the daughter; it extinguishes the affections of the doting lover, the young bride and disgusts the young maiden. It weakens the digestion, perverts the taste and leads to intemperance. It creates an offensive breath, repulsive mouth and soiled linen. It impairs the voice, furrows the cheek and sallows the complexion. And last, but not least, it makes angry mothers and scolding wives.
by E. Ruddock