xt7ngf0msx4k https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ngf0msx4k/data/mets.xml Mussey, R. D. (Reuben Dimond), 1780-1866. 1836  books b98-46-42334279 English Perkins & Marvin, : Boston : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Tobacco habit. Essay on the influence of tobacco upon life and health  / by R.D. Mussey. text Essay on the influence of tobacco upon life and health  / by R.D. Mussey. 1836 2002 true xt7ngf0msx4k section xt7ngf0msx4k 

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   E      E S S A Y


WI             ON THE

       CR1 0,
11 INFLUENCE OF TOBACCOi


      UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.




i      BY R. D. MWTJSSEY, M. D.
        [allL1


VIA1       Price ten cents.

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 This page in the original text is blank.

 

AN



                 EL S S A Y


                          ON THE



INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



         UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.






               BY R. D. MUSSEY, M. D.
Professor of Anatomy and Surgery in the Medical Institution of New 11ampseire, at Dart-
  moith bCollege ; Prulessor of Surgery anil Otstetric tit the Culleg"e of Plhisicians and
  Surgeons iii tile Westerni District of the Sltte of New York ; Presidlent of tlhe Newr
  II:tspehire Metlicil Society ; Fellotw of the Astlerican Academy of Scievced; anld Asto-
  ciaWte of the Cullege of Physicitus at Philadelphia.







                     BOSTON:

   PUBLISHED BY PERKINS & MARVIN.
             PHILADELPHIA: IhENRY PERKINS.



1836.

 




















Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836,
               BY PERKINS & MARVIN,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Couit of Massachusetts.

 






ESSAY ON' TOBACCO.



  IN the great kingdom of living nature, man is the
only animil that seeks to poison or destroy his own
instincts, to turn topsy-turvy the laws of his being,
and to make himself as unlike, as possible, that which
he was obviously designed to be.
  No satisfactory solution of this extraordinary pro-
pensity has been given, short of a reference to that-
             " first disobedience and the fruit
       Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
       Brought death into the world and all our wo,
       With loss of Eden."

  While the myriads of sentient beings, spread over
the earth, adhere, with unyielding fidelity, to the laws
of their several existences, man exerts his superior
intellect in attempting to outwit nature, and to show
that she has made an important mistake, in his own
case. Not satisfied with the symmetry and elegance
of form given him by his Creator, he transforms hinm-
self into a hideous monster, or copies upon his own

 

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



person, the proportions of some disgusting creature,
far down in the scale of animal being. Not content
with loving one thing and loathing another, lhe per-
severes in his attempts to mnake bitter street, and
sweet bitter, till nothing but the shadow is left, of his
primitive relishes and aversions. This is strikingly
exemplified in the habitual use of the narcotic or
poisonous vegetables.

                      History.

  Tobacco is generally regTarded as having originated
in America. Its name appears to have been derived
from  TIabaco, a province of Yucataii, in Alexico,
from which place it is said to have been first sent to
Spain ; or, as some assert, though with less proba-
bility, from an instrument named Tabaco, employed
in I-lispaniola in sinoking this article.
  Cortez sent a specimen of it to the king of Spain
in 1519. Sir Francis Drake is said to have intro.
duced it into Engrland about the year 1560, and, not
fair from the same time, John Nicot carried it to
France; and Italy is indebted to the Cardinal Santa
Croce for its first appearance in that country.
  Ti aces of an ancient custom of smoking dried
herbs having been observed, it has been suggested
that tobacco might have been in use in Asia, long
before the discovery of America. The fact, however,
that this plant retains, under slight modifications,



4

 


UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



the name of tobacco, in a large number of Asiatic as
well as European dialects, renders almost certain the
commonly received opinion, that it emanated from
this country, and from this single origin has found its
way into every region of the earth, where it is at
lresent known. If this be the fact, the Western
hemisphere has relieved itself of a part of the obliga-
tion due to the Eastern, for the discovery and diffu-
sion of distilled spirit.
  Early in the history of our country, the cultivation
anrd use of tobacco were by no means confined to cen-
tral America. In Hawkins' voyage of 1655, the use
of this article in Florida is thus described: "The
Floridians, when they travele, have a kind of herbe
dryed, wvhich, with a cane and an earthen cup in the
end, with fire and the dryed herbes put together, do
sucke thorow the cane the smoke thereof, which
simokle satisfieth their hunger."  Still earlier, viz.
in 1535, Cartier found it in Canada:    "There
groweth a certain kind of herbe, whereof in sommer,
they make great provision for all the yeere, making
great account of it, and onely men use it; and first
they cause it to be dried in the sunne, then weare
it about their necks wrapped in a little beaste's
skinne, made like a little bagge, with a hollow peece
of stone or wood like a pipe; then when they please
they make powder of it, and then put it in one of
the ends of said cornet or pipe, and laying a cole of



5

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



fire upon it, at the other end sucke so long, that they
fill their bodies full of smoke, till that it cometh out
of their mouth and nostrils, even as out of the tonnele
of a chimney."
  In Great Britain the progress of the custom of
using tobacco was not unobserved. The civil and
ecclesiastical powers were marshalled against it, and
Popish anathemas and Royal edicts with the severest
penalties, not excepting death itself, were issued. In
the reigns of Elizabeth, of James and of his suc-
cessor Charles, the use and importation of tobacco
were made subjects of legislation. In addition to his
Roval authority, the worthy and zealous king James
threw the whole weight of his learning and logic
against it, in his famous ' Counterblaste to Tobacco.'
I-le speaks of it as being " a sinneful and shameful lust "
-as " a branch of drunkennesse "-as " disabling
both persons and goods "-and in conclusion declares
it to be " a custome loathsome to the eye, hateful to
the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the
lungs, and in the black and stinking funme thereof,
nearest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the
pit that is bottomlesse."
  In the English colonies of North America, it is
tio wonder that legislation was resorted to, for the
purpose of regulating the use of this article, when it
had become an object of so much value, as that " one
hundred and twenty pounds of good leaf tobacco'



fi

 


UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



would purchase for a Virginian planter a good and
choice wife just imported from England. In one of
the provincial governments of New England, a law
was passed, forbidding any person "under twenty-one
years of age, or any other, that hath not already
accustomed himself to the use thereof, to take any
tobacko untill he hath brought a certificate under the
hands of some who are approved for knowledge and
skill in phisick, that it is useful for him, and also
that hee hath received a lycense from the Courte for
the same. And for the regulating of those, who
either by their former taking it, have to their own
apprehensions, made it necessary to them, or uppon
due advice are persuaded to the use thereof,-
  " It is ordered, that no man within this colonye,
after the publication hereof, shall take any tobacko
publiquely in the streett, high wayes or any barne
yardes, or uppon training dayes, in any open pla-
ces, under the penalty of six-pence for each offence
against this order, in any the particulars thereof, to
bee paid without gainsaying, uppon conviction, by
the testimony of one witness, that is without just
exception, before any one magistrate. And the con-
stables in the severall townes are required to make
presentment to each particular courte, of such as they
doe understand, and can evict to bee transgressors of
this order."
  In the old Massachusetts colony laws, is an act



7

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



with a penalty for those, who should " smoke tobacco
within twenty poles of any house, or shall take
tobacco at any Inn or victualling house, except in a
private rooi, so as that neither the master nor any
guest shall take offence thereat."
  In the early records of Darvard University is a
regulation ordering that " no scholar shall take
tobacco unless permitted by the President, with the
consent of his parents, on good reason first given by
a physician, and then only in a sober and private
manner."
  At a town-meeting in Portsmouth, N. H. ill 1662,
it was "ordered that a cage be built, or some other
means devised, at the discretion of the Selectmen, to
punish such as take tobacco on. the Lord's day, in
time of publick service."  But it does not appear that
this measure had all the effect intended, for, ten
years afterwards, the town " voted that if any person
shall smoke tobacco in, the meeting-house during
religious service, he shall pay a fine of five shillings
for the use of the town."
  But all these forces have been vanquished, and
this one weed is the conqueror. Regardless of colle-
gial and town regulations, of provincial laws, and of
royal, parliamentary and papal power, tobacco has
kept on its way, till it has encircled the earth, and
now holds in slavery a larger number of human minds
than any other herb.



8

 

UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



       Efccts of Tobacco Upon Animnal Life.
  To the organs of smell and taste in their natural
condition, it is one of the most disgusting and loath-
somne of all the products of the vegetable kingdom.
  Dr. Franklin ascertained, that the oily materia.l,
which floats upon the   surface of water, upon a
stream  of tobacco smoke being passed into it, is
capable, when applied to the tongue of a cat, of
destroying life in a few minutes.
  Mr. Brodie applied one drop of the empyreumatic
oil of tobacco to the tongue of a cat; it occasioned
immediate convulsions and an accelerated breathing.
Five minutes after, the animal lay down on the side,
and presented, from time to time, slight convulsive
movements.   A quarter of an hour after, it appeared
recovered.  The same quantity of the oil was applied
again, and the animal died in two minutes.
  In December, 1S-33, aided by several gentlemen of
the medical class, and occasionally in the presence of
other individuals, I made a number of experiments
upon cats and other animals, with the distilled oil of
tobacco.

   This is proved by applying it to these organs in infancy,
among those children whose parents do not use tobacco.
Caspar Haltsser, who was fed wholly on farinaceous food and
water, front infancy to the age of sixteen or seventeen years,
was iisade sick to vomiting by walking for a " considerable
time by the side of a tobacco field."



9

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



                   EXPERIMENT 1.

  A small drop of the oil was rubbed upon the tongue
of a large cat. Immediately the animal uttered pite-
ous cries and began to froth at the mouth.
  In I nminute the pupils of the eyes were dilated and the res-
                piration was laborious.
    2j do.   voniiting and staggering.
    4  do.  evacuations; the cries continued, the voice
                hoarse and unnatural.
     5  do.  repeated attempts at vomiting.
     7  do.  respiration somewhat improved.

  At this time a large drop was rubbed upon the
tongue. In an instant the eyes were closed, the cries
were stopped, and the breathing was suffocative and
convulsed.  In one minute the ears were in rapid
convulsive motion, and, presently after, tremors and
violent convulsions extended over the body and limbs.
In three and an half minutes the animal fell upon the
side senseless and breathless, and the heart had ceased
to beat.
  Slighht tremors of the voluntary muscles, particu-
larly of the limbs, continued, more or less, for nine-
teen minutes after the animal was dead. Those of
the right side were observed to be more and longer
affected than those of the left.
  flalf an hour after death the body was opened, and
the stomach and intestines were found to be con-
tracted and firm, as from a violent and permanent



so

 


UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



spasm of the muscular coat. The lungs were empty
and collapsed. The left side of the heart, the aorta
and its great branches were loaded with black blood.
The right side of the heart and the two cavm con-
tained some blood, but were not distended. The
pulmonary artery contained only a small quantity of
blood. The blood was every where fluid.

                  EXPERIMENT 2.

  A cat was the subject of this experiment. The
general effects were very much like those in the last,
excepting, perhaps, that the oil operated with a little
less energy. This cat was said to have lived for
several years, in a room almost perpetually fumigated
with tobacco smoke.  The history of the animal
employed in Experiment 1, was unknown.

                  EXPERIMENT 3.
  Three drops of the oil of tobacco were rubbed upon
the tongue of a full-sized, but young, cat. In an
instant the pupils were dilated and the breathing
convulsed ; the animal leaped about as if distracted,
and presently took two or three rapid turns in a small
circle, then dropped upon the floor in frightful con-
vilsions, and was dead in twvo minutes and forty-five
seconds from the moment that the oil was put upon
the tongue.



I I

 

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



                  EXPERIM]ENT 4.

  To the tongue of a young and rather less than
hlilf-grown cat, a drop of the oil of tobacco was
applied. In fifteen seconds the ears were thrown
into rapid and convulsive motions,-thirty seconds
fruitless attempts to vomit. In one minute convul-
sive respiration ; the animal fell upon the side. In
four minutes and twenty seconds violent convulsions.
In five minutes the breathing and the heart's motion
had ceased. There was no evacuation by the mouth
or otherwise. The vital powers had been too suddenly
and too far reduced to admit of a reaction. The
tremors, which followed death, subsided first in the
superior extremities, and in five minutes ceased
altogether. The muscles were perfectly flaccid.


                   EXPERJMN ST 5.

  In the tip of the nose of a mouse, a small puncture
was made with a surgeon's needle, bedewed with the
oil of tobacco. The little animal, from the insertion
of this small quantity of the poison, fell into a violent
agitation, and was dead in six minutes.

                   EXPE RIMENT 6.

  Two drops of the oil were rubbed upon the tongue
of a red squirrel. This animal, so athletic as to
render it difficult to secure him sufficiently long for

 


UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



the application, was in a moment seized wVitl) a
violent agitation of the whole body and limbs, and
was perfectly (lead and motionless in one minute.

                   EXPERIMENT 7.

  To the tongue of a dog rather under the middle
size, five drops of the oil of tobacco wvere applied.
In forty-five seconds he fell upon the side, got up,
retched, and fell again. In one minute the respiration
was laborious, and the pupils were dilated. In two
milinutes the breathing was slow  and feeble, with
puffing of the cheeks. In three minutes the pupils
were smaller l)ut continually varying. 'I'he left fore
leg and the right hind leg were affected wvith a siniul-
taneous convulsion or jerk, corresponding with the
inspitastory motions of the chest. This continued for
five minutes.
   In nine minutes alimentary evacuations ; symp-
toms abated; and the animal attempted to walk. At
ten minutes two drops of the oil were applied to the
tongue. Instantly the breathing became laborious,
with puffing of the cheeks; pupils much dilated.
The convulsive or jerking motions of the two limnbs
appeared as before, recurring regularly at the interval
of about two seconds, and exactly corresponding with
the inspirations. In twelve minutes the pupils rvere
more natural ; slight frothing at the mouth, the
animal still lying upon the side. At this time a drop



13

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



of the oil was passed into each nostril. The labor of
the respiration was suddenly increased, the jaws
locked.
   In twenty-two minutes no material change; the
jaws were separated and five drops of the oil were
rubbed on the tongue. In one minute the pupils
were entirely dilated, with strong convulsions. In
one and an half minutes, in trying to walk, the
animal fell. In three minutes the eyes rolled up,
and convulsions continued. In six minutes, the plica
semilunaris so drawn as to cover half the cornea. In
seven minutes, slight frothing at the mouth. Ill forty
minutes the inspirations were less deep, the convul-
sions had been unremitted, the strength failing.
From this time he lay for more than half an hour
nearly in the same state ; t!.ie strength was gradually
sinking, and as there was no prospect of recovery, he
was killed. In this case, the true apoplectic puffing
of the cheeks was present the greater part of the
time.

  From the foregoing, and from additional experi.
ments, which it is not necessary to give in detail, it
appeared, that when applied to a wound made in the
most sensitive parts of the integuments, the oil a
tobacco, though it caused a good deal of pain, had a
far less general effect than when applied to the
tongue. Rats were less affected than cats. Two



14

 

UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



and sometimes three drops rubbed upon the tongue of
a rat, did not kill in half an hour.
  Three large drops rubbed upon the tongue of a full-
sized cat, usually caused death in from three to ten
minutes, and in one instance, already stated, in two
minutes andforty-Jive seconds. One drop passed into
the jugular vein of a large dog, occasioned an imme-
diate cry, followed in a few moments by staggering,
convulsive twitchings of the voluntary muscles, and
vomiting.
  In those cases in which full vomiting occurred,
evident relief followed.  Young  animals suffered
much more than those, which had come to their full
growth and vigor. In those animals, whose lives were
suddenly destroyed by the tobacco, no coagulation of
the blood took place. The bodies of several cats
were examined the next day after death, and only in
a single instance was a slight coagulum observed;
and this was in a cat, whose constitution possessed
strong powers of resistance, and whose death was
comparatively lingering.
  It is not improbable, that the charge of inhumanity
may be made against experiments prosecuted upon
defenseless animals, with a poison so painful and
destructive in its operation as tobacco; the justice of
this charge is freely admitted, if such experiments be
made merely for the gratification of curiosity, and not
with the object and reasonable hope of making them
useful to mankind, and of influencing, at least, some



1.5

 

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



few individuals, to abandon the practice (humane can
it be called) of administering this poison to them-
selves and1 their children, till it occasions disease and
death. Indeed, there are but few, wlho would wil-
lingly witness more than a single experiment of this
kind, with no prospect of benefit to result from it.
  When applied to sensitive surfaces of considerable
extent, even in a form somewhat dilute, tobacco often
produces the most serious effects. The tea of tobacco
has been known to destroy the life of a horse, when
forced into his stomach to relieve indisposition.
When used as a wash, to destroy vermin upon certain
domestic animals, tobacco tea has been known to kill
the animals themselves. A farmer not long since
assured me, that he had destroyed a calf in this
manner.
  " A woman applied to the heads of three children,
for a disease of the scalp, an ointmnent prepared with
the powder of tobacco and butter; soon after, they
experienced dizziness, violent vomiiings and faints
ings, accompanied with profuse sweats."  [Orfila.]
  The celebrated French poet, Santeuil, came to his
death through horrible pairis and convulsions, from
having taken a glass of wine, with which some snuff
had been mixed.
  The tea of twenty or thirty grains of tobacco intro-
dtuced into the human body, 1br the purpose of reliev-
ingr spasm, has been known repeatedly to destroy
life.



16

 

UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



  The same tea, applied to parts affected with itch,
has been followed by vomniting anrd convulsions. The
same article, applied to the skin on the pit of the
stomach, occasions faintness, vomiting, and cold
sweats.
  I knew a young man, who, only from inhalir thle
vapor arising from the leaves of tobacco immersed iii
boiling water, wvas made alarmingly sick.
  A medical friend fassured me that he was once
thrown into a state of great prostration and nausea,
from having a part of his hand moistened, for a few
minutes, in a strong infusiorn of tobacco.
  Col. G. says, that during the late war, under hard
service on th-e Canadian frontier, the soldiers not
unfrequently disabled themselves for dutty, by a)plyirg
a nloistene(1 leaf of tobacco to the armpit. It cause d
great prostration and vomiting. Many were suddenly
and violently seized soon after eating. On investiga-
tion, a tobacco leaf was found in the armpit.
  Dr. M. Long, of Warner, N. H., writes me, under
date of April 26, 1834, that, on the 6th of AMay, IS4.5,
he was consulted by Mrs. F. on account of her little
daughter L. F., then five years old, who had a small
ring-worm, scarcely three-fourthsof an inch in dliarne-
ter, situated upon the root of the nose. Der object
was to ascertain the Doctor's opinion, as to the iro-
priety of making a local application of tobacco in the
case. Ile objected to it as an exceedingly hazardous
measure; and, to impress his opinion more fuily,
              2



17

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



related a case, a record of which he had seen, in
which a father destroyed the life of his little son, by
the use of tobacco spittle upon an eruption or humor
of the head.
  Immediately after the Doctor left the house, the
mother besmeared the tip of her finger with a little of
the "'strong juice" from the grandmother's tobacco
pipe, and proceeded to apply it to the ring- worm,
remarkingr, that " if it should strike to the stomach it
must go through the nose." The instant the mother's
finger touched the part affected, the eyes of the little
patient were rolled up in their sockets, she sallied
back, and in the act of falling, was caught by the
alarmed mother. The part wvas immediately washed
with cold water, vith a viewv to dislodge the poison.
But this was to no purpose, for the jaws wvdre already
firmly locked together, and the patient was in a sense-
less and apparently dying state. The Doctor, who,
had stopped three-fourths of a mile distant, to see a
patient, was presently called in. The symptoms were
"coldness of the extremities, no perceptible pulse at
the wrists, the jaws set together, deep insensibility,
the countenance deathly."  He succeeded in opening
the jawvs, so as to admit of the administration of the
spirits of ammonia and lavender ; frictions were
employed, and every thing done, vhich, at the time,
was thought likely to promote resuscitation, but " it
was an hour, or an hour and an half, before the little
patient was so far recovered as to be able to speak."



is

 


UPTON LIFE AND HEALTH.



  " Till this time," says Dr. S., " the child had been
robust and healthy, never having had but one illness
that required medical advice; but, since the tobacco
experiment, she has been continually feeble and
sickly. The first four or five years after this terrible
operation, she was subject to fainting fits every three
or four weeks, sometimes lasting from. twelve to
twventy-four hours; and many times, in thoe attacks,
her life appeared to be in imminent danger. Within
the last three or four years, those turns have been less
severe."
  The foregoing facts serve to show, that tobacco is
one of the most active and deadly vegetable poisons
known ; it acts directly upon the nervous power,
enfeeblina, deranging, or extinguishing the actions of
life. Is it possible, that the habitual use of an article
of so actively poisonous properties can promote
health, or indeed fail to exert an injurious influence
upon health It will readily be admitted, that the
daily use of any article, which causes an exhaustion
of the nervous power, beyond what is necessarily occa-
sioned by unstimulating food and drink, and the
ordinary physical agents, as heat, cold, light, together
with mental and corporeal exertion, &c., is not only
useless but hurtful, tending directly to produce disease
and premature decay.   Stich is tobacco.  Ample
evidence of this is furnished by a departure, more or
less obvious, from healthy action, in the organic, vital
movements of a large majority of tobacco consumers.



19

 

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



  From the habitual use of tobacco, in either of its
forms of snuff, cud, or cigar, the following symptoms
may arise; a sense of weakness, sinking, or pain at
the pit of the stomach; dizziness or pain in the head;
occasional dimness or temporary loss of sight; palc-
ness and sallowness of the countenance, and sometimes
swelling of the feet; an enfeebled state of the volutn-
tary muscles, manifesting itself sometimes by tremors
of the hands, sometimes by weakness, tremulousness,
squeaking or hoarseness of the voice, rarely a loss of
the voice; disturbed sleep, startinlg from the early
slumbers with a sense of sulffocation or the feeling of
alarm; incubus, or nightmare; epileptic or convul-
sion fits; confusion or weakness of the mental facdl-
ties ; peevishness and irritability of temper ; insta-
bility of purpose; seasons of great depression of the
spirits; longfits of unbroken melancholy and despon-
dency, and, in some cases, entire and permnanent
mental derangenenlt.
  The animal machine, by regular and persevering
reiteration or habit, is capable of accommodating
itself to imp:essions made by poisonous substances, so
far as not to show signs of injury under a superficial
observation, provided they are slight at first, and
gradually increased, but it does not hence follow that

   I have recently seen two cases; one caused by the
excessive use of snuff, the other by the chewing of tobacco
and swallowing the saliva.



20i

 

UPON LIFE AND HEALTH.



such impressions are not hurtful.  It is a great
mistake, into which thousands are led, to suppose
that every unfavorable effect or influence of an article
of food, or drink, or luxury, must be felt immediately
after it is taken. Physicians often have the opportu-
nity of witnessing this among their patients.
  Trhe confirmed dyspeptic consults his physician for
pain or wind in the stomach, accompanied with
headache or dizziness, occasional pains of the limbs,
or numbness or tremors in the hands and feet, and
sometimes with difficult breathing, disturbed sleep,
and a dry cough, and huskiness of the voice in the
morning. The physician suggests the propriety of
his laying aside animal food for a time; but the
patient objects, alleging that he never feels so well as
when lhe has swvallowved a good dinner. He is then
advised to avoid spirit, wine, cider, beer, &c.; the
reply is, " it is impossible, that the little I take can do
me hurt; so far from that, it always does me good; I
always feel the better for it. I do not need any one
to tell me about that."  He is asked if he uses to-
bacco. " Yes, I smoke a little, chew a little, and snuff
a little." You had better leave it off altogether, Sir.
" Leave it off I assure you, Doctor, you know but
little about it. If I were to leave ofl smoking, I should
throw  up half my dinner."   That might do you
no harm, Sir. "I see you do not understand my
case, Doctor; I have taken all these g:ood things, for
many years, and have enjoyed good health. They

 

INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



never injured me. How could they have done so
without my perceiving it  Do you suppose I have
lived so long in the world without knowing what does
me good, and what does not"  It would appear so,
Sir, and you are in a fair way to die, without acquir-
ing this important knowledge.
  The poor man goes away, in a struggle between
the convictions of truth and the overwhelming force
of confirmed habit. Under the sustaining powver of a
good constitution, and in the activity of business, he
never dreamed of injury from the moderate indul-
gence, as he regarded it, in the use of stimulants, as
spirit, wine, tobacco, &c., till the work wvas done.
His is the case of hundreds of thousands.
  The vital principle, in the human body, can so far
resist the intluences of a variety of poisons, slowly
introduced into it, that their effects shall be unob-
served, till, under the operation of an exciting or dis-
turbing cause, their accumulated force breaks out, in
the form of some fearful or incurable disease. The
poison, which comes from vegetable decompositions,
on extensive marshes and the borders of lakes, after
being received into the body, remains apparently
harmless, in some instances, a whole year, before it
kindles up a wasting intermittent, or a destructive
bilious remittent fever.
  Facts of this nature show, that pernicious influences
may be exerted, upon the secret springs of life, while
we are wholly unconscious of their operation. Such



22

 


llPON LIFE AND HIEALTH.



is the effect of the habitual usc of tobacco and other
narcotics, and of all stimulants which, like them,
make an impression upon the wvhole nervous system,
without affording the materials of suipply or nutrition.
  It is an alleged fact, that, previously to the age of
forty years, a larger mortality exists in Spanish
America than in Europe. The very general habit of
smokinoa tobacco, existing amoong children and youth
as well as adults, it has been supposed, an(l not with-
out reason, might explain this great mortality. Like
ardent spirits, tobacco must be peculiarly pernicious
in childhood, when all. the nervous energy is required
to aid in accomplishing the full and perfect develope-
ment of the different organs of the body, and in
ushering in the period of manhood. I once knew a
boy, eight years of age, whose father had taught him
the free use of the tobacco cu(d, four years before.
I-le was a palle, thin, sickly child, and often vomited
up his dinner.
   TJ  inidividuals of se(lentary hlabits and literary
pursuits, tobacco is peculiarly injurious, inasmuch as
these classes of persons are, in a measure, (leprived
of the partially coutinteracting influence of air and
exercise. I hfave prescribed for scores of young men,
pursuing either college or professional studies, who
had 1)een more or less illjured by the habitual use
of this plalnt.
   Iii the practice of smoking there is no small
 danger.  It tends to )roduce a huskiness of the



23

 


INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO



mouth, which calls for some liquid. Water is too
insipid, as the nerves of taste are in a half-palsied
state, from the influence of the tobacco smoke; hence,
in order to be tasted, an article of a pungent or
stimulatingf character is resorted to, and hence the
kindred habits of smoking and drinking. A writer
in one of the American periodicals, speaking of the
effect of tobacco, in his own case, says, that smoking
and chewing "produced a continual thirst for stimu-
lating drinks; and this tormenting thirst led me into
the habit of drinking ale, porter, brandy, and other
kinds of spirit, even to the extent, at times, of partial
intoxication."  The same writer adds, that " after he
had subdued his appetite for tobacco, he lost all desire
for stimulating drinks."  The snufftaker necessarily
swallows a part of it, especially when asleep, by which
means its enfeebling effects must be increased.
  The opinion that tobacco is necessary to promote
digestion is altogether erroneous. If it be capable of
soothing the uneasiness of the nerves of the stotnach,
occurring after a meal, that very uneasiness has been
caused by some error of diet or regimen, and may be
removed by other means. If tobacco facilitate diges-
tion, how comes it, that, after laying aside the habitual
use of it, most individuals experience an increase of
appetite and of digestive energy, and an accumulation
of flesh'!
  It is sometimes urged, that men occasionally live to
an