128-3 
The production of this narcotic for its specific use as before intimated is enor- 
mous, and increasing rapidly from year to year, the United States alone raising 
472,061,175 lbs. in 1880, or nearly double the product for 1870. The estimated 
annual production of the globe is placed at about 3,000,000 tons! which, taking 
the world’s population at present (1882) to be 1,433,887,600, would furnish each 
individual, without regard to age, sex, or condition, with over 4% lbs. 
As an habitual narcotic its modes of use are various. I place them here in the 
order of their harmfulness: Chewing without expectorating, inhalation of the 
smoke, chewing and expectorating, insufflation of snuff, and smoking without 
inhalation. The leaves are prepared for use,—after passing through processes 
which tend slightly to militate against the poisonous properties,—in the form of 
twists soaked in molasses or liquorice, for chewing, called plugs ; shredded leaves 
more or less pure, for chewing or smoking, called fize-cut; finely-broken leaves, 
sometimes bleached, for smoking, termed granulated tobacco ; rolled into cylindri- 
cal forms, either pure or saturated with nitre, as e¢gars and cheroots ; rolled into 
small cylinders and wrapped in paper, as ¢zgare(tes ; pulverized and kept dry or 
damp for insufflation or chewing, as suff ; and many other minor forms. 
Its exhibition internally as a drug, must be conducted with the greatest care 
and watchfulness according to the susceptibility of the patient and the potence of 
the preparation. It was formerly quite esteemed as an anthelmintic, emetic, anti- 
spasmodic, cathartic, and sialagogue. Externally its forms of application were 
many in hemorrhoids, various skin diseases of man and beast, spasma glottidis, 
rheumatism, ulcers, tumors, and kindred affections. 
Its officinal form in the U.S. Ph. is now simply Fovia Tabaci ; its former officinal 
preparations were dismissed at the 6th revision, 1882. In the Eclectic Materia 
Medica the preparations are /njusum Tabaci, Oleum Tabact and Unguentum 
Tabact. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The generic effects of Nicotiana being 
almost, if not quite identical in each species, and as the physiological effects have 
been gathered from all sources, varieties, and uses, the leaves of any fully-developed 
plant may be used. Place the dried and finely-cut leaves in a bottle, cover them 
with five parts by weight of alcohol, and allow them to stand at least eight days, 
well stoppered, in a dark, cool place. The tincture may then be pressed out and 
filtered. If prepared from Havana leaves, which contain the smallest percentage 
of nicotia, it presents a clear orange-brown color by transmitted light, the charac- 
teristic penetrating odor and taste of the plant, and only a slight acid reaction. 
Nicotinum.—A Solution of one part by weight of the volatile alkaloid zzcotia 
in 99 parts of absolute alcohol. : 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Nicotia,* C,,H,,O,- This volatile alkaloid 
exists in the leaves and seeds of all species of the genus nicotiana, from which 
it may be extracted by aqueous or alcoholic distillation. The process best calcu- 
lated to extract the full amount is Laiblin’s modification of that of Schleesing,+ 
_ *Nicotina, nicotin, nicotylia, nicotine, tabacine. = $ Annal. d. chem., vol. 196, p- as < i 
ee 
