45 



great nor so lasting as that of wine or anient spirits, and 

 it has some advantage over these stimulants in being 

 followed by less collapse or depression. 



Of late years the hygienic effects of tobacco have been 

 closely investigated in France, where the manufacture of 

 it is a Government monopoly, carried on by 5,000 workmen, 

 employed in ten large factories in Paris, and some of the 

 other towns. It appears from tbe report of the Academy 

 of Medicine, that most of the workpeople, on being first 

 exposed to tire emanations from the fermenting and 

 pulverised tobacco, suffer from a sort of intoxication, 

 pain in the head, loss of appetite, and sleep, sickness, 

 and diarrha?a. These symptoms, however, disappear in 

 from eight to fifteen days, and, though a peculiar anaemic 

 state is frequently developed in the course of two 

 years or more, the workpeople often live to an advanced 

 age. It would also appear from the report that there is 

 really some ground for the belief that tobacco exerts some 

 preservative influence against epidemic and infectious 

 diseases. From all, however, that has been brought to 

 light, it would seem that tobacco must still rest its claims 

 to the support of its votaries upon its supposed harmlessness, 

 and its power of producing a temporary gratification by 

 exciting the system, and thus removing the exhaustion of 

 mental or bodily fatigue. 



oriUM. 



Opium contains many proximate vegetable principles. 

 The alkaloidal morphia is the most active, and it is the one 

 on which is dependent the excitement and enjoyment of 

 the opium eater. 



The stimulant effects of opium are experienced by opium 

 eaters in the highest degree, after they have acquired the 

 habit of taking it in considerable quantities. Its effect 

 upon such persons is to remove the usual state of depression 

 and irritability of temper experienced during the intervals 

 of using it — to raise the spirits, to render the individual 

 cheerful and conversable, his ideas clear and collected, and 

 bis mind more capable of deriving enjoyment from any 

 occupation in which it usually takes pleasure — such as 

 music, poetry, reverie, or the dreaming of the imagination. 

 Opium, and the muriate of morphia, having the very 

 desirable qualities of producing calmness and a collected 

 state of tbe ideas, with activity of mind and fluency of 

 languago, have been recommended for, and I believe used 

 by, persons who have had to speak in public. These very 



