300 STIMULANTS AND NARCOTICS 



an irritating and then a paralyzing influence upon their 

 functions. As a result, the boy who smokes is apt to be 

 stunted in growth, nervous and lazy. He is poor in his 

 studies and of but little use in athletics. He is indif- 

 ferent to the wholesome ambitions of boyhood and tends 

 to seek the companionship of those who like himself are 

 principally occupied in trying to have a good time in a 

 more or less questionable way. In short, he is taking the 

 quickest and surest way of ruining his health and his 

 future prospects and of cheating his children of their 

 right to wholesome bodies and minds. 



This has been scientifically demonstrated in studies 

 made by Dr. Seaver of Yale University and by Dr. Hitch- 

 cock of Amherst College, upon the growth of students. 

 These showed that non-smoking students were markedly 

 taller and had larger chest girth and greater lung capac- 

 ity than those who smoked. As to their mental attain- 

 ments, the Hon. Andrew J. "White, formerly president of 

 Cornell University, says: 



I never knew a student to smoke cigarettes who did not dis- 

 appoint expectations, or to use our expressive vernacular, 

 "kinder peter out." I have watched this class of men for 30 

 years, and cannot recall an exception to this rule. Cigarette 

 smoking serves not only to weaken a young man's body, but to 

 undermine his will and to weaken his ambition. In colleges 

 having a large percentage of these futile personages they too 

 often give the student tone ; they set the fashion ; the fashion of 

 overexpenditure, of carelessness as to the real aim and glory 

 of college life. Cornell Sun, November 11, 1891. 



Stimulants: tea and coffee. Besides narcotics, the 

 most important substances which are often taken for the 

 feeling of well-being and strength which they give, are 

 stimulants in the form of alcoholic beverages, tea and 

 coffee. As we have already seen in our discussion of 

 food materials, tea and coffee may be occasionally used 



