THE USE OF THE WEED. 25 



1892. Tobacco smoke was passed from ten to thirty min- 

 utes through the interior of hollow bells lined with gelatin 

 containing disease germs, and it was found that the bacilli 

 of Asiatic cholera and of pneumonia were destroyed. 



Dr. Kerr says that, though not having used tobacco 

 for many years, he would not think of going through a 

 yellow-fever ward, unless after a full meal, without a 

 lighted pipe or cigar or cigarette. "There are many 

 persons," he continues, "cultured and uncultured, but 

 especially the former, who, after an exhausting day's 

 work with head or hands, are so worn out and irritable 

 that everything appears wrong, from the cooking of the 

 food to the playfulness of the children, but who, when 

 they have had a smoke, are pleased with themselves and 

 all the world besides." 



Dr. Kerr, after long and patient investigation, car- 

 ried on through years under the most favorable condi- 

 tions for arriving at the truth, declares that tobacco 

 never impairs or destroys moral capacity or leads to of- 

 fences against morality or to acts of criminal violence. 

 "The poison of tobacco," he says, "has effected phys- 

 ical injuries, but appears to leave untouched the con- 

 science and the moral sense." Nor does he believe the 

 habit of using tobacco increases the desire to use other 

 stimulants or narcotics. Indeed, it would seem, from 

 the concurrent testimony of all nations, that among 

 those in which tobacco is most generally used there 

 appears to be the least liability among the inhabitants 

 to contract the habit of using morphine, opium, cocaine, 

 hasheesh and other obnoxious and more injurious drugs. 

 So it may, with truth, be said that if tobacco has no other 

 merit, it at least diminishes the desire among those 

 habituated to its use of wishing to substitute more dele- 

 terious substances in its place. 



An almost complete answer to the assertion that 

 tobacco is highly injurious to the health of those who 



