NARCOTICS AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 139 



from bearing useful crops, but is also soon worn out so that 

 it will not produce any kind of a crop without large ex- 

 penses for fertilizers. Many fires are caused by the care- 

 less use of matches in lighting pipes and cigars. While 

 men often take strong drink because they may think it 

 may do them good, they chew and smoke only for their 

 pleasure. This tends to careless and wasteful habits of 

 living. A man is seldom so poor but that he will have a 

 smoke, even while his family may be compelled to live on 

 charity. 



273. Chewing gum. Chewing gum is made from pitch, 

 paraffin, and other thick and sticky substances which do 

 not dissolve in water. The gum itself has no effect, for it 

 is not dissolved and swallowed ; but the act of chewing it 

 causes a free flow of saliva when it is not needed, and 

 so there will be less formed during meals when it is neces- 

 sary for digestion. If gum from a dirty pocket is given to 

 another person it may carry disease germs. Beyond this, 

 chewing gum has little or no effect on the body. But its 

 use is uncleanly and is unpleasant to others. It seems 

 much like chewing tobacco, and refined persons avoid even 

 the appearance of evil. Its use may encourage boys to 

 chew tobacco later in life. 



274. Alcohol in cooking. In raising bread by means of 

 yeast, alcohol is always formed, but the heat of the baking 

 drives it off, so that all trace of it is lost. In preparing 

 puddings, pies, and cakes, brandy or wine is often added 

 to give them flavor. If they are cooked afterward, the 

 heat will drive off the alcohol and so render the dessert 

 harmless. If it is not cooked afterward the alcohol re- 

 mains in the dessert and may do as much harm as if it 

 were taken in the form of the original brandy. 



Even when all the alcohol is driven off from a dessert, 



