THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 257 



74. Cigarette-Smoking. This form of taking tobacco is in- 

 jurious in two particulars that do not apply to the other forms. 

 The smoker of cigarettes, either voluntarily or involuntarily, 

 takes into his lungs a very large amount of smoke, and with 

 it that hurtful element, carbonic oxide. Again, there is an 

 excessive amount of adulteration of the tobacco in cigarettes ; 

 and one substance, opium, is largely so used, and is extremely 

 injurious. 



75. Snuff-Taking. In addition to the hurtful effects of 

 tobacco generally, snuff-taking is notoriously injurious to the 

 senses of smell and taste, and to the voice. 



76. Narcotics. The term narcotic is applied to different 

 substances derived chiefly from the vegetable kingdom, which 

 have the wonderful property of quieting pain and causing 

 sleep. Next in importance to alcohol, which belongs to the 

 narcotics, are opium (and its preparations), chloral hydrate, 

 hasheesh, and chloroform. 



77. Opium. Opium is the thickened juice of the poppy- 

 plant of India, and is commonly regarded as the most impor- 

 tant of the narcotics. Its active principle is morphine, which 

 gives the soothing property to laudanum, paregoric, and Dover's 

 powders. It is also used in nostrums to put infants t9 sleep : 

 but, unwisely used, often brings on a sleep that knows no 

 waking. 



78. Effects of Opium. Opium is particularly injurious to 

 the young, even small doses sometimes producing alarming 

 symptoms. Upon adults the external effects are not as notice- 

 medicine. The tobacco-worm is the only animal known to thrive upon 

 it." JP. H. Hamilton. 



"An illustration of the depressing influence of tobacco is given by 

 Dr. Jacob Bigelow, who states that soldiers, when wishing to shirk duty 

 and get on the sick-list, sometimes succeed in bringing on the symptoms of 

 alarming sickness by wearing a piece of tobacco under each armpit. The 

 skin absorbs sufficient of the poison to affect the system to a marked 

 degree." 



74. What Is said of cigarette-smoking ? 77. What is opium ? 



75. Snuff-taking ? 78. What are the effects of using opium ? 



76. What do you understand by narcotics ? 



