PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. 49 



a mischief wWcli is unlimited, in a certain sense, almost 

 either as to extent or duration, the author will rest satis- 

 fied that his own exertions, with the powerful co-opera- 

 tion which he has received from others, have not been 

 in vain. He would earnestly indeed rejoice, if the na- 

 tional authorities here would adopt the same regulations 

 which obtain in Switzerland. There, we are told, " that 

 the Governing Council of the Canton of Berne have just 

 enacted, that young men who are as yet unconfirmed 

 (confirmation is administered in Switzerland between 

 the fifteenth and sixteenth year) are prohibited from 

 using tobacco." As the Council came to this determi- 

 nation in consequence of their belief in the deleterious 

 efiects of tobacco on the human frame, it seems equally 

 to be the duty of the Council to extend their regulations, 

 by a general prohibition, when they consider that the 

 health of the community is injured by the use of tobacco. 

 62. I consider it my duty to append Dr. Hassall's truly 

 valuable and warning remarks on tobacco smoking — to 

 whose long and truly invaluable practical labors in the 

 field, as well as by his writings on " adulterations de- 

 tected," the nation owes a debt of gratitude which never 

 can be repaid. " Tobacco owes its chief properties to 

 the presence of two active principles, termed nicotina 

 and nicotianin. The first of these, nicotina, is thus 

 characterized : It is liquid and volatile, with an acrid 

 burning taste, and possesses the strong odor of tobacco; 

 to test-paper, it shows an alkaline reaction ; water, ether, 

 alcohol, and the oils dissolve it. It combines with va- 

 rious organic and inorganic acids to form salts. 1000 

 grains of tobacco yield, according to the kind used, from 

 D 



