58 tobacco: its use and abuse- 



The thin and wholesome blood; so did it minej 

 And a most instant tetter bark'd about, 

 Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust, 

 All my smooth body." 



Hamlet — Act i., Scene r. 



"The cigar, especially if smoked to the end, dis- 

 charges directly into the mouth of the smoker every- 

 thing that is produced by the burning. Thus, the more 

 rapidly the leaf burns and the smoke is inhaled, the 

 greater the proportion of the poisonous substances which 

 is drawn into the mouth. And finally, when the saliva 

 is retained, the fullest effect of all the three narcotio 

 ingredients of the smoke will be produced upon the 

 nervous system of the smoker. It is not surprising, 

 therefore, that those who have been alRistomed to smoke 

 cigars, especially of strong tobacco, should find any other 

 pipe both tame and tasteless, except the short black 

 cutty ^ which has lately come into favor among invete- 

 rate smokers. Such persons live in an almost constant 

 state of narcotism or narcotic drunkenness, which must 

 ultimately afi"ect the health even of the strongest. 



" The chewer of tobacco, it will be understood from 

 the above description, does not experience the efi"ects of 

 the poisonous oil which is produced ^uring the burning 

 of the leaf. The natural volatile oil and the nicotin are 

 the substances which act upon him. These, from the 

 quantity of them which he involuntarily swallows or ab- 

 sorbs, impair his appetite, and gradually weaken his 

 powers of digestion. 



'' The same remarks apply to the taker of snuff. But 

 tis drug is still milder than that of the chewer. During 



