COMMUNICATIONS AND EXTRACTS. 81 



101. In a recent correspondence with Mr. Anton, he 

 thus states : " I am convinced that a soldier, who is an 

 inveterate smoker, is incapable to level his musket with 

 precision, and without shaking his hand, so as to take a 

 steady aim at the object he is desirous to hit." . . . 

 *^ Your remarks," says he, " bring back to my recollec- 

 tion many instances of that nervous trepidation, which 

 rendered many a brave man useless as a marksman or 

 musqueteer." 



102. The British soldiers, says Mr. O'Flaherty, had 

 no tobacco at the battles of Alma, Balaklava, or Inker- 

 mann, while the Russians had too much, both of tobacco 

 and raki ; and that he never saw stronger men or more 

 noble soldiers than the Russians. 



He also says that he has known men, who, previous 

 to their using tobacco, were the finest marksmen, and 

 could send a bullet through the target at 800 yards dis- 

 tance; but who, after they had commenced to smoke 

 and chew tobacco, became so nervous that they could 

 scarcely send a bullet into a haystack at 100 yards dis- 

 tance. In this statement, O'Flaherty is confirmed by a 

 'eoldier of the Scots Fusilier Guards. 



103. Here I may remark, that surgeons, especially 

 operating surge's, who smoke tobacco, cannot have the 

 Bame cool head and hand, as he who never uses the weed. 

 The late Mr. Liston never smoked. Before performing 

 any important operation, he took a gallop over the Pent- 

 land Hills to brace his nerves. 



104. Dr. M'Cosh, once a professor in the Calcutta 

 Medical College, who had much experience in the East 

 Indies, having served in the Bengal Medical Staflf in 



