104 tobacco: its use and abuse. 



health, and his generative organs showed no signs of 

 disease or decay. He stated that it was only during the 

 last few months that he had found his desire for con- 

 nection gradually decreasing, and that when he did 

 attempt it, his efforts were altogether futile, or only con- 

 summated after a long interval. On inquiry into the 

 supposed cause, amongst other matters, I found he had 

 latterly become a great smoker, sometimes smoking a 

 dozen cigars a day. Without particularly directing his 

 attention to that point, I ordered him to confine himself 

 to one cigar 'a day, at the same time ordering him a 

 ' placebo.' At the end of a fortnight he called again, 

 saying he was very much improved ; he had greater de- 

 sires, and more power of satisfying them. I now told 

 him he might resume his smoking, but continue the 

 medicine, to which he attributed all the benefit, telling 

 him that he need not call again unless he found him- 

 self worse. In a few days he returned with exactly the 

 same symptoms as at first. I was now convinced of the 

 cause, and ordered him entirely, though gradually, to 

 leave off the habit. He was at first unwilling to sub- 

 mit ; and it was not until I had repeated my former ex- 

 periment, with, if possible, more positive results, that 

 he consented. He has, I am glad to say, perfectly car- 

 ried out his good resolutions, and with a perfectly suc- 

 cessful result. 



*' This case, I think, satisfactorily proves that, in some 

 persons at least, tobacco is not the harmless luxury many 

 would make it; and I am sure this case has many paral- 

 his.'' 



