MANUFACTURE. 75 



in some parts of England for adulterating beer, and by 

 l^orter-sellers to adulterate porter. The country-labourer, 

 who cannot afford of an evening to buy more than a single 

 glass of beer, desires something for his little money which 

 shall not only be tasted in his mouth, but also in a sensible 

 degree affect his head ; a few tobacco-lea.ves, introduced 

 after the manner of hops, are said to give this quality to 

 the beer, and a little tobacco-extract to the porter. Several 

 trustworthy persons, who profess to know, assure me that 

 such a use of tobacco is by no means uncommon. How 

 is it possible to protect the poor man against fraudulent 

 persons, whom, by a morbid craving, he encourages to 

 conspire against himself?" 



Supposing the doctors to be correct in their 

 diagnosis — -in which they are almost universally 

 deficient — it is very probable that the " cases " 

 which they ascribe to smoking were actually 

 the result of tobacco taken internally in such 

 " hocuss'd " potations. All our drinks are more 

 or less " hocuss'd " or " flash'd," — all our food is 

 adulterated : it is therefore more than probable 

 that smokers, as well as others, have been 

 poisoned in their food and drink, and not by their 

 pipe or cigar. 



