MEDICINAL ACTION. 139 



down upon a heap of tobacco, and wake up cured or 

 relieved. Dr. Berthelot uses with suceess in those diseases 

 a cataplasm of linseed in a strong decoction of tobacco. 

 Keveille' Parise has proved the efficacy of tobacco in gout. 

 Pointe, Merat, and Delens consider tobacco a prophylactic 

 against intermittent fevers. At Paris these diseases are 

 rare or mild ; at Strasbourg M. Ruef observed that species 

 of fever amongst his workmen. We have mentioned its 

 reputed j^reservative action against the sweating-sickness, 

 typhus, and dysentery. M. Gasc has noticed the rarity of 

 the itch and vermin amongst the workmen who manufac- 

 ture tobacco. Five of the ten physicians attached to the 

 State-manufactories concur in the opinion that pulmonary 

 consumption is rare amongst the workmen, and that its 

 course is less rapid in those who bring with them the 

 developed germ of the malady : two of them deny the 

 immunity ; three do not mention it. M. Euef is positive 

 on the subject — whilst 'other facts confirm the contrary. 

 In no case was consumption shown to have been stopped 

 or cured ; at least the facts i^roduced hitherto are wanting 

 in scientific rigidity. This point remains to be cleared 

 up : the government has it in view." * 



Mr. Dodd, in his 'Manufactures of Great 

 Britain,' makes no allusion to any inconvenience 



* Levy, vbi supra. I remember seeing in the papers the 

 notice of an observation made at the time, that not a single 

 case of Asiatic cholera occurred in the houses of the tobacco- 

 nists. This refers to the first visitation. Mr. Lizars, in his 

 brochure, thinks smokers and snuff-takers especially liable to 

 that disease, I regret that the impression left on my mind 

 after reading his tract compels me to withhold belief from 

 any of his assertions whatever. 



