TOBACCO AND ITS EFFECTS. lOI 



" My observation strengthens my belief that the con- 

 stant use of tobacco creates and fosters a perverted taste 

 for intoxicating liquors ; the social ties of a chronic 

 tobacco-consumer exert a peculiar influence over him, so 

 as more easily to dispose him to the use of intoxicants." 



''The narcotic properties of tobacco undermine the 

 nervous system, and create what are called tobacco 

 diseases ; and the almost universal testimony is that all 

 topers, both young and old, first used tobacco freely." 



" The effect of tobacco in many cases is to produce a 

 depression of the heart's action, to overcome which a 

 strong desire for stimulants is established. This can 

 hardly be otherwise from the very nature of the case ; 

 since the nicotine of tobacco has a direct tendency to the 

 heart, affecting its action at once, and more or less in 

 proportion to the extent to which tobacco is used." 



" I will not make the charge, sometimes made, that 

 tobacco is a common stepping-stone to drinking, but all 

 our inebriate asylums consider it useless to try to reform a 

 patient so long as he is allowed to continue the use of 

 tobacco." 



Question 4. " In the treatment of any particular class 

 of disease, or of wounds and injuries, have you met with 

 any serious difficulty due to the habitual use of tobacco 

 by the patient? If so, give details." 



The answers to this question may be classified as follows : 

 Seventy per cent answer yes. Twenty-five per cent say 

 no, and the remainder make no reply. 



*' Inasmuch as the excessive use of tobacco interferes 

 with nutrition and absorption, should we not expect a 

 depressing effect upon the growth and repair of tissues ? 

 And since tobacco is universally acknowledged as a debil- 



