PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL VIEW. 87 



increased consumption of tobacco is the increase 

 of diseases in the nervous centres, — insanity, 

 general paralysis, paraplegia, and certain cancerous 

 affections." 



At a meeting of the Medical and Chirurgical 

 Society of London, Dr. Webster read a paper on 

 the Statistics and Morbid Anatomy of Mental 

 Diseases, in which he cites the great use of tobacco 

 as prominent among the causes, supporting his 

 opinion from statistics as to insanity in Germany. 



Strong testimony on this subject follows from 

 various institutions for the insane. From the 

 Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Insane Hospi- 

 tal : "The earlier boys begin to use tobacco, the 

 more strongly marked are its effects upon the 

 nerves and brain." From a report by Dr. Kirk- 

 bride of this Hospital : " Six cases of insanity 

 were clearly attributable to the use of tobacco." 



From Dr. Harlow, at the head of the Maine In- 

 sane Asylum : " The pernicious effect of tobacco on 

 the brain and nervous system is obvious to all 

 who are called to treat the insane." 



From the Superintendent of the New York 

 Insane Asylum : " Tobacco has done more to 

 precipitate mind into the vortex of insanity than 

 spirituous liquors." 



From Dr. Bancroft, for many years at the head 

 of the Insane Asylum, Concord, New Hampshire : 

 "I have known several cases of insanity most 

 unquestionably produced by the use of tobacco 

 without other complicating causes, and which have 



