TOBACC(f AND ITS HISTORY. 21 



that, but polluting the pure atiiiosphoro of lioaven, which others 

 have a rigl t to brciithe uniiiolestctl, with the noxious effluvia 

 from liis person. But, worst of all, transmitting to his posterity, 

 the germs of diseiiso and death, again to be entailed upon other 

 generations to a remote posterity. This lamentable, but scien- 

 tific principle, e.stablished by the law of in/ieriknice, is undeni- 

 able. It is also not to be denied, that many a smoker has vir- 

 tually murdered his wife or child, by compelling them (o 

 breathe the ])oison of Tob.icco-smoko in tlu'ir own dwcHing, 



TIIK FIltST Dl.SCOVERV OF THE POISONOrS ELEMENT 



of Tobacco Mas made by two ( niinont clxMuists of (^'eniiuny, 

 named Passelt and Reimann, in the year 1S2S. L'ltcr investi- 

 gations have confirmed their statement, which is now univcisally 

 received liy the clien)ical facidty as infallible. 



Ptcgai'ding this poison let us investigate through standard 

 witnesses. I'ron-ir^ Kltiniuf^ of P/^./sloloiji/ and //i/;/t'')/e, one; 

 of our high school text l»ool:s, states at page L^j:') : " Tobacco is 

 among the most powerful oi" the narcotic })oisons which the 

 vegetable kingdom affords. * "^^ As alcohol is the active 

 l)oison in all the various forms of intoxicating drinks, so Nkottup 

 is the exhilarating agent in Tobacco, whether it bo cliewed, 

 smoked or taken as snuff. * * Tobacco exerts its character- 

 istic influence on the intellectual functions. Its action is slow, 

 and its (>xhilaration at any time almost impcrceptil)le ; but in 

 a series of years it works most disastrous consetpiences, ini|)air- 

 iiig first the power of decision — tlie will power ; after that the 

 memory feels its efTects, the finer moi-al feelings are ])lunted, 

 uiul the mental perceptions — the powers of abstract thought- - 

 are impaired, and the whole mental fabric, slowdy undernn'ned, 

 falls into ruin. So stealthy is its approach, so insidious its 

 march, that neither the victim nor his fiiends suspect the cause 

 of his feeble health and failing mind ; an i even when the faith- 

 ful physician has the sagacity to detect the cause, and profes- 

 sional honor enough to tell the whole truth without concealment 



