1 



of the aroma, the quahty of the leaf and 

 the manner of preparation. Some flav- 

 ors are not the result of the sweating 

 or curing processes, nor yet due to the 

 quality or variety of the tobacco, but to 

 foreign substances added or to the mod- 

 ification of the curing method. The pe- 

 culiar flavor of the so-called ''Latakia to- 

 bacco" is due to the smoke made of the 

 v^ood of a pine (Pinus halopensis), to 

 which it is exposed for several months. 

 This tobacco is said to consist largely or 

 wholly of the flowering tops and even the 

 seed bearing capsules. In the manufac- 

 ture of cigars and better grades of 

 smoking and chewing tobacco the mid- 

 ribs are removed, but are not thrown 

 away, but generally added to the cheaper 

 grades of smoking tobacco and snuff to- 

 bacco. Crude as well as prepared to- 

 bacco is subject to deterioration after 

 curing. For example, Havana cigars 

 pronounced of excellent quality on leav- 

 ing the factory will deteriorate in flavor 

 and aroma after having been stored for 

 some time. This is supposed to be due 

 to the development of a microbe pro- 

 ducing a different aroma. 



No substance, whether animal, vege- 

 table or mineral has been the cause of 

 so ntUch discussion and variation of 

 opinion as to its utility as tobacco. As 

 one extreme may be mentioned an emi- 

 nent older botanist who questioned the 

 desirability of the discovery of America 

 by Columbus because as a result was 

 introduced into the civilized world this 

 poisonous weed. Others again cannot 

 find words suitable to laud its virtues, 

 considering it a plant especially created 

 for the benefit and pleasure of 'man, 

 without which life would be dull and 

 profitless. Similar differences of opin- 

 ion exist today. To get a reliable opin- 

 ion on the value of tobacco one must 

 not take the fanatical rantings of those 

 who believe every crime is to be laid to 

 the use of tobacco, nor yet the addle- 

 brained vaporings of those whose sys- 

 tems have been for years steeped in 

 nicotine and the oil of tobacco. As an 

 example of the latter may be cited Kip- 

 lings poem, "To My Lady Nicotine." 



The use of tobacco may be summar- 

 ized as follows : Tobacco contains a 

 very powerful poison, nicotine, named 



after Jean Nicot, the French ambassador 

 to Spain, who was instrumental in in- 

 troducing the plant in Spain and France. 

 Further, it contains oil and odoriferous 

 volatile substances. To one not accus- 

 tomed to the use of tobacco even very 

 minute doses of nicotine (1-7 gr.) pro- 

 duces severe symptoms of poisoning, ac- 

 companied by very depressing nausea, 

 vomiting, feeble pulse, muscular weak- 

 ness, extreme pallor and cold sweat; in 

 brief, there is an ''all gone" feeling. As 

 a rule the system recovers quite rapidly 

 from the awful depression. A tolerance 

 to the effects of tobacco is readily estab- 

 lished, as all who are addicted to its use 

 can testify. I have seen a tobacco chew- 

 er swallow the entire quid without any 

 noticeable ill effects. 



All unprejudiced authorities are agreed 

 that the habitual use of tobacco acts in- 

 juriously upon the system, no matter in 

 what form or manner it is used. It is 

 stated that there is no nicotine in tobacco 

 smoke, that is during the combustion the 

 nicotine is changed chemically, but it is 

 nevertheless true that there are more or 

 less poisonous gaseous compounds in the 

 smoke. Not only is the tobacco habit in- 

 jurious to the system, but it is also nasty 

 and filthy. The tobacco stench not only 

 permeates the clothing, but also the en- 

 tire system, the breath and the atmos- 

 phere about the users of tobacco. While 

 all tobacco habits are filthy, there are 

 degrees of filthiness. "Snuff dipping," 

 which is extensively practiced by men 

 and women of the poorer classes of the 

 south, is unquestionably the most filthy 

 habit. A stick moistened with saliva is 

 dipped into snuff tobacco and rubbed on 

 gums, teeth and tongue. Next in filthi- 

 ness is the old fashion of putting snuff 

 into the nostrils ; a habit which we are 

 pleased to note is rapidly dying out. 

 Next follows the chewing habit, which 

 is very extensively practiced by laborers, 

 with whom smoking is inconvenient or 

 forbidden; as sailors. I remember an 

 inveterate user of tobacco who smoked 

 and chewed at the same time ; he kept a 

 quid in his mouth during his meals and 

 took a big mouthful just before retiring. 

 The breath of tobacco chewers is sicken- 

 ing, and the discolored teeth and tobac- 

 co stained mustache and beard is dis- 



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