Except for the matter of brittleness unglazed 
clay is a most excellent pipe stem. Clay is 
usually cool, and very absorbent of the acrid 
oils occurring in the distillation of tobacco. 
When the end of a clay stem is protected by a 
rubber band, it forms a very good mouthpiece. 
Bone and other materials are also used as 
mouthpieces. Ebonite is used, but is objec- 
tionable because it spoils the flavor of the to- 
bacco. Celluloid is a dangerous substance and 
should not be used as a pipe stem. 
The smoker should avoid biting the mouth- 
piece as it roughens it. It is far better to dis- 
card a mouthpiece when it becomes indented, 
rough or worn in any way. A damaged mouth- 
piece should on no account be used when the 
lips are chapped or lacerated because the irrita- 
tion may, if continued, lead to ulceration and 
tobacco juice is not beneficial to skin lesions. 
SrecrAL Pipxs 
German pipes are, as might be expected, the 
most correct in scientific principle. The pipe 
ltas two bowls the upper of which is for the 
tobacco. This fits into a socket which allows 
the oils and aqueous solutions due to the dis- 
tillation to pass into the lower bowl, very little 
getting into the stem. The bowls are usually 
of porcelain and the long curved stem is of wood 
mostly cherry. 
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