CHAPTER XVII 



THE HYGIENE OF TOBACCO 



As a medicine — Physical constitution of tobacco — Constituents 

 — Ash — Nicotine — Quantity in various kinds of tobacco — 

 Ash — By-products — Bitter oil of pipes not nicotine — Why 

 smoke from pipe blue, from mouth gray — Nicotine not 

 inhaled — Tea, coffee, and potato poisonous — Action of 

 tobacco — Overdose — Effects not organic — Smokers' throats 

 — Excess — Indigestion — Shortens life (?) — As a prophylactic 

 — Best form of smoking : pipe, cigarettes, or cigar ? — Lancet 

 on cigarettes — Hygienic notes for smokers — Cigar-smoking 

 — Cigarettes — Pipe tobacco — Lancet on pure tobacco. 



As we have seen, tobacco was originally hailed as a 

 panacea for all ills, as an omnipotent weapon in the 

 physician's armoury. As late as the present century 

 it was still used in some diseases. Tobacco wine, 

 made by steeping an ounce of tobacco in a pound of 

 Spanish wine, was administered for dropsy. Sir 

 Astley Cooper regarded it as the best drug for the 

 reduction of hernia. At the present time there is 

 only one preparation (an infusion in water) of tobacco 

 in the British Pharmacopoeia. Though disowned by 

 doctors, the common people have received it gladly, 

 and as a comforter and soother of life's worries tobacco 

 labours more effectually for the happiness of man 



