The Trial of Tobacco 3 1 



its very popularity awakening attack. On tobacco 

 wits and satirists made merry ; againstsmoking divines 

 launched their thunders, and with the pipe moral 

 philosophers waxed exceeding wroth. The critics, 

 detractors, and enemies of tobacco soon had a leader 

 worthy of their cause. James I. of England hoisted 

 his portentous banner, and with his wisdom-whetted 

 sceptre led the motley horde against the strongholds 

 of tobacco. 



The increasing popularity of smoking caused a 

 division in the ranks of science. Introduced into 

 Europe as an invaluable drug by doctors, they stood 

 as its sponsors before the Old World, and ascribed to 

 it more virtue than even it possessed. The nations 

 accepted the medical testimony as true, and found 

 tobacco the one thing needful to make life worth 

 living. It soon ceased to be used strictly as a 

 medicine ; people found it most palatable in those 

 forms which required not the apothecary's art. In- 

 stead of going to physicians for nicotian ' sireps,' 

 unguents, pills, and infusions, they smoked, snuffed, 

 and chewed tobacco. Finding this precious herb, a 

 source of great profit, slipping from their sole 

 guardianship and dispensation, most doctors attacked 

 its use under all circumstances. They drew lurid 

 pictures of the dried-up brains, wasted bodies, and 

 fearful deaths of smokers and snuffers, and wrote 

 ponderous tomes detailing the slow and horrible 

 effects of tobacco. Still, there were not wanting 

 doctors who upheld its virtues ; physicians waxed 

 wroth with each other on the great question, ' to 

 smoke or not to smoke.' Meanwhile, the people 



