REMARKS ON TOBACCO. 
217 
REMARKS ON THE PROPERTIES, CULTIVATION, 
AND PREPARATION OF TOBACCO. 
The tobacco of commerce is prepared from the leaves of se¬ 
veral species and varieties of Nicotiana, a genus of plants 
belonging to the order Solanaceae in the natural arrangement, 
and to the Linnaean class Pentandria, order Monogynia. The 
kinds principally cultivated for this purpose are N. Tabacurn, 
with some of its varieties, and N. macrophylla; but in the 
climate of England, when grown for private use, N. rustica is 
often substituted. The tobacco plant was first brought into 
Europe by the Spaniards from America about the year 1560; 
and was introduced into England at a subsequent period. 
This popular narcotic is probably in more extensive use than 
any other ; and its only rival is the betel of the East. From 
being the solace only of the Red Indians of America, it has 
become one of the- luxuries of the rich, and almost a necessary 
of life for the poorer inhabitants of a great portion of the globe. 
“ Tobacco, as used by man,” says Du Tour, “ gives pleasure to 
the savage and the philosopher, to the inhabitant of the burning 
desert and the frozen zone. In short, its use, either to chew, to 
smoke, or in powder, is universal.” Its introduction into almost 
every country has met with determined opposition from the 
authorities; but at the present time, all the European so¬ 
vereigns, and many others in different parts of the world, derive 
a considerable part of their revenue from it. 
The active constituent of tobacco is supposed to be an essen¬ 
tial oil, for by long boiling the decoction and extract of tobacco 
become inert; and by distillation an oil so powerful and active 
is obtained, that a wound from a needle dipped in it is sufficient 
to kill a small animal. The juice expressed is manifestly acid, 
and contains a great portion of albuminous matter, supermalate 
of lime, acetic acid, nitrate and muriate of potass, muriate of 
ammonia, and a red matter soluble in alcohol, and an acrid 
principle called narcotin, also soluble in alcohol and water. 
In medicine tobacco is exhibited in various forms; when 
chewed it causes an increased flow of saliva, and sometimes 
relieves the toothach; reduced to powder, it proves an ex¬ 
cellent errhine and sternutatory when snuffed up the nostrils, 
VOL. iv. no. xn. 22 
