RR 
sonous, that a single drop of it will destroy a 
large dog. Besides its nicotina, tobacco contains 
ammonia, sugar, bitter extract, resin, albumen, 
potash, nitric and muriatic acids, and some other 
principles, the whole forming different combina- 
tions. The free ammonia appears a result of 
fermentation, and arises from the decomposition 
of hydrochlorate of ammonia, naturally residing 
in the plant. Ifa green tobacco-leaf be crushed 
between the fingers, it gives out no other than 
the herbaceous odour common to all plants; but 
if the same leaf be triturated in a mortar, with 
a small bit of quicklime, or a few drops of caus- 
tic solution of potash, it immediately yields the 
well-known odour of snuff. The reason of this 
is, that the lime or the potash decomposes the 
hydrochlorate of ammonia existing in the leaf, 
and liberates the ammonia; the hydrochloric 
acid flies to the lime or potash water, whilst the 
chlorine and the metal uniting, are converted 
into chloride of calcium, or chloride of potas- 
sium. 
For the purposes of use and manufacture, 
the tobacconist spreads the fermented tobacco- 
leaves upon a stone pavement, and separates 
the bad from the good. This being done, the 
good leaves are watered, by successive layers 
one over the other, with a solution of common 
salt. They are then suffered to react upon each 
other during several days, according to their 
quality and the temperature to which they are 
exposed. At this period, a new fermentation 
arises, and more strongly develops the odorous 
principle of the leaf. The salt added to the 
tobacco is supposed to keep the leaf moist, and 
to temper the fermentative action, which might 
otherwise run into excess. The maintenance of 
moisture, however, is better effected by sea- 
water, which contains other salts besides com- 
mon salt, or chloride of sodium, some of which 
have still a greater tendency than it to deli- 
quesce. The leaves,after being thus prepared, are 
sorted and stripped of their middle stalk; when 
the larger are set by for making cigars, and the 
others, together with the stripped stalks, are 
appropriated for the manufacture of smoking- 
tobacco, chewing-tobacco, and snuff. “ Most of 
the tobaccos on sale in our shops,” observes Dr. 
Ure, “are mixtures of different growths. One 
kind of smoking-tobacco, for example, consists 
of seventy parts of Maryland, and thirty of mea- 
gre Virginia; and one kind of snuff consists of 
eighty parts of Virginia, and thirty parts of 
either Humesfort or Warwick. The Maryland 
is a very light tobacco, in thin yellow leaves; 
that of Virginia is in large brown leaves, unc- 
tuous and somewhat gluey on the surface, hav- 
ing a smell somewhat like the figs of Malaga; 
that of Havannah is in brownish, light leaves, 
of an agreeable and rather spicy smell,—it forms 
the best cigars. The Carolina tobacco is less 
unctuous than the Virginia; but in the United 
States, it ranks next to Maryland.” 
TOBACCO. 
Beneficial as, in some cases, tobacco may prove 
in its character as a medicine, its use as a luxury, 
in any form, is as injurious as its intoxicating 
properties are lamentably demoralising. It is 
generally used in one, yet often in two, of the 
three forms of smoking tobacco, quid, and snuff. 
At the commencement, it causes, like opium, 
intoxication and sickness; but by continued use 
in moderation, these unpleasant symptoms sub- 
side into a sort of fascinating, dreamy state of 
semi-intoxication, which insidiously attacks the 
health, making disease and disorganisation creep 
by silent and stealthy steps into the system, and 
drink up the spring of life until its fountain is 
drained. An immoderate use of tobacco pro- 
duces furious intoxication, and often dangerous 
delirium, much increased by the strong drinks 
which its stimulating properties incite the to- 
bacco-consumer to take. 
The most general of the three modes of using 
tobacco as a luxury is smoking. ‘Some seek in 
the inhalation of tobacco-smoke,” observes Dr. 
Ure, “a pleasurable narcotism ; others imagine it 
to be beneficial to their health; but, in general, 
smoking is merely a dreamy resource against ennui, 
which ere long becomes an indispensable stimulus. 
The filthiness of this habit, the offensive odour 
which persons under its influence emit from their 
mouth and clothes, the stupor it too often occa- 
sions, as well as the sallow complexion, black or 
carious teeth, and impaired digestion, all prove 
the great consumption of tobacco to be akin in 
evil influence upon mankind to the use of ardent 
spirits.” Smoking in any form, and with any 
kind of tobacco, may, for a time, give ease to 
the solitary or the sedentary, most of whom are 
afflicted with dyspepsia; but by degrees it makes 
an inroad into the system which nothing can 
repair, and this, of necessity, by the very man- 
ner of its action. It maintains, even in its mild- 
est form, the throat and its glands in a state of 
constant irritation, so as to excite unnatural 
thirst; it causes an excessive secretion of saliva, 
which is generally discharged, or, in more polite 
language, expectorated, and thus deprives the 
stomach of a fluid necessary to the deglutition 
and digestion of food, and robs the agents of 
digestion of a natural and necessary aid; it acts 
in such a manner on the brain as to produce loss 
of memory, and general deterioration of intellect; 
and, lastly, by its general action on the nerves, it 
generates not only depression of mind, but great 
infirmity of temper. We may add that, though 
for a short time it may prove a stimulus to the 
workings of genius, like the potent alcohol, it 
excites but to destroy; and many a highly-gifted 
smoker has survived the loss of that mind which 
rendered him the delight and ornament of his 
age and country. Every tobacco-smoker, too, 
has a tendency to become one of the most selfish 
and disagreeable of mortals; and though for- 
merly urbane and benevolent, he may soon be a 
greater nuisance on the street than a hog right 
