TOBACCO AND ITS EFFECTS.

A large audience listened to Dr. Sargent's lecture yesterday afternoon on the effects of the use of tobacco. The specific cause for the existence of the desire of the human system for some substance of a narcotic nature, said Dr. Sargent, cannot be stated. It is sufficient to say that from time memorial it has existed, and has been recognized as a factor in the organization of the system. The means taken to gratify this desire are not universally the same but vary in different countries. But, unquestionably, tobacco is the most prominent of the narcotic substances and is the most generally used, especially with the civilized world. A curious fact in regard to tobacco is that wherever means have been taken to prevent its use, it will be found to have acquired the stronger hold. Noticeably is this so in Russia, where formerly the punishment for the first offence was a whipping, for the second, death; and in England, where the most strenuous efforts were made to prevent its introduction a movement which was largely impelled by King James' famous "Counterblast to Tobacco." The lecturer then gave an analysis of tobacco smoke, showing that it is largely composed of substances poisonous to the system, and pointed out the effect which each ingredient produced upon it. The effect which tobacco produces is dependent almost entirely upon the constitution of the person using it.

I can easily conceive, said Dr. Sargent, of a man's physical condition being such that he might use tobacco in a way that would do him good, but I never saw one who did. The fundamental cause of the injuriousness of tobacco is shown when a microscopic examination of the blood of a healthy person is made. The fact is then developed that the blood corpuscules are ranged regularly in rows, but in an habitual user of tobacco these corpuscules are not ranged in order but are apparently confused, and the liquid which supports them is much thinner. So that, for instance, a cut in the hand of a man who uses the weed requires a much longer time to heal than a cut in the hand of one who does not. Tobacco acts first as an irritant, then has no effect, and finally as a paralyzing agent upon one just beginning to use it, so that instead of its being an aid to digestion, it really retards it. With the heart it causes that palpitation and tremulousness that is so frequently observed, and is often the cause of vertigo. Its effect upon the optic nerve is to cause dimness of sight, and eventually to weaken the eye and bring on near-sightedness. The hearing is also affected by its use, a tendency being developed to hear imaginary sounds. Dr. Sargent said that in college the man who roomed above him was a great user of tobacco, and unfortunately was physically incapacitated from taking exercise. The effect of the weed was so marked upon his hearing as to keep him up half the night flaring a revolver to drive away cats, when in reality a cat was never seen there.

The idea that tobacco allays nervousness is exploded; as although by constant use of it the system becomes so accustomed to it as not at the time to exhibit any effect, yet it tends to irritate the nervous system. If it were not for the action of the liver and kidneys in throwing off the tobacco poison, a user of the weed could not live. The action of these organs is shown by the yellowish tint and puffed condition of the skin of the habitual tobacco user. Although it has been much discussed whether or not tobacco is good for a man when used moderately, yet there can be no doubt of its injuriousness to growing boys, as by retarding the waste of muscular tissue it prevents its replacement by new. When a man has a great mental strain upon him, tobacco is sometimes used with good effect, and also when he does no mental but only severe physical labor. A moderate use of tobacco, said Dr. Sargent, would be smoking twice a day. A smoke in a close room is twice as injurious as a smoke in the open air. A smoke before dinner is much more harmful than one after.