Tobacco may be used medicinally, but it is a dangerous and uncertain
remedy, and it probably has not one medicinal use that cannot be more
suitably met by other remedies. One can readily imagine easier
digestion as the result of the sedative influence of the after-dinner
cigar upon a disquieted nervous system, especially if the coincident
irritation of alcohol and coffee have need of correction; but it can
also be imagined that in most of such cases the remedy has been the
cause of and will further increase the disordered condition, and that
nutrition of deficiently nourished nerve tissue is rationally
indicated rather than partial narcotization. There then remains, so
far as I can see, the solace of moderate anaesthesia and, occasionally,
of occupation for idlers, as the only items that can be placed to the
credit of tobacco. There certainly are individual cases where such
usage may be more provocative of physical benefit than evil, but,
before judging for the race as a whole, compute the other side of the
question.
Tobacco injures the general health of the public through the economic
loss caused by its consumption. The people of our country spend
annually over seven hundred millions of dollars for tobacco--twenty
per cent. more than is spent for bread. This sum represents only a
minor part of the cost of the tobacco habit to the country.
Pages:
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163