TOBACCO-SMOKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7222, 10 January 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOBACCO-SMOKE.

Zucix.-ky has recently published, in a Polish medical paper, the result of a largo series of experiments on men and animals made for the purpose of ascertaining the physiological action of tobacco-smoke on animals. He has found that the smoke is a powerful poison, even in very small quantities. In the case of man, tobacco-smoke, when not inhaled too freely, is only deleterious to a limited extent. Zulinsky declares that the poisonous character of the smoke is not entirely due to the nicotine which it contains. Tobaccosmoke rendered free from uicotine remains poisonous, though not to so great a decree as before. The second poisonous principle is an alkaloid, colidin. Carbonic oxide, hydrocyanic acid, and other noxious principles, are also contained in tobacco-smoke. The bad effects of excessive smoking depend very much both on the kind of tobacco consumed, and on the manner of consuming it. In cigarsmoking, the greatest amount of poison i 3 inhaled, in cigarettes much less, in pipes still less, whilst those who indulge in the nargileh or any similar luxury where the smoke is drawn through water, take tobacco in its least mischievous form. Such are Zulinsky's conclusions. There can be little doubt that many of the light-coloured tobaccos have been partially bleached in order to give them that pale tint which moderate smokers believe to be an infallible indication of mildness. The decolourising agent is suspected to be in many cases, a deleterious chemical compound. Some of the light tobaccos smoke exceedingly hot, owing to the quantity of wood fibre which they contain. This is especially the case with " bird's-eye," which is cut near the stalk of tne leaf, the slices of the midrib, thick in this part of the stalk, giving this variety of tobacco the characteristic appearanco from whence it derives its name. " Bird's-eye" is verg apt to cause slight inflammation of the tongue, on account of the irriant character and heat of its smoke : and together with other light tobaccos, must act very prejudicially in elderly smokers, who may be prone to cancer of the tongue or lip. Dark tobaccos are readily adulterated ; but when pure they are prebably the most wholesome for a pipe-smoking.—British Medical Journal.