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South Canterbury Times, Issue 4978, 10 April 1889, Page 4

Writing to tbe Argus with regard to the effect of tobacco smoke on typhoid fever, a “Medical Student” says:—“Some 12 months ago my attention was cusually directed to the fact that very few employees in our tobacco factories were attacked by typhoid fever. Thinking that tobacco might have some effect on the typhoid virus, either as a preventative or a curative agent, I made frequent and systematic inquiries of cases coming into the hospital. I find that over 72 per cent of the males admitted suffering from typhoid fever were nonsmokers. In more than one case I found the patient had been a smoker, but had given up the pipe some little time before contracting the fever. When these facts are considered, in connection with the assumption that the female cases were non-smokers, I think that, at the least, it must bo admitted tliat tobacco lias a prophylactic effect, and I feel convinced that careful inquiry by the members of the faculty will show it, and mayhap result in tobacco being used to prevent, if not to cure this fell disease.”