THE CIGARETTE BACILLUS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 11, 14 March 1891, Page 20

THE CIGARETTE BACILLUS.

‘ I BELIEVE you have a son, madam,’ said the seedy-looking person who stood between the lady of the house and the back yard. ‘ Well, what concern of your'n is it if I have twenty sons ?’ * The interests of the human race, madam, are my interests. Your son is at this moment on the cigarette route to destruction. You have heard of Professor Koch’s cure for consumption, I surmise ?’ ‘ I have.’ The seedy one struck a liberty-enlightening the world attitude and said :

‘ And I, madam, have discovered a cure for cigarette consumption. It is a secret which I keep locked in my overcoat breast pocket. But common humanity demands that I save your son from his fate. I am essentially an afterdinner speaker, however.’

The woman gave him a square meal, and after the chap had distended himself to a terrible degree he wrote a few magic words on a piece of paper, breathed on it, and gave it to his hostess, with the monition: ‘ Open in three minutes. It is a sure cure. Good-bye.’ Then he went away quickly. The paper, when opened, disclosed the -words : ‘ Kiir the boy.’ But the philanthropist had drifted thence.