Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THJ We Real Extent c 25PEI CEN ' Thirty-thre We want the ei to get theii S SIUMTE Mml it Ur . I i I In THE BARBEROUS CUSTOM or SMOKING ,By W. A. Bloedorn, A. &C, M. D. Lieut.-cCmmnander, Medical Corps U. S. Navy. The world war is responsible for many changes in our social and econ ornic life and there is no doubt that, due to its stimulus, national prohibi tion became a fact. The tendency in this direction has long been manifest but it required the excitement incident to the great conflict to secure the necessary legislation and to reconcile the people themselves to accepting na tional prohibition as a necesisty. One hears on all sides now the query Will tobacco be next to go? and it4 is but natural that tobacco should loom u pon the horizon, assume a position of greater importance and1 command more attention than ever before. T[he war has served to bring tobacco into the limelight and it may be interesting for us to inquire regarding its place in a civilizedl community, and the reasons for its almost universal use, before ar riving at any hastly conclusions. D~uring the wvar, the demand for "smokes" for men in the service we 4 cr.ormous. Tobacco funds, subscrip-. tions andl donations, were sougth from one end of the country to the other. Newspaper and perI'odical wvaged ac tive campaigns for funds andl with unch success. This demiandl was not felt in the United States alone, but in ail lthe belligerent natisms similar campaigns were carried, on, and even in the few neutrals the need for the sedative and soothing effects of Lady Nicotine were quite manifest. This unp~recedlented demand was re-I cognized by the government and the entire outp~ut of factories in some cases was taken over and sent directly to men in the service. However, all this activity was by noI moans unopposedl. There was much active .criticism and opp~osition to the; campaign on the part of many indivi dluals, societies, and organizations. The harmful effects of the promiscuous; use of tobacco were p~ointed out as well as the danger of encouraging and I spreading a habit which was variouslyI characterized as wasteful, extravagant t and unnecessary. The opposition, however good a case they had, nevertheless appeard to be in the minority and the longer the war lasted the feebler became their pro t esta tion s. The fact remains that large amounts of tobacco wvere sent across to men in the service and equally large amounts consumedl in camps on this side; in fact so great was the de mandl from these mnen that civilians in many cases found the wveed dlimelult to obtain. Now that the war is over and the troops are returning to civil life, what has been the effect of catering to this demand ? H~ave the opposition proved their contentions? Has the promis cous distribution of tobacco had a harmful effect? Were men rendered ize it Fully. M of Sacrificing i REDUC r ON2 very Garment in the 3loaks, Sweaters, ro on Sale until furthe )ur Goods are all Plain Figui !e Years of Le itire public We share S Mr. gu mnfit for service by over indulgence in ,obacco? To answer these questions, the best -vidence obtainable no doubt conies lirectly from the officers and men hemselves. That tobacco filled a much felt want >y the men, there is abundant evidence o prove. That this craving was; rreater than would have obtained had hese men remained at their usual oc upations, must be admitted. Let us analyze this demand. Upon mtering the service the average man s surrounded by greater restrictions han he was accustomed to in civil ife. His entire existerce is subject ;o regulations. He arises in the1 niorning, and goes to bed at night at set time. Ihis meals, his hours of Irills, of recreation, and liberty are ixed and vary but little from day to lay. The service means a complete hange in many cases of habits and mnvironment, the breaking up of amily ties, and finally the inculcation )f that sometimes elusive but neces.. anry quality, dliscip~line. It requires a -endjustment of the individual to an mntirely new situation in life. The1 mse with which this adaptation tona iew environment is madfe has an im lortant bearing on the future course >f the indlividlual. lits here that the solace obtained 'ronm tobacco has a beneficial effect. t provides an outlet for pent-up emo-I .ion; it soothes, reconciles, and satis-4 les. A little Philosophy inspired b~y a :riendIly smoke serves to ease an in olerable situation and the harshness >f life apoparsl~ less harsh when view dI through the haze of a fragrant loud of tobacco smoke. When an in Ilividual can bring himself to say, 'after all it m'ight be worse," it is notI iecessary to surround him wvith guardls .o prevent suicide or desertion. And here is abundant evidence to prIove ,hat tobacoe helps greatly to inspire' mech an attitude and does it with the ninimunm of after-effect. Again, take the situation of the nan of the at the front and about to get his first taste of shell-fire; awvait ng forth order to advance, held in re ;erve, but likely to be called up any ninute, wvith shells dropping about mnd an1 occasional com radle picked off, >ut still waiting. Inaction, having the dlpearance of calmness and yet great4 urmoil within, repressing emotions4 vhichi struggle for expression; under hese circumstances the cigarette be-j ome~s priceless, Hie selects one with trent care, concentrates his entire at - ;ention upon preparing it. ie lights t carefully, inhales dleeply, watching' he glowing tip intently, Ie blows mUt a larige cloud of smoke and feels maxier. He is doing something, he ins found an outlet and this activity e'ssenis the tension. Again ,a ft er a lar d dlay's work, ired, with food prepared with diflicul.. y, depressed and somewhat homesick, 1sk the doughboy or sailor what he wants and invariably the answer is, 'a smoke." Tobacco is a means of diversion which far from interfering with a man's nerfoemance of duty attahe N4EI le Propose D( III Our Profi HLON Store, without a solii 3kirts, Shirtwaist r notice at 25 per cc Marked in adership--Prc give you the Shoes hoes in Stock, Ladie RT iini to it and renders it less burden ;ome. In a campaign where a man's *esources are so limited, there is iothing so trifling as to be devoid of ralue. And the testimony of men who iave seen service is overwhelmingly i favor of its use. But granting that it produces a ,ood mental effect under these condi ions, what about its effects on the )hysical man? Also, now that the war is over and he men are returning to their more or ess peaceful pursuits, wh yeontinue ts use, in fact why not actually pro iibit its use ?' The effects of the habitual use of to acco have been dliscussed from every onceivable angle and with much ninuteness from the time of its first nitrod uction, some investigators con ending that it is entirely harmless vhen nmodlerately used, while others scribe numerous evils to its use. One "rench writer has gone so far as to Lttribute the defeat of his nation in he wvar of 1870 to the prevalence of -igarette smoking. The effects of tobacco smoke are (de cribed by nmost investigators as be ng due practically entirely to the iicotine contained in it. There are ther toxic constituents, hut their unntity is so small as to b~e practic ible negligib~le. The effects of nico ine vary considleraly in dIitferent in ividuals. Considerable tolerance is equired by continued use so that mod riate (loses soon lose al Itheir un leasant acut(e effects. IIlowever, ab olute tolerance is never reached. Increased pulse ra te, heightened ood-pressure, iriri table heart, and oxic amblyopia are a fewv of the un owaird sympl)oms ascribed to the use 4 tobacco. And yet considering the arge number of smokers we must ad nit that it is very rare that an in di 'idlual seeks relief for one of the above ondit ions. Let us consider the reasons for the ise of tobacco in civil life. Why do >eople smoke ? What is the basis of his almost universal craving which obacco seems to satisfy ? Will the vithdrawval of tobacco entirely lead to my untoward effects? If we smoke entirely for the phy iological effects of the activ'e princi >les of tobacco, which are absorbed luring the act of smoking, we could ibtain these active principles in pill >r tablet form and adnminister them nuch mor~e cheaply, accurately, and -ilicient ly than b~y the act of sm(ok nig. Y'et who would he sa tisfied with a abelt containing his usual dose of licotine instead of hiis satisfying af er-dinner cigar? What soldier await - nig the order to adva nce wo(uldl be oothed and cal med by a nicotine pill nstead of his friendly eigarette? We must go) back further than the >hysiological effect of the drug itself ,o explain its action. The pleasure lerived from a smoke is dependlent >robably more on the acti itself than m the physiological action of nicotine mnd its allied alkaloids. TIhe pleasurable effect hegins even )efore' the cigar of cigarette is l ight - sI The smoker co runl aselct a lAS dng Everything Is for the Benei IADYRTON :ary exception, includin s, Petticoats, Undt ,nt Off of price Thc Salesman wi cent from yoi gressive Methc ilso. Every pair of 2 s' and Children's, Z BI inspects his cigar and the preparation of the tobacco for smoking erceives much attention. All these things re flect the state of mind of the indivi dual. Then the sound of the lighitng match, the sight of the curling smoke and the glowing tip, the aroma of the burning leaf, the familiar taste, the touch and feel of the cigar or cigar ette; all of these factors combine to produce the pleasurable effect. The appeal is not to one sense but to all the senses, and the psychic effect re sulting from this stimulation of the senses is far more important to the smoker than the physiological effect of the nicotine absorbed. Destroy or impair any of the special senses and the effect of tobacco becomes imme dliately interfered with. It is a mat ter- of common knowledge andI obser vation among smokers when suffering from a cold which impairs the senses of taste and smell, that they dlerive little enjoyment from smoking. Smoking in the dairk or when un able to see the smoke or the glowing til) is most unsatisfactory. In other: words, while the action of nicot ine and the associated active principles of to bacco, is probably in sonme degree re spnil or the effect of tobacco, it wol pear to be nearer the tr-uth to ay hatmen smoke in spite of this action and not because of it. The inicreased pulse rate and height ened b)00lood p rur noted ini somei cases following the use of tobacco and ascribed by investigators -along this l ine to nicot ine abtsorn~ed ,are not con - dic ive to pleasu.'rable sensat ions on the part. of thie inidi vldidua concerned aind we are safe in assumning that it is, not for- this etfecet that lhe i ndulgesi tobacco. T1he effects wh(ich aplpealmi roe to the smioke r are soothiing, sedlative, tendinig toiwarud rela xat ion, conitenit less acutely awarie of hiis own short coinlgs and more tolerant of the shor-tcom ings oif hiis aiss~c iates. The hiistor yof t oba(cco, its dliscovery ' and use in the New World, its i ntro dluctioni into the Old WVorld , and the ma nner in which the habit is sp~read form an interest inig cha~pter andi( one& which is well worthyv of in vestigaitioni. Its use wa~s uniknowni to Europeans he fore the discovery of thle New World, but following its introduct ion the habit spread withI g.-eat rapid ity de spite (lie nmost vigorous means taken to stamiip it ot. Amnongj the aibori ginles of A merica the use of toblacco was wvidlely pr'eva lent. Thew practice of sniok im wits bhserv - ed by (lhe comnpaniiions of ('olumibus on heir first voyage. It waus first iintroi dutced inito Spain by some of thle foE Itowers of Columiiibus on hiis seconid vo v age, who returned a bout .I 12. Ini trodlucedl inito thle Bruit isit Isles abtout 1660 it was not uintIi 18;ha h plaunt ani d its use were wvidely known and that Raleigh distinguishedu hiimself by growvinig tobacco on hiis estate and himiself snioking pubicely. lItroi.i Spiain 'anil iinglanid the use of tobacco spread by degrees over- all the known wvorldl. In A merica the cuii (Con tiniiued ont page 6) 1 CO:ME! in Our Power to the rit of Our Customers. PER _____ 2 CENT g, Suits, Dresses, rwear and Hats, 11 take off 25 per Lir entire bill. ds Still Our Watchwords '5 per cent Sale Starts OFF Immediately. South Carolina. Kill That Cold WithI CASCARA *QUININE FOR AND Colds, Coughs ]p,41 La Grippe Neglected Colds are Dangerous Take no chances. Keep this standard remedy handy for the~ first sneeze. Grippe in 3 days-E~xcellent for H Iadache Qunine In thispa for deinot affect the head--Cascara is best Tonic ALL DRUGGISTS SELL IT Hill Plumbing and Heating Co. Water Works, Lighting Plants, PLUMBING, H EATING, PIPELESS FURNACT3, .REPAIRS. Next Expr 1ss Office. Phone 155 MANNING, S. C. A Bank Account offer's you a safe andl( sane way of reaching your goal-whatever it may be-it assures for youI your banker's interest in you r futunre wel fudre and is at once the only sure and1( dependlable way in which you may obtain p~ermanen~ft success. FIRST NATIONAL BANK. W. C. D)AVIS, President. J. A. WIlN BERG, Vice-President.