| It is generally agreed that the use of
| |
| | people. It need not be said that the
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| tobacco in Europe, as a means of
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| | question of intention, on the part of
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| inebriation, originated in the
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| | nature, is not much helped by the habitat
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| introduction of the leaves of the plant
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| | of the production used; otherwise we
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| into Spain from America. There is every
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| | might expect to find the northern races
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| reason to suppose that the plant
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| | less addicted to the use of this tropical
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| previously existed in Asia, if not from
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| | weed than those of the warmer regions.
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| the earliest times, though we have no
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| | We know that probably the contrary is the
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| very reliable authority for its having
| |
| | truth; but all our efforts to draw any
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| been used, at least to any great extent,
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| | conclusion for or against the adaptation
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| for any of the purposes to which we have
| |
| | of a race to a production of a climate,
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| devoted it. Various old authors report,
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| | are rendered futile by the teachings, not
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| that the ancients of the extreme East
| |
| | more of our religion, than of
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| were acquainted with the burning of
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| | naturalists, who insist for a central
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| vegetable substances as a means of
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| | point of origin for all races, and a
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| inhaling narcotic fumes, and, indeed,
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| | constitution suited to all climates. The
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| when we consider their love of incenses,
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| | safest position to hold is that a bad
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| both as a luxury and an element of their
| |
| | habit may be formed in any latitude, and
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| religious cult, we need not be surprised
| |
| | supported by any number of arguments,
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| at this; but we have no evidence that the
| |
| | where the wish still holds its mysterious
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| smoking of tobacco was known in the Old
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| | power over the conclusions of what we
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| World before the introduction of the
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| | call reason.
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| plant from the New.
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| | As regards the composition of tobacco, we
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| It was in 1492 that Columbus first
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| | have endless experiments in that nearly
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| beheld, at Cuba, the custom of smoking
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| | new science, Organic Chemistry, which
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| cigars; but it was not until some years
| |
| | seems to try the patience of industry
|
| afterwards that a Spanish monk recognized
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| | itself. There are some nine or ten
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| the plant in a province of St. Domingo,
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| | different substances, which go to the
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| called Tabaca. This is much more likely
| |
| | formation of a tobacco leaf, and these
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| foundation for the name of the herb than
| |
| | seem to change in their proportions
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| that adopted by some, who assert that it
| |
| | according to the condition of the plant.
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| originated in tabac, a tube used by the
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| | Setting aside starch, various acids, and
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| natives for smoking. That there was no
| |
| | salts, we come to what may be termed the
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| particular aptitude in the European taste
| |
| | essential element or principle called
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| for the use of this herb, seems evident
| |
| | Nicotina. These proportions of carbon,
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| from the very slow progress, which ensued
| |
| | hydrogen, and azotes, really tell to the
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| even of the knowledge of its qualities.
| |
| | analyst nothing from which he could
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| So late as 1560, when Jean Nicot, the
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| | predicate any thing certain as to the
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| French ambassador at the court of
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| | character of the compound.
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| Portugal reported of it to his sovereign,
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| | In this respect, all the formula of
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| scarcely any thing was known of the
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| | organic substances is nearly under the
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| foreign vegetable, and in place of the
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| | same mystery, a small difference in the
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| men who accompanied Columbus having taken
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| | proportions producing the greatest
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| to any imitation of the Cuban-natives
| |
| | difference in the combined results. But
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| when they returned to Europe, it would
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| | we can be under no mistake as to the
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| rather seem that the adoption of the pipe
| |
| | character of the element which is called
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| is attributable to an Englishman,
| |
| | Nicotina-a colorless liquid alkaloid,
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| Raphelengi, who, having accustomed
| |
| | with an acrid, burning taste. It is one
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| himself to it in Virginia, introduced the
| |
| | of the most intense of all poisons,
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| practice into England.
| |
| | approaching in ita activity the strongest
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| Sir Walter Raleigh does not seem to have
| |
| | preparation of prussic acid.
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| used the pipe until after the return of
| |
| | The other important element procured from
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| Sir Francis Drake in 1586, so that nearly
| |
| | the analysis of tobacco, is an oil called
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| a hundred years expired before even the
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| | nicotianin, supposed to be "the juice of
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| roots of the habit were fixed in the
| |
| | cursed hebanon" referred to in Hamlet. As
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| English people. Nor, probably, would the
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| | this oily substance is also a very
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| practice after this have spread as
| |
| | intense poison, differing essentially
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| rapidly as it did, if it had not been for
| |
| | from the alkaloid, and indeed it is
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| the persecution to which it was almost
| |
| | supposed to be capable of acting on
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| immediately exposed. If it is true, as
| |
| | different vital organs. We have thus in
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| has been said, that a few opposing
| |
| | tobacco two poisons-rather a remarkable
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| volumes will fix the roots of a heresy,
| |
| | fact in organic chemistry, where we find,
|
| we need scarcely wonder at the triumph of
| |
| | generally, only one very active principle
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| tobacco, against the use of which more
| |
| | at the base of any particular production
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| than a hundred fulminating volumes issued
| |
| | in the vegetable kingdom. It is indeed
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| from the press within a few years.
| |
| | asserted by Landerer, that there is none
|
| These observations suggest a reference to
| |
| | of this deadly oil in the fresh leaves of
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| the question, how far tobacco was
| |
| | tobacco; and Mr. Pereira remarks, that
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| intended for the use of man? The practice
| |
| | the substance must be developed in the
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| of the Cuban savages is seized by one
| |
| | drying of the leaves under the influence
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| party as a proof of a final cause,
| |
| | of air and water. The discovery; if true;
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| insomuch as savages are supposed to
| |
| | may free the weed from the charge of
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| follow the first dictates of nature; and
| |
| | possessing a double poison; but the
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| then comes the other party, who point to
| |
| | consequence is all the same to the
|
| the tardy adoption of nature's gift by a
| |
| | foreign consumer; who never sees the leaf
|
| civilized people as a clear proof that
| |
| | in its green state.
|
| the weed was not intended for the uses to
| |
| | It has been said that the smoke of
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| which it is applied. It is utterly vain
| |
| | tobacco, as analyzed by Zeise and others,
|
| to discuss questions of this kind. We
| |
| | contains nothing of the deadly alkaloid;
|
| have no elements for a proper judgment.
| |
| | and tobacco smokers have pleaded for less
|
| Perhaps, for aught we know, the American
| |
| | detrimental effects from the pipe or
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| savages were some thousands of years in
| |
| | cigar than from the quid, but I fear
|
| coming to the habit-at least we have no
| |
| | their conclusion is not very tenable; for
|
| reason to suppose that it could be a very
| |
| | the detrimental oil, as we in fact see
|
| primitive adoption.
| |
| | from the pipe itself, is largely
|
| Whether, indeed, man's custom, in most
| |
| | increased by the continued roasting and
|
| cases, is a proof of itself of nature's
| |
| | burning. We know; too, that the old pipe
|
| intention, must always be a puzzle; but
| |
| | is a favorite with the epicures; the more
|
| as we know that many very bad things are
| |
| | oil by which it is blackened the better
|
| greatly more natural to human beings than
| |
| | becomes the instrument; till it attains
|
| we would wish them to be, we have just as
| |
| | perfection as a mass of clay soaked with
|
| good a right to say for those to whom
| |
| | poison; and dried, and soaked and dried a
|
| good tendencies are delightful from the
| |
| | hundred times; so that the entire matter
|
| beginning, that nature intended they
| |
| | is imbued with the absorption.
|
| should do their best to eradicate what is
| |
| | On man, the physiological effects have
|
| hurtful, and reclaim their fellow
| |
| | been very minutely observed. I cannot do
|
| creatures from the indulgences of vice.
| |
| | better than give the words of Mr.Pereira:
|
| The true practical question must, in
| |
| | "In small doses, tobacco causes a
|
| short, always be what is beneficial and
| |
| | sensation of heat in the throat and
|
| what is hurtful, according to the results
| |
| | sometimes a feeling of warmth at the
|
| of our experience.
| |
| | stomach. These effects are, however, less
|
| The botany of our subject presents us
| |
| | obvious when the remedy is taken in a
|
| with seven or eight different species of
| |
| | liquid form, and largely diluted. By
|
| the plant, all affecting, more or less,
| |
| | repetition, it usually operates as a
|
| the warm latitudes. Virginia seems, of
| |
| | diuretic, and less frequently as a
|
| all regions, the best suited to its
| |
| | laxative.
|
| culture, and yields in great quantity the
| |
| | Accompanying these effects are often
|
| common or Virginian tobacco (Nicotiana
| |
| | nausea, and a peculiar feeling, usually
|
| tabacum). A more hardy kind (N. rustica,)
| |
| | described as giddiness, scarcely
|
| may be cultivated in such latitudes as
| |
| | according with the ordinary acceptation
|
| that of Scotland. This is the species,
| |
| | of this form. As dropsical swellings
|
| which has been found in Europe, Asia, and
| |
| | sometimes disappear under the operation
|
| Africa; and were it not for the
| |
| | of these doses, it has been inferred that
|
| restriction imposed by statute, we would
| |
| | the remedy promotes the operation of the
|
| produce it on rich soils in greater
| |
| | absorbents. It occasionally acts as an
|
| quantities than would be convenient for
| |
| | anodyne, or more rarely promotes sleep.
|
| our treasury, or beneficial to our
| |
| |
|
