Tobacco helps to fill our insane asylums. Dr. Butler, of Hartford, and
others, have assured me of the fact. "I am personally acquainted with
several individuals, now at lunatic asylums, whose minds first became
impaired by the use of tobacco."
"In France, the increase in cases of lunacy and paralysis keeps pace,
almost in exact ratio, with the increase of the revenue from tobacco. From
1812 to 1832, the tobacco tax yielded 28,000,000f., and there were 8000
lunatic patients. Now the tobacco revenue is 180,000,000f., and there are
44,000 paralytic and lunatic patients in French asylums. Napoleon and
Eugenie, assisted by their subjects, smoked out five million pounds of
tobacco the year before they went on their travels. Take notice. As ye
sow, so also reap."
Sir Benjamin Brodie, before quoted, says, "Occasionally tobacco produces a
general nervous excitability, which in a degree partakes of the nature of
_delirium tremens_."