2. That it produces a good effect, and is indispensable to the enjoyment
of perfect health.
As this part of the enquiry is somewhat important, and since it regards
the success of our principles, we will examine these positions a little
in detail, to see how they are sustained by fact and experience.
If it produces no effect at all, why that universal uneasiness,
amounting as we have seen in some instances almost to distraction,
uniformly manifested by the consumers of this plant, when by accident
they are temporarily deprived of the means of indulgence?
If tobacco produces no effect, why fly to it as a solace for every woe,
as a refuge from affliction and trouble, and as a hiding-place from the
tempests of misfortune?
It will not, it _cannot_ be doubted, that, in its power to allay the
stormy agitations of mind to which we are exposed in our voyage over the
tempestuous sea of life, consists the latent excellence, the _summum
bonum_, of the virtues of tobacco. This sedative power will not be
questioned, by those who have ever witnessed its peculiar effects.
The medicinal effects of tobacco, as applied for the removal of
corporeal disorders, are nearly or quite destroyed by habitual use; but
with what success it is constantly resorted to, to allay anxiety of
mind, let its votaries answer.
A medical gentleman of high standing, in an adjoining county, who has
recently abandoned the common use of tobacco, informed me, that on a
certain occasion his muscular and vital energies were so overcome, by
chewing, that in attempting to put his horse into the stable, he was
obliged to lie down until he had so far recovered his strength as to
enable him to proceed to his house. Many other instances were related by
the same gentleman, of its injurious effects which he had observed, both
on himself and others; particularly in producing watchfulness, which it
was almost impossible for the greatest degree of weariness and fatigue
to overcome. Many others have frequently mentioned this fact to me,
since I began to investigate this subject. Now if tobacco produces no
effect, why are such results witnessed by its consumers, and why do the
candid among them acknowledge that these evils arise from its use? The
health of the medical gentleman above named was materially improved
after laying aside tobacco; and those to whom he recommended a similar
course, have experienced a like favorable result.
The second position is equally unsupported either by experience or sound
reasoning; and is contrary not only to all medical authority on this
subject, but against the investigations of other scientific men who have
chemically examined the constituent principles of tobacco, and who have
experimented largely to ascertain with precision its natural operation
on the living fibre. The lower order of animals have been selected for
these experiments. Given in substance to them, it has uniformly proved
fatal, even in very minute doses.
When its expressed juice or essential oil has been introduced under the
skin of pigeons, kittens, or rabbits, it produced violent convulsions
and often instantaneous death. Does any one doubt the correctness of
these experiments? He can easily satisfy himself of their accuracy, by
obtaining the oil of tobacco, and applying eight or ten drops to the
root of a kitten's tongue. The same deadly effects, as we have seen,
uniformly attend its first application to the human system, if taken to
any considerable extent. This is well understood by its consumers, who
are very cautious for many weeks, and even months, how they deal with
the poisonous drug.
By what transformation is a plant, so deadly in its effects when first
applied to the human system, afterward converted into a harmless article
of diet or luxury? No substance which God has made for the common use of
man, produces similar results; and if such be the fact in relation to
the article in question, in this instance at least the order of nature
is reversed, so that what in its nature is poisonous, becomes by habit
nutritious and salutary. If this be correct reasoning--farewell to the
success of temperance efforts! For _Rum_, after all, may be _convenient_
if not necessary, because its effects are not in every instance
immediately fatal; and because some, by dint of habit, can sustain with
slight _apparent_ injury, what to others unaccustomed to it would
produce instantaneous death.
The stale excuse, so often repeated by the lovers of tobacco, that they
have been advised to use it by physicians, for the mitigation or removal
of some bodily infirmity, may be urged with equal force and propriety by
the tippler and the sot; for many, very many, have been advised by
members of the Faculty, to drink the deadly draught, in some form or
other, either to ease the pains of dyspepsia, to allay the horrors of
_tedium vitae_, or to drown the anguish of a guilty conscience. And may
not many of these patients say to those of the Faculty, who give advice
for the use of either these stimulants: "Physician, heal thyself." Alas!
when will the profession be without any who use ardent spirit or
Tobacco.
In concluding, permit me to address a word to professors of religion on
this subject.
In whatever concerns the cause of virtue and morality, you have a deep
and an abiding interest. When Intemperance spreads abroad his murky
"wings with dreadful shade contiguous," and fills the land with tears of
blood--you look over this frightful _aceldama_ and mourn at the
soul-chilling spectacle. When infidelity and licentiousness exhale their
pestiferous breath, to poison the moral atmosphere and destroy the
rising hope of our country, by undermining the virtue of our youth; the
Christian's heart is pained, and every effort is put forth to stay the
march of desolation. In short, whatever tends to increase the prevalence
of vice, must be witnessed by real Christians with unfeigned regret.
"Manners," says a celebrated writer, "have an influence on morals. They
are the outposts of virtue." Whoever knew a rude man completely and
uniformly moral? The use of tobacco, especially smoking, is offensive to
those who do not practice it.
The habit of offending the senses of our friends or even strangers, by
smoking in their presence, produces a want of respect for their persons;
and this disposes, however remotely, to unkind treatment towards them.
Hence the Methodists interdicted the common use of tobacco with that of
ardent spirit, in the infancy of their society; thereby evincing a just
sense of the self-denial, decency, and universal civility required by
the gospel.
It is painful to witness among Christians the utter disregard of each
others feelings and the rules of propriety, which have obtained in
regard to these habits. They go into a friend's house, and after
enjoying the hospitality of his board, sit down to smoke their pipe or
cigar in his dining-room or parlor with the greatest composure; and that
too, without even condescending to enquire whether it is offensive;
supposing either that the appetites and senses of others are equally
depraved with their own, or that politeness will prevent their raising
any objection to a practice which has become nearly universal. When the
enquiry is made, it is understood to be nothing more than an apology for
unrestrained indulgence; and the host who should intimate that it might
be offensive to some, would be looked upon as having transgressed not
only the rules of modern politeness, but all the laws of hospitality.
Notwithstanding the extent to which smoking prevails, there are some in
almost every family, who are affected with giddiness in the head and
sickness at stomach, whenever they inhale the fumes of the pipe or
cigar, particularly at or near meal time. Yet all this suffering must be
endured, and the fine feelings of the family disregarded. And for what?
Merely to give a Christian, and perhaps a physician or a minister of the
gospel, an opportunity to gratify a vicious appetite which does him no
good, and which, philosophically considered, would disgrace any man who
pretends to be a gentleman.
"What reception," says Dr. Rush, "may we suppose the apostles would have
met with, had they carried into the cities and houses whither they were
sent, snuff-boxes, pipes, cigars, and bundles of cut, or rolls of hog or
pigtail, tobacco? Such a costly and offensive apparatus for gratifying
their depraved appetites would have furnished solid objections to their
persons and doctrines, and would have been a just cause for the clamors
and contumely, with which they were every where assailed."
And yet this very disgusting practice is considered, in these days of
gospel light and civil refinement, almost as an indispensable
prerequisite to fit a minister of Christ to prosecute successfully the
work of a missionary in evangelizing the world. Kindly expostulate with
such Christians, physicians and ministers of the gospel on the propriety
of their conduct, and they meet you with a multitude of the most
frivolous excuses.
One uses tobacco, as the tippler does his rum, as an antidote against a
damp atmosphere. Another, to prevent the accumulation of water or bile
in his stomach; and a third, as a security against the encroachment of
contagious diseases.
But Howard the philanthropist assures us, that it had efficacy neither
in preventing the hospital fever, nor in warding off the deadly plague.
Dr. Rush says, that at Philadelphia it was equally ineffectual, in
preserving its votaries from influenza and yellow fever. Excuse
ourselves as we may, it is at best a disgusting habit, persisted in
against the convictions of our understanding and the dictates of true
politeness, and adapted only to gratify a vitiated and unnatural
appetite.
It is, indeed, agreeable to observe, that the superior refinement and
regard to good manners, in some parts of the old world, have at length
awakened public sentiment on this subject.
We are informed by travellers, that smoking is disallowed in taverns and
coffee-houses in England, and that taking snuff is becoming
unfashionable and vulgar in France. How much is it to be lamented, that,
while the use of tobacco is thus declining in two of the most
enlightened countries in Europe, it is daily becoming more general in
America! "In no one view," says Dr. Rush, "is it possible to contemplate
the creature man in a more absurd and ridiculous light, than in his
foolish and disgusting attachment to the poisonous weed, tobacco." Who
then can witness groups of boys ten or twelve years old in our streets,
smoking cigars, without anticipating such a depreciation in our
posterity with regard to health and character, as can scarcely be
contemplated without pain and horror!
* * * * *
After the foregoing was in type, it was submitted to Doctor Warren, of
this City, with a request that he would examine the whole, carefully,
and give his opinion of it. He has kindly returned the following strong
testimonial in favor of the Dissertation, which cannot but secure it a
wide circulation, and the attentive perusal of every man who values
health.