Tobacco : its history, nature, and effects on the body and mind : with the opinions of Rev. Dr. Nott, L.N. Fowler, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Hon. Horace Greeley, Dr. Jennings, O.S. Fowler, Dr. R.T. Trowler, and others / by Joel Shew.
- Joel Shew
- Date:
- 1851
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Tobacco : its history, nature, and effects on the body and mind : with the opinions of Rev. Dr. Nott, L.N. Fowler, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Hon. Horace Greeley, Dr. Jennings, O.S. Fowler, Dr. R.T. Trowler, and others / by Joel Shew. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![direct contact of the poison acting on the vitality of the part; second, through the effect of attrition in wearing them down; and third,indirectly by its pernicious effect upon the fluids of the system and the general health.* The gums are, in many cases, made to recede from the teeth by the use of tobacco ; and when this effect has once taken place, there is no possible means of mak- ing them adhere again. Persons often lose teeth in a perfectly sound state, merely by having the gums be- come loose about them. Dr. J. C. Warren, of Boston, judiciously observes, that while tobacco can have no materia] effect in preserving the bony substance of the teeth, it has a sad influence on their vitality, by impair- ing the healthy action of the gums. THE MOUTH. It cannot be affirmed that tobacco has any specific effect in causing diseases of the mouth, but that it in- jures this part as any other powerful irritant might do, cannot be questioned. The gums, as well as the tongue and lips, are very subject to that serious and painful affection, cancer. Dr. Warren, before quoted, is as * Concerning the effects of tobacco on the teeth, Dr. Alcott observes: But, granting the most which can be claimed for tobacco in the way of preserving teeth—grant that it benumbs the nerves, and thus, in many instances, prevents pain—grant, even, that it occasionally precludes all other decay, except the premature wearing out of which I have spoken— still, the general truth will remain, that it injures the gums and'the lining membrane of the mouth, stomach, and alimentary canal generally, and, in fact, of the lungs also; and thus not only prepares the way for various diseases (to be mentioned hereafter), but spoils the beauty, injures the soundness, and hastens the decay of these organs. It was no doubt the intention of the Creator, that the teeth should last as long as their owner. Yet, ,n how few of a thousand tobacco-chewers, or smokers, or snuff- takers is this the result!](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21153930_0054.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
