On the uses of narcotics and stimulants and their effects on the human constitution / by Kanny Loll Dey.

Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the uses of narcotics and stimulants and their effects on the human constitution / by Kanny Loll Dey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    subject of enquiry whether tobacco, iu whatever form taken, has an injurious effect on the health of man. Those who deprecate its. use on the score of its injurious tendency often base their assertion on mere fanciful theories. They have not been able to adduce a single fact based on chemical or physiological enquiries which would entitle their theories, to credit. I cannot, however, forbear mentioning- a theory which, though similarly unsupported, is still deserving of consideration, and our experience in some way seems to give to it a colour of truth. It has been main- tained that amongst the constituents of tobacco, there are some nicotin and empyreumatic oil which have poisonous properties, and which, if inhaled by persons in green youth, when their or- gans are in a state of development, have a tendency to stunt then- growth and give their persons an appearance of dryness and emaciation, and when tobacco is indulged in by a youthful pair, their offsprings will be of a diminutive size, sickly, and bony;—all these evils, it has been urged, are caused by the above poisons having the power of arresting the inhalation of oxygen in respiration.* Whatever truth there may be in the theory itself, the effects sup- posed are, I believe, in many cases apparent in this country amongst those who are addicted to an early indulgence in the use of this weed. I will quote some of the other evil effects which tobacco in any one of its forms is said to produce. When smoked to excess, specially by persons unaccustomed to its use, it produces nausea, vomiting, in some cases purging, universal trembling, staggering, convulsive movement, paralysis, torpor, and death. Another authority has the following: “ Tobacco disorders the assimilating functions in general, but particularly, as I believe, the assimilation of the saccharine principle. Some poisonous prin- ciple probably of an acid nature is generated in certain individuals by its abuse, as is evident from their cachectic looks and from the dark and often greenish-yellow tint of the blood. The severe and peculiar dyspeptic symptoms sometimes produced by inveterate snuff-taking are well known; and I have more than once seen such cases terminate fatally with malignant disease of the stomach and liver.” Great smokers also are said to be liable to rodent ulcers and cancerous affections of the lips. “ Excessive use of snuff blunts the sense of smell, alters the tone of voice, and occa- sionally produces dyspepsia and loss of appetite. In rare cases it ultimately produces apoplexy and delirium.”! Dn Pereira and * Dr. Richardson, f Dr. Prout.
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