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             Washington
Founded 1836
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               AN

  EXPERIMENTAL DISSERTATION

'  <><£*/ /   0NTHE   C     X   '
CHEMICALAND MEDICAL PROPERTIES

              OF THE

      Nicotiana Tabacum
                OF
           L I N N JE U S,
      COMMONLY KNOWN BY THE NAME OF

           70BACC0.
       By EDWARD BRAILSFORD,
• F CHARLESTON, SOUTH-CAROLINA, MEMBEK. OF THE MEDICAI,
    AND CHEMICAL SOCIETIES OF PHILADELPHIA.
        PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED BY JOHN ORMROD, N9. 41, CHESNTJT
          STREET.
       <•    I799- 
^ 
               AN




    INAUGURAL DISSERTATION,




         SUBMITTED TO




       THE EXAMINATION



              OF THE ,




REF. JOHN EW1NG, S. T. P. PROFOSl;




               THE




TRUSTEES axMZEDICAL PROFESSORS




              OF THE




  UNIVERSITY of PENNSYLVANIA,




          FOR. THE DEGREE OF




       DOCTOR OF MEDICINE,




    On the sixth day of June, 1799. 
                        TO
          ALEXANDER BARON,  M. X>.
                       OF
     CHARLESTON, SOUTH-CAROLINA.

    J7ERMIT me, kind Sir, thus  publicly  to avow
my acknowledgment for  the many civilities I have hither-
to received from you and your amiable family, when under
your tuition:  a period that I  ever reflect  on with the
warmeft glow of pleafure: and accept my aflurances,  that
in every ftage of life, I fhall preferve that friendfhip and
grateful remembrance of your judicious council,  which
you have infpired by your attentive concern for my welfare
and which fhall  never be erafed from the mind of
                 Your afFe&ionate Friend
                         And Pupil,
                       EDWARD  BRAILSFORD. 
                   TO
        SAMUEL WILSON, M.  D.
                   OF
   CHARLESTON SOUTH-CAROLINA.
  DEAR SIR,
    I EMBRACE this  opportunity, of  avow-
ing the lively fenfe I entertain of your amicable
difpofition towards me, when under your imme-
diate care,  and  afTure you in the  language of
truth, that a grateful recollection of your friend-
ly admonitions will ever warm the breaft of
                Your affectionate Pupil,
               EDWARD BRAILSFORD. 
                    TO
       JAMES IFOODHOUSE, M. D.
         Professor of Chemistry
                  in THE
     UNIVERSITY of PENNSYLVANIA.
   SIR,
    ALLOW me t > adopt this mode of expref-
fing my acknowledgment, for the many teftimo-
nies of friendfhip I have experienced  from you,
and fuffer me at the fame time to declare that a
grateful remembrance of the many favors you
have conferred, will ever be retained by
                  Your affectionate  Friend,
                EDWARD BRAILSFORD. 
             CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION,    -    -    -    -

                   CHAP.  I.

     The natural hiflory of tobacco, and  of its
firfi introduction as an article of luxury.

                   CHAP.   II.

     A concife account of the influence of tobacco
on  living fyfiems, illujlrated with a few  ex-
periments.       -
                   CHAP.   III.

     Obfervations on the noxious effecls of tobacco
on the human, fpecies when ufed in the form of
fmoking, fluffing, and chewing.

                   CHAP.   IV.

     Of the prejudicial effecls  of the ufe of to-
bacco on the moral faculty.
                   CHAP.   V.

     Of the analyfis of tobacco, and the operation
 §f its conjiituent parts on  living fyfiems,

                   CHAP.  VI.

     Obfervations on the experiments.

                   CHAP.   VII.

     An account of  its medical virtues in eradi-
 cating certain difeafesi     - 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.
    A.  A branch of the tobacco plant.
    B.  An interior view of its bloffom.
    C.  A pofterior view of its bloff>m.
    Fig. i. Reprefeuts a feed velTel in a ftate of maturity.
    Fig. a. A tranfverfe feftion of a feed veffel, which exhibits the
diftnbution of the feeds.
    Fig. 3. A longitudinal fcftion of a feed veffel.
    Fig. 4. Acalix, with the five (lamina z\\0 the piftillum.
    Fig. 5. Reprefents a longitudinal  icttion of a bloffom,  which
dews its internal ftru&ure.
    Fig. 6. A fpecies of phaloeiia, or butter-fly, very common on
the bloffoms of the tobacco.
    F15. 7. The tobacco worm.
    Fig1. 8. The root and fome of the inferior leayci. 
INTRODUCTION.
      VV HEN we explore  the extenfive  regions of the
 globe, and contemplate the  many plants which the benefi-
 cent difpofer of all things has given as ufeful ornaments to
 the earth, and at the fame time reflect that through the ig-
 norance or indolence of man, many of thofe valuable fub-
jects are permitted to wither in our fields or forefts, without
 ever attracting the attention of  thofe mortals, for the alle-
 viation of whofe corporeal  infirmities they were indubita-
 bly intended, many unpleafant ideas muft natural !y intrude
 themfelves on our minds—Regret is  awakened in  our
 breads at the inactivity of our anceftors, whofe unpardona-
 ble floth has fuffered difeafes to exift as opprobria medicines
 for the  relief  of which many plants inconteftibly flourifh,
and which from inattention or fome other omiffion equally
culpable, die neglected, and anfwer no valuable purpofe but
to fertilize the foil which gave them birth.

     The free inhabitants of the United States of America,
 would merit additional cenfure were tney to evince a fimi-
lar fupinenefs.   Pofleffed  of pre-eminent  advantages  for
rendering valuable acquifitions to the Materia Medica, their
neglect of fuch purfuits would prove a national difgrace,
and be confidered by their pofterity equally criminal as the
moft heinous offence againft civil government.

    Inhabiting a vaft extent of territory, it would be arraign-
ing divine goodnefs, not to  fuppofe, that he has  beftowed
with a liberal hand, fources of alleviation to  thofe miferies,
which were incurred by the  lofs of our primeval innocence. 
                     f     "     )
    Ithasbeenjuitlyobfervedbyavery learned author,* that,
"the ftrength of a ftate is not to be computed by extent of
country, but by the number of its citizens, and  the utility
of their labour."   This fhould actuate us in  the purfuit  of
ufeful knowledge,  fo  as  to render the extent of country
which we inhabit more ufeful and more wealthy, whereby,
not only our literary character as a nation, but alfo our li-
berty and independence will be effectually eftablifhed.

     That there are plants diffufed all over the great conti-
nent of America, endued with the moft active medical vir-
tues, is incontrovertible ; but to ufe the words of the poet,

      " Full many a flower is born toblufh  unfeen,
      " And wafte its fweetnefs on the defert air."

    The induftry and wifdom of man are now the only re-
quifites to develope thofe virtues, and render them benefi-
cial to mankind.

     To the honour of our infant republic, the fcience of me-
dicine has been  laudably promoted by the invaluable ac-
quifitions of the  profeffor of botany and materia medica in
the univerfity of Pennfylvania, with a view to cultivate an in-
timate acquaintance with the indigenous plants of this coun-
try.—The literary fame of this gentleman is too well known
to require any eulogy from my penj he has  with as much
ingenuity as induftry, paved the way to facilitate the future
refearches of men  of fcience, and in language peculiarly
pleafing and defcriptive,  has given an agreeable animation
to ufeful facts, fo as to render them not only  grateful to the
reader, but alfo truly beneficial  and interefting.

     Were  candidates for medical honours  to purfue this
laudable example of  their preceptor, they would enrich the
               * Rollin's Arts and Sciences. 
                     (     »     )
 Materia Medica with many valuable  articles; but, unfor-
 tunately for this branch of fcience, a depraved predilection
 for the  thread worn fubject of difeafes, tempts  them to
 launch their bark  into the dangerous fea of controverfy,
 and frequently without the neceffary implements for th«
 effectual execution of fuch an undertaking.

     Attracted by the oftentatious  glare of hypothetical
 reafoning, they frequently adopt with avidity theories the
 moft extravagant and fallacious, and without examining the
 folidity of the  opinions  they embrace, confide entirely to
 the judgment  of  others, and  with the greateft temerity
 rifque their reputation on that unfubftantial bafis.

     When philofophy fhall be efteemed an indifpenfable
 appendage to the medical character,  then fhall fuch incon-
 veniences ceafe to exift.   The fufceptible mind of  man,
 enlightened by the rays of philofophy,  will then diffipate
 the clouds of ignorance, and experimental  enquiries fhall
 then be cherifhed as the fureft vehicles to truth.

     I have been prompted to adopt  the fubject of Nico-
 tiana, not from  any vain idea of my ability to do ample juf-
 tice to the medical qualities of this plant, but from  an an-
 xious folicitude to contribute my mite towards the promo-
 tion of one of  the moft ufeful branches  of  fcience,  and I
 truft that from this confideration, my experiments and opi-
 nions will be examined with an eye of lenity, but, at the
 fame time, with candour and impartiality.  I  have to regret
extremely, that a ferious indifpofition, for near two months,
 unfortunately precluded my entering as  minutely into the
analyfis of Tobacco, as I at firft contemplated ; but I  have
endeavoured to atone  for this deficiency,  by attending par- 
                     C     is    )
ticularly to its influence on the fyftem, and alfo to the re-
fpedtive operations of its conftituent parts.

     The exhibition of  Nicotiana, as a medicine, for the
mitigation of many difeafes to which mankind are incident,
has been unfortunately but little  attended  to by phyficians.

     The deleterious effects with which it  is endowed, and
the fuppofed danger of exhibiting it on this account, have
led medical  characters  to depreciate the worth of a medi-
cine, whofe benign influence, by a judicious adminiftration,
in eradicating certain difeafes, has, in many inftances, been
evidently confirmed.

     It has been declared, by fome fuperficial obfervers, to
be ufelefs, from the repeated proofs of  its  inefKcacy in mi-
tigating the violence of thofe difeafes, in which, many more
accurate inquirers have afTerted it proved beneficial.  Others
have allcdged, that the baneful powers,  with which it is re-
plete, diffuade from an ufe of  it.   Tn confequence of thefc
chimerical affertions, a medicine which would prove a valua-
ble acquisition to the Materia Medica, has been almoft en-
tirely expunged from modern practice.

     If  we were to admit fuch injudicious opinions to go-
vern our reafon, in felecting medical plants, how few would
be the number which  would engage  the attention of the
timid and injudicious practitioner !  for in  the hands of fuch
only are powerful medicines rendered injurious, and in the
hands of fuch alfo the moft lenient prove obnoxious.  The
invaluable aphorifm of Dr. Withering, therefore, merits the
attention of every practitioner of medicine ;  he juftly ob-
fjrvcS; that,  " poifons infmall dofes are the bcft medicines,
ajid  the beft medicines in too large dofes are poifonous." 
(    13    )
     It would be as inconfiftentto ftigmatize this plant with
the appellation of poifon, as  it would be to pronounce a
crum of bread noxious in its quality,becaufe it has in fome
cafes entered the trachea, and occafioned inftantaneous death.

     The conclufions which I have formed  on the fubject
which conftitutes the fubfequent pages of this differtation
have been founded on experiments, and thofe experiments,
though few, have been  conducted  with  accuracy.   They
have been mutually the fources of much mental difquietude,
and the diffidence I now feel in fubmitting them to the fcru-
tiny of the learned,  tends confiderably to augment the dif-
agreeable emotions which, at  this time, difturb my tran-
quility : however, I  fhall  confider  myfelf richly com pen-
fated for every inconvenience, fhould any word or thought
contained in thefe  pages prove propitious in exciting fome
more accurate obferver to a  more minute inveftigation of
this copious fubject. 
    NATURAL  HISTORY.

                CHAPTER  I.

 The natural hijlory of Tobacco, and of its firfi introduclion
                as an article of luxury,

      W E have accounts, in different authors of feveral
 fpecies and  varieties of this plant, but as an accurate de-
 fcription of them may be acquired in almoft every botanical
 book, it would be altogether ufelefs for me  to enter into an
 elaborate definition of each in particular.   I fliail therefore
 confine myfelf to that fpecies which is  thus designated  by
 the great Linnaeus, " Nicotiana Tabacum: foliis lanceolato-
 ovatis feffilibus decurrentibus, floribus acutis.M

     It is termed by Cafpar Bauhin, Nicotiana major lati-
folia.  According to the natural method of Linnaeus, it be-
 longs to the 28th order, called Lurida.   Among the abori-
 gines of the continent of  America,  it was  djftinguifhed
 by the appellation of patum, whilft thofe who inhabited the
 iflands, called it yoli*.

     According to  Sir Hans Sloanef, its original name was
picielt, but was termed tobacco  by the Spaniards,  from  the
 circumftance of its being brought from the iflandof Tobago
 where it grew almoft fpontaneoufly.

     Tobacco was firft  introduced  into  Europe  in  the
 year 1559 by JohnNicot, lord of Villemain, who was agent
                    * Encyclopedia.
       t Sir Hans Sloanc's Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. 
(     »s    )
in  Portugal  for  the  King  of France, from  whence he
brought  the  plant, and  prefented it to the Queen : from
this circumftance it was called Herba Regina, and in honor
of him Nicotiana*.

     Lobel and others accounted this,  as well as the other
fpecies of Nicotiana, an Hyofciamusf, and called it Hyofcia-
mus luteus and dubius, in confequence of which fome have
given it the Englifh name of yellow Henbane. It is arranged
by Linnaeus in his fifth clafs, Pentandria Monogynia tiiefla-
mina confifting of five fubulated filaments, topped with ob-
long anthera ; the Jlyle rifes  from  the rudiment  of the
fruit fingle.   The flowers are large and of a beautiful red,
and  annexed to long and {lender foot-ftalks : they are of a
monopetalous tubelous  form, and grow on the tops  of the
branches, and of  the main  ftalk ; the tube is  longer than
the cup, and the limb which fpreads open is divided into
five acute-pointed fegments.

     The capfule  which fucceeds the flower is bivalved and
bilocular, is  alfo large,  and of an  oval  form :  it  opens
longitudinally, and fheds extremely minute feeds, but very
numerous.

    The root is divided into many parts, grows very thick
and long, and is furnifhed with an infinity of fmall fibres.
The growth of this plant is generally from five to fix feet
in height, but fometimes  more, depending  upon the feafon,
and fecundity of the foil.   The ftalk is fubftantial, round,
very erect, and  divided  into branches.  The  leaves are
large, numerous, and diftributed in an alternate manner :

         * Theatrum Botanicum,  page 711.
f Theatrum Botanicum. 
                     C    16     )
they are of a deep green, and have petioli, or foot-ftalks,
but furround the common ftalk,  in great part at their bafe.

    Tobacco is a native of America, and  was firft fent  to
Spain and different parts of Europe, for the purpofe of or-
namenting their gardens, but fo great was the demand for
the dried leaves, that it at length became an article of com-
merce, and is at this  prefent period almoft univerfally re-
forted to as a luxury.

    The Indians formerly made ufe of it as a vulnerary, and
afcribed many virtues to it as a medicine.  They  entertain
an idea, that tobacco  was brought them down from the hea-
vens by the Great  Spirit,  who  defcended for the exprefs
purpofe of prefenting them with  this plant, in order that it
might be fpread throughout the land for the benefit of their
fpecies.  Hence many nations of that tribe, make ufe of it
in certain forms of their religion.—«It is called by them Eche.

    Travellers affert, that they often refort to  the great
mountain, where the angel appeared, and do homage to that
fpot, on which their anceftors firft received fo divine a plant.

     It is alledged by Sir Hans Sloane,* «that the priefts of
Efpaniola, called Bohitis, who are medical characters as well
as theologifts, make a practice of chewing and fmoking to-
bacco, until they become perfectly inebriated, and  in this
fituation they perform many gefticulations, pretendino- like-
wife to  recount for the will of God, what they have feen."
They feign alfo to perfect radical cures among many of the
difeafed, and  fo prejudiced are the people  in  their favour
as to  imagine themfelves  perfectly  relieved.   The form

        * Sir Hans Sloane's natural hiftory of Jamaica. 
C     *7    )
which they obferve on this occafion, as related by Sir Hans
Sloane, is  in  the following lingular manner; "when they
attempt to cure, they fliut themfelves up with the fick, fur-
round him, fmoking him with  the fame; fuck out of  his
flioulders what they fay was his  difeafe, (hewing a ftone  or
bone they kept  in their mouths, which the women keep as
relicks, thinking they facilitate  birth."

  Thevet affirms that the women among the Aborigines of
America were led away with an idea, that indulging in  the
ufe of tobacco was not only injurious to the body, but that
it alfo prevented conception, and tended greatly to diminifh
the venereal appetite; in confequence of which, they for-
bore the ufe of it in any form whatever.

  The  Portuguefe attributed many virtues to this plant,
and pronounced it a powerful  vounterpoifon;  hence they
have given it the appellation of Herb a Santa,

     Sir Richard Greenfield, on his difcovery of Virginia
in 1585, obferved that the Indians made great ufe of tobac-
co in clay pipes, for the prefervation of  their health. Pleaf-
ed with the novelty of  the circumftance, he took feveral of
the pipes with him on his return  to England, which were
introduced into court: others were made agreeable to their
conftruaion, and from that period the ufe of fmoking foon
became general.

     It was firft introduced among the  Oriental nations by
the Dutch* feamen, who ufed  to carry pipes about  them
made of palm leaves, in which they fmoked to eafe  their
wearinefs, as well as fufpend a difpofition for food.

                    * Si* Hans Sloane.
                          C 
                       (     i8     )
       The Indians after  having gathered  their crop of  to-
  bacco, hang it up in their houfes for the purpofe of curing,
  after  this  is perfeaed, they take four or five leaves, and
  wrap them up in the great leaf of a tree, in the form of  a
  funnel; they then apply fire to the extremity, and inhale the
  fmoke, which being frequently repeated, caufes them to fub-
  fift three or four days*, without partaking of  any  aliment.
  They pradifethis more particularly, when they contemplate
 going to war, or are about topredia the termination of fu-
 ture important events.   It  is confidered by them as the
 moft valuable offering that can be made to the beings that
 they worfhip.  They  ufe it in all their civil and religious
 ceremonies.   When once the fpiral wreaths of  its fmoke
 afcend from the feathered pipe of peace,  the comp^aa that
 has been juft made, is confidered as facred and  inviolable.
 Likewife  when they addrefs their  Great Father,  or his
 guardian fpirits, redding,- as they believe, in every extraor-
 dinary produaion of nature,  they make  liberal offerings  to
 them of this valuable plant, not doubting but that they are
 thus fecured of proteaion^.

    * It is univerfally acknowledged that tobacco does not impart
 any degree of nourifhment to the body, but on  the contrary tends
 greatly to reduce  obecityy yet  fuch is its ftimulating quality, that it
 fupports the fyftem for feveral days fucceffively, above what may bie
 termed the hungry point.  This  is taken notitfe of by Mr. Kerrf, with
 refpeft to opium. " The eaftern  nations," fays this author, " are
fo well convinced, by experience, of its pewers in diminiiTiing the
 appetite, that in the famine which prevailed in the Eaft-Indies, in
the year 1770, the wretched  fufferers  purchafcd it  at  exhorbitant
prices, to allay the cravftgs of hunger, and fmooth the approach  to
death."

           f Kerr. Lond. Med. Obfer. vol. v. art. 28.
\ See Encyclopedia. 
(     *9     )
                 CHAPTER   II.

 A concife account of the influence of  Tobacco,  on living fyf-
           tems, illuflrated by a few experiments.

      That tobacco is both a powerful emetic and cathartic,
 when exhibited in any form whatever, is  generally  admit-
 ted : we find that all authors, who have written on its effeas,
 have  unanimoufly concurred  in this  opinion; fome  have
 £lfo fubfcribed to its being  efficacious in promoting  the re-
 nal difcharge; but with refpea to its  fedative or Jlimula-
 ting effeas on the living fyftem, various opinions have hi-
 therto exifted.

      Notwithftanding the fagacity and experience of Doc-
 tor Fowler in many refpeas, the influence of Nicotiana on
 the human fyftem, in regard to its ftimulating quality, en-
 tirely efcaped his attention.

     After drawing feveral inferences, relative to the opera-
 tion of this medicine,  in a concluding part of his work*,
 he obferves, that it poffeffes a fedative qualityf,  and  fre-
 quently proves laxative : on this account he fqppofes that

                    *  Fowler on  Dropfy.

    •J- A fimilar opinion  was formerly entertained of opium ; but
 the ingenious experiments of Do&or  Crum^e, muft fufficiently de-
 monftrate, to every unprejudiced mind, the Jiimulating quality of that
 medicine; and that its f^ppiftd fedative'effefls, are folely  to be at-
 tributed to a fecondary operation, or ir.direil debility induced by its
immenfe ftimulating  property,  when difproportioned to the excita-
bilky of the fyftem. 
(    ao    )
it may prove falutary in many painful cafes, where coftive-
nefs may render opiates exceptionable.

     That it is a laxative, I have almoft uniformly obferved,
 but with refpea to its being endued with a fedative quality
the fubfequent experiments will greatly invalidate.

     It is not my  intention  or wifh to enter into the field
of controverfy on this head, and therefore I  have attempted
to define by experiments, the unequivocal operation of this
plant.  It is unqueftionably  the moft  fubftantial bafis on
which  we can found our arguments,  and to fuch we  muft
ultimately appeal for the attainment of truth.

     The ftimulating  effeas of tobacco did not efcape the
difcerning  eye of  Doaor Cullen, whofe opinions fhould
ever be viewed with veneration and refpea.

     In treating of this plant,he obferves, that « the infufion
of tobacco when  it  is carried into the blood  veffels, has
fometimes fhewn its ftimulating powers exerted in the kid-
neys; and very lately we have had it recommended to us as
a powerful  diuretic of great fervice in dropfyj."

     That tobacco  promotes  the renal difcharge, is beyond
a point  of  controverfy.  Every praaitioner  of medicine
who has ever  had occafion  to adminifter it, either  in the
form of infufion or fubftance, muft have qbferved its diu-
retic influence on the fyftem.
t Callcn\Materia Medica, page 191. 
(     *'     )
     This is fufficiently exemplified in the work of  Doao*
Fowler*, to whom we are greatly indebted for the feries of
experiments enumerated by him.  He has clearly demon-
ftrated the  influence of tobacco in promoting  the  urinary
fecretion, and has as perfpicuoufly evinced the  utility of its
exhibition in violent cafes of Afcites, Anafarca, and Dyfury.

     Without a further difquifition relative to the operation
of tobacco on the human fyftem, I (hall  proceed with enu-
merating my experiments,  and will leave it to the candid
reader to judge how far they may merit his attention;  they
deferve at lead the credit of being faithfully related.

              Experiment  i.

   In order to afcertain the particular operation of tobacco,
with refpea to its influence on the pulfe,I took three hours
 after breakfafting on toaft and coffee, forty drops of a ftrong
decoaion  of  tobaccof  in a little water,  My pulfe  beat
feventy ftrokes in a minute.  The  following  table mani-
fefts the ftimulating quality of this plant, as I have particu-
larly fpecified the number of pulfations at the expiration of
every 5th. minute.
   In
P. beat
5 |  10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 |  50 | 55 | 60
7* I 75 I 75 I 77 I 80 | 84 | 84 | 81 | 76 |  72 I 70 I 7"
Min,
    * See Fowler on Dropfy, page 72, whe^he obferves that out ol
oneTiundred and fifteen cafes in which he adminiftered tobacco, in
ninety-three of them it proved diuretic.


    f Two drachms of the dried leaves of tobacco were put into
four ounces of water, and boiled  down to two. 
                     C     "     )
     For the firft five minutes there was an aromatic warmth
diffufedall over my throat, which foon extended itfelf to my
ftomach, and continued thus for the firft quarter of an hour.
In fifteen minutes  I experienced a little naufea, which was
promoted on the twenty-fifth minute; on the  thirtieth mi-
nute my pulfe was greatly increafed, both in  tenfion  and
frequency;  a confiderable moifture appeared on my fore-
head, and a flight degree of dizzinefs attended, which con-
tinued until near the fortieth minute.
     On the forty-fifth minute, thefymptoms abated, and my
pulfe was diminifhed both in fulnefs and  frequency.   At
the expiration of the hour, I felt a kind of languor, and my
pulfe was reduced to its natural ftandard.

     Soon after every inconvenience difappeared, and I dined
with my ufual appetite.

             Experiment  2.

     On the f-ime evening, two hours after eating a little
bread and milk, I took forty drops of a ftiong infufion* of
the dried leaves of  tobacco;  my pulfe  beating fixty-eight
ftrokes in a minute, its natural ftandard.
In	5 | 10 | 15 1 20 | *5 | 30 | 35 | 46
T. beat	7° 1 73 ! 74 1 7^> 1 80 | 83 | 83 | 81
	..
In P. beat	|45if°l55|6o|65!7°l75| j 79 | 75 1 7' 1 7° 1 7° 1 68 | 68 |
Min.
    * Two drachms of the dried leaves of tobacco were infufed in
two ounces of water, for 34 hours, and then {trained off. 
(     23    )
     Immediately after fwallowing the draught, I felt an evi-
 dent fenfation of warmth throughout my throat, which was
 foon communicated to my ftomach, and continued to in-
 creafe  for fifteen minutes, but gradually diminifhed at the
 expiration of the twentieth  minute: I now experienced
 fome degree of  naufea, which continued to encreafe until
 the twenty-fifth minute ; it produced a confiderable moif-
 ture on my forehead, and in the palms of my hands, but no
 vomiting attended.   On the thirtieth minute, my pulfe be-
 came tenfe, frequent and  quick, but the perfpiration and
 naufea began to fubfide on the thirty-fifth min ute;  through-
 out the remaining part of the hour, my pulfe was diminifh-
 ed confiderably in regard to fulnefs, and when one nour and
 fifteen  minutes had elapfed, it reforted to its former ftate v
 I difcharged that night an unufual  quantity of urine,  and
 had two copious discharges downwards.

             Experiment  3.

    I gave to Peter  Vallet, a robuft healthy lad of about
nineteen years of age, thirty drops of the tobacco infufion,*
in a little  water; he  was not accuftomed to the ufe ot
tobacco in any form whatever.

     His pulfe beat  feventy,  previous to  his taking  the
draught.
In
5 | 10 | 15 | ao | 25 I 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 i 5° I 55 1 60
P. beat   72 | 76 | 78 | 79 I 80 | 78 | 74 | 73 I 68 j 70 | 70 | 70 '
       • .                                  ——— '


  •Similar to that exhibited in the preceding experiment. 
                    (    24    )
     When ten minutes had  elapfed,  he complained of a
confiderable  warmth in his  ftomach.   In  fifteen minutes
he faid that he was a little giddy and fomewhat exhilarated.
In twenty he obferved that he felt a little fick, and that  the
room appeared to him to be turning round,  as he expreffed
himfelf; his face was much flufhed, and on  the  thirtieth
minute, he complained of a tremor in his hands.   In forty-
five minutes the affeaion of his head and naufea abated but
the tremulous motion  ftill exifted.  At the expiration of
an hour he felt as ufual, excepting a flight degree of naufea,
and a kind of langour throughout his frame.  In one hour
and a half, he  ejeaed the contents of his ftomach, and had
two large evacuations downwards.

              Experiment  4.

     About two hours after partaking of a light fupper, I
finifhed,  for the firft time, the fmoking of a fegar; my
pulfe beat feventy ftrokes in a minute, and I felt uncom-
monly difpofed to deep.  Recolletting the powerful effeas
of fmoking, but a few minutes, on a  former occafion, I
wifiied now to afcertain its operation on the fyftem, and its
particular influence over the pulfe, the refults of this  ex-
periment were as follow:
In	5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 1 40		
P. beat	75 1 77 1 81 | 85 | 90 | 100 | 104 | 102		
			
In		45 1 5° 1 55 1 60 | 65 | 70 | 75	
P. beat		^3 1 85 1 77 1 7° 1 67 | 70 | 70	
Min.
Min.
    For the firft five minutes, I experienced no evident ef-
feas ; the pulfe raifed only five.   At the tenth and fifteenth
minutes I  had frequent eruaations, and all inclination for 
(    25     )
 fleep was totally difpelled.  At the twentieth minute  my
 head felt light, my fpirits were much elated*, and my pulfe
 more full, frequent, and quick.

     I continued fmoking without ceffation, until the twen-
 ty-fifth  minute, when I perceived  a confiderable naufea at
 my ftomach,  and  an  evident moifture on my forehead,  ac-
 companied with repeated eruaations.

     I now  vomited very  profufely, and on the thirtieth
 minute  my pulfe  became frequent  and  low.  Every thing
 appeared in a circuitous  motion,  and I was compelled to
 feek relief from my pillow for a few moments, un.il relieved
 of this dizzinefs.  On the thirty-fifth minute the vomiting
 was repeated, and I  took a draught of  cold water,  which
 mitigated  every fymptom.  I  felt  fo much relieved, that I
 got up  and walked acrofs the  room.  I  experienced at the
 fortieth  minute a tremulous affeaion of my hands, and a
 giddinefs and pain in  my head  ; fo  much fo,that I was com-
pelled to  lie down  again: the former of thefe affeaions
continued for near two hours, but  the latter was fomewhat
abated,  after  being  in a recumbent pofture for a few  mo-
ments.  My  pulfe ftill continued  depreffed, frequent,  and
quick ;  at the fixty-fifth minute my thirft was urgent,  my
pulfe diminiflied three, ftill languid, and  head-ach increafed.
I then drank a glafs  of water, and in feventy-five minutes,
my pulfe was reftored to its natural ftate,  but the  pain in
my head ftill continued.

     From the preceding experiments  we may infer, that
the primary effeas of tobacco,"] are to accelerate the pulfe,

    *  Doftor Crumpe  obferved this to  be  the conftant effcft of
•pium.
                        D 
                     (    26     )
and elevate the fpirits ; and that its fecondary operation  is
to deprefs the former, and fubdue the latter :  for it is to be
uniformly obferved in the preceding, as well as many of the
fubfequent experiments,  that, after the firft half hour had
elapfed, the number of sulfations, in a given time, continu-
ed todiminifh, until reduced to, and frequently belowf, the
natural ftandard of health.  Doch r CullenJ, in fpeaking of
the commotion generated in the fyfter.1,  from the exhibition
of narcotics,  obferves, that to explain this operation, " it
feems  neceffary  to affign fome other caufe than the direa
ftimulant power of the fubftance applied ; aud it appears
to be that refiftance and confequent  aaivity, which the ani-
mal  oeconomy is fuited tooppolc to every application that
has a tendency to hurt it.  This power is well known in the
fchools of phyfic, Under the title of  the Fis Confervatrix et
Medicatrix natura ;  which however difficult  to  explain,
muft, as a general law of the animal oeconomy, be admitted
as a matter of faa."

    In contemplating  the fentiments of Doaor Cullen on
this head, we muft pay homage to his great ingenuity, but
at the fame time, muft not allow our  veneration for the abili-
ties of this illuftrious phyfician, to operate as a barrier to
the admiflion of truth.

     We know  that the fyftem appears perfeaiy  tranquil
when in the enjoyment of health, and that this depends up-

   t This gave origin to the fuppofed fedative effeas of opium. Phy-
ficians were not aware of its inftantnneous operation on the fyftem, and
on this  account attended  folely to the ejccl, produced, after its primary
influence had fublided.
J. Cullen's Materia Medica, vol. 2. page 151. 
                     (     27     )
on a juft ratio of excitement and  excitability ; but  when
either  predominate, difeafe is invariabiy the confequence.
As this is admitted, would it not  be more juft to fuppofe,
that this diforganization of the human frame, depends upon
the ftimuli  applied,  being difproportioned to the excitability
of the fyftem ?

     Do we not fee  fimilar commotions generated in perfons,
on the immediate application of heat,  after expofing them-
felves to intenfe cold,  and thereby rendering their  fyftems
extremely excitable ? And may not the fame be extended to
narcotics, when difproportioned to the  excitability of the
fyftem ?

     With refpea to the operation of tobacco on the mind,
in producing hilarity,  we fee it fufficiently exemplified in
many who have recourfe to it in a certain degree.*
                                           •
     Moft  of the ancient  authors who have written  on this
fubjea, avail themfelves of an opportunity to mention the
exhilarating effeas of tobacco; and  Sir  Hans Sloane in
particular obferves, that, " in all places where it has come,
"  it has very much  bewitched the  inhabitants, from the
"  more polite Europeans, to the  barbarous  Hottentots."

     We find alfo that the like effeas of this noxious plant,
are fpecified in Cortes's  conqueft of Mexico, where this

  * A gentleman of this city informed  me, that the fmoking of two
or three fegars,  feldom failed of occafioning an evident degree of a-
lertnefs for a few moments after; but if he carried the fmoking to
a greater extent, it generally produced a naufea, and a giddinefs in
his head. 
                     (    28     )
author affirms, that Montezumo,  or the Emperor, drank
feveral  forts of liquor, richly perfumed with  falutiferous
herbs;  after his meals, he took a kind  of chocolate,  and
fmoked tobacco perfumed with liquid amber.   The juice of
this plant was one of the ingredients  with which the priefts
intoxicated themfelves, whenever they were obliged to de-
liver an oracular anfwer.

     Three or four buffoons generally attended at the table,
for the purpofe of diverting the Emperor, with their ludi-
crous talents.*

     Thefe were the cuftoms of the Indian tribes,  and thefe
alfo were the amufements of many civilized nations.—It is
to be much lamented, that even at this prefent enlightened
period,  the manners of the moft civilized nations, in  this
refpea, partake of thofe of the favage. But to ufe' the words
of a much celebrated and efteemed  author, f " it would feem
as if liberty and indolence were the higheft purfuits of man;
and thefe  are enjoyed in their greateft perfeaionby favages,
or in the praaice of cuftoms which refemble thofe of fava-
ges."

     We find that its indifcriminate ufe as a luxury not un-
frequcntly proves injurious. "  Its  narcotic fumes," fays
Dr. Leakev " will ftupify the brain, and deaden the invi-
gorating power of the nerves upon  the whole bodily fyjlem.
The propenfity of perfons to the ufe of this noxious plant,
after being  once  habituated to the impreffion of its ftimu-
lus, is equally prevalent with that of dram-drinkers, tofpi-

  * Hernando  Oortes's conqueft of Mexico,  page 274.
t Rufh.  See his medical obfervations, vol. 1. p. 11. 
(     29     )
rituous liquors,  without which, however pernicious,  they
become languid, and debilitated, and are affeaed with ner-
vous tremor."*

     As I (hall have occafion to fpeak more particularly of its
baneful influence in a fubfequent part of this work, when
treating of its noxious effeas in fmoking,  fnuffing, and
chewing, I (hall for the prefent fufpend my opinions on this
head.

    Notwithftanding the deleterious effeas of tobacco hi-
therto enumerated, its  operation as a medicine frequently
proves falutary; this has been clearly demonftrated in many
violent cafes of obftinate difeafe, and as fuch it is to be held
in the higheft eftimation.   Its influence on the fyftem  is
immenfe.   It is beneficial in fome difeafes from its diuretic
quality; in others as afudorific, and it proves in proper do-
fes, a gentle emetic, and a lenient purgative: hence the pro-
priety of its ufe in many other  difeafes.   But more  of this
hereafter.

   Having now enumerated its refpeaive  operations on the
human fyftem, 1 (hall proceed with relating  fome experi-
ments which were made on living fyftems,  both internally
as well as externally.—-

              Experiment   5.

     I  dropped a fmall  portion of the expreffed juice  into
my right eye,  which immediately imparted an excruciating
pain, attended with a burning diffufible heat,  fomewhat
analogous to the introduaion of an aqueous folution of opi-

  * See Leake's practical  Eflayson difeafes of the vlfcera, p. 72. 
(    3<5     )
 um :*  This fenfation continued to increafe for the fpace of
 thirty minutes,  but gradually  diminifhed after this time;
 and totally fubfided at  the expiration of one hour, leaving
 the part extremely  fore and difagreeable,  and fomewhat
 blood-fhot, for the remaining part of that day.—

               Experiment  6.

     After boiling a large quantity of the leaves,in order to
 procure an extraa, I frequently expreffed with my hands the
 liquor which the leaves abforbed, which occafioned  fuch  a
 degree of naufea at my ftomach, as almoft to induce vomit-
 ing :f  the fenfation continued for fome time, but gradually
 diminifhed, as the application  was not again renewed.—
 This was fucceeded by a flufhing of my face,  a confidera-
 ble pain in my head, a  throbbing of my temples, a languor
 with diminution of appetite, and a difpofition to deep.

     In order to fatisfy my  readers that this effea on my-
 felf was produced by no particular idiofyncrafy,  I will relate
 a corroborating  experiment communicated  to me by  my
 friend Mr. Dart.

     " April the 20th,  1799. About 12 o'clock at noon, I
 applied  to the internal parts of my thighs, and alfo the foles

  *  Crurr.pe, on opium, page  24.

  f  I am credibly informed, that many of the Dutch  inhabitants of
New-Jerfey, apply the leaves of tobacco, fteeped  in water, to th«
external  part of the ftomach, and continue the application until a
vomiting is induced. This they frequently pracYife, in preference to
an internal emetic when under the  ncceflity  of puking their chil-
dren. 
(     3*     )
of my feet, a large quantity of the dried leaves of tobacco,
well ftewed in  about a  pint of water, previoufly wafhing
the part with warm vinegar, fo as to open the pores and pro-
mote abforption.—-In about two hours after the application
was  made, I felt fome degree of laflitude, accompanied with
a dizzinefs and head-ach, which were evidently increafedon
the third hour; when it  operated as a gentle cathartic.

     At 4 o'clock, a naufea at my ftomach was very percep-
tible, fo much fo, that I removed the application for fear of
vomiting,*  which  generally  affedts me  materially,  and,
therefore, wifhed to avoid it. I made feveral efforts to ejea
the contents of my ftomach, but without effea.   In half an
hour after, this affeaion began to fubfide, and I felt much
relieved, but ftill fome degree  of  head-ach continued, to-
gether with a difagreeable languor."

             Experiment  7.

     I made a ftrong decoaion of the dried leaves of tobac-
co, and  gave twenty drops of  it to  a moufe.  In the (hort
fpace often minutes it difcovered ftrong marks of an almoft
infi»portable pain,  attended with  tremor and convulfions,
quickly fucceeding each other; at  the expiration of thirty
minutes, with a f<.w violent efforts, it fuddenly expired.

             Experiment  8.

     I injeaed by means of an ivory  fyringe,  a fmall por-
tion of the above mentioned decoaion, into the  reaum of

  * ProfefToi Barton informed me, that he was called to a man, who
had taken a large dofc of opium ; he gave an erae'ic, but being de-
firous of keeping  up vomiting, he applied .bac ^ leaves, fteeped in
vinegar,  to the itomacli, which had the deiuvd effect. 
                    (     3>     )
another moufe, which evidently exhibited all the fymptoms
of the former, and equally as vehement  in degree, for the
little animal fell a viaim to this exhibition, in the courfeof
twenty minutes.

              Experiment  9.

     After perforating the fide of a moufe, I injeaed afmall
quantity of the ftrong decoaion of tobacco, taking particu-
lar care to avoid the introduaion of air, by  applying the
mouth of the fyringe inftantaneoufly to the aperture. In ten
minutes it difcovered fymptoms of a violent affeaion: the
refpiration became considerably increafed, which was quick-
ly fucceeded by  ftrong convulfions; in fifteen minutes, a
paralytic affeaion, agitated the whole frame, and in twenty,
a violent corrugation of the body, clofed the fcene»
                 CHAPTER   III.


Obfervations  on the noxious effeft of tobacco  on the human
  fpecies, when ufed in the farm of fmoking, fluffing, and
  chewing.


      JL HE ufe of tobacco as an article of luxury, in all
its noxious forms, comes now to be confidered; but before
entering into the particulars of each, I muft beg  leave to
offer a few preliminary obfervations. It is generally admit-
ted that «  man is an  imitative animal  ;" to adopt, there-
fore, from  the example of others, what is  pleafurable to 
                    (     33     )
our feelings,  or fubordinate to ufe, (hould not be deemed
ftrange: but that a rank and noxious weed, at firft loathfome
to the fenfe of tafte, as well as prejudicial  to the conftitu-
tion, fhould, by habit become  defirable, is a circumftance
the moft extraordinary,  affording one ftriking inftance, a-
mong many, " of the folly and infatuation of the human
mind, and the force, and prevalence of cuftom oppofed to
fenfe and nature."'

     Without entering further into an enquiry on this head,
I fhall at once commence  with fome few  remarks on to-
bacco,  when ufed in the form of fmoking.

     Perfons who habituate themfelves  to  the immoderate
ufe of  this plant, fooner or later, experience its  noxious
powers, by the many difagreeable emotions excited by  its
influence over the fyftem.

     Smoking  in particular, by its ftimulating  effeas  on
the mucous follicles and fallavary glands, abftraas profufe-
ly their contents, and excites  immoderate expeaoration:
Hence its influence in inducing dyfpepfia-, for by abftraa-
ing that  liquid,* fo effentially  requifite for the  purpofe of
digeftion, it feems juft to fuppofe, that here it muft inevita-
bly prove the direa inftrument of fo malicious a difeafe. It
isalledged by Dr. Cullen in his materia medica,f  that this
plant evidently poiTeffes a narcotic power, and through this

  * Ru/h's M. S.  Lectures.  " That the faliva is requifite for di-
geftion  I infer, from  its'once being cuftomary in Spain to make ufe
of an aromatic gum to perfume the breath ;  this had a very perni-
cious effect, as it diffufed dyfpcflia throughout that place."

  f Cullen1* Materia Medica, p. 1B9.
                           E 
                     (     34     )
means, weakens the tone of the ftomach in fuch a manner as
to preclude the performance of itsrefpeaive funaions.

     From the  preceding experiments, it has  been ascer-
tained, that nicotiana  poffefies fS.ro\\gflimulant qualities,
and therefore, Dr. Cullen's narcoficpower, is to  be explain-
ed by the ftimuly being carried too far, and thereby induc-
ing indireel  debility.  To corroborate this pofition, I will
relate the following fingular faa, which not long fince
came under my own infpeaion.

     A young  gentleman, after being fomewhat intoxicated
by  drinking  of wine, undertook  for the firft time,  the
fmoking of a fegar; after having inhaled it as  long  as  he
could with fafety to his mouth, he obferved that it was cuf-
tomary for gentlemen  to fling away the  remaining part of
the fegar; but, for  his part, he thought it extremely incon-
fiftent, and highly improper, and, as he expreffed himfelf,
to (hew his ceconomy,  would put it to a better ufe, by chew-
ing, rather than part  with  fo ineflimable  a  treafure:  but
unfortunately for the poor youth, he had  not gratified him-
felf long in the enjoyment of his lufcous motfel, before he
fell proftrate on his back, to the great aftonifhment of all
the furrounding company, until they recognized the caufe
of founexpeaed atranfition. He was conveyed to an adja-
cent room, where he remained apparently lifelefs for a con-
fiderable fpace of time, and would probably have fallen  a
martyr to his  folly and  impmdence,  had  not  medical aid
been near  at hand: The attemlant phyfician accurately in-
fpeaed his cafe,and very properly abftraaed twelve or four-
teen ounces of blood from his arm;* when a vomiting en-

  * Doctor  Allfton, of South-Carolina, informed me, that he was
called to a lady, who had intentionally taken a dofe of laudanum, 
                     C     35    )
fued,  attended  with a profufe diaphorefis, which happily
diflipated every doubt of his recovery, and foon reftored the
youth to his former ftate of falubrity.

     We may infer from this faa, the infinite power of ni-
cotiana, when ufed by thofe who have  never been accuf-
tomed to its noxious effeas.

     Smoking has been alledged  by fome authors to have
oftentimes proved  advantageous  in difpelling contagion of
almoft every defcription; but others have oppofed this affer-
tion, with  fuch valid arguments, and have produced fuch
fubftantial  faas in  fupport of their opinions,  that it is now
almoft univerfally believed, that  tobacco poffeffes no fuch
virtue.

     I fhall now proceed with fome few remarks  on fnuf-
fing,  another form  in which the deleterious effeas of Nico-
tiana are evidently  depiaed.

     Snuffing, like that of  fmoking,  may, by many repeti-
tions, be  rendered  perfbaiy  fimple and harmlefs with  re-
fpea to its naufeating powers at firft, fo that its peculiarities
may at length be totally diflipated : tho' even this does  not
evade the force of its aftion over thofe who praaife its ufs in
certain quantities,  for we find that thofe  very  perfons accuf-
tomed to the taking of fnuff, by exceeding  the portion li-
mited, are  attacked  with every difagreeable  fymptom,

for the purpofe of deftroying life.  He haftened to her afliftance, and
immediately adminiftered a vomit, but without producing thedcfiied
effect. The dofe was  repeated and with the  fame  refult.  He then
abftracted a few ounces of blood, and vomiting immediately enfued,
which reftored the woman to health, 
                    (     36     )
which they fo evidently experienced on the firft employ-
ment of it.

     "  On this fubjea" fays Dr.  Cullen,  " it is to be re-
marked that  the power of habit is often unequal;  fo that
perfons accuftomed to the ufe of tobacco, a leffer quantity,
than what  they had  been accuftomed  to, will often have
ftronger  effeas  than had before  commonly appeared.   I
knew a lady who had been for  more than twenty years ac-
cuftomed to take fnuff, and that at eveiy time of day;  but
(he came at length to obferve, that (huffing a good deal be-
fore dinner, took away her appetite: and (he came at length
to find, that a fingle  pinch, taken any time before dinner,
took away almoft entirely her appetite for that meal.  When
however, (he abftained entirely from fnuff before dinner,
her appetite continued  as ufual; and after dinner,  for the
reft of  the day, (he took fnuff pretty freely,  without any
inconvenience*."

     This is further corroborated by anaffertion of Doaor
Rufh'sf. "I once attended a gentleman,"  fays the Doaor,
"  who had  been for fome time troubled with  pains  in his
ftomach, attended with a diminution of appetite, and fome
degree  of emaciation.  I obferved that he frequently prac-
tifed the taking of fnuff, to which I attributed his difeafe,
and advifed him to fufpend the ufe of it.   He accordingly
did fo, and foon began to mend very faft.   I was informed
by him, a few weeks after, that he  had gained thirty weight
in flefh, and was at that period, in the enjoyment of pcr-
fea health."

            * Cuilen's Materia Medica, page 187.
f Profeffor Rnjfh's M. S.  Lectures. 
(     37     )
      It greatly injures the organs of fmelling, as the infini-
  ty  of nerves, which are diffufed throughout the mucous
  membrane of the nofc, on which depends its fenfibility, and
  the acutenefs of our fmelling, become confiderably impair-
  ed by the acrimony  of  fnuff.   " The ufe of this  fubtile
  powder, is further rendered  odious by difcolouring the  (kin
  contiguous to  the nofe, and will taint the fweeteft breath
** with the rank odour  of  a  tobacco-cafk.  For this reafon
  the ladies  of fafhion in France, feldom take fnuff till they
  are  married ; a very high  compliment no doubt to  their
  hufbands."

      " The only advantage," fays Dr. Leake*,  " of tak-
  ing fnuff, is that of fneezing, which, in fluggifh, phlegmatic
  habits, will give univeifal concuffion to the body, and pro-
  mote  a more free  circulation  of the blood; but  of this
  benefit, fnuff-takers are deprived, from being familiar with
  its ufe."

       Chewing, the moft odious form in which nicotiana
  can poffibly be ufed, next engages cur attention.

       The conftant  chewing  of tobacco  impairs the appe-
  tite, in  a  fimilar manner to  fmoking,  from a profufe dif-
  charge  of faliva by expeaorationj, fo  neceffary for the
  prefervation  of the body,  particularly  in perfons of a thin
  habit.

                 * Leake on the vifcera, page 69.

      $  Dr. Cullen obferves that " this practice is alfo the occalioii
  of the greateft wafte  of faliva ;  and the effects of this in weaken-
  ing digeftion, and perhapifrom thence efpecially, its aoted effect of
  producing  emaciation  may appear.   Cullen's  Materia Medica,
  page 190. 
                    (     38     )
     The  naufeous  tafte of the  plant being more imme-
diately abftraaed by this procefs, than either of the others
hitherto mentioned,  precludes its  being  carried fo far by
thofe who have recourfe to it, without confiderable danger
attending  fuch a procedure.   Perfons, therefore, who arc
defirousof effeaing their cuds in this polite accomplijhment,
are compelled to be extremely particular in regard to the
quantity, and time of ufing  it, for if continued  too long
with a novice in this art, we find evident marks of its oc-
cafioning extreme anxbty, vertigoes, ftupors, and diforders
of the  fenfes.   Notwithftanding the  greateft  caution of
tobacco-chewers, a fmall portion of the faliva, tinaured
with this plant, will frequently infinuate itfelf into the fto-
mach, and thereby impair the funaions of that vifcus.

     As longevity depends on a healthy ftate of this organ,
being one of the moft  important  throughout the animal
oeconomy, the habits of thofe who addia  themfelves to this
pernicious cuftom become vitiated, and confequently the
number of their days are confiderably (hortened.  But as
the ufe of tobacco  in  this  form, moft generally prevails
among the vulgar,  upon  whom  friendly admonitions are
too frequently thrown  away, I (hall not  dwell Iono;on the
fubjea;  well  knowing the great difficulty of eradicating
prejudice from ignorant minds, thougha circumftance much
to be regretted.                   ,


                   CHAPTER  IV.

Of the prejudicial effecls of the ufe of Tobacco on the moral
                       faculty.

     The general demand for  tobacco, as an articleof luxu-
ry, is owing, I  am  convinced, to a fervile attachment U,t 
                     (     39     )
imitation.  Many cuftoms equally odious, have of late be-
come fafhionable from the fame caufe, and it is to be regret-
ted, that men whofe exalted fituations in life  ought to have
rendered them fuperior to fuch weakneffes,  have been the
principle propagators of thefe. pernicious praaices. The ex-
ample of fuch charaaers is, unfortunately,efteemed by per-
fons in the more fubordinate walks of life, as the  ftandard
of human perfeaion ; hence  when  vicious cuftoms are
brought into  ufe by men of this defcription, the  impreffion
which is made on illiterate minds is more durable, and the
profpeaof eradicating them more gloomy.

     This plant was firft introduced into England by Sir
Walter Raleigh,  about the year 1585;  this nobleman ufed
it in the form of fegar,  and hence the defpicable habit of
fmoking was fpeedily contraaed by the inhabitants of that
kingdom.

   I prefume, our forefathers, muft have borrowed this cuf-
tom from the aborigines of America, as  we  are informed,
thefe Savages ufed it long before it was introduced into the
civilized world.

      Our anceftors then, have  entailed one  of the moft
odious vices  on their fons and daughters; for forryam I to
obferve, that this  plant is ufed  by females, as  well as males.

     Their delicate habits, it was to have been hoped, would
have prevented  them from the luxurious  ufe of fuch  a
naufeous weed, but fatal experience has taught us, that our
expeaations were merely the refultsof  benevolence ; with
exalted notions of  female delicacy, blended with a natural
affeaion for thefex, we fondly anticipated, that  they would 
                    C     4°     )
preferve  themfelves aloof  from fuch a  deteftable cuftom,
and therefore expeaed that a fegar  would  never find ad-
mittance within their ruby lips.

     How far thefe expeaations have been realifed, expe-
rience will declare.

     The ufe of this plant is not folely confined to thofe la-
dies, who have paffed the meridian of life, for in fuch a cafe
the evil would not be fo great, but the young and the bloom-
ing alfo delight in inhaling the  fumes  of tobacco;  from
this fource we may expea much mifchief, for as habit will
render this weed as effential to their happinefs, as their daily
food ;  fo alfo we will naturally fee the rifing generation,
fondly allured to a fimilar attachment.

     It  is granted that  fmoking, or chewing, univerfally
produce thirft, therefore a defire for ftrong drink is excited;
and as thefe, when taken between meals, are generally the
forerunners  of intemperance and drunkennefs, fo alfo  is
vice univerfally the confequence.   This is proved beyond
the poffibility of doubt,  by Dr. Rufh*  in his obfervations
on the ufe of tobacco ; he obferves  its  influence in  pro-
moting intemperance, in the following  words.—« One of
the greateft fots," fays the Doaor, «I ever knew, acquir-
ed a love for ardent fpirits, by fwallowing cuds of tobacco,
which he did, to efcape deteaion in the ufe of it, for he had
contraaed the habit of chewing, contrary to the advice and
commands of his father.   He died  of  a dropfy under my
care in the year 1780."
* Rufh's Effays, page 270. 
                      {     ♦»     )
      From this faa we fee, in the moft undifguifed manner,
 the pernicious effeas of this weed, not only on the morals,
 but on the health, and ought we  not then to endeavour to
 wean ourfelves from the ufe of a plant, which evidently im-
 pairs our ability for living as  rational beings, and infures
 for us an early grave ?

      We daily witnefs the horrid effeas of inebriety, in
 our intercourfe with  the world ;  a train of evils  are  pro-
 duced, which totally difqualify the flaves of it from living
 in the  polifhed walks of fociety;  they become objeas of
 pity5 and contempt, by men of genius and w  rth, and  be-
 ing excluded from the fociety of fuch, they fly to the haunts
 of vice,  and  frequently  end  their days, in a tavern or a
 brothel.

     Idlenefs  is alfo generated by the ufe of tobacco,  and
 though it cannot be confidered fo  immediately deftruaive
 to health and moral reaitude, as the habit of drunkennefs,
 yet the effeas are equally extenfive, though flower in their
 operation.   The focial  duties of life are negleaed,  and
 every thing valuable and interefting is totally difregarded.
 Our country, our conneaions, and our friends become ob-
 jeas of but little regard, and finally we attain to fuch per-
feaion in indolence, that even the neceffary d-uties of  life,
which only extend to ourfelves, are confidered as  burthen-
fome, and at laft totally negleaed.

     Thefe are generally  the  effeas of a fervile  fondnefs
for tobacco ;  and  I  could enumerate many more, if my
time would admit, which are equally difguftingin their  na-
ture ; however, ascuftom has rendered this plant fo effen-
                          F 
                    (     4»     )
tial to the happinefs of many of our fellow citizens, it can-
not be expeaed that thefe, or any other remarks,  would
have a tendency to difcourage the ufe.
                  CHAPTER  V*
                     >
Of the analyfis of tobacco, and the operation of its conjlituent
                parts on living fyjlems.

             Experiment  io.

     I boiled two pounds of the dried leaves, in  fix quarts
of water, down  to four ;  the liquor was then ftrained, and
carefully evaporated, over a gentle fire, to the confidence
of an extraa, which weighed four ounces.

             Experiment  ii.

      To two  ounces of  the above extraa, I added four
ounces of pure alcohol*,  and triturated them together, for
fome time in a mortar ;  after which I poured off the men-
ftruum, and by the affufion of diftilled water, precipitated
the refin, from the alcohql ; this I evaporated with a gentle
heat, and  then weighed the refiduum,  which proved to be
'three drachms of pure refin.

             Experiment   12.

      Half a pound of the dried leaves of tobacco, put into
a crucible,  heated  red hot, and calcined in the open  air

    * As the fpirits of wine  is frequently adulterated by the apo-
thecaries, Iwai at the trouble of diftilling it myfelf, fo as to procure
it as concentrated as pufllble. 
yielded an ounce and an half,of white afhes $ to this I added
boiling water  feveral times, and filtered the whole.   The**'
reiiduum, when dried, weighed one ounce j fo that' the
water took up half an ounce of the vegetable alkali, as is
fufficientfy exemplified in the following experiments.

            Experiment   13.

     In order  to afcertain whether the fubftance taken up
by the water,  in the preceding experiment,  was of the na-
ture of a vegetable alkali, I fubmitted it to the following
tefts.

     ift. To  a fmall portion of this  mixture, I  added an
aqueous folution of Corrofive fublimate,w\\\ch was inftant-
ly precipitated of  a brick-duft colour,

     2d.  I added a  few  drachms of this filtered mixture, to
a folution of the fulphate of iron*, which inftantly render-
ed  it of a black turbid colour, fomewhat tinged with a
darkifh  green.

     4th. It  precipitated the fulphate of  copper\  of  a
greenifh hue.

     eth. A piece of paper, ftained yellow with turmerick,
was ftained of a brownifti hue.
     6.  L itmus paper was  changed, to  its priftine blue
colour, after being turned red by the nitric acid.

     7.  A piece of paper,  ftained red by the  brafil  wood
was changed from its original colour, to a beautiful purple.
                *  Green Vitriol, or Copperas.
                f Roman, or Blue Vitriol. 
                     (     44     )
     All the above tefts, were made individually with an
 aqueous folution of pot-afh, and precifely with the fame re-
 fult, which inconteftibly confirms the analogy of the two,j

             Experiment   14.

     The water which was poured  on the afhes of the to-
 bacco, was laid afide  to evaporate fpontancoufly, when  it
 yielded cryftals of the carbonate of pot-afh, and common
 fait.

              Experiment   15.

     To the fubftance which remained after the affufion of
hot water,  weighing one ounce, I  added half an ounce of
fulphuric acid, diluted  with water, and fuffered the mixture
to boil for a few minutes, over a gentle fire; I then poured
it off, and when  filtered  very clear,  it was placed in a (hal-
low veffel, to evaporate; in a few days, cryftals of the ful-
phate of alumine,  were obtained. The refiduium confided
of filicious earth, and weighed fix drachms.

            Experiment   16.

     To half an ounce of the extraa, I added  four ounces
of concentrated nitric acid, which were boiled together over
a gentle fire.   A large quantity of nitrous gas efcaped, but
as foon as  the whole was evolved, the mixture was  taken
off, and it yielded cryftals of the oxalic acid.

             Experiment   17.

     Haifa pound of the dried leaves were calcined in a red 
(    45    )
 hot  crucible, which emitted a confiderable vapor.  I co-
 vered the veffel clofe, and fuffered the fmoke to pafs through
 a tube, Which was condenfed in a receiver: by this procefs,
 I procured  feveral ounces of the diftilled water, and near
 half an ounce of an empyreumatic oil, which trickled down
 the fides of the veffel, and floated on the furface of the wa-
 ter.

     In order to  afcertain the difference in ftrength between
 the refin and the gum, I made the following experiments.

            Experiment  18.

     To Thomas Howel, aged fifty, whofe pulfe beat 66
 ftrokes in a minute, I adminiftered  two grains of the refin,
 obtained by the means particularized in experiment eleventh,
fufpended in a little water,  about two  hours after he had
breakfafted on bread and chocolate.   The refult of this ex-
periment was as follows.
5 66	66	15 1 20 69 1 69	25 70	3o 1 35 71 75	40 72	45 7i	50 70	55 66	60 66
      He complained of confiderable  naufea at his ftomach,
* but no vomiting.  He (hortly after had a paffage, and void-
 ed a copious flow of urine.

              Experiment  19.

      To John Wheelder,  a man of the fame temperament,
 I gave four grains of the extraa, deprived of its refin. His
 pulfe beat 68  ftrokes  in a minute, and the following was
 the refult. 
(    46    )
    In
P. beat
15	10 1 i5 | ao | 2j 1 30	35	40	45	5°	55	60
b°	73 1 74 1 75 1 77 1 78	78	76	73	7°	7°	68
Min.
     Inififteen  minutes, he  complained of a naufea; in
25, the naufea  increafcd, attended with a little  head-ach.
In 30 minutes he perfpired,and feltfomewhat giddy. About
the fortieth  minute, he had a copious evacuation down-
wards, which relieved him confiderably.  At the end of the
hour, he felt much better,  though ftill fome naufea at his
ftomach, which  wore off in the courfe of two or three hours.

     I Was favoured with the  following interefting experi-
ment,  by my ingenious friend Mr. Lee, aged about twen-
ty, an apothecary to the Philadelphia Hofpital.

             Experiment  20.

     At  9 o'clock, P. M. three hours after drinking fome
tea,  and  eating  bread, I took  two grains  of the refin, that
you  gave me, made up into a  foft pill, with a fmall portion
of flour,  and drank water after it, fo that there was no tafte
perceived.   From  feveral previous examinations, my pulfe
beat fixty-eight ftrokes in a minute, and the alterations pro-
duced in it,  are  marked, in the following table, viz.
I P. be;	" I5 it 1 73 1	1.0 78	•5 90	3o 94	40 1 45 90 1 87	55 90	60 | 65 89 | 85	7° 1 75 | 80 | 78 1 -l-l	Min
In	80 | 85 | 95 1 10° 1 io5 1 no 1 "5 1 1*° 1 125 1 i3o 1 »35								mil
PB.	76 | 74 1 77 1 77 1 77 1 75 1 74 1 74 I 73 1 67 | 66								
" In five minutes I felt a good deal of pain at my fto- 
                     (     47     )
mach, which continued conftant for two hours.  • This con-
tinuation of the pain, induced me to carry on the experi-
ment, as far as I did, to fee more particularly the refult of
its operation. In eight minutes, I be.ran to perfpire, and in
fifteen and eighteen minutes, the perfpiration increafed moft
profufely, particularly on my upper extremities,  and fore-
head.  At ten  minutes, I felt gi»Idy, and loci became ver-
tiginous,  with an evident tremor throughout my frame.
Thefe effeas  went  Off at thi ty fi/e minutes.   I vomited
four times, viz. at the 20th, 35th, 50th and 90th minutes.
This vomiting was  as violent,  as 1 have ever experienc-
ed from tartar emetic. During the whole time I  belched a
great deal. After thefe affecVions fubfided, I voided urine,
and felt difpofed for a paffage downwards, but being late at
night, I did not indulge myfelf.

     " This laft affeaion I attributed  folely to the  purga-
tive quality of the medicine, as I had a paffage this forenoon,
which generally attends me  in the  four and twer-y hours,
when in a healthy ftate; but feldom  more, and fometimes,I
pafs the whole- day without fuch an evacuation.

     " N. B. I took particular care  not to examine  my
pulfe after vomiting, until the expravior of five minutes;
and always before not''!.;. ->, i remained ftill in one pofture,
at leaft two minutes, in order that it might  not be increaf-
ed by exertions of any kind."

      Mr. Lee informed me, that he does: *• ufe  tobacco in
 any form whatever, to which may  be attrii. Jtf d,  the va-
 lence of mc fy-rnpo-i?, as  well as c,reat increafe of pulfe,
 for we find the ftme qjintny did not  produce fjch violent
 affeaions in  Thomas Howel, who occafionally indulged
 himfelf in the taking of a little. 
(    4*    )
             Experiment   31.

     I gave three drops of the diftilled water,*  as procured
in the  17th experiment, to Thomas Howel, on whom the
18th experiment was made.  His pulfe beat 68  ftrokes in a
minute, and it affeaed him in the following manner.
  In
P. beat
5 I'*	»5	1 «> |	*5	1 3o | 35 1 4o |	45	50	55	| Go
69 |7i	71	1 73 1	75	I 78 1 76 | 76 1	74	7'	70	l«7
   In fifteen minutes, he faid  that his  ftomach felt a little
warm, as if he had drank brandy and  water.  At the 25th
minute a naufea occurred.  In thirty-five minutes, ftill
fome ficknefs  at his ftomach, but not  fo perceptible as be-
fore. In  55  and 60 minutes, he experienced no further  in-
convenience from the dofe.

            Experiment  22

     To  afcertain more particularly the operation of the
diftilled water, I took three drops in a little cold tea, on an
empty ftomach, my pulfe beating  68  ftrokes in a minute,
and the following was the effete.
In	5 | 10 | 35 | so | 25 | 30 | 35
P. beat |	70 | 70 | 7a | 73 | 77 | 80 | 80 J
Min.
In       J 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75  J   Min.
P. beat   80 | 80 | 76 | 72 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 68
   * This water was c-.:rcn ti" acrid, and  fomewhat impregnated
with the oil. 
(    49    )
     In ten minutes, I felt a warmth throughout my throat
and ftomach; in twenty minutes my head became a little
confufed, and the naufea increafed.   At the thirtieth,  I
made feveral efforts to ejea the contents of my ftomach, but
without effea, and in forty minutes this difpofition for vo-
miting fubfided.  There was a confiderable moifture on my
forehead, until the forty-fifth minute, but difappeared  on
the fixtieth.  In an hour and fifteen minutes, every fymptom
totally vanifhed, and I remained perfeaiy compofed for the
remainder of the evening.

            Experiment  23.                    ♦

     Five grains of the extraa were diflblved in water, and
given to a cat, which induced vomiting in the courfe of five
minutes ; this continued for near half an hour, with inter-
vals of fix or eight minutes.  After this  time the vomiting
fubfided, and the animal perfeaiy recovered.

             Experiment  24.

     Five grains of the extraa were diflblved in one ounce
of water, and injeaed into the  reaum of a  fmall dog: in
three minutes it began  to be extremely reftlefs; in five it
ran about the room, and apparently in great diftrefs; it con-
tinued thus for feven or eight minutes, when  a copious eva-
cuation took place,  which relieved it confiderably; the ani-
mal was divefted of every indication of pain in the fpace of
thirty minutes.

             Experiment  25.

     I injeaed ten  grains of th« extraa  diflblved in half an
•i<nce of water,  into the reaum of a fall gtown C2t, which 
                    (    50    )
produced flight convulfions in the abdominal mufcles,  and
a great degree of difquietude for the fpace of thirty minutes;
a copious evacuation fucceeded thefe fymptoms,which leffcn-
ed them confiderably; at the expiration of an hour, they
were evidently diminifhed, and, to every appearance, totally
fubfided in the courfe of two hours and a half.

            Experiment   26.

     Three hours after performing the above experiment, I
adminiftered to the fame cat, ten grains of the refin fufpend-
ed in water, which produced violent contortions of the abdo-
men,  in the (hort fpace  often minutes: free and repeated
difcharges were the refult of this exhibition;  and the poor
animal difcovered by its mewing, and  grimaces, fuch ex-
quifite torture, that at the 20th minute, I  injeaed the like
quantity into its mouth, in order to put an end to its exif-
tence.  In lefs than thirty minutes, thefe  affeaions  were
greatly increafed, and a violent  vomiting  enfued, attended
with  great commotions  of the ftomach, and repeated dif-
charges of its contents. In forty minutes the convulfions of
the abdominal mufcles, were  confiderably  augmented, and
an inceffant tremor pervaded the whole  frame. In this de-
plorable  fituation it continued for fome time, when it fprung
up, and hobbled acrofs the room. In an hour and ten mi-
nutes, it foamed confiderably at the mouth; the refpiration
became quick and extremely  laborious, and it affumed, in
 every refpea, the appearance of  a rabid animal; the fpaf-
 modic contraaions of the ftomach and abdomen were great-
 ly promoted, and the poor animal appeared for a time, as if
 it would  ejca the  very ftomach itfelf.*  In this dreadful
 (late it remained until near the  2d hour,  when  death as a
 benign attendant clofed  the lamentable  fcene.
   * Similar fymptoms took placefrom theeAhibnionof two drachms 
(     51     )
             Experiment   27.

     I  gave to  a large dog, thirty grains  of the extraa,
confiding of the gum and refin,  which  produced  no fenfi-
ble effeas for the firft hour; in an hour  and fifteen mi-
nutes, he difcovered fome commotion  in the ftomach,  by
the faliva which run from, the mouth, and alfo by feveral
convulfions of the body,  as if inclined for vomiting. No-
thing  was ejeaed from the ftomach, but  the dog had co-
pious  and repeated difcharges  through  the medium of the
reaum,  for  feveral hours after.   The  enfuing day he had
perfeaiy recovered,  and  fuftained no apparent inconveni-
ence from his bolus.

              Experiment   28.

     Fifteen grains of the refin were given to a dog of the
fame ftrength,  which caufed an inclination to vomit in the

of camphor, anl as the analogy is fo great, I will give the extract
from the  London medical obfervations, as related by Mr. Hoffman.
" I gave," fays Mr. Hoffman, " to a large grey hound, two drachms
of camphor, in a ball of hogs lard. Three quarters of an hour after,
the dog began to look wild and furious, lolled out his tongue, work-
ed in his flanks,  as if exceflively fatigued.  I found the nervous parts
fo violently contracted, their rigidity fo great, and the dog when at-
 tempting to walk, inftead of advancing, recoiled backwards, drag-
ging hi; forelegs after him, as if he dreaded by goiBg forwards, to fall
 down a precipice. He then fell into convulfions. After a little time
 he got up, began to walk, ftriking his head againft any thing, that
 happened in  his way ; tumbling and  tottering as  if intoxicated.
 When I offered him fome water to drink, notwithftanding he appear-
 ed very thirfty, he rei'ufed it. The fymptoms refembled the hydropho-
 bic. In about twenty-four hours every appearance of madaefs, gra-
 dually fubfided, and left the clog  in a quite weak and feeble condi-
 tion ;  but afterwards he recovered gradually. 
(     5*    )
fpace of half an hour. In three quarters,  he threw up the
contents of his  ftomach, and appeared for fome  time in
great anxiety. In an  hour, he had a large evacuation from
his bowels; and the medicine operated various times, both
as an emetic and cathartic.

     For the fucceeding part of the day, he appeared as ufu-
al, and no further inconvenience attended this exhibition.

             Experiment  29.

     Thirty drops of the diftilled water, as procured in ex-
periment  17th, was given to a cat, which occafioned con-
vulfions in five minutes.  In ten it fprung about, and con-
torted its body in a variety  of forms;  the convulfions, in
twelve  minutes were fo much augmented, that  it was af-
feaing  to behold the torture of the animal, and in this ex-
quifite pain it fuddenly expired.

            Experiment  30.

     I applied three drops of the oil of tobacco to the tongue
cfa cat, which  almoft  inftantaneoufly produced convul-
fions, and in fix or eight minutes, its breathing  was fter-
torous,  accompanied with tremors, and confiderable pain.*
It recovered confiderably in the courfe of an hour,  and in
about an hour and an half,feemed to enjoy  its priftine com-
pofure.

            Experiment  31.

     After laying bare feveral mufcles of the leg of a pige-

  * This is  taken notice of in the  new Royal Encyclopedia, under
rlie head of Nicotian*. 
                    (     53     )
on,* I  applied two drops of the oil  of tobacco, which al-
moft inftantaneoufly  occafioned a fpafmodic affeaion, and
fuch a degree of rigidity in the whole of the extremity, as
to induce an inability for motion; a quick  refpiration  ac-
companied the whole, attended with a violent  palpitation
of the heart, and a confiderable tremor, throughout the ex-
tremity.

     Thefe  fymptoms continued for  twenty minutes, but
after  the expiration of half an hour,  gradually  diminifhed
and totally fubfided in the courfe of an hour.  In  attempting
to catch it,  it walked acrofs the room, but with fome dif-
ficulty.  In an hour and fifteen minutes, it ejeaedf the con-
tents of its ftomach, which relieved it confiderably, and oc-
cafioned its affuming  a more lively afpea.

     No difagreeable confequences enfued,  and  it perfeaiy
recovered thefe affeaions.

             Experiment   32.

     The mufcles of the  lower extremity of a  frog, were
laid bare, and four drops of the oil of tobacco applied to them,
which occafioned, in five minutes a paralyfis of the limb,

  * I am confcious of the apparent inhumanity of many of the ex-
periments here inferted ; but when we reflect on the neceffity which
frequently occurs of our reforting to them in particular enquiries, re-
lative to the various operations of medicines, I flatter  myfelf that I
fhall be deemed fufficiently excufable for practifing them  as often
as I have done.

  f The Indians poifon their arrows, with the oil of tobacco, which, in-
fufed into a frefh wound, occafions  ficknefs, and  vomiting, or con-,
vulfions and death. 
                     (    54     )
 and fmall tremulous motions  throughout the whole body:
 the limb remained  perfeaiy inaaive; the ifchiatic nerve
 was then pricked, in order to afcertain,  whether the part
 was deprived of its contraaile power, but no vifible effea
 was produced: upon touching the ifchiatic  nerve of the
 other extremity, a violent contraaion of the leg inftantane-
 oufly took place.

     This  experiment  was repeated divers times, and with
 the fame refults.

            EXEPRIMENT   33.

     An opening  was made in the  teguments on  the back
 part of the neck of a pigeon, and raifed without injuring the
 flefliy  part of it. Four drops of the oil of tobacco were then
 introduced. In five minutes, it indicated fome degree of
 pain, by a flapping of its wings, and on the feventh minute,
 it was attacked with a tremor, when its feet became rigidly
 extended, and on  the tenth, it inftantly expired.

            Experiment   34.

     The breaft of a pigeon was pienaured, and the orifice
 filled up with  feveral drops of the oil of tobacco.   In five
 minutes the legs were feized  with an inability for motion.
 The breaft was now its only fupport, and it  continued in
 this fituation,  for forty minutes.   It indicated great pain
 the whole of this time,  and was furprifingly convulfed.  It
 made feveral efforts to vomit, but its ftomach being empty
from a long confinement, nothing was ejeaed. At the ex-
piration of  an hour, it arofe,  and walked  acrofs the room. 
                    (     55     )
     The pigeon fuftained no further injury, and was per-
feaiy lively,  two days after.
            Obfervations on the Experiments.

     XX S I have already taken notice of the particular
operation of tobacco, on the human fyftem, in a preceding
part of this work, I (hall avoid prolixity  by referring to
thofe pages,* where an accurate definition has already been
offered; the inferences of which are drawn from feveral of
the . preceding experiments.   I  fhall,  therefore, without
further comment pafs them over, and proceed to an exami-
nation of the fifth experiment, where we have an opportu-
nity of obferving the  ftimulating effeas of tobacco,  when
applied externally to an irritable furface.

     In reviewing the  fixth experiment, we  find that Ni-
cotiana proves  a  gentle emetic, when externally applied to
the body,  which  faa  is  alfo corroborated, by an experi-
ment of my friend Mr. Dart's, already taken notice of.   In
cafes where internal emetics may be objeaed  to, this  appli-
cation may be adopted with little or no inconvenience, par-
ticularly as its operation  is of a very lenient nature.

     in regard to the experiments made on the mice,  it is to
be obferved, that death was almoft an immediate attendant
on each.  I diffeaed  feveral of thefe animals after the ex-
tinaion of life, in order  to fee if I could trace any  marks
* Pages 33 and 33. 
                     (    56    )
of inflammation.   In two or three that I opened, no vifible
effeas were produced ; in others, the minute blood veffels
throughout the inteftines, were fomewhat florid, but perhaps
this might have proceeded from fome other caufe.  Here it
may be prefumed, that the exceffwe ffimulatin* quality of
this plant, was  difproportioned to the  excitability of  their
fyftems, and confequently death was induced, before any in-
flammatory type could poffibly have taken place.*

     With refpea to the conftituent  parts of tobacco, we
 find, agreeable to the eleventh experiment, that it poffeffes
an  extraa confifting of  a  gum and refin,  two ounces of
which afforded three drachms of pure refin.   From the fe-
veral experiments that I  have made, the moft aaive proper-
ty of this plant confifts in the refinous portion.

     The afhes obtained from the twelfth experiment, yield-
ed a large portion of vegetable alkali, as is fufficiently con-
firmed from the tefts  enumerated.  The fourteenth expe-
riment afforded cryftals  of the  carbonate  of  pot-afh  and
common fait; from the fifteenth  was obtained the fulphate
ofalumine.

     Cryftals  of the oxalic  acid, were procured from the
 fixteenth experiment.  The feventeSnth afforded a water ex-
tremely  pungent  when  applied  to the tongue, and the oil
which floated on its furface was very acrid, when in contaa
with a denuded furface of the body. We may perceivefrom

  * Dr. Rufh remark: that the fame frequently occurred, with per-
fons who  died fuddcnly of  the yellow fever. " It is owing," fays
this acute phyfiologift, " to z.fuddenproftration of the fyftem, before the
tx flencc of morbid ac7i$n,  without  which no inflammation can tak?
place/' 
                     (    57     )
 the refults of the 18th and 19th experiments, the difference
 exifting between the gum and refin, for both of the menort
 whom thefe experiments were performed, were of the fame
 temperament, and occafionally praaifed the chewing of to-
 bacco. From the twentieth experiment, which was per-
 formed by Air.  Lee, we fee clearly manifefted  the immenfe
 power of the refinous portion of the extraa, and its virtue
 as a medicine, occafionirg naufea, a profufe perfpiration, and
at length  vomiting.

    Tobacco appears to be unequivocally a powerful dia-
phoretic, and as fuch it has proved efficacious  in a variety
of difeafes.  It is to be regretted that its exhibition is not
oftener repeated; for there are teftimonies of its falutary in-
fluence in many obftinate fevers, which predominated over
the moft  powerful  remedies which are  efteemed valuable
for exciting a fpeedy and profufe perfpiration.

    The  twenty-firft and twenty fecond experiments,
vince  the immenfe power  which the diftilled water poffef-
fes: phyficians  formerly made ufe  of it with  advantage, and
I entertain not the  fmalleft doubt, but that, with a proper
dilution, it may  now be adminiftered with much efficacy.

    The twenty-third, twenty-fourth,  and twenty-fifth ex-
periments, clearly  demonftrate the emetic  and  purgative
 qualities of this plant; and the twenty-fixth, twenty-fe-
 venth, and twenty-eighth, again elucidate the difference ex-
 ifting between the gum and refin; for, agreeable to thefe ex-
 periments, we find that one half of the  latter, operated more
 powerfully than twice the quantity of the former.

     The immenfe  acrimony of the diftilled water, is cvi- 
                     I     58     )
dently depicked in the twenty-ninth experiment, for the
fmall quantity  of  thirty drops produced convulfions  and
death in a cat, in the (hort fpace of twelve minutes.   T'ic
thirtieth, and the fucceeding experiments fufficiently evince
the power with which the oil of tobacco is endued, occa-
fioning a univerfal tremor throughout the whole frame, and
a paralyfis of the parts to which it was applied.
 An account of its medical virtues,  in eradicating certain
                        difeafes.


 JL HE medical powers of tobacco were generally known
among phyficians,  at  an early period, who afcribed  many
virtues to it in certain obftinate difeafes.   With refpea to
its operation as a general evacuant, I may, from my  expe-
riments, and the corroborating affertions of various authors,
pronounce this  medicine a valuable acquifition to the  mate-
ria medica;  and that its evident  operation on the fyftem, is
that- of afudorific an emetic, a cathartic and a diuretic. Hence
the propriety of its ufe,  in a variety of difeafes.

     In cafes of afcites and other  dropfical affeaions,  it ap-
pears to be an invaluable remedy.

     As a diuretic, I would venture to affert, that  it is ex-
celled by few,  if any  of our indigenous plants.   The digi-
talis purpurea,* which grows luxuriantly  in South-Caroli-
* Purple Fox-glove. 
                     (     59    )
na, has been  much  celebrated for its diuretic quality, by
medical charaaers ; but 1 have feen inftances where the to-
bacco has eradicated feveral violent cafes of afcites, where
this had  proved but of little effea.  "  Diuretics," fays a
much celebrated charaaer,f " have fo long  been employed
with benefit in the treatment of dropfies, that it becomes a
matter of confequence, to increafethe number of the medi-
cines of this clafs, and to learn how to exhibit, with more
advantage, thofe which  are already known." In how great
cilimation then (hould we hold that plant, which is evident-
ly endowed-with a power  of  evacuating  the accumulated
water by a natural difcharge,  for the relief of afcites  and
other dropfical affeaions,  in  lieu of reforting to a furgical
operation, which  is painful and difagreeable to the affliaed
patient; that  nicotiana poffefTes this  quality no  one  will
pretend to deny.

     Every praaitioner of medicine,  who has attentively
perufed the publication of the ingenious Doaor Fowler,
on the effeas of Tobacco,  with refpea  to  its diuretic
quality, muft candidly  acknowledge   its  falutary effeas,
in cafes of dropfy  and dyfury.  The uniform refult atten-
dant on his experiments,  together with the many proofs of
its virtues which  have come under my cognizance,  clearly
evince the indefinite worth of this plant, and  the neceffity
of adminiftering  it  in thofe cafes of dropfy, which feem to
triumph over medicines of lefs efficacy, although held in the
greateft repute.

      To illuftrate this ftill further, I  have  been informed
by fw-veral perfons of unqueftionable veracity, that a variety

   + Seeprofefibr Barton's eflay tov/arfai. materia medic* of the United
 Slates. p3se 14. 
                     C  ,   60     )

of the moft violent  cafes of  dropfy,  many of which had
baffled the (kill of the moft eminent phyficians,  were per-
feaiy  eradicated  by an  old  negro fellow.   His remedy
was, for a time, unknown to  any but himfelf,  until, by
fome accidental occurrence, it was difcovered to be a fimple
dccoaion of  tobacco,  difguifed   with fome odoriferous
herb.   As an  additional proof of the efficacy of this  plant
in the various  fpecies of dropfy, I fhall take the liberty of
introducing the opinion  of Dr. Cullen, when confidering
the effeas ot vomiting, in  promoting abforption, and there-
by relieving patients affeaed with dropfy.   ^ Spontaneous
vomiting," fays the Dr. has fometimes excited an abforption
in hydropic parts, and thereby drawn off the waters lodged
in them, it is  reafonable  to fuppofe, that vomiting excited
by art, may have the fame eftea;  and accordingly it  has         <4
been often praaifed  with advantage*."  The doaor then
proceeds with  obferving, " that there are no means we can
employ to  procure,a copious evacuation of ferous  fluids,
with greater  certainty than the operation of purgatives
and it is upon   thefe  accounts, that purging is the evacua-
tion which has been moft frequently, and perhaps  with
moft fuccefs, employed in  dropfyf."  He further remarks
«c that the kidneys afford a natural outlet for a great  part of        »
the watery fluids, contained in the blood  veffels; and the
i.>cre:.fing the excretions by the kidneys^  to a confiderable
degree, is a means,  as likely, as any other of exciting an
abforption in dropfical parts.   It is upon  this account that

  * Cuilen's Firft lines Vol. II. page 407.

  f Cuilen's Practice of Phyfic. Vol. II. page 408.

  i It is remarked by Dr. Sydenham when treating of diuretic sin drop-
fical cafes, " thsi whera the waters are not to be discharged by v»- 
(     61     )
diuretic  medicines have been always properly employed in
the cure of dropfy.   It happens however, unluckily,  that
none of  them are of a very certain operation*".   He then
proceeds by announcing the  utility  of fudorifics,  in many
cafes of dropfical  affeaions, and affirms, that they  have
proved falutary in many inftances.

     As I  have  had  fome  opportunities of witnefling the
happy effeas of  tobacco, and its  various operations on
the  fyftem,  I would  beg  leave to  obferve that  all thefe
virtues hitherto enumerated by Doaor Cullen, appear to be,
under certain circumftances, concentrated in  this  plant;
from my experience, I may venture to affert, with  fome
degree of  confidence, that it  has  proved  of ineftimable
worth for the relief of patients affiled with dropfy.

     In reviewing what I have written on the medical  prc-
perties of this plant, 1 perceive that my limitted information
has prevented me from doing ample juftice to the fubjea:
in  order,  therefore,  to extenuate  my  deficiencies, I (hall

miting or purging; for  inftance in weak conftituti»ns, and hyfteric
fubjects, they cannot be evacuated  by purgatives, and much lefs by
vomitives but are to be carried off by diuretics.  Several of this kind are
extolled in the writings of phyficians, but the moft, if not the ov'.j
efficacious ones, in my opinion, are  thofe prepared from hxivialfalu,
from whatever plant the aflies be obtained".  DoctorWallis obferves
 that the aflies of tobacco, has oftentimes proved efficacious in the re-
 lief of dropfy.  Wallis's Sydenham. Vol. II.  page a39-

   * Doctor Fowler obferves  on this head, that fuch confederations
 firft induced him to make  trial of a greater variety of diuretic
 medicines iu dropfical  cafes, than have generally been ufed;  in
 hopes of finding fome one, more efficacious than the reft: and  V
 flatters himfelf, he may recommend, as fuch,  the celebrated India
 plant commonly called  Tobacco. 
                   (     6a     )

apply to the  learned pages of Doaor Fowler* for aid, in
accomplifhing thedefign of this undertaking.

     In  this work fo replete with medical information, many
intci efting faas may be colleaed ; and I truft that it will be
found on an  impaffioned examination of our  experiments,
that I have  not departed from truth,  nor built my opinions
on conjeaure.

     Doaor Fowler obferves that a  paragraph, in the third
volume  of Dr.  Duncan's  very  valuable medical commen-
taries, firft induced him to  adminifter tobacco.   It was part
of a  letter, from Dr. Garden of Chailefton South-Carolina,
to Dr. Hope  of  Edinburgh  ; wherein he fays—" Here wc
ufe with furprizingly  great efficacy, in dropfical cafes,  the
alkaline fixqd fait of tobacco, &c.

     Do&or Fowler remarks that a variety of operations,
iii different authors, have been afcribed to this plant,  and
that  he was Jed  from  this  circumftance to afcertain more
particularly its virtues; being folicitous  of eftablifhing his
opinions on a more fubftantial bafis than the  afftrtions of
other?, he refolved on entering into  a  minute inveftigation       y
of the fubjea, and confequently founded the pofitions there
ftated, on his own experience and obfervation.

     The refult of this cnqiii'-y. has afforded  him very fa-
vourable ideas upon the fubjea, and from the number of
faas enumerated by him, we may infer, that tobacco, under
proper regulations, may be adminiftcred internally, not only
as a  fafe, but as an efficacious, and valuable remedy ; tfpeci-

  *  Sre Dottor Thomas Fowler's Medical reports of the Effects of
To I-..co. 
C     63     )
ally as a powerful diuretic in cafes of dropfie's and dyfuries*.

    *  To illuftrate the manner of its exhibition, and alfo its fa 1«-
ary effects in many c ifes, 1 will take the liberty of inferting a few
extra<ts from Dr. Fowler, as related by him, and which were the re-
fultsof his own  obfervations.

    It appears from many  experiments, fays the  Doctor,  that the
average dofe for  an adult fuiiicient  to produce  the dcfired  effect,
will be about  eighty drops ot  the infufion ; or to fpeak with fom«
latitude, from fixty drops to one hundred, and to be repeated twice
a day.

    The  propereft times for adrriiniftering the medicine, are  two
hours before dinner, and at bed-time ; it being obferved to difagrcc
the moft  with the ftomach,  in a morning fading.  And fuch is the
difference between morning and night, that almoft every patient  will
require to take one fourth,  and fome even one  third  lefs,  in th«
forenoon,  than in the evening ; in order to enable them to bear the
dofes, with equal convenience.  The infufion fhould always  be ad-
miniftcred in fome vehicle ; which may either be water, or any other
fimple drink.

    The common dofe juft mentioned, relate  only to adults of an
•rdinary  conftitution;  for  it deferves  particular  notice, that  be-
tween conftitutions, which are very nervous and irritable, and thofe
which are  very robuft,  or torpid, or  long accuftomed to the ufe of
tobacco, the dofes will admit  of very great, and furpriling varia-
tions.

    As an illuftration of this point, I fhall here annexa comparative
view  of the dofes of the infufion, adminiftered in ninety four cafes
of adults ; taking the medium-dofe of each cafe, and  reducing  the
whole into four  clafles, according to the number of drops,

                 Firft Clafs.   Medium dofes.

       2i  Cafes  (3 men, and 18  women), from 35 to 60 drops.

                         Second  Clafs,

       57 Cafes,  (29 men, and »3 woncn), from 63 to roo drcps. 
(     64     )
     A medicine poffeffing this quality in an emiment de-
gree, has long been acknowledged to be a defideratum  in
phyfic;  and let it be confidered as  a further recommenda-
tion, that it is found in a vegetable.    Bccaufj the produc-
tions of nature are generally conftant and uniform ; while
thofe of art, are too often variable and uncertain ;  which
is the cafe in fome of our moft powerful chemical remedies.

                        In  Fever.


jt\3  it is not my intention  to enter into a particular
difquifition relative to the nature of fever,  I fhall only ob-
ferve that fuch medicines as promote a profufe diaphorexis
are  frequently  reforted to  by phyficians,  and I   have  no
doubt but that the infufion of tobacco, in naufeating dofes,
fo as to induce copious fweating, would be attended with
very falutary effeas.

                       Third  Clafs*
      13 Cafes, (9 men, and 4 women), from 100 to 150.

                      Fourth Clafs.

      3 Cafes, (  3 men), from              150 to 300.                >
      94

    Seeing the diverlity of dofes is fo great, I would lay it down as
a rule, by way of caution, to begin with fixty drops, or three fourthi
of the medium-dofe, in a cafe of a delicate conftitution ; and to in-
creafe the number of drops, by five, eight or ten at a  time,  till by
their obvious effects on the fyftem, the proper  dofe fliail be ascer-
tained.

    But if the patient fhould be a male, and the conftitution robuft,
torpid, or accuftomed  to the ufe of tobacco, we may fafely venture
to begin with eighty,  ninety, or one hundred drops ; and thus, with
more expedition, regulate the future dofes according to the effects 
                     (     65     )
     In the cure of fever, various means are reforted to
by medical charaaers; fome appear  to  be  more  particu-
larly attached to the ufe of the lancet, others to vomiting,
fome to fweating, and many prefer the ufe  of purgatives,
but their objeas, it may  be prefumed, are ultimately the
fame, viz. depletion.   Is it not probable then that the com-
plicated operation  of tobacco would  render its  exhibition
beneficial in many cafes of fever ?  And would it  not,  on
this confideration, be expedient for phyficians to praaife
the ufe of it more often than they do  ?

    In teftimony of its efficacy,  I have a well authenticated
faa, where  the  external application of the iaves t« the
wrifts of a  child, produced confiderable naufea, a  profufe
diaphorefis,  and at length vomiting,  with repeated evacu-
ations downwards.   This child had been  for fome time
affliaed with an  obftinate fever,  and the  ufual remedies
were made ufe of without any benefit attending them ; but
by the virtues of tobacco, in  the manner above  fpecified,
the difeafe was  totally fubdued, and the  child was  happily
refcued from impending death.

    Doaor  Shannon remarks," that the Africans make ufe
of a  fort of poultice of wild tobacco  chopped up green,
with green  capficum*, applied to the  wrifts for the cure  of
fever, with a decoaion of herbs that promote  a  copious
fweat-f."


                   * A fpecies of Pepper.

          f R. Shannon, M. D. on Medicine, page j8o.
I 
(    66    )
                     In  Nephritis.

    IN cafes of nephritis calculofa, or gravel, the infufion
of tobacco has been given with very good effca; and Dr.
Fowler affirms, that he has feen many cafes where it proved
of infinite utility,  and in fome inftances perfcaed radical
cures.   Phyficians many  years back, were not ignorant of
its virtues in fuch affeaions, for they have  afferted that it
has proved " profitable for thofe who  are troubled with a
ftone in the kidney, both to eafe  pain, and by provoking
urine to expel gravel and the ftone engendered therein.f"

                       Afcarides.

       A  SPECIES  of  worms,  thus termed from their
inceffant troublefome  motion,  which  excites an  itching.
They  are fmall and white, with (harp pointed  heads,  and
generally exift in the  reaum.

    They oftentimes occafion fuch uneafinefs in fome peo-
ple as  to induce fainting, and frequently prove fo  trouble-
fome  throughout  the night, as to deprive  them of deep.
They  are fo completely enveloped in mucus, that it is with
difficulty they can be eradicated, and frequently they refift
the moft powerful anthelmintics ; but praaical authors ob-
ferve,  " that the fumes of burning tobacco injeaed clyfter-
wife into the reaum, is of lingular efficacy."

   Farriers  are aware of  its immenfe virtues in fuch affec-
 tions, for they generally pronounce it  to  be infallible in
 expelling thofe fmall worms, commonly called  hots, which
 fo frequently prove mortal to many horfes.
•J- Theatrum Botannicum, p. 711. 
(     67     )
                      In Aflhma.

      IN  afthmatic  cafes,  this medicine  has  frequently
afforded relief, by its expeaorant quality ;* for agreeable
to the difch.rge of mucous, we find the remiflion of cough-
ing more or lefs confiderable: but (hould an inflammatory
type prevail, which generally occurs in the recent ftage of
this difeafe, its ufe fhould be protraaed, until proper deple-
tive  remedies have had  the effea of reducing the fyftem to
that  ftate, which would  render its  exhibition the more effi-
cacious,


              In Odontalgia or  Tooth-ach.

      IN fuch affeaions, the fmoking of a fegar, has im-
parted confiderable relief.   A  piece  of lint, impregnated
with the expreffed juice of tobacco, has often,  in fome in-
ftances, aaed as a charm, in mitigating the violence of the
tooth-ach. The oil of tobacco, f dropped on a piece of cot-
ton, of fufficient magnitude to occupy the concavity of the
affeaed tooth, has proved almoft inftantaneous  in its relief.
 In  thefe various  forms, tobacco aas by its  ftimulating
 quality, deftroying the  fenfibility of the nerve,  and  thereby
 encountering pain.  Opium oftentimes aas in like man-
 ner, but neither  perfea permanent cures ;  for the  pains
 frequently recur, and the only radical remedy to which we
 muft  ultimately  refort, is  the extraaion of the affeaed
 tooth.

     * Dr. Fowler obferves, that he has tried the infufion in many
 cafes of afthma, where  it proved expeaorant, and procured relief.

      + It muft here be remarked that this remedy fhould not be 
(     68    )
                         In Colic.


       THE decoaion of tobacco, exhibited in the form of
 an injeaion, has afforded almoft inftantaneous relief, after
 other medicines  had proved ineffcaual.   Particularly as
 Dr. Sydenham obferves, " when the violence of the vomit-
 ing do not yield to mild purgatives; for it avails not to ex-
 hibit a gentle cathartic,  unlcfs perhaps,  the  patient be cafy
 to work upon, which fhould be carefully inquired  into, be-
 caufe fuch a  medicine, being  too  weak to make its way
 through the inteftinal  tube,  does more  mifchief:  the vo-
 miting and pain being increafed by  its languid and ineffec-
 tual motion.*"   There was a violent cafe  of this difeafe,
 which came under the immediate infpeaion of  Dr. Deas,
 in South-Carolina; where the beneficial influence of to-
 bacco was very demonftrative.   Several  powerful cathar-
 tics were adminiftered without the fmallcft effea ; and the
 diforder  was degenerating faft into  an iliac paffion.  Re-
 course was then had, as the laft  refource, to a ftrong de-
 coaion  of the dried leaves of tobacco ; immediately  after
 the exhibition of it, through the medium of the reaum,  a
 violent commotion pervaded the whole abdominal  vifcera ;
 the patient became extremely reftlefsf, and  it was with

 adopted by perfons unaccuftomed to the ufe of tobacco, as the oil
 is extremely naufeous, and will often times induce  vomiting.
    *  Wallis1'Sydenham, p. 27;.

    f Dr. Fowler remarks,  that by a proper adminiftration, thefe
 violent eiTtcts ma) be uvoided.  An ounce of the infufion he ob-
 ferves, will be found  a  medium dofe, in  the form of an injection,
for au adult of an ordinary conftitution ; and  the  general rule  by
which lie was guided, is as foMowi : Suppofing a co.nmon injection
to  have been administered vv^Uout etrct, 1 would order one  of an 
                      (      69     )
the greateft difficulty that two perfons could keep him in
his bed.   At length a profufe difcharge enfued, and relief
was afforded in a very (hort time.


                   In the Iliac Passion.

     " IT is highly proper," fays Dr. Sydenham, " to give
a ftrong purging glyfter,  an hour or two after bleeding*."
In fuch cafes, I have feen the tobacco infufion made ufe
of with confiderable advantage.  The Doaor himfelf re-
marks the falutary effeas of tobacco in this difeafe.  " The
fmoke of tobacco,"  he obferves, " forced up thro' a blad-
der into the  bowels by an inverted pipe, has  been attended
with very beneficial confequences."

     It is afferted in the Royal Encyclopcedia, that a ftrong
decoaion  of tobacco thrown up the reaum,  has proved of
good effea in  what is ufually called the flone-colic, andalfo
in  the iliac paffion.

ounce of the infufion, agreeable to the preceding observation, in
half a pint of  milk, or common gruel, to  be immediately injected.
If this procured  no relief, or excited no giddinefs,  or naufea, con-
tinuing for the fpace of thirty,  forty, or fixty minutes ; thefe laft
effects in obftinate conftipatious, moft frequently preceding its lax-
ative operation,  then I would gradually increafe the ftrength of the
future  injections, till  one  or  other of thefe effefts fhould  lake
place.
    Bv this mode of proceeding, the powers of the medicines, whe-
ther fuccefsful  or  not, will be fully tried in the  fpace of a few
hours; a matter of feri.u. confequence, where fufpenfeu diftreffing,
and delay dangerous.
    * Willis's Sydenham, p. 443- 
(    7°    )
                     In  Hernia.

     IT generally occurs that coftivenefs is one of the moft
alarming fymptoms attendant on this difeafe, for the relief
of which, ftimulating purgatives are  generally adminifter-
ed ;  but  it not  unfrequently happens that they do much
injury, for when  they have not the defired effea, they pro-
duce a confiderable  naufea at the ftomach, and fometimes
vomiting, which promotes  the  pain and tenfion of  the
tumour.

     " In fuch affeaions,"  fays Mr. Bell, " I would re-
commend tobacco fmoke thrown up in the form  of injec-
tions, as  preferable to every other remedy.*"

               In Tympanites  Intcjlinalis.

     This is termed a flatulent  dropfy, the abdomen fre-
quently becomes confiderably diftended,  and  in fuch cafes
the chief intention is to difcharge the flatulencies: various
remedies have been  indicated for  this purpofe, and there
have been inftances where the infufion of tobacco has prov-
ed efficacious after the failure of many of them.

     " A cafe of two years continuance,"   fays  Doaor
Fowler,  " after  the trial of various remedies,  has been fur-
prifingly  relieved by glyfters  of tobacco prepared in a
Very ftiong manner.   Their operation was moderately pur-
gative, accompanied with naufea,  vertigo, a copious per-
fpiration, and much difcharge uf wind."
* Bell's Surgery, vol. I. p. 162. 
                     (     7i     )
                   In obftinate  Ulcers.

     The dried leaves of tobacco, fteeped in water and ap-
plied to the parts affeaed, have  fometimes been attended
with beneficial effeas.

     Mr. William  Bartram informed me, that he knew  of
feveral long (landing ulcers, after having refifted the ufu-
al remedies, that were entirely cured by the ufe of tobacco,
in the manner above fpecified. Doaor Earle,  of Maryland,
communicated to me the cafe of a child, who had been for
feveral months  affliaed with an obftinate eruption  on  its
head,  which evaded the (kill of feveral eminent phyficians,
that was ultimately cured  by an old woman, whodailydref-
fed it  with  an ointment of tobacco, previoufly wafhing the
part with a decoaion of the fame.

                        In the Itch.

     This  fulfome diforder  has frequently been cured by
the application of tobacco to the affeaed parts. Mr. Jacobs,
a gentleman from Paris, informed me, that the French phy-
ficians, make great ufe of the  tobacco wafh  *  in obftinate

    *  The wafh is prepared in the following manner.
    To one pound of the dried  tobacco  leaves, add four quarts of
 water  ; let thefe boil flowly over a gentle fire, for the fpace of half
 an hour, then pour off the liquor, and add to it one ounce of foda or
 mineral alkali. The parts affected are to be well rubbed with a fuf-
 ficient portion of this mixture, and to be continued from one to three
 weeks, according to  the virulency of the cafe. Though it muft be
 remarked, that, in confequence of the irritability of many conftitu-
 tioiis, great caution  is  requifite, with refpect to its ufe, as it has, in
 fome inftances, occafioned vomiting, and fometimes convulfions. 
                     (     72     )
cafes  of  cutaneous eruptions.  The fame, he avers, feldom
fails of curing the itch; the eruptive parts are to be wafhed
three  or four times a day, until  every appearance fubfides ;
in this way radical cures have been effeacd, even after the
difeafe had refifted the moft powerful medicines.

     A ftrong decoaion of the ftalks with (harp-pointed dock
and alum is faid to be of good fervice, ufed externally, in
cuticular diftempers: this is alfo faid  to be infallible in cur-
ing the mange in dogs.*

                    In  Phtheiriafis.

     This is a loufy diftemper,  to which  moft children are
generally fubjea, adults alfo at times, are affliaed with it.
Moift and warm fituations promote the increafe of thefe de-
teftable vermin ;  but a cold  and dry one very foon exter-
minate them.  Four fpecies are peculiar to the human body,
viz.  ift. The pediculi,\  fo called from their being more
troublefome with their feet, than from their bite.  They ge-
nerally infeft the  head, particularly if fore.

     3d.  Morpiones or Crab-lice. They are thus called from
the analogy which they bear to a crab-fifh.  3d.  Body-lice.
Thefe are generated in the apparel of the filthy. 4th. A fpe-
cies which breed under the  cuticle, and are called by fome

    *  The New Royal Encyclopedia, by George Selby  Howard.

  t A gentleman informed me, that when young, he was neglected
by his attendants, and for a time was much aiflicted with the firft
and third fpecies of thefe  fulfome vermin, which occafioned obfti-
nate eruptions, in his head, and on various parts of his body.  Many 
                     C     73     )
authors, cyr'tenes. They are of a round form, extremely mi-
nute, and  are  generally  found in the  hands and feet.  By
Creeping  under the fcarf-fkin they induce  an intolerable
itching, and when  the (kin burfts where they lodge, cluf-
ters of them are found depofited in a fmall concavity.
     A good diet,  and attention to cleanlinefs contribute
much to the deftruaion of thefe fullome vermin. Mercurial
ointment, and a folution of corrofive fublimateare held in the
greateft eftimation; but I have  heard of inftances,  where
thefe have failed, and an infufion of tobacco, perfeaed a ra-
dical cure.

                        Errhines.

     Thefe are medicines which excite a preternatural dif-
charge from the mucous follicles of the Schneiderian mem-
brane upon the internal furface of the nofe, and adjacent con-
cavities ; by which they   frequently relieve rheumatic con-
 geftions,  and particularly violent tooth-ach.  As anerrhine,
 the tobacco powder, commonly  called fnuff, has been long
 in great repute: its ufe is frequently praaifed, and has been
 ftrongly  recommended for the relief of head-ach, pains  of
 the ear, and opthalmias. Its falutary influence in fuch affec-
 tions  is fufficiently confirmed by the pains again recurring
 ..s often as its ufe was fufpended for a day or two.

      How far the  effeas of errhines may extend,  fays Dr.
 Cullen,  cannot be exaaiy determined; but  it  is probable
 that they may operate more or lefs on the whole veffels of
 the head, as even a branch of the internal carotid paffes into

 medicines were tried for his relief, but without any benefit whatever.
 Rccourfe  was tl.cn hid to a  ftrong decoction of tob.icco, which was
 applied three or four times aday, to the parts affected, a::d in a fort-
 night or three we^ks he was radically cured.
                            K 
                    C    74    )
the nofe: and independent of this, it is not improbable that
our errhines may have been of ufe in preventing apoplexy**
and palfy; which  at leaft is  to  be attended to fo far, that
whenever any approach to thefe difeafes is fufpeaed, the
drying up of the  mucous difcharge (hould be attended to,
and, if poflible reftored.

     As  much virtue has  been attributed to  nicotiana, in
expelling worms, 1 made the fubfequent experiments, with
a view to elucidate an interefting fubjea, and to afcertain
the foundation for fuch an opinion.

     Thefe  experiments were made with accuracy; and in
my  opinion fubftantiate  the anthelmintic  powers  of  this
plant.

     Exp. i. I immerfed  a  common wormf, taken out of
the earth, into a fmall quantity of this folution,  and in three
minutes  it became convulfed, which continued for the fpace
of twelve minutes, but at the expiration of fifteen minutes,
no fymptoms of life were difcernible.

     Exp. 2. Ten  grains of calomel were fufpended in a
fmall quantity of water.  Another worm of the fame fpecies
was introduced into this mixture, which was confiderably
affeaed  in three  minutes, in ten ftill more fo, in fifteen be-
gan tofubfide;  in thirty it remained  perfeaiy dormant.

     * Cuilen's materia medica, vol..2. page 295.

     f  I felected this fpecies of worm for my experiments, in con-
.fequence of the analogy which  exifts between them and tbofe ge-
 nerated in the human fyftem. 
                   (      75      )

   At the expiration of an hour ftill alive, but continued in-
aaive, unlefs difturbed.

     Exp. 3.  In  a fojution of white fugar I introduced
another worm,  as  above;  it was convulfed in five minutes:
in ten thefe fymptoms were fomewhat diminifhed ; in fifteen
remained quiet at  the bottom of the veffel,  and in forty it
appeared perfeaiy  inanimate.

     Exp. 4.  In the diftilled water of tobacco, which was
extremely pungent, I immerfed another worm, which almoft
inftantaneoufly contorted itfelf into a variety of forms, ex-
hibiting ftrong marks of violent pain, and in  the fhort lapfe
of three minutes it expired.

     Exp. 5. Five  grains of corrofive fublimate, diflblved in
water, produced convulfions in two minutes, and a torpor
in twelve.

     Exp. 6.  Molaffes  produced convulfions  in five  mi-
nutes, and inaaivity in twenty-five.

     Exp. 7.  A ftrono; decoaion of pink root, brought on
•onvulfions in feven minutes, and. a torpor in thirty.

                    As a Cathartic.

     In  cafes of conftipations of the abdominal vifcera, the
infufion of tobacco has fometimes been adminiftered, and of-
ten with immediate relief,  by occafioning a  fpeedy expul-
fion of the obftruaing innurated faeces.  The fmoke,*  fays

  * A gentleman of my particular acquaintance informed me, that
he was not m the habit of fmoking much, but whenever he Mas trou-
bled with any degree of coftivcnefs, it was  only r forting to a fegar 
(     76     )
Dr.  Cullen, thrown up the reaum, will operate  in like
manner, and has proved beneficial, after the failure of many
violent cathartics;  it enters much further into the intcftines
than  injeaions commonly do, and is  thereby applied t« a
hrger furface,  by which means it may be rendered much
more powerful than the infufion.

     It is to be regretted,  fays Dr. Fowler, that injeaions
of tobacco are not in more general ufe, for I am thorough-
ly perfiir.de".!, that in cafes of  the colic, they  would  prove
more fuccefaful tlun any other kind with  which we are ac-
quainted.

     From the many faas and obfervations which I have hi-
therto adduced, relative to the medicinal influence of tobac-
co, it is doubtleft, reafonable to infer, that it  may prove
efficacious in many difeafes.

     That it is of great f.rvice in dropfical affeaions, his
been clearly  cL'mon ft rated ;  and, in cafes  of dyfury,  it ha?»
in many inftances, proved falutary, by fuccefsfully promot-
ing a  c»pious difcharge of urine.   In fi'-orc,  much may be
fid  of its virtues as a medicine, but as it  is not my  with  to
prove prolix, by profufely extending encomiums on an in-

to obviate this inconvenience, which never failed of acting as a leni-
ent purgative, nrd imparted immediate relief.  This method he pre-
ferred tc the n -Icing of phyfic, as it was mild in its effects, and leftljis
body r^:eei.l'_ compufed.

   If t'.c generality of perfons were to rclinquifli  the  perpetual ufe of
 this  p':."t^nd only to have rccourfe to it for its medicinal virtues,
 when neccflity demanded, is it not more than probable,  that many
 difeafes may be eradicated, or at leaft their violence mitigated by its
 rz -tary  influer :t ? 
(    77     3
digenous plant, fo univerfally Inrwn, I (hall conclude, by
obferving,  that the errois and :m perfections cf this eflby,
are, no doubt, eafily difcernible : but, at in ■ fame time,I am
buoyed up, with the flattering idea, that u:c candid ...^t,
will  readily excufe  a juvenile attempt.

     As an expanded field lies open before us, for irv:, 'na-
tion, I would wifh, that the fubjea might be hereafter taken
up, by fome more adequate experimentalift, as I am perfuad-
ed that the complicated  operative effeas of tobacco on the
human fyftem, would render it an  invaluable  medicine  in
many obftinate difeafes.
 
 
Me.dL.Hist.
  JL7o
 1711