Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 41.djvu/695

Rh active as the vapors is diffused around. Operatives who work in this atmosphere are in the situation of smokers, and become habituated to it after having suffered the same disorders in the beginning. Those who work in smaller and insufficiently ventilated rooms are often more seriously affected; but, as a rule, these workmen enjoy good health. Opinions as to the particular effect of this employment on women differ; but the prevalent result of the discussion appears to be that tobacco does not provoke abortion, and has no mischievous influence' on the health of women operatives. Abortion is not more frequent among them than among other working-women; and the weakness and mortality of their children are easily explained by the fact of their being left at home while their mothers are at the shop.

Among the maladies to which hardened smokers are exposed is nicotinic amblyopia, which Sichel noticed first, and which has been well studied by modern ophthalmologists. It is a peculiar weakening of the sight, and is distinguished from other affections of the kind by the readiness with which it passes away when the patient gives up tobacco, and the promptitude with which it appears again when he resumes the practice. It is very rare. So is a paralysis which has been observed in Germany. Delirium tremens, convulsions, epilepsy, hallucinations, dementia, precocious senility, and melancholia have been mentioned as among the evils brought on by tobacco. No doubt smokers have them, and many other diseases. Tobacco will not save them from any of the ills with which mankind is afflicted.

Of all the accusations that have been made against tobacco, that of blunting the intellect is the most cruel to smokers. But the evidence in favor of it is not formidable. That most frequently encountered is obtained from statistics that show that in institutions for public instruction smokers stand lower in their classes than other pupils. Decaisne has shown this for the French lycees; MM. Bartillon, G. Doré, and Élie Joubert, for the pupils of the Polytechnic School; and Dr. Coustan, for the Normal and Naval Schools and the School of Bridges and Roads. The demonstration is hardly satisfactory. It seems reasonable to assume that the smoking pupils do not succeed so well as the others because they are idle and find in tobacco an auxiliary to their indolence and a relief from its consequent ennui. Probably, if the investigation had been pushed further, it would have been found that the same pupils are those whose general conduct leaves most to be desired, and who are most frequently punished. Discussion of this charge brings up an international comparison that is not favorable to its validity. There is a people north of the Rhine, whom I have already mentioned, and with whom the use of tobacco has almost become an institution. They consume a half