Cigarette-smoking.

Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1898, Page 2

Cigarette-smoking.

* <- The Spanish** American war, which is now practically at the eqd, has furnished some useful lessons,' not the lease important of these bejng the injuries effects of cigarette amok* ing. The call for American volunteers for service during the war was responded to with enthusiasm and patriotism, but the examining surgeons were compelled to reject an unusually large number of applicants. Dr Benjamin Sing, of Philadelphia, who is said to have been examining surgeon during the years of the Civil War, is reported as saying that the average of rejections during 1861 to 1863 did^ not exceed 13 per cent ; while the average for the Spanish war was fully 40 per cent. Habitual smokers of cigarettes are credited with furnishing most of the increase, fully 90 per cent of oigarafc&e sraok. ing applicants having been rejected. Weak hearts and impaired vitality are given as the reasons for the cigarette smoker's failure to qualify for military service. The war has \ revealed nothing more regrettable, if true, than this impairment of the health and strength of the American youth by excessive cigarette smoking. In the colonies the cigarette finds favour. Perhaps it would not be amißß if our Govern* t meat obtained an offioial report from the United States Government and gave publicity to it. Ninety per cent ia an astounding proportion, and emphasises the urgent neobssity for using all efforts to check an apparently injorou3 habit. It is a matter for examining physicians of life assurance societies to think about.