A PHYSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE IN SMOKING.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4458, 19 April 1883, Page 2

A PHYSICIAN'S EXPERIENCE IN SMOKING.

A French physician, Dr Desohamps thus describes his experience as a smoker in Galignani'B Messenger:—My d«but as a smoker was like everybody's. My first pipe made me very ill, and it was only by degrees that I managed to become a third rate smoker—that is, I disposed of eight or ten pipes a day without inconvenience, but whenever-1 exceeded that average I suffered from violent sick headaches, ushered in by indistinctness of vision and numbness of one side of the face, the tongue, and one arm, most often on the left side. These preliminary symptoms lasted about ten minutes, after which the headache came on in full force. The most refractory organ, however, was my stomach. After having smoked too much, I used to experience the symptom known as pyrosis or heartburn to a very trying extent, though as any alkali ie water speedily caused these pbeoomeua to vanish, I did not care to give up my tobacco. :;:

" About a year ago, having smoked for some months more than usuaj, I suddenly and singalarly found myaelf affected by a peculiar and terrific pain over the region of the heart; in short, I had a violent attack of angina pectoris. It puLa stop to my smoking, as, though I haW since tried once or twice, I have always found my cigar or pipe detestable, and, to sum up, am radically converted. I do not wish to discuss scientifically the nicotinio origin of my sufferings,, but am sure thai they all sprang from the same cause—excessive use of tobacco. Degeneration of • the cardiac muscle is often caused by tobacco. So long as the rest of his organism remains in good working order, the smoker only experiences intermittent palpitation, and the grave injury done the heart remains unperceived, until some trifling oausa brings into relief the irremediable disorders produced by the prolonged use of tobacco."