CONSUMPTION SNUFFED OUT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 15 December 1870, Page 6

CONSUMPTION SNUFFED OUT.

At a receut meeting of the British Medical Association at Newcastle, a paper was presented by Dr. John Murray, on "Snuff-taking and its utility in preventing bronchitis and consumption," containing much that is no doubt true in reference to the influence of snuff-taking in so altering the delicate mucous membrane of the nose, where so many colds begin, as to render it less liable to be irritated by the ordinary external causes of catarrh, but containing also much that will be regarded as the result of the author riding his hobby beyond a reasonable limit. However, the facts, as given by Dr. Murray are curious, and will interest the general reader. He remarks, in the first place, that an habitual smoker seldom or never dies of consumption ; and further declares that he has seen the progress of consumption arrested by practising the habit of snuff-taking, which is equally efficient in the case of bronchitis. Dr. Murray says : —

" By titillating the lining membrane of the nostrils, snuff acts as a powerful derivative and counter-irritant, and its use will tend to preserve the more important and susceptible pulmonary mucous membrane from evil. The sneezing which succeeds the unaccustomed application of the errhine, or agitates even an old and seasoned nose, when a new titillant is tried, and the cough which is induced when, by chance, some of the lighter particles get into the throat, may be of some avail in affecting the elimination of albumenoid matter (the precursor of tubercle) from the limgs ere it has had time to fill the air cells and minute bronchi, and coagulate, in like manner, as sea-sickness is believed to do. The majority of medical men, when recovering from a common cold, will take a pinch in order to ' speed the going guest.' If good to expedite the departure of a cold, I have no hesitation iii affirming that it will be better still as an expedient in altogether preventing the catarrh — e.g., if when on a journey you experience a succession of chills, in due time you may expect an attack of bronchitis, an infiltration of pneumonic, ovs tubercular plasma, or illness in some other form, each tending to reduce the powers of life, apd consequently liable to set up consump-

tion in those predisposed. If a snuffer, you relieve the discomfort by having recourse to your box, from which, after gently tapping, you proceed to take a pinch of the agreeable, and in - this case, useful stimulant. It is said that in France, where tobacco is grown under State supervision, and manufactured by Government, in neatly equal proportions, into tobacco, ciglrs, and snuff, the health of the ouvriers has been made the subject of official report, of which the following summary may not inaptly be given here : — The workmen in tobacco factories of the State do not suffer from any disease which the tobacco could be imagined to occasion. On the contrary, the employes seem to have had an immunity from typhus fever, as at Lyons ; from dysentery, as at Moirlax ; from militaiy fever, as at Tonneins ; and from cholera everywhere. The majority of physicians to the State factories believe employment among tobacco to be instrumental in preventing consumption in the lungs, and may even restore consumptives to health."