no power ascribed to it, has ever
been so universally acknowledged. But upon what series of experiments
are these pretensions founded? From all the attention which I have
bestowed on this investigation, I have been unable to discover any
evidence of its utility in this respect, except what arose from the
prejudices of the ignorant, or the obstinacy of those who are slaves to
the practice of it. The bare assertion of Deimerbroek, "that it kept off
the plague," without a single corroborative fact, would hardly be
sufficient authority on which to establish a conclusion so important;
especially when we have the united experience of Rivernus, Chemot, and
Cullen, to prove the opposite of this position. Hence we conclude, that
its properties in keeping off contagion, depend on its sedative powers,
which it possesses in common with other narcotics, wine, brandy, and
opium. As these lessen sensibility, and sometimes allay anxiety of the
mind, it is not impossible that in a very few instances they may have
prevented the exciting causes of disease from taking effect. But what
are these few, when compared with the multitudes whose nervous systems
have been destroyed by this pernicious habit, and thus exposed to all
the horrors of malignant disease.

Smoking also assuages the _tedium_ of life. Here is the grand secret.
Man fears to be alone; and when left to his own solitary reflections, he
dreads the result of self-examination. He flies for relief to his pipe,
his cigar, his quid, or his bottle, with the vain hope of escaping from
himself. To accomplish an object so desirable, he hesitates not to
_stupify_ those noble faculties which he cannot hope to extinguish, and
with which he has been endowed by the God of nature, for wise and
benevolent purposes. And will you, gentlemen, by precept and example,
longer sanction _such_ a course of conduct,--conduct so degrading to us
as intelligent beings, and as conservators of the public health?

The third mode of habitually using tobacco, is _chewing_. In this manner
all its deadly powers are speedily manifest, in the commencement of the
practice, as has been already shown. In this mode, too, its nauseous
taste and stimulant property excite and keep up a profuse discharge from
the mucous follicles and salivary glands. Probably to this circumstance
alone, is owing the superior efficacy of this mode of using this drug in
the cure of tooth-ache. But whether this enormous waste of the
secretio