ter on what soil the plants are grown.
Having treated at some length of the various parts of the tobacco
plant--stalk, leaves, flowers, capsules and suckers we come now to its
nicotine properties. The tobacco plant, as is well known, produces a
virulent poison known as Nicotine. This property, however, as well as
others as violent is found in many articles of food, including the
potato together with its stalk and leaves; the effects of which may be
experienced by chewing a small quantity of the latter. The New
Edinburgh Encyclopedia says:

"The peculiar effect produced by using tobacco bears some
resemblance to intoxication and is excited by an essential
oil which in its pure state is so powerful as to destroy
life even in very minute quantity."

Chemistry has taught us that nicotine is only one among many
principles which are contained in the plant. It is supposed by many
but not substantiated by chemical research that nicotine is not the
flavoring agent which gives tobacco its essential and peculiar
varieties of odor. Such are most probably given by the essential oils,
which vary in amount in different species of the plant.

An English writer says:

"Nicotine is disagreeable to the habitual smoker, as is
proved by the increased demand for clean pipes or which by
some mechanical contrivance get rid of the nicotine."

The late Dr. Blotin tested by numerous experiments the effects of
nicotine on the various parts of the organization of man. While the
physiological effects of nicotine may be interesting to the medical
practitioner, they will hardly interest the general reader unless it
can be shown that the effects of nicotine and tobacco should be proved
to be identical.

We are loth to leave this subject, however, as it is so intimately
connected with the history of the plant, without treating somewhat of
its medicinal properties which to many are of more interest than its
social qualities. The Indians not only used the plant socially,
religiously, but medicinally. Their Medicine men prescribed its use in
various ways for most diseases common among them. The use thus made of
the plant attracted the attention of the Spanish and English, far more
than its use either as a means of enjoyment or as a religious act.
When introduced to the Old World, its claims as a remedy for most
diseases gave it its popularity and served to increase its use. It was
styled "_Sana sancta Indorum_--"