A Treatise on Tobacco, Tea, Coffee, and ChocolatePaulli, Simon
History
A Treatise on Tobacco, Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate
Paulli, Simon
Chocolate -- Early works to 1800; Coffee -- Early works to 1800; Tea -- Early works to 1800; Tobacco -- Early works to 1800
As _Tobacco_ is hot, dry, unctuous, and penetrating; it must, on
account of these Qualities, soon take Flame: And, as it is possessed
of an highly narcotic Quality, it, by its narcotic Sulphur, stupifies
those who use it, corrupts the Temperature of the Brain, and destroys
its Tone; whereas, the moderate Smoaking of _Marjoram_, _Betony_,
_Rosemary_, _Amber_, and other Substances of a like Nature, would
eliminate the Phlegm more safely, and without producing any of these
ill Consequences. This narcotic Quality of _Tobacco_, is the Reason
why great Smoakers are, during the whole of their Lives, afflicted
with a continual Spitting, as I have observed in _Histor. Pompinellæ
Class. secund. Quadripartit._ Though by the frequent Use of _Tobacco_,
a large Quantity of Phlegm is eliminated from the Brain; this Plant
is not, therefore, a peculiar Specific, adapted to that Organ:
For, on the contrary, since it manifestly abounds with a narcotic
Sulphur, it is highly injurious, not only to the Nerves, but also to
the whole Substance of the Brain. Hence, as I observed before, many
Users of _Tobacco_, not only have their olfactory Nerves so injured
by its narcotic Sulphur, as to lose the Sense of Smelling, but are
also observed not to have a very exquisite Taste, the fourth and
seventh Pairs of Nerves being affected. Persons of this Kind are also
observed to be fond of Malt Liquors, and to complain of a languid
Appetite; because the sixth Pair of Nerves, which descends into the
Stomach, is stupified by the narcotic Sulphur of the _Tobacco_: It
is, therefore, absurd to maintain, that _Tobacco_ is of a cephalic
Quality, and peculiarly adapted to the Disorders of the Head, since
it is so unfriendly to the Nerves as to produce a Stupor in them. It
is more reasonable to argue thus: _Tobacco_ is hot, consists of very
subtle Parts, and is highly penetrating; therefore, being at the same
Time narcotic, it will prove the more hurtful, the more penetrating
it is; because the narcotic Quality of _Tobacco_, which is otherwise
slow, like that of _Opium_, or _Hemlock_, is, by its other Qualities,
exalted, and put in Action; or, to speak my Sentiments more freely, by
means of the Acrimony ascribed to its Salt, whether fixed or volatile,
the narcotic Sulphur is conveyed in its full Strength to the Nerves
of the Head. That this Sulphur remains pretty long intire, even in
a living Person, is sufficiently evinced, by that Saffron-coloured
Liquor, smelling like _Tobacco_, which was discharged from the Nostrils
of _Heurnius_, next Day after the Abuse of a Decoction of _Tobacco_ and
_Camomile_ Flowers. I would not have any one imagine, that as soon as
he lays by his Pipe, his Brain is no longer heated by the Smoak, which,
for two or three Days after, he smells, or expires, when he sneezes.
Thus, this narcotic, unctuous, and strong-smelled Sulphur, adhering to
the Membranes, Ventricles, Gyrations, or other latent Passages of the
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