Part 2

"A Decoction of Tobacco-Leaves with Water, and a Linctus prepared of the same Decoction, are beneficial in Disorders of the Breast, inveterate Coughs, Asthma's, and other similar Disorders proceeding from cold Humours. A small Quantity of a Syrup prepared of Sugar, and a Decoction of the Leaves eliminates any putrid Humours lodged in the Breast. The Smoak of Tobacco-Leaves received into the Mouth, sometimes affords Relief to asthmatic Patients; but proper Evacuations ought previously to be made, if the Patient's Condition can possibly admit of it.

"Tobacco-Leaves heated under the Ashes and applied to the Pit of the Stomach, without shaking the Ashes off, afford Relief to Persons afflicted with a Rumbling of the Intestines, and Flatulencies. For the same Purposes others bruise the Leaves with their Hand, anointed with Oil, and apply them to the Region of the Stomach. The Leaves triturated in a little Vinegar, long used by way of Ointment, and bound upon the Parts affected, are beneficial in Obstructions, or schirrous Tumours of the Stomach and Spleen; but over this Preparation warm Leaves, or a Cloth soaked in the warm Juice of the Leaves, are to be applied frequently every Day. When the Leaves cannot be had, Snuff may be mixed with any deobstruent Ointment, and the obstructed or tumid Part long anointed with it.

"The Indian Women greatly extol the Use of Tobacco, not only for Children, but also for adult Persons who are afflicted with Crudities of the Stomach; for after anointing the Abdomen with Lamp-Oil, the Leaves heated under the Ashes, and applied opposite to the Stomach, on the Breast and Back, concoct the Crudities, and render the Body soluble, provided the Application is repeated sufficiently often. A small Quantity of the Juice of Tobacco Leaves, concocted and depurated with Sugar, expels both flat and round Worms from the Intestines; but for answering this End more effectually, the triturated Leaves ought to be laid upon the Navel, and a proper Clyster injected.

"The Leaves heated under the Ashes, and applied as hot as the Patient can bear, afford great Relief in nephritic and flatulent Pains, provided the Remedy be sufficiently often repeated. Tobacco is also in many Cases an useful Ingredient in Clysters, Fomentations, and Plaisters.

"In Suffocations of the Uterus, the Leaves rendered sufficiently hot, and applied to the Navel, and Region of the Uterus, afford present Relief; and if a Deliquium should succeed, which it frequently does, the Patient will be forthwith roused from it by blowing the Smoak of Tobacco up her Nostrils. This Practice is so common among the Indian Women, that for this very Reason they carefully preserve and greatly esteem Tobacco Leaves. Some for uterine Disorders previously apply odorous Substances to the Navel, and then lay Tobacco Leaves over them: But the most proper Substances for this Purpose, are Tachamahach, Oil of liquid Amber, Peruvian Balsams, Caranna, or a Plaister of all these together worn daily on the Navel.

"Arthritic Pains, provided the Humours are cold, or at least are not too hot, are greatly relieved by the Application of the warm Leaves, or of a Linen-Cloth soaked in the warm Juice of the Leaves; for these resolve and digest the Humours; for which Reason they are advantageously laid upon œdematous Tumours, previously washed with the warm Juice of the Leaves.

"It is certain from Experience, that Chilblanes are cured by rubbing them three or four Times with Tobacco Leaves, and then washing the Hands and Feet in warm Water and Salt.

"A few Years ago Tobacco has been found to resist Poison, even that of the most virulent Kind, with which the Cannibals taint their Arrows. It was formerly customary to sprinkle Sublimate into the Wounds thus inflicted; but the Spaniards found a Method of subduing the Force of the Poison by Means of Tobacco.

"A Company of Cannibals made an At-tack upon a Body of Indians and Spaniards, some of whom were killed and others wounded with their poisoned Darts. But as those who survived had no Sublimate, they were advised by a certain Indian to pour the expressed Juice of Tobacco into their Wounds, and then apply the triturated Leaves of the same Plant to them, by which Means their Pains were forthwith alleviated, the Symptoms checked, the Force of the Poison subdued, and the Wounds cured. This Accident laid a Foundation for the subsequent Use of Tobacco against Poisons; and the King of Spain, in order to be convinced of its Efficacy, ordered a Wound to be made in the Throat of a Dog, and to be anointed with the Poison used by Hunters; soon after which a large Quantity of the Juice of Tobacco was poured into the Wound, and the triturated Leaves of the Plant applied to it, by which Means the Dog was effectually secured against the Symptoms usually produced by Poisons.

"Tobacco Leaves laid upon pestilential and malignant Carbuncles induce an Eschar, and induce a Cure; nor are they a less present efficacious Remedy against the Bites of poisonous Animals.

"The Leaves, when laid upon recent Wounds, immediately stop the Hæmorrhage, and produce a Conglutination; but if they are large, they ought to be previously washed with Wine, their Lips brought into Contact, and sprinkled with the Juice of the Leaves, after which the triturated Leaves are to be secured upon the Wound: The same Measures are to be taken the next and subsequent Days, and a proper Regimen observed.

"An Instillation of the Juice, and an Application of the triturated Leaves deterge, cure, and cicatrise old Ulcers and Gangrenes; provided due Evacuations are made, a sufficient Quantity of Blood, if necessary, is taken away, and a proper Regimen observed.

"By this Means Ulcers are not only cured in Men, but also in Animals. For through all the Indies, Cows, Sheep, and other Animals, are much subject to Ulcers, which, on Account of the excessive Humidity of the Climate, easily become putrid, and full of Worms. In these Ulcers it was sometimes customary to sprinkle Sublimate, the Inhabitants being destitute of better Remedies. But as this Medicine is dear in that Part of the World, what was used for the Cure of these Ulcers generally cost more than the Animal was worth. For this Reason the Inhabitants, conscious of the Efficacy of Tobacco on Mankind, transferred its Use to the putrid, fetid, and wormy Ulcers of Animals; and accordingly found that its Juice instilled into them, not only killed the Worms, but also cleansed the Ulcers, and induced a Cicatrix. Tobacco is also good against the Gallings of Cattle, for which Reason the Indians always carry the Powder of it about with them.

"I knew a certain Person afflicted with Ulcers of the Nostrils, which discharged a seemingly contagious Sanies. By my Advice he dropped the Juice of Tobacco into them; after the second Instillation a large Number of Worms fell away; then a smaller Quantity and after a few Days the Ulcers were cured, though the Parts eroded were not restored. The rubbing Ring-worms and Scall'd Heads with Tobacco Leaves is also a beneficial Practice.

"Tobacco is the celebrated Plant used by the Indian Priests before they give their Responses; for it is customary among the Indians to consult the Priests with respect to the Event of Wars, and other Affairs of Importance. Upon such Occasions, the Priest consulted, burnt dry Tobacco Leaves, received the Smoak of them into his Mouth through a small Tube contrived for that Purpose, then dropt down as it were in an Extasy, lay totally destitute of Motion, and remained in that Condition for some Time. When the Fumes of the Tobacco were discussed, he returned to himself, told that he had communicated the Affair to his Demon, and gave such ambiguous Responses, that, whatever the Event should be, the superstitious Crowd might be easily perswaded, that he had prophesied rightly. Thus the credulous Barbarians are miserably hood-wink'd by the impious and fraudulent Stratagems of their Priests.

"The common People among the Indians also receive the Smoak of Tobacco into their Mouths and Nostrils, when they want either to be transported with pleasant Dreams, or to predict the Events of their Affairs from the Occurrences which happen to them during Sleep; for as the grand Impostor, the Devil, knows the Virtues of Herbs, he has taught them the Qualities of Tobacco, in order to deceive them by means of these Dreams.

"Various Plants, when chewed, or taken internally, are observed to excite false and delusory Representations and Ideas of Objects. Thus Dioscorides, in Cap. de Solano Maniaco, seu Furioso, tells us, that a Dram of the Root of this Plant, drank in Wine, produces false, tho' not unpleasant Representations; that double the Quantity produces an Alienation of Mind, which lasts for three Days; and that four Times the Quantity proves mortal. It is also reported, that if a Person, when he is going to sleep, eats Aniseeds, they excite pleasant and agreeable Dreams; whereas, the eating of Horse-Raddish procures those of a turbulent and ungrateful Kind.

"Garcias ab Orta informs us, that the Juice of a certain Plant called Bangue, mixed with some other Juices, produces Alienation of Mind, excites Dreams, and frees the Mind from all Anxiety and Uneasiness: The like Effects are brought about by Opium, which is much used by the East-Indians, and concerning which Garcias has treated very largely.

"The Indians also, when fatigued by carrying Burdens, or by any other violent Exercise, smoak Tobacco, by which Means they become as it were stupid, and fall asleep; but when they awake, they find themselves refreshed, and their Strength repaired. The Ethiopians brought thither as Slaves, following the Example of the Natives, smoak Tobacco too frequently, for which their Masters chastise them severely, and burn their Tobacco, in order to deprive them of an Opportunity of using it, which, however, they continue to do secretly and in private.

"Tobacco is also used by the Indians in order to allay Hunger and Thirst; for they calcine some Shells of River-Snails, and by Trituration reduce them to a fine Powder, of which, and Tobacco Leaves, they take equal Parts, and chew them together till they are reduced to a Kind of Mass, which they form into Pills, larger than a Pea: These they dry in a Shade, and preserve for Use. When they intend to travel through Desarts, where they expect neither Meat nor Drink, they take a sufficient Quantity of these Pills along with them, put one between their Under-Lip and Teeth, and constantly suck the Liquor from it; so that when one is consumed, they supply its Place with another, and thus they perform a three, and sometimes a four Days Jour-ney; during which Time, they say, they neither feel the Effects of Hunger nor Thirst: The Reason of this probably is, that as they continually suck these Pills, they draw the pituitous Humours from the Brain, which being swallowed, moisten the Stomach, and allay its natural Heat, but are at last consumed by it for Want of other Aliments. Instances of a similar Nature may be observed in many Animals, which, during the whole Winter, confine themselves to their Holes without any Food; because the natural Heat of the Stomach is employed in digesting and consuming the Fat which they had gathered in the Winter."

These are all the Virtues and Qualities of Tobacco known to Monardus: But, besides this, Zacutus, in Observat. Lib. 1. de Medic. Princip. Histor. informs us, that he had often found the Juice of Tobacco effectual for the Cure of an Alopecia or Falling off of the Hairs: Nor is this to be wondered at, since, as the Medicine indicated ought to bear an Analogy to the indicating Symptoms, as Tobacco is hot and dry, resolvent, cleansing, and somewhat astringent; and as all these Qualities are, according to Galen, indicated in an Alopecia, Zacutus might succeed in the Cure of it by means of Tobacco. I remember two Girls, who being indisposed, had a Lixivium, in which dry Tobacco Leaves were macerated, prescribed for taking the Scales off their Heads; but the one was seized with a gentle Vertigo, and the other thought she perceived herself, as it were, drunk. But I mention these Accidents for the Sake of young Practitioners, without any Design to discourage them from applying Tobacco and its Preparations to other Parts of the Body; for the celebrated Hartmann seems to have thought the Essence of the green Leaves of Tobacco, obtained by Infusion in Malmsey Wine, a Specific for the Cure of the Palsey; and after a Sweat has been procured, orders the paralytic Limbs to be long rubbed with it; by which Means, he says, he has often seen them happily restored.

Though Tobacco is a valuable Herb, yet the Abuse of it, which we shall afterwards consider, is intolerable, and highly noxious. Besides, Monardus, Ægidius Everartus, in 1587, at Antwerp, published a beautiful Commentary upon the Virtues and Uses of Tobacco: And when the same Work was reprinted at Utrecht in 1644, various Treatises concerning Tobacco were added to it; such as the Misocapnus, or a Treatise on the Abuse of Tobacco, taken from the Works of King James the Sixth of England; Tobacologia Johannis Neandri. Epistolæ ac Judicia clarissimorum aliquot Medicorum; and the Hymnus Tabaci Raphaelis Thorii. After these Authors appeared Chrysostomus Magnenus, Professor of Medicine in the University of Padua, who in 1648, published very learned Exercitations concerning Tobacco. Not only from the Authors already mentioned, but also from Andreas Cæsalpinus; Dalechampius's Historia generalis Plantarum; Lobelii Adversaria, Clusius in his Notæ ad Monardum; Dodonæus; Tabernamontanus; Nardi Antonii Recchi Res Medicæ Novæ Hispaniæ, cum Terentii Lyncei Notis, we learn what is the native Soil of Tobacco, and how the knowledge of it was introduced into Europe after the Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus and Americus Vesputius. Some of these Authors have also described its Virtues and Use, whilst others of them have treated very fully concerning the Abuse of it. Following the Example of these great Men, I shall proceed, without any Partiality, and with that Freedom which is always peculiar to Truth. This is certainly a difficult Attempt, considering the Opposition and Prejudice with which I have to grapple. But before I proceed, I shall take Notice of the Error of Libavius, who, according to Magnenus in Exercitat. 1. Par. 1. asserts, that Tobacco was a Native of Europe, since it was found in the almost inaccessible Places of the Hercynian Forest: But adds this Author, Who denies that Seeds are dispersed, and carried every where by the Winds? But it is by no means probable, that the Seeds of Tobacco, which, comparatively speaking, are as small as the Atoms of Democritus, could, by a Whirlwind, be conveyed to the Hercynian Forest in Germany, from France, Italy, or Spain, much less from America. This is a Plant of a particular specific Kind, and the Native of America: Neither does any Historian mention such a Whirlwind for the Dispersion of its Seeds. It is true, Mount Ætna in Sicily, and Mount Hecla in Iceland, by their sulphureous Eruptions, throw the Ashes to a vast Distance: But it does not to me seem probable, that the Air should ever be in such a gyratory Motion, as to convey Seeds from one Quarter of the World to another, or from one Country to another, though it is not to be denied but they may be carried from a Plain to a rising Ground, or from one Garden to another adjacent to it.

Those Authors, who have called Tobacco Herba rixosa, the Strife-producing Herb, and Herba insana, the Plant which excites Madness, seem not to have been very much in the wrong; for what is more frequent than for People of all Denominations to spend the whole of the Day smoaking Tobacco in Ale-Houses and Taverns? Nay, so fond are young and old Men of Tobacco, that the Father forgets the Interests of the Son, and the Son those of the Father for its Sake. Thus some Men use large Quantities of Tobacco, whilst, perhaps, their Families are starving at Home: Whereas some Children spend upon Tobacco what their industrious Parents had, with Toil and Care, amassed for their Use. Nay, such is the Madness of some Europeans, that they will, for a Trifle, dispose of their Goods, in order to gratify themselves with Tobacco.

* * * * *

King James the Sixth of England tells us, "that, among the Americans, a Servant addicted to the Smoaking of Tobacco, can hardly find a Purchaser; so odious is that Custom to the Authors of it themselves." We Europeans, however, are so infatuated and hood-winked, as yearly to sail to America, spare no Expences, and expose ourselves not only to Storms and Tempests, but also to Sickness and Death, for the Sake of Tobacco; and it is certain, that our Men, on their Return from America, spread through all Europe the Neapolitan Disease, which, as Fiorovanta thinks, was endemial to the Americans, on Account of their eating human Flesh. This, to use the Phrase of Agrippa, de Vanitat. Scientiarum, Cap. 84. is to purchase Death at a great Price. The Indians and Barbarians have such an Aversion to the Abuse of Tobacco, that they severely chastise the Ethiopians and Slaves for it, and burn their Tobacco; probably, because they suspect that it renders them valetudinary, and disables them to work; in which Situation they are a Burthen upon their Masters. According to Viganenus, in Lib. de Ritibus Moribusq; Turcarum; and Johannes Chrysostomus Magnenus, in Exercitat. de Tabac. Exercit. 6. §. 10. Amureth, the 4th Emperor of the Turks, by an Edict, prohibited the Use of Tobacco, under Pain of Death, lest, by the Abuse of it, his Subjects should become effeminate, feeble, and barren. According to Adamus Olearius, in Lib. 3. Cap. 6. the Emperor of Muscovy, in 1634, by an Edict prohibited the Importation of Tobacco and Snuff into his Territories, under the Penalty of being beat with Rods, and having the Nostrils slit in Case of Disobedience: And the same Author says, he saw some who had these Marks of Infamy inflicted upon them. In Lib. 5. Cap. 31. he also tells us, that Schach Abas, the Persian Monarch, prohibited all Use of Tobacco in that Army, which he raised against Tameran Chan under the Penalty of the Offender's having his Nose and Lips cut off; nay, he was so rigid, or rather cruel in his Discipline, that when a certain Persian, ignorant of the Edict, came into his Camp with some Tobacco to sell, he ordered both him and his Commodities to be thrown into one Funeral Pile and burnt.

* * * * *

These, and other similar Examples, might perhaps have a lucky Influence on some Europeans, unless the Custom of using Tobacco had become so prevalent and universal, that James the Sixth said he believed "that a whole Wood in England would hardly afford Trees enough for hanging the Dealers in Tobacco." Hoffman, in Lib. 2. de Medicam Officinal. Cap. 3. informs us, "that this Prince, in the University of Oxford, disputed publickly against the Use of Tobacco, giving Instances of Persons who used it, who were afflicted with incurable Disorders of the Breast, Deliriums, Watchings, and Convulsions; and after whose Death, the Lungs were found black and parched, just as if they had been indurated in Smoak." The same Hoffman informs us, that he was told by some Soldiers who had resided in Holland, "that upon dissecting the Heads of some Snuff-takers, who had been executed, they observed, that the whole internal Part of what Anatomists call the Patera of the Brain, was black with Snuff." He was also told by Patricius Noræus, "that in the last Bohemian War, he saw all the Heads of the English Soldiers, who were killed, in the same Condition." Nardus Antonius Recchus, in Lib. 5. Rer. Medicar. Nov. Hisp. observes, "that those who use Tobacco too frequently, become ill coloured, have a squalid, sordid Tongue, a Palpitation of the Throat, and a preter-natural Heat of the Liver, and fall into Cachexies and Dropsies, by which they are at last cut off." Thus they suffer for their Folly in gratifying themselves in so preposterous a Manner.

* * * * *