The art of living in Australia

There are certain symptoms which should lead a man either to curtaQ his allowance, or else give up tobacco altoge- ther. These are marked nervousness, trembling of the whole body, unsteadiness of the hands, and twitching of different muscles. There may be also swimming of the head, severe headache, and a feeling of despondency. In other cases there may be in'itability of temper, a want of will deter- mination, and progressive loss of memory. The special senses — sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch — may all be blunted. The sight and hearing are often markedly affected. Colour blindness is sometimes a result, and there may be that impairment of vision known as tobacco amhhjopia. As regards the hearing, too, there is not unfrequently a drum- ming in the ears and confusion of sounds. And more than this, tobacco, when unsuitable or used in excess, has other prejudicial effects. Its action on the heart is well known, and is frequently manifested by violent palpitation and by disturbed action of the heart. There is also a definite disorder known as " the smoker's heart." In this affection the beats, instead of being regular, are veiy rapid, suddenly becoming very slow. In this way the rhythm of the heart has been aptly compared by Dr. Lauder Brunton to a restive horse, Avho goes into a gallop for a few yards, next pulls up all at once, and then breaks off DIET. 83 into a gallop again. When tobacco has these prejudicial effects upon the heart, it is no good diminishing the allow- ance. The only way to bring about any good result is to knock it off altogether. In addition to its direct action on the heart, tobacco smoking may also bring on a sudden fainting, in which there is absolutely no warning. This condition may develop from the tobacco alone, but in many instances nervous excitement or shock are superadded. Professor Fraser, of Edinburgh, has observed that quite a number of his college friends, who smoked to an inordinate extent as students, were obliged to give up tobacco as middle age approached. Several of them had to do so on account of the onset of these sudden fainting fits. Many smokers also suffer from what is termed chronic pharyngitis. In this affection the mucous membrane at the back part of the mouth looks like dirty-red velvet, and there is also a constant hawking of phlegm. And further, indigestion itself is in many cases entirely due to excessive smoking, from wliich there is no rehef except by abandoning the habit altogether. But even when tobacco does not produce such marked ill effects, it is as weU to remember that it has always a definite action from a gastronomic point of view. And it is this, that directly after the first draw of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, the palate loses its delicacy of perception. As Sir Henry Thompson remarks, after smoke the power to appreciate good wine is lost, and no judicious host cares to open a fresh bottle from his best bin for the smoker. This is perfectly true ; under such circumstances valuable wine would simply be thrown away. But, on the other hand, there is an unquestionable sympathy between coffee and tobacco, and a cup of ]\Iocha blends harmoniously with choice Latakia. This is well recognised in the East ; and through- out the Continent coffee and temperate habits go hand in F 2 84 THE ART OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA.