Cautions to young persons concerning health, in a public lecture delivered ... in the chapel at Cambridge, November 20, 1804, containing the general doctrine of dyspepsia and chronic diseases; shewing the evil tendency of the use of tobacco upon young persons, more especially the pernicious effects of smoking cigars. With observations on the use of ardent and vinous spirits / [Benjamin Waterhouse].

  • Waterhouse, Benjamin, 1754-1846
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cautions to young persons concerning health, in a public lecture delivered ... in the chapel at Cambridge, November 20, 1804, containing the general doctrine of dyspepsia and chronic diseases; shewing the evil tendency of the use of tobacco upon young persons, more especially the pernicious effects of smoking cigars. With observations on the use of ardent and vinous spirits / [Benjamin Waterhouse]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    gences common with ordinary men, they are loath to give up a grati¬ fication not absolutely sinful; and yet they are unwilling to stand conspicuous examples of a practice, which they are inclined to dis¬ countenance in their children. After reading this Lecture, in which it is said that “ no rigidly virtuous man ever became a slave to to¬ bacco,” several of them renounced the use of it entirely ; many more restricted the number of cirgars from six in a day to two, and some to one. Not a few have confessed, that they never encountered a harder task. Such is the tyranny of custom and habit over even this virtuous order of men !* The following letters from the late Governor Sullivan, will be read with peculiar pleasure by those who recollect his energetic mind, and patriotic virtues. LETTER FIRST. Sir, From Governor Sullivan to Doctor Waterhouse. Boston, 2d March, 1805. I thaftk you for your politeness in sending me a copy of your Lecture, delivered in our university, against the use of tobacco. I have been much entertained with the production : and find that it has gained the attention of the rational part of the community, as far as it has circulated ; and I hope it will be generally read. That essay has led me into a retrospective view of facts and cir¬ cumstances ; some of which had, years ago, been laid by in the reces¬ ses of forgetfulness. It has also connected them with observations more recent, even up to the present day. When I was a boy, I longed, with great impatience, to be old enough to hold the tube of wisdom,! and puff* the smoke of science; for I then saw the pipe connected with the mouths of judges, esquires, lawyers, clergymen, and physicians. When I arrived nearly to adult years, I anticipated the appearance of manhood, by commencing smoker; and, while a student in a lawyer’s office, was a great one. The con¬ sequence was, that I was never free from what we, in vulgar language, call “ the heart-burna corrosive acidity irritating the stomach. This was followed by, or rather attached to an occasional bilious colic, * Very few clergymen in our cities and seaports use tobacco, in any form, at this time [1822]. f Before the introduction of cigars, the Glocester-pipe of England, and the Qoudprpipe of Holland were to be seen every where in North America. t