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The Greek medical books, which were published during the second
part of the 18th century, were investigated for the purpose of presenting
the perceptions concerning "tobacco", which were written
at that period. From our research it was ascertained that in two
books tobacco is mentioned:
A). The book of the famous Physician in Lausane, Samuel Andre Tissot,
[1] (1728-1797), "De la sante des gens de lettres", which
was translated by Konstantinos Michael, (1751-1816), while he was
student at the Medical School and it was printed in Vienna in 1785
titled "Εγχειρίδιον...Περί της των πεπαιδευμένων τε και άλλων
ανθρώπων υγιείας», "Manual...for the health of intellectuals
and others", which includes tobacco in the pp. 172-180.
B). The book of Physician Kontantinos Michael,[2] "Διαιτητική"
"Diets", Vienna 1794, in which there is a text titled
«Περί της νικοτιανής ήτοι τουτουνίου ένθα κα περί πταρμικού ταμπάκου»
"About tobacco and snuff tobacco", pp. 263-271.
In the first book it is noted that the usage of tobacco has been
consolidated, but the intellectuals should not give over to its
usage, as tobacco "disturbs the whole brain as opium does"
and especially brings the same results in the senses as "intoxicated
drinks". Also it is indicated that " if tobacco does not
do damage to everyone, it at least damages a great number of people"
and it is added that "tobacco is not necessary to anyone".
It is written that tobacco smoke contains "a very sharp salt
and a lethargic sulfur united with the oily part". The salt
irritates the salivary glands and so produces a lot of saliva. The
running of excess saliva, with the term "sialism", has
as a result the loss of saliva and appetite, weakness to the stomach
and intestines. In a sub-note it is especially noted that the "oil
of tobacco" when applied on a wound, acts as "a fast acting
lethal poison".
In the text there is mention of people's opinion that when tobacco
is used "it helps them have normal bowl movements", regarded
as "something wonderful". People's opinion that tobacco
is a cathartic for worms, the writer considers this as not true
"I do not know of any action that proves it". It is pointed
out that tobacco causes "agitations, headaches, dizziness,
lethargy and apoplexy". Especially the writer is opposed to
the opinion, that was expressed by those who use tobacco "that
tobacco protects them from apoplexy". On the contrary he supports
that tobacco produces apoplexy, it is "αποπληξίφερον"
and it does not protect from apoplexy, it is not «αποπληξίφυγον»,
terms which are produced by the writer in the Greek language.[3]
It is emphasized with relevant quotations, examples given by famous
physicians that tobacco produces serious pathological states, as
for example Albrecht von Haller, (1708-1777), who supported that
tobacco produces "φθίση", tuberculosis.
Nevertheless the writer Tissot wonders "does tobacco not have
any benefits?". He also mentions some "beneficial therapies"
from tobacco, especially when the fume of tobacco passes trough
a tube and "its narcotic oil" is affixed on the walls
of the tube. This inspired fume of tobacco may irritate "the
salivary glands which are not in very good operation", "to
improve the movements of stomach and intestines". Furthermore
it may "help some forms of asthma" by dissolving "the
thick phlegm, which blocks respiration and helps us to expectorate".
Moreover the writer adds that he read that tobacco "had helped
overweight people" lose weight, wondering if the cause of the
loss was due to the decrease of appetite or the increase in "action
and movement of fibers". Also he refers that it has an antispasmodic
property according to Friedrich Hoffmann, (1660-1742), who had cured
with fume of tobacco "strong colic", but the writer notes
that an explanation of that action of tobacco is not given "whether
it acted as cathartic or as a painless medicine".
Finally the writer refers to the habit of some people to put the
"pounding tobacco" in their nose nostrils. He stresses
that by doing so, the nerves of the nose are irritated, the sense
of smell is blunted and dizziness and faint occur. The writer concludes
with the remark that tobacco "weakens memory and damages eye-sight"
and so this should “prompt the intellectuals and all others to abandon
its use".
The writer of the second book "Diets", "Διαιτητική",
Vienna 1794, Konstantinos Michael, who was the translator of the
previous book in the Greek language, dedicates a chapter titled
"About tobacco and snuff tobacco", in which he repeats
the same as in the first book. Moreover he adds that the people
of Ottoman and Persians "inhale the fume of tobacco frequently
and with a distinguished skill..., using long pipes and inhaling
the tobacco smoke reclined on a divan according to their prevalent
habit and adds that the inhaled tobacco smoke having been passed
through water resulting in the smoke having a milder sense and loosing
its original strength, therefore causing less harm.
The writer Konstantinos Michael concludes that since the harmful
effects of tobacco are widely known then whoever is not in the habit
of using tobacco it is therefore wise to avoid it, as the use of
tobacco causes ill health and is totally unbeneficial.
We further add that under the title "Ψόγος νικοτιανής"
"Blame on tobacco" a manuscript circulated against the
use of tobacco by Nicolaos Alex. Maurocordatos (1670-1730), which
was later printed in Venice in 1876 by the Phycisian Sophocles Oeconomou
[4] (1809-1877).
In conclusion we support that in the Greek medical texts published
during the end of 18th century regarding the health of people the
negative effects of tobacco are presented, even though some beneficial
effects are mentioned.
[1] See the interesting study, Antoinette Emch-Deriaz, Tissot,
Physician of the Enlightenment, American University Studies, Series
IX, History, vol. 126, Peter Lung, New York 1992.
[2] Konstantin Michael notes that "herbal nicotin got its name
from the name of a French named John Nicotis" who introduced
its use in France in 1559. It is also named "tobacco"
from the name of an island in America, though in the Turkish language
it is named "toutounio".
[3] These terms are not contained, as we noted, in the vocabulary
book of St. Koumanoudis, Συναγωγή νέων λέξεων ( Gathering of new
words), Athens 1900, reprinting by K. Dimaras, Athens 1980.
[4]See Phil. Hliou- Popi Polemi, Hellenic Bibliography 1864-1900,
vol. 1, 1864-1879, Athens 2006, no. 1876.452, p. 969.
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