Ttjne 24, I922] Amoebicidal Action of Conessinm

the greater amount of carbonic oxide by maintaining a longer layer of the cigar redhot. It is of interest to compare the proportions of carbonic oxide in straight coal gas, made by simply distillinag coal, witlh that in tobacco smoke. A cigar of average size was smoked under such conditions that the volume of smoke formed could be measurod.Four. fifths only ot' the cigar was smoked in order to malke allow. ance for the portion of cigar usually discarded. It was found that 0.303 cubic foot of smoke was produced, of which 7 per cent. was carbonic oxide. The quantity of straight coal gas containing an equivalent amount of carbonic oxide is 0.25 cubic foot-tlhat is, 1 cubic foot of straiglht coal gas contains an amount of carbonic oxide equal to. that in the smoke from four cigars; the proportion of carbonic -oxide in South. Metropolitan gas, it may be added, is about that of average cigar smoke. As to the effects of smoke, the cigarette smoker often has the lhabit of inhaling; but as a rule pipe and cigar smokers do not; friends tell me that pipe and cigar smoke ale nauseous when inhaled: apparently volatile products of distillation are carried forward much more than in cigarette smoking and these protect the cigar smoker notwitlhstanding the larger production of carbonic oxide. The blood of the cigarette smoker often shows signs of carbonic oxide absorption. A friend, who is an excessive smoker, is said to lhave 5 per cent. of hiis blood out of action ; another who is an equally great smoker and inhales constantly shows no sign of absorption. The latter is an exceptionally vigorousperson, who oats and drinks freely; apparently his is scarcely a case of tolerance: if carbonic oxide enter his blood either it is swept out witlhout difficulty by gaseous exchange or is worked up in some way. Apparently there is room for furtlher study of tlle conditions regulating the natural exchange of carbonic oxide for oxygen in the blood. Smoking lhas its interesting, side, even for tlle non-smoker. We lhave to thank Mr. Pickard and Miss Bucknell for the very skilful aid they have given and the special interest they have taken in this little experimental excursion.