are now becoming more truly "men" as they enter college, because of the
higher standard of requirement, it is probable that the glory of the
secret society is already waning, and that the allegiance of the older
universities to the open arenas of frank and manly intellectual contests,
involving no expense, no dissipation, and no perilous temptation, is
returning. At least there will now be an urgent question among many of the
best men in college whether it ought not to return.

(_January_, 1874)




TOBACCO AND HEALTH


We do not know if readers upon your side of the water have watched with
any interest the present violent onslaught in both England and France upon
the use of tobacco. Sir Benjamin Brodie (of London) has declared strongly
against its use; and at a recent meeting at Edinburgh of the British
Anti-Tobacco Society, Professor Miller, moving the first resolution, as
follows: "That as the constituent principles which tobacco contains are
highly poisonous, the practices of smoking and snuffing tend in a variety
of ways to injure the physical and mental constitution," continued: "No man
who was a hard smoker had a steady hand. But not only had it a debilitating
and paralyzing effect; but he could tell of patients who were completely
paralyzed in their limbs by inveterate smoking. He might tell of a
patient of his who brought on an attack of paralysis by smoking; who was
cured, indeed, by simple means enough, accompanied with the complete
discontinuance of the practice; but who afterwards took to it again, and