The Tobacco Controversy of 1857: An Early Debate and its Delayed Results

By Colin Mustful

During the Crimean War British soldiers developed an affinity for tobacco smoke. Upon returning to Great Britain they brought with them the habit of smoking tobacco. The proliferation of smoking sparked the first public debate about its effects. Beginning in 1857, this passionate debate of those both for and against the use of tobacco was laid out in the British Medical Journal The Lancet. Ultimately the Controversy led to no immediate results, but it acted as an introduction to the real and possible effects of tobacco smoking. And, it left a lasting impact on the tobacco question.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Colin Mustful
• Release date: Apr 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310897559

Colin Mustful

Colin Mustful is a celebrated author and historian whose novel "Reclaiming Mni Sota" recently won the Midwest Book Award for Literary/Contemporary/Historical Fiction. With a Master of Arts in history and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing, Mustful has penned five historical novels that delve into the complex eras of settler-colonialism and Native American displacement. He is also the founder and editor of History Through Fiction, an independent press dedicated to publishing historical narratives rooted in factual events and characters. Committed to bringing significant historical tales to light, Mustful collaborates with authors as a traditional and hybrid publisher. Residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he enjoys running, playing soccer, and believes deeply in the power of understanding history to shape a just and sustainable future.

Book preview

The Tobacco Controversy of 1857

An Early Debate and Its Delayed Results

Colin Mustful

Published by Colin Mustful at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Colin Mustful

Contents

Abstract

During the Crimean War British soldiers developed an affinity for tobacco smoke. Upon returning to Great Britain they brought with them the habit of smoking tobacco. The proliferation of smoking sparked the first public debate about its effects. Beginning in 1857, this passionate debate of those both for and against the use of tobacco was laid out in the British Medical Journal The Lancet. Ultimately the Controversy led to no immediate results, but it acted as an introduction to the real and possible effects of tobacco smoking. And, it left a lasting impact on the tobacco question.

An Introduction

The Controversy

A Delayed Result

Conclusion

Appendix

Excerpt from Samuel Solly, Clinical Lectures on Paralysis

Bibliography

End Notes

An Introduction

In May 1851, the Great Exhibition was held at London’s Hyde Park.¹ The exhibition was a grand display of modern industrial technology, design, and innovation. It represented a move toward industry and capitalism that continued well into the twentieth century. At the time, Britain was the leader in industrial growth as well as imperial expansion.² In order to achieve this, the nation relied on endless numbers of low-class, low-wage labor as a foundation to fledgling capitalism.³ Long hours and deplorable conditions were commonplace as a result of what Karl Marx called unbridled selfishness.⁴

Alongside a growth in industry was the growth of media. This became apparent through the daily coverage of the Crimean War. Reports given by William Howard Russell of The Times were an historical innovation that allowed people to follow the events of the Eastern campaign.⁵ The newspaper became the instrument of information and made possible the sharing of opinions. In addition to media expansion, tobacco smoking also emerged from the Crimean War.⁶ Western observers took to the habit, and with their newfound capitalist ambition, brought the habit back to England to be exploited.⁷ It was not long before the addictive narcotic enamored the British people, especially its workers. Though smoking had previously been engaged in, never had it become so public than after the Crimean War. The new accessibility of the press and the constant industrious attitude of advancement developed a setting for wholesome dispute. In 1857, this led to the Tobacco Controversy, a discussion held in the pages of The Lancet debating the effects of tobacco smoking on the character and well-being of its users.⁸

The contenders in the Tobacco Controversy of 1857 set out to determine whether tobacco smoking was injurious. Physicians were ready and even enthusiastic about the question and the topic. Physicians and other commenter’s made their opinions known and encouraged responses and criticism. They believed that smoking was an important public issue that had not yet been discussed but needed to be. Unfortunately, the debate led to no immediate results. The controversy produced no initial action from Parliament but it did create public awareness as