Tom wrote:

>For example, tobacco smoke may keep mosquitoes away, or the taste of
tobacco in the skin and blood may. Even a small difference in bite
rates would result in fewer malaria, dengue fever, etc cases among
tobacco users than abstainers. Alcohol the same. Tobacco certainly
keeps certain stomach parasites down. Coffee and tea both block iron
uptake in bacteria, perhaps preventing some cases of stomach ailments.
I do not swear by this, but it sounds reasonable to me. I never tried
to get people in these places to give up their "bad habits".
Especially since I was sick all the time while they were not. Tobacco
cuts years off the end of life, but in some circumstance may be beneficial.

Interestingly, there are at least a couple brands of *organic*,
roll-your-own tobacco. Scary as it sounds, it's not the worst idea for
people who smoke and aren't quitting. The list of really scary additives and
contaminants in conventional cigarettes is hair-raising
(http://kickbuttsday.org/activities/pdf/inacig.pdf).

I don't smoke, don't like it, tested as allergic to tobacco in fact, but did
read a fair amount about it. On the occasions when I *have* tried a friend's
cigarette, I can't stand Marlboro Lights but thought the organic brand, or
simply full-strength Camels (!) tasted better. It's a moot point as for some
reason I seem to have no addition mechanism to the stuff and rather, prefer
as much oxygen as I can, within reason, get.

This is a great little historic art site that talks about the traditional
use of tobacco:
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/print/exhibits/drydrunk/herbals.ht
m

In part: "The medicinal value of tobacco was perceived as virtually
limitless: there was no ailment, it seemed, that tobacco could not cure,
from shortness of breath and halitosis to labor pains and wounds. It was
even considered a prophylactic against the plague. The cures were effected
either by inhaling the smoke from the leaves, making a sugary syrup or juice
with them, applying the hot leaves directly to the problem area, or, on
occasion, through an enema."

Nice to know that blowing smoke out one's arse is not a particularly modern
invention. (Alright, I know they didn't mean to use it that way...)


_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com