How to Ruin a Good Mind

HOW TO RUIN A GOOD MIND By N. I. Butt In a certain Utah valley a little peach tree was set out under nearly ideal conditions. With its vigorous youthful spirit it shot out myriads of tiny rootlets into the rich soil, and above ground its twigs grew almost as by the touch of a magician's wand. It seemed happy as it prepared itself for the score or so of years it expected to live after it became full grown. But an enemy in the form of alkali accumulated about its roots as contaminated water from higher areas evaporated and left its salts behind. Many of the rootlets died and the leaves began to have an unhealthy look. The tree was stunted and all of its bright prospects destroyed. It remained a dwarfed and unproductive tree as long as it lived. The above statement for the tree is applicable to the boy who, in youth, commences the use of tobacco, except, that instead of the poison coming without consent as it did with the tree, it is wilfully taken into the human system. Anyone who observes those about him may see boys who have been poisoned by the use of tobacco, but there are some who still think the ill effect of smoking is not great. Professor O'Shea, a Wisconsin professor, made a rather thorough study of this question and reported it in a book called Tobacco and Mental Efficiency, which was published a few months ago. He sent a ques- tionaire to one thousand high schools asking the principals and teach- ers about their experience with boys who used tobacco. Satisfactory answers were received from two hundred six schools. A good many of the principals used tobacco themselves and said they did not think it hurt mature persons, but almost without exception they were opposed to its use by young men. They said it made the young men lose interest in school and made them poor students. Nearly thirty percent of the two thousand students smoked so there was a good chance for these principals and instructors to make accurate studies. The teachers had been observing some of the stu- dents for years. A report was made of the record of those who smoked. Many of the reports ran about as did the report for student No. 14, which follows: "Boy exceptionally bright in the grades and in the first year of high school, but in the second year his work began to decline. On investigation it was found that he had started smok- ing in the latter part of his freshman year, and during the summer months he had fixed the habit on himself. He finished school at the tail-end of his class." Many of the boys quit school shortly after commencing to use

71 IMPROVEMENT ERA tobacco. Over sixty percent of those who smoked were poorer stu- dents than the average and nearly this proportion were low in deport- ment. Intelligence tests showed that the native intelligence of the boys who smoked was at least equal to those who did not, but when they began to smoke, they began to degrade in comparison with their non- smoking friends. Records from surveys made in colleges show almost the same thing: the tobacco users were, on the whole, less efficient than the abstainers. Up to 1914 records for Harvard University students showed that in fifty years no tobacco user had stood at the head of his class though eighty per cent of the students used tobacco. All the evidence given in the book points to tobacco as a real poison to the mind of young persons. It apparently acts on the delicately balanced mind of a boy the same as alkali acts on the tender rootlets of a plant. Youth is a time when impressions are almost indelibly forced upon the mind and if it is dulled by tobacco at that period, it remains dwarfed throughout life and the possessor becomes a mediocre individual who never accomplishes anything worth while. When it comes to mature persons the above book does not show such positive indications of the bad effects of tobacco. Much stronger evidence is needed before it is possible to speak as positively as can be done for boys. Many of the noted persons now living are said to use tobacco and they report that they notice very little effect on them, one way or another. Most of these persons are very light smokers and commenced the habit after they were mature. Those who ex- pressed themselves concerning the use of tobacco by young people, say that it is likely to cause permanent harm. But even then, these users of tobacco might have been stronger, if they had never formed the habit. Laboratory tests showed that tobacco smoking raised the rate of pulse beat in many individuals to a point where it was harmful. The tests indicate that on the average, smoking greatly lowered the muscular control or steadiness of individuals. It also lowered the rate persons could tap a telegraph key, or cancel figures in an intelli- gence test. Memory was shorter, figures could be added less accurately, and new things could be learned less readily by smokers than by non- smokers. As an average of all tests, even mature persons were de- leteriously influenced by smoking. If you wish to ruin your mind then, begin smoking while you are young. Provo, Utah "Tobacco is not for the body, * * * and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle." — Doc. and Cov. 89.