Tobacco use in the Golden Age

[Daniel]

I'm doing a detailed* character sketch of the heroine of my novel, who is an 18-year-old white female living in New York City in 1714, the orphaned ward of a rich shipping magnate. And the question occurred to me, would she use tobacco?

Immediately before Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds started pitching cigarettes to women in the 1920s, it's pretty clear that smoking was considered beyond the pale for women; those companies went to great lengths to convince buyers that "decent, respectable women" could smoke. But I'm not sure how far back that attitude goes. I followed one of Mission's posts to this site, which shows a skull of a woman who died aged 55-60 sometime around 1660 to 1680 in Maryland, whose teeth prove that she was a regular pipe smoker. The anthropologist suggests this was commonplace, that almost "everyone in colonial Chesapeake, young and old, men and women, was smoking." But I'm a little hesitant to stick a pipe in my heroine's mouth 44 years later in a different colony based on this single skull of a woman of unknown class origins. Is there any further confirmation of female tobacco use going on into the 18th century? If so, when did tobacco become scandalous for women to use? Was it yet another hangup inflicted on us by the Victorians?

Then also, supposing my character might have used tobacco, in what form would she use it? My research suggests that tobacco was used in this period in at least three ways: in cigars ("seegars," as spelled in a 1683 Massachusetts ordinance), in pipes, and in snuff. Snuff was supposed to be very aristocratic. If women did use tobacco, would they have used it in all three of these ways? Is it more likely that my heroine, being rich but not of noble blood, would have been a snuff user rather than a pipe or cigar smoker?

* When I say "detailed," I don't just mean that I know what her morals, ambitions, fears and loves are; I mean I know which side she sleeps on and the name of her first horse.

[Mission]

One of the topic sections in my notes is specifically set aside for the effects of tobacco use and interesting comments on it. You know what? There's precious little in that section - they just don't mention it as a relevant behavior very often in the medical books, the journals or other period references I have read thus far. My suspicion is that it was so ubiquitous and thus unremarkable that it didn't merit mentioning for the most part.

William Rayner Thrower says something about it, but I always take Thrower with a grain of salt because I have proof that some of the statements he makes in his books on piracy are wrong. Still there's probably something to the Navy comment:

“The consumption of tobacco at sea was immense, whether smoked or chewed, and when tobacco became an official naval ration each man was allowed 2 lbs. a month. To light your pipe you used the slow burning match, the same sort of fire that gunners used in touch holes.” (Thrower, Life at Sea in the Age of Sail, p. 136)

Here's a couple that won't at all answer your question, although they hint at how prevalent the stuff was:

“Neither are ships and we poor seamen out of great danger of our lives in calms and fairest weather, for the least fire may set a ship on fire, many ships having been burnt by some careless man in smoking a pipe of tobacco; and in carelessless of the cook in not putting the fire well out at night; and of burning of a candle in a man’s cabin, he falling asleep and forgetting to put it out; and by burning of brandy and other strong liquors; and in many other ways a ship is set alight, and when they are on fire, it is a hundred to one if that you put it out, everything being so pitchy and tarry that the least fire setteth it all in a flame; and also there is great danger of the powder, for the least spark with a hammer or anything else in the room where it is, or the snuff of a candle causeth all to be turned into a blast, and in a moment no hopes of any person’s lives being saved, from death in the twinkling of an eye.” (Edward Barlow, Journal of his Life at Sea in King’s Ships, East and West Indiamen & Other Merchantman, p. 60-1)

“[1675, the fflorentine] And the country people, which were Danes, came aboard to see us, for our ship was a pretty ship and they loved good drink very well, and tobacco, and for two or three pipes of that, they would give us four or five great lobsters, each of them if they had been in London would have been worth two shillings the piece; or as much with very good fish, but is a very rocky and barren country for any corn.” (Barlow, p. 254)

“The Pelican, above-mention’d, is a large Sea-Fowl, with a very long Bill, and bandy Legs, as may be seen in Plate 5. Numb. 5. flies slow and heavy, and therefore easy to be shot; feeds altogether upon Fish, and consequently tastes fishy, having a very large Craw serving to carry Provinder in, of which our Men make very good Tobacco-Pouches.” (Edward Cooke, Voyage to the South Sea and Round the World in the Years 1708 to 1711, p. 120)

“…to Get in Truck for our Prize-Goods what we wanted; they having plenty of Cattel, Goats, Hogs, Fowls, Melons, Potatoes, Limes, ordinary Brandy, Tobacco, Indian Corn, etc. Our People were very meanly stock’d with Clothes, and the Dutchess’s Crew much worse, yet we are both forc’d to watch our Men very narrowly, and punish several of ‘em, to prevent their selling what Clothes they have for Trifles to the Negroes, that came over with little things from St. Antonio’s. The People at all these Islands rather chuse Clothing or Necessaries of any sort than Mony, in return for what they sell.” (Woodes Rogers, A Cruising Voyage Round the World, p. 21)

“There are places in it [the island of Manila] will produce anything: Corn; Cloves; Binamon; Pepper; Mulberry Trees for Silk-Worms. Tobacco there is a great deal and good; as much Ebony as can be desir’d; Sandalwood in the Mountains, but not of the best sort.” (Domingo Navarrete, The Travels and Controversies of Friar Domingo Nabarrete 1618-1686, p. 98)

“[1686]The Dutch come hither [Mindanao] in Sloops from Ternate and Tibore, and buy Rice, Bees-wax, and Tobacco; for here is a great deal of Tobacco grows on this Island, more than in any Island or Country in the East-Indies, that I know of, Manila only excepted. It is an excellent sort of Tobacco; but these People have not the Art of managing this Trade to their best advantage, as the Spaniards have at Manila. I do believe the Seeds were first brought hither from Manila by the Spaniards, and even thither, in all probability, from America: the difference between the Mindanao and Manila Tobacco is, that the Mindanao Tobacco is of a darker colour; and the Leaf larger and grosser than the Manila Tobacco, being propagated or planted in a fatter Soil. The Manila Tobacco is of a bright yellow colour, of an indifferent size, not strong, but pleasant to Smoak.” (William Dampier, Memoirs of a Buccaneer, Dampier’s New Voyage Round the World, p. 228)

[Dutchman]

around 1610, the king of england referred to tobacco as a noxious weed..... my how his view changed.

anyhow, an excellent source of information on the history of tobacco in the colonies is a book called Tobacco Coast, a few sailor references- but mission has done a better job of it.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the info, Mission and Dutch!

I've written the Smithsonian to try to get some additional information on the Chesapeake pipe-smoking evidence.

In the meantime, I've found some interesting information in this well-referenced article: "The Social Dip: Tobacco Use by Mid-19th Century Southern Women. The article makes it clear that the antipathy toward women smoking was not very old at all in the 1920s. Two presidents' wives smoked pipes: Mrs. Andrew Jackson and Mrs. Zachary Taylor! But the article also mentions that women did not smoke cigars "in a century increasingly concerned with maintaining distinctive spheres for male and female"; apparently the pipe was considered more respectable for women.

At some point, tobacco use became more common among Southern women than Northern, as by the American Civil War the Northern soldiers campaigning in the South were shocked to find the Southern women using tobacco. This may have had something to do with the fact that the temperance movement was under way in the North by the time of the Civil War, and the temperance activists, many of them women, tended to be anti-smoking as well as anti-alcohol.

Also by the time of the Civil War, many rural Southern women had begun dipping and chewing tobacco, which could be incredibly disgusting, not only to Northerners but to Southern urbanites unused to what the country folk did: "[On the train there was] a very pretty young lady . . . I noticed that she was constantly spitting some dark colored fluid from her mouth. . . . I looked on the floor and there was a great puddle at her feet. It resembled tobacco juice very much, and by George it was tobacco juice, for I saw her spit out the old chew and put in a fresh one." There are limits to how far I will go for historical accuracy; in no circumstance could I entertain the thought of making my heroine do this.

Wikipedia claims that an 18th century women's magazine suggested using snuff to restore eyesight, although I cannot track down the original reference. On GoogleBooks, I find a passionate pro-smoking history of tobacco from 1901 by W.A. Penn, called The Soverane Herb: he reports that in 1671 Worcestershire, it was customary for women and men both to smoke pipes after dinner; another observer had women as well as men using tobacco all over England in 1697 (in what form, he does not say).

I am now strongly leaning toward making my leading lady a tobacco user of some sort. I'd prefer to make her a cigar or snuff user rather than a pipe smoker, but the evidence I've seen so far is much more supportive of pipe smoking for women than snuff use, and there is some clear evidence against female cigar use at least in the 19th century.

[Mission]

Tobacco was actually thought to have some healthful effects. I haven't found any references to this during period in the medical books, but I have found some equipment for that purpose from just after period. See the wiki on tobacco enemas. (It's curious that they quote Sydenham having written about this in 1809 when he died in 1689. I suspect Rush (the editor?) inserted that comment and it is mis-attributed. I am reading his book now, if I find that quote, I'll cite it for you. Yhey also claim he used the word 'glysters' when he has so far written it 'clysters' based on my reading. Good ol' wiki...) Although these may have been in limited use or have been peddled by quack practitioners. (I don't really know as the latest medical book I've read is 1742 and it mostly refers to the early 18th century.)

As for the prevalence of cigars and cigs during period, we've had a couple discussion on that. By and large the trend seems to have been to pipes as even my references indicate. However, you can see some of the discussions on cigarettes here and here.

[MarkG]

Tobacco was actually thought to have some healthful effects. I haven't found any references to this during period in the medical books, but I have found some equipment for that purpose from just after period. See the wiki on tobacco enemas. (It's curious that they quote Sydenham having written about this in 1809 when he died in 1689. I suspect Rush (the editor?) inserted that comment and it is mis-attributed. I am reading his book now, if I find that quote, I'll cite it for you. Yhey also claim he used the word 'glysters' when he has so far written it 'clysters' based on my reading. Good ol' wiki...) Although these may have been in limited use or have been peddled by quack practitioners. (I don't really know as the latest medical book I've read is 1742 and it mostly refers to the early 18th century.)

As for the prevalence of cigars and cigs during period, we've had a couple discussion on that. By and large the trend seems to have been to pipes as even my references indicate. However, you can see some of the discussions on cigarettes here and here.

At Plimoth Plantation, if someone asks about herbal remedies for a cold they advise smoking tobacco. It is hot and warm so it dries the lungs.

The way that tobacco was used changed over the 17th century. Early in the century pipes had small bowls and a large hole through the stem. The tobacco was consumed in just a few deep puffs. The referred to it as "Drinking tobacco". The tobacco at the time was very strong. A friend who tried smoking an early strain said that it had him talking to spirits.

As tobacco became more common, smokers took more time. The bowls became larger and the hole in the stems became smaller. When dating an archeological site, archeologists will base the age on the size and shape of the bowls (preferred) or of the stem holes (they tend to survive).

[Daniel]

Here's a picture of a woman lighting up on a pipe from the mid-17th century. I love this picture because of the guy sitting with her who is so obviously smitten with her. He has this look on his face that's like, "My girlfriend is so cute when she's lighting her pipe."

[Calico Jack]

The smoking of tobacco is known [in the 16th century in Ottoman Europe] to cause dizziness, fatigue, and queasiness, yet tobacco is at the same time considered a useful medicinal for a variety of ailments, sometimes inhaled and most times chewed or used as a plaster. Smoking could be considered [by James the 1st in 1604] a "custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse." Even so, as mentioned by folks above there is distinct documentary evidence demonstrating that the smoking of it was a social feature throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Useful medicinal you say? Well!

Of the Tabaco and of His Greate Vertues, from Joyfull Newes our of the Newe Founde Worlde by Nicholas Monardes, 1577.

THIS herb, which commonly is called tobacco, is an herbe of much antiquity, and known amongst the Indians, and in especially among them of the new Spain, and after that those countries were gotten by our Spaniards, being taught of the Indians, they did profit themselves of those things, in the Wounds which they received in their Wars, healing themselves therewith, to the great benefit of them.

Within this few years there has been brought to Spain of it, more to adorn Gardens with the fairness thereof, and to give a pleasant sight, rather then that it was thought it had the marvelous Medicinal virtues which it hash, now we do use of it more for his virtues then for his fairness.

It is growing in many parts of the Indies, but ordinarily in moist places, and shadow places, and it is needful that the ground where it is sown, be well tilled, all that it be fruitful ground in all times it is sown, in the hot countries. But in the collide countries it must be sown in the month of March, for that it may defend it self from the frost.

The proper name of it amongst the Indians is Pecielt, for the name of Tobacco is given to it of our Spaniards, by reason of an land that is named Tobacco.

It is an Herb that does grow and come to be very great: many times to be greater then a Lemon tree, it does cast out one stem from the Root which grows up right, without declining, to any parts, he does cast out many Bowes, straight that well new they be equal with the principal stem of the tree, his Leaf is well nere like to the Leaf of a Sydron tree, they come to be very great, and be of color green, the Plant is heavy, they be in the Garden as Sidrons and Oranges are. For that all the year they are green, and have leaves, and if any wither, they be those that are lowest, in the highest parts of all the Plants, there does grow out the flower, the which is after the manner of white Campanillia, and in the middest of Carnation color, it has a good show when it is dry, it is like to black Poppy seed, and is it is shut up the seed which is very small, and of the color of a dark Tauny.

The Root is great, conformable to the greatness of the Plants, divided into many parts, and it is like to wood in substance, the which being parted, it has the heart within, like unto the color of Saffron, and being tossed, it has some bitterness with it. The Rind comes away easily, we know not that the root has any virtue at all. Of only the Leaves we know the virtues, I which we will speak of, although that I do believe that the root has Medicinal virtues enough, the which the time shall discover. And some will say that it has the virtue of Rhubarb, but I have not experimented it as yet, they do keep the leaves after they be dry in the shadow for the effects that we will speak of, and they be made powder, for to use of them in place of the Leaves, for it is not in all parts, the one and the other, is to be kept a great time, without corruption, his complexion is hot and dry in the second degree, it has virtue to heat and to dissolve, with some binding and comforting it gleweth together, and does soder the fresh wounds, and does heal them, the filthy wounds and sores it does cleanse and reduce them to a perfect health, as it shall he spoken of foreword, and so we will speak of the virtues of these Herbs, and of the things that it does profit, every one particularly.

This Herb Tobacco has particular virtue to heal griefs of the head, and in especially coming of cold causes, and so it cures the headache when it comes of a cold humor, or of a windy cause, the Leaves must be put hot to it upon the grief, and multiplying them the time that is needful, until the grief be taken away. Some there be that do anoint them with the Oil of Oranges, and it does a very good work.

In any manner of grief that is in the body or any part thereof it helps, being of a cold cause, and applied hereunto it takes it away, not without great admiration.

In griefs of the breast it does make a marvelous effect, and in especially in those that do cast out matter and rottenness at the mouth, and in them that are short breathed. And any other old evils making of the herb a seething and with Sugar made a Syrup, and being taken in little quantity, it does cause to expel the Matters, and rottenness of the breast marvelously, and the smoke being taken at the mouth, does cause that the matter be put out of the breast, of them that do.

In the grief of the stomach, caused of cold causes, or wince, the leaves being put very hot, it does take it away, and dissolves it by multiplying of them, until it be taken away. And it is to be noted, that the leaves are to be warmed better then any other, amongst Ashes or Embers very hot, thrusting the herbs into them, and so to warm them well, and although they be put to with some Ashes, it makes the work better, and of more strong effects.

In Opilations of the stomach, and of the inner parts principally, this herb is a great remedy; for that it does dissolve them, and consumes them, and this same it does in any other manner of Opilations or hardness, that is in the belly, the cause being of a cold humor, or of windiness.

They must take the herb green, and stamp it, and with those stamped leaves rub the hardness a good while, and at the time as the Herb is in the Mortar a stamping, let there be put to it a few drops of Vinegar, that his work may be made the better, and after the place is rubbed where the pain is, then put upon it one leaf or leaves of the Tobacco being hot, and so let it alone till the next day, and then do the like again, or in place of the leaves put a Linen clothe wet, in the hot Juice. Some there be, that after they have rubbed it with the stamped leaves, they do anoint it with ointments, made for the like evils, and upon it they put the leaves or the juice of the Tobacco. And surely with this cure they have dissolved great and hard opilations, and very old swellings. In the grief of the stone, of the Kidneys and Raines, this Herb does great effects, by putting the leaves into Ashes, or Embers, hot, that they may warm well, and then being put upon the grief, multiplying it as often as it is needful. It is necessary in the Seethinges that is used to be made for Glisters to put into them with the other hinges, the Leaves of this Herb: for that they shall profit much, and likewise for Fomentations and Plasters, that they shall make.

In griefs of winces they make the like effect, taking away the pains that does come of the windiness, applying the Leaves after the same sort as it is stated.

In the grief of women, which is called the evil of the Mother, putting one leaf of this herb Tobacco very hot, in the manner as it is stated, it does manifest profit: it must be put upon the Navel. And under it some does use to put first of all, things of good smell upon the Navel, and then upon that they put the leaf, in that they do find most profit, is to put the Tacamahaca, or the oil of liquid Amber, and Balsam, and Carana, any thing of these put to the Navel, and kept to it continually, that it may cleave unto it, does manifest profit in griefs of the Mother.

In Worms, and in all kind of them, it kills them, and does expel them marvelously, the seething of the herb made a syrup delicately, taken in very little quantity, and the juice thereof put on the navel, it is needful after this be done to give a Glister, that may void them out, and expel them out of the guts.

In griefs of the Joints being of a cold cause it makes a marvelous work, the Leaves of this Tobacco being put hot upon the grief, the like does the Juice put upon a little clothe hot. For that it does dissolve the humor, and takes away the pains thereof, if it be a hot cause it does hurt, saving when the humour has been hot, and the subtle is dissolved, and the gross remains. that then it does profit as if the cause were cold, and it is to be understood, that the leaves being put, where as is grief of the said cause, in any part of the body, that it will profit much.

In swellings or in cold Impostumes, it does dissolve and undo them, washing them with the hot Juice, and putting the beaten leaves, after they be stamped, or the leaves being whole of the stated Tobacco upon it.

In the Tooth ache when the grief is of a cold cause, or of cold Rumes, putting to it a little Ball made of the leaf of the Tobacco, washing first the soothe with a small clothe wet in the Juice, it takes away the pain, and does stay it, that the putrefaction go not forward: in hot causes it does not profit, and this remedy is so common that every one heals.

This Herb does marvelously heal the Chilblaines, rubbing them with the stamped leaves, and after putting hands and Feet in hot water, with Salt, and keeping them warm, this is done with great experience in many.

[...]

In wounds newly hurt and cuttings, strokes, pricks, or any other manner of wound, our Tobacco does marvelous effects. For that it does heal them and makes them sound, the wound must be washed with wine, and procure to anoint the sides of it, taking away that which is superfluous, and then to put the Juice of this herb, and upon it the stamped leaves, and being well bound it shall stand until the next day that they shall return to dress it, after the same fashion they shall keep good order in their meat, using the diet necessary, and if it be needful of any evacuation by stool, the cause being great, let it be done what shall be convenient. And with this order they will heal, without any need of any more Surgery then this herb. Here in this Country, and in this City they know not what to do, having cut or hurt themselves, but to run to the Tobacco, as a most ready remedy, it does marvelous works, without any need of other Surgery, but this only herb. In restraining the flux of blood of the wounds it does most marvelous works, for that the Juice and the Leaves being stamped, is sufficient to restrain any flux of blood.

In old Sores it is marvelous the works and the effects that this Herb does, for it heals them wonderfully, making clean and mundifiyng them of all that is superfluous, and of the rottenness, that it hash, and does bring up the flesh, reducing them to perfect health, the which is so common in this City that every man does know it, and I having ministered it to many people as well men as women, in great number, and being grieved of ten, and of twenty years they have healed old rotten sores in legs, and other parts of the body, with only this remedy to the great admiration of all men.

The order of the Cure that is to be healed with this herb is this following. The old rotten sores although t they be cankered, let the sick man be purged with the counsel of a Physician, and let him blood if it be needful, and then take this Herb and pound it in a Mortar, and take out the Juice and put it into the Sore, and then after the manner of a Plaster put the stamped leaves upon it which are the Leaves that the Juice is taken out of, and this do once every day eating good Meats, and not exceeding in any disorder, for otherwise it will not profit. And doing this it will make clean the evil flesh being totter, and superfluous, until it come to the whole flesh, and is not to be marveled if that the wound be made very great. For the evil must be eaten up, until it come to the good, and with the same cure putting less quantity of juice it will incarnate, and reduce it to perfect health, in such sort that it does all the works of Surgery, that all the Medicines of the world may do, without having need of any other manner of medicine.

The English Physitian, or, Culpeper's Complete Herbal, by Nicholas Culpeper, 1653

Tobacco, English and Indian.

It is a martial plant. It is found by good experience to be available to expectorate tough phlegm from the stomach, chest, and lungs; the juice thereof being made into a syrup, or the distilled water of the herb drunk; or the smoke taken by a pipe as is usual [i.e., Culpeper recommends principally that an essence be drunk, but for lungs it can also be smoked if on an empty stomach], but fasting. The same helps to expel worms in the stomach and belly, and to ease the pains in the head, and the griping pains in the bowels ; it is profitable to those that are troubled with the stone in the kidneys, to ease pains, and, by provoking urine, to expel the gravel and the stone ; and has been found very effectual to expel wind. The seed hereof is very effectual to help the tooth-ache, and the ashes of the burnt herb to cleanse the gums and make the teeth white. The herb bruised, and applied to the place grieved with the king's evil [scrofula, or Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis] helps it in nie or ten days effectually. Monardus [see above] says it is a counter-poison for the biting of any venomous creature, the herb [as a plaister] also being outwardly applied to the hurt place. The distilled water is often given with some sugar before the fit of an ague [non-fluxatious fever], to lessen it, and takes it away in three or four times using. If the distilled faeces of the herb, having been bruised before the distillation, and not distilled dry, be set in warm dung for fourteen days and afterward hung up in a bag in a wine cellar, the liquor that distils therefrom is singularly good for cramps, aches, the gout and sciatica, and to heal itches, scabs, and running ulcers. The juice is also good for all said griefs, and likewise to kill lice.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Calico Jack

[Mission]

Ah, I finally got to the tobacco enema in my copy of Sydenham's book. This puts it at the end of the 17th century, definitely a period cure.

"...forasmuch as the strongest purging Medicines, or indeed the least part of them can scarce pass the Guts, and cause a Stool. In this Case I think it is most advisable, first to bleed in the Arm, and an Hour or two after, to inject a strong Glister (enema). I reckon the Smoke of Tobacco, strongly blown up thro' a large Bladder into the Intestines by a Pipe inverted,

__

to be the best and most effectual Glister I know, which may be repeated a little while after, unless the former by giving a Stool, open the Passage downwards. [Purging was categorized as going downwards (via enemas) and upwards (via vomiting). The exit from the stomach appears to have been the dividing line in purges according to the prevailing theories.] But this Symptom being not totally conquered by this Remedy, it is necessary that a Carthartick somewhat stronger be used, how difficult soever it be to make way.

Take of the Pill ex duobus thirty five Grains, Mercurius dulcis one Scruple; make four Pills with a sufficient quantity of the Balsam of Peru: Take them in a Spoonful of Syrup of Violets.

Drink no Liquor upon them, lest they should not be retained; but if the Sick should vomit this Remedy, we must proceed in this manner: Let him take presently twenty five Drops of liquid Laudanum in half an ounce of strong Cinnamon-water, and after a few Hours let it be repeated: But when the Vomiting and Pain of the Belly are abated by the use of these, then the foresaid Purge may be repeated again; for at this time it will be retained under the Protection of the Laudanum, and will at length perform its Business; but if the Vomiting and Pain should return again, by reason of the Virtue of the Anodyne [the Laudanum] is wholly decay'd, and the Purge should stop in the Body; in this Case, all HOpes from Stool being at present laid aside, we must return to the use of the Anodyne before described, which must be repeated every fourth or sixth Hour, till the Guts be wholy quiet, and the natural Motion downwards be restored; at which time the Purge, which has hitherto stopt in the Body, by reason of the contrary Motion of the Guts, will now operate by Stool..." (Sydenham, p. 423-4)

[peglegstrick]

I guess that's where the expression of "Blowing smoke up your arse" came from..........

there are times I am glad I am not a Doctor.......this would be one of those times

[Grymm]

Don't forget wedging the stuff up your nose! Snuff was fairly popular with the Dons in the 17thC and after a bit of a scrap in 1702 near Vigo when us British and the Dutch give the Spanish and French navies a thrashing and capture a couple of ships full of snuff it's a habit that is taken up here and in our Colonies.

In the mid 18thC when Boswell tours the Highlands of Scotland the locals crave snuff more than baccy for smoking....prob'ly to damp to get a pipe lit (joke).

Search for Vigo prize snuff.

Also for a brief overview this site http://www.snufftobacco.co.uk/17c-snuff

Much better habit for gunners to take up, no stray sparks =o)

[PoD]

Can you still buy snuff then?

[Jib]

I tried some snuff a few years ago at MN event at Big Island. It must still be for sale.

[PoD]

yeah it is. I don't know why i didnt just google it before i asked the question ha ha

[Grymm]

http://www.snuffstore.co.uk/ do some good'uns. Their coffee snuff kept me going during a very dull weekend =o) and they do Dutch snuff still ground by windmill

https://mrsnuff.com/store/index.php?osCsid=a28d86e194b3b131796a8c61db600740 have lots too.

[Grymm]

Back to women and baccy

From Constantijn Huygens journal of William of Orange's progress during the Glorious Revolution.

This is from the day after the landing at Brixham in Dec 1688

Alongside the roads the people had gathered, as on the previous day, women, men, and children alike, all shouting: 'God bless you' and waving us a hundredgood wishes. They gave the Prince and his entourage apples, and an old lady was waiting with a bottle of mead and wanted to pour his Highness a glass. In a little square, five women were standing, greeting him, each of whom had a pipe of tobacco in her mouth, like the large crowds we have seen, all smoking without any shame, even the very young, thirteen and fourteen year olds....

And a Scottish portrait called "The Hen Wife" painted in 1706 shows a woman with a horn snuff mull and snuffing spoon

Edited September 13, 2011 by Grymm

[jendobyns]

In the colonies they have excavated skeletal remains of both genders, and of the quite young (early teens) with tobacco pipe wear in the teeth (holes worn down by the clay in the pipes) I think this was either at St. Mary's City or Jamestown, so quite early in the American colonial period.

And years ago, somewhere on the net, I found a picture of a baroque styled horse with a pipe stuck up it's backside. I think it might have been a commentary on how you can take this medicinal use a bit too far? But I cannot find that illustration now! Off to go find images of tobacco use...

Jen

[jendobyns]

Haven't found the baroque horse smoking a pipe, but here's a great pic of pipe wear in skeletal remains:

http://www.anthropology.si.edu/writteninbone/pipe.html

[Mission]

Haven't found the baroque horse smoking a pipe, but here's a great pic of pipe wear in skeletal remains:

http://www.anthropol...nbone/pipe.html

I actually saw that exhibit at the Smithsonian. They had a whole bunch of broken pipes they found at the bottom of as well a couple of skulls showing the tooth wear caused by pipes.

[TheBryantFamilyChronicles]

As far back as my Great, Great Grandparents, my family on both sides raised tobacco in the countryside in southern VA. My great grandmother on my father's side chewed tobacco and used "dip" (sometimes called snuff). She was born in the 1870's. My grandmother on my mother's side was born in the 1890's and she chewed tobacco. Neither smoked. When I was a boy some 40-50 years ago, the old women in the nearby farms wouldd get together to sew, make blankets or just chat. There was a lot of chewing and dip used during these get togethers. The most disgusting thing I hated to do was to be ask to go dump the spittoon outdoors for the my grandparents. This all ended with my grandparents. My uncles and aunts never took up these habits. Only a handful of my cousins now raise tobacco.

In Virginia and even in Maryland, brightleaf (sometimes called Virginia tobacco) and burley tobacco was and still is by far the most common tobacco grown. It is primarily used for smoking tobacco. Tobacco is cured a different way for cigar and pipe tobacco, which makes is cost more. Chewing tobacco and snuff is far less expensive and was more common place. My grandmother put dip between her lower lip and gum when she used it. My great-grandmother and grandmother usually had a cup or can to spit in, especially when inside the house.

Remember that cigarettes as we know them are relatively modern. People used to carry cigarette papers and a bag of tobacco and made their own. Then the tobacco companies started making pre-rolled cigarettes with no filters. These were all inexpensive and could be easily afforded by even the poorest people.

Snuff, dip, and chewing tobacco are still commonplace in the southern countryside and communities. Baseball players have pretty much stop using dip, but it used to be pretty common.

[Mission]

I am currently reading The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring. He stayed in Virginia for a couple of months in 1698 or 1699 where he stayed with a poor couple who owned a tobacco plantation.

There may be some evidence of use of cigarettes from the (late) 1700s. There was a very interesting thread on that topic last year.

[Grymm]

Just me showing off, but I recently took delivery of this wee beauty

It's an 18thC pipesmokers multitool, the blade for cutting your baccy from the block/roll, the back of the blade is tempered to work as a steel for striking sparks(and it does work well =o) the croc's nose is a tamper, the handle has a reamer which folds out to become the arm of some ember tongs.

Based on a silver original from this book

Thing of beauty so it is .....apologies for gloating but it's soooooooooooooooo purdy!

[William Brand]

Just me showing off, but I recently took delivery of this wee beauty

Thing of beauty so it is .....apologies for gloating but it's soooooooooooooooo purdy!

WANT.

[Capt. Sterling]

Beautiful! And I at least smoke William

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I am currently reading The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring. He stayed in Virginia for a couple of months in 1698 or 1699 where he stayed with a poor couple who owned a tobacco plantation.

There may be some evidence of use of cigarettes from the (late) 1700s. There was a very interesting thread on that topic last year.

Interesting that cigarettes are myth myth so to speak. That they were not used in Gaop is a myth. In some tread here e.g. one person posted picture of gentleman making clear hand-rolled cigarette in 1725.