| Much of the early popularity of tobacco in | | | | thought they could avoid the risk of getting |
| Europe rested on its supposed medicinal | | | | one by an occasional sniff or two; |
| properties, rather than on its pleasurable | | | | snuff-taking rapidly became very fashionable. |
| smoking qualities. The tobacco leaf was | | | | |
| introduced as a universal remedy for all | | | | But snuff was not as yet taken purely for |
| ailments by a Frenchman, Jean Nicot, from | | | | pleasure; it was still considered strictly a |
| whom both the tobacco plant Nicotiana and the | | | | medicinal preparation, to be purchased at the |
| term nicotine derive their name. | | | | local apothecary's. Physicians gave it the |
| | | | somewhat repugnant Latin name of clysterium |
| Nicot, appointed ambassador to Portugal by | | | | nasi which, liberally translated, means |
| the French Queen, Catherine de Medici, first | | | | "nasal purge." An encyclopedia published at |
| saw the plant growing in the royal gardens in | | | | the time by Nicot himself provides the |
| Lisbon. Learning that the Indians believed | | | | following listing: |
| the plant to have healing powers, the | | | | |
| ambassador decided to experiment. As Nicot's | | | | "Nicotiane. An herb with miraculous healing |
| chef happened to have sliced his thumb with a | | | | powers against all complaints such as boils, |
| kitchen knife, Nicot bandaged the cut with | | | | open sores, and rashes, etc. It was |
| fresh green tobacco leaves. Surprisingly, the | | | | introduced to France by the envoy to the King |
| wound healed. A young lady acquaintance of | | | | of Portugal, Mr. Jean Nicot, after whom it |
| Nicot's had a severe rash on her face, and a | | | | derived its name." |
| gentleman friend had sharp pains in his foot. | | | | |
| In both cases, after the application of | | | | The name Nicotiana was given to the tobacco |
| tobacco leaves, the maladies disappeared. | | | | plant not by Nicot himself but by the famed |
| | | | Swedish botanist, Linnaeus, to acknowledge |
| Nicot pursued his experiments, and not long | | | | Nicot's efforts in encouraging the plant's |
| afterward returned to France where he | | | | general use. Nicot did not live to see his |
| informed the Queen of the marvelous cures | | | | medical observations discredited as having |
| which the plant had effected. One day, when | | | | little scientific value; nor did he see snuff |
| the Queen was suffering from a severe | | | | abused and vulgarized by being taken merely |
| headache. Nicot suggested that she sniff some | | | | for its pleasurable sensations. |
| powder he had crushed from dried tobacco | | | | |
| leaves. The Queen agreeably took a pinch of | | | | In popularizing snuff, Nicot inadvertently |
| the brown powder, and sneezed. After a few | | | | also helped to introduce smoking. A pinch of |
| more sneezes, the Queen remembered her | | | | snuff or a pipe of tobacco both produced a |
| headache only to find it considerably | | | | stimulating effect; whether one smoked or |
| improved. | | | | took snuff was just a matter of taste. When |
| | | | Frenchmen were first taking snuff, Englishmen |
| From that moment on, the Queen of France | | | | were smoking pipes; but later on, when snuff |
| became an ardent snuff enthusiast. The French | | | | became fashionable in England, pipe smoking |
| Court followed her example, and the | | | | had already spread throughout the rest of |
| popularity of tobacco spread throughout the | | | | Europe. After Europe had had sufficient time |
| country. For many years the plant was called | | | | to try both ways, the taste for smoking |
| "The Queen's Herb" or "The Medici's Herb." | | | | triumphed. |
| Even those not suffering from a headache | | | | |