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