cancer stick (1954)

[Joel S. Berson]

At 3/14/2014 01:39 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>On Mar 14, 2014, at 12:53 PM, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>
> > I have long thought that the use in the 1950s of the term "cancer
> stick" for a cigarette was a particularly interesting word-usage,
> since it proves that there was public consciousness of the
> connection between cigarettes and lung cancer significantly before
> the Surgeon General's report.
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
>
>And then there's "coffin nail(s)", which apparently was around in
>the late 19th c.

Smoking was disparaged -- in some circles -- almost from the time
tobacco was brought to England.  One authoritative opponent was a
royal -- King James VI & I, Counter-blaste to Tobacco (1604).  He
warned about dangers to the lungs and odors "hatefull to the
nose".  [Wikipedia]  Danger to the lungs may explain the association
with consumption (mentioned by Jesse).

For hateful odors, an example I came across this week appeared in
Nathaniel Ward's "The London Spy" (1699--1700).  When he and his
companion are at "Man's Coffee-House", they call for a pipe and
tobacco.  The "Tom-Dandies" walking to and fro, already assiduous
about keeping their nostrils clear, are smoked out and crowd to a
window.  (Their efforts are seen as amusing by the rest of the company.)

Joel

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