Do Hobbits get Lung Cancer? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

William Cloud Hicklin · 12-11-2007, 04:47 PM

Eonwe, pipeweed was specifically a plant of the genus Nicotiana: tobacco.

Bethberry: that isn't necessarily true. The Cherokee for example smoked small personal pipes regularly, quite apart from the ceremonial 'great pipes.'

Eönwë · 12-13-2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

Eonwe, pipeweed was specifically a plant of the genus Nicotiana: tobacco.

What I mean is that when they DID smoke things like Kingsfoil (athelas) then maybe it countered the effects. After all, Aragorn does say in the book that it has many uses, and it IS powerful enough to heal you from trying to attack (and killing) the witch-king.

William Cloud Hicklin · 12-13-2007, 07:55 PM

The hobbits had no idea that athelas was any more than a weed.

Eönwë · 12-21-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

The hobbits had no idea that athelas was any more than a weed.

That doesn't matter. Things can be good for you even if you dont know they are. Of cousre, there is the opposite, the placebo...
But I don't think athelas was one, especially since, Merry and Eowyn (for example, there were more cases), were in shock when the athelas was used on them

obloquy · 12-23-2007, 02:37 AM

Everybody knows that cancer only becomes deadly once you know you have it.

zxcvbn · 12-23-2007, 06:44 AM

I don't think end-of-life diseases like cancer existed in Middle Earth. The impression I got from reading the books was when mortals grew old, they usually just died of old age.

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 12-23-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

Well I for one am very glad that those Hobbits wern't smoking cigarettes, we might have never gotten to see them in LOTR, they may have died earlier if what the Witch King of Angmar says is true.

Oh Robi, I don't think that you can kill off a species just by them having one little bad habit!

Quote:

Originally Posted by zxcvbn

I don't think end-of-life diseases like cancer existed in Middle Earth. The impression I got from reading the books was when mortals grew old, they usually just died of old age.

Hmmm... I think that's a good point, Tolkien probably didn't want to have unnecessary decieses in ME

Quote:

Originally Posted by obloquy

Everybody knows that cancer only becomes deadly once you know you have it.

What! No, you can have cancer and be sick and not know you have it and still die! I doesn't happen very much, but you can still die if your sick and not know what it is.

12-11-2007, 04:47 PM	#1
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	Eonwe, pipeweed was specifically a plant of the genus Nicotiana: tobacco. Bethberry: that isn't necessarily true. The Cherokee for example smoked small personal pipes regularly, quite apart from the ceremonial 'great pipes.' __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

12-13-2007, 07:55 PM	#3
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	The hobbits had no idea that athelas was any more than a weed. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

12-23-2007, 02:37 AM	#5
obloquy Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: WA Posts: 941	Everybody knows that cancer only becomes deadly once you know you have it.

12-23-2007, 06:44 AM	#6
zxcvbn Wight Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In front of my PC Posts: 164	I don't think end-of-life diseases like cancer existed in Middle Earth. The impression I got from reading the books was when mortals grew old, they usually just died of old age.