Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-29
Experiments of a British Consul
with the Habit.

The British consul at Chefoo, in reporting on
the opium trade, gives the following account Of
an experiment In optum-Smoktng as tried by
himself: During my residence in China have
spent much time in visiting the opium shops of
the large towns and small villages In many parts
OF the Empire, and in conversation with the
customers, was surprised at the large numbers
who told me that their first motive for smoking
was to check the splitting Of blood, to which they
attacked with a severe fever, which left me SO
weak that l gave up hopes OF recovery, felt
justified In trying upon myself the experiment
OF immoderate opium-sm0king. The follow
greater than In the case Of alcohol. q Excess
sive stimulation Of the memory. g. Utter indif-
ference to cares and anxteties 4. 1 only had
one opium vision, and that was after 10 hours
hard smoking without intermisslon. The
vision was OF a pleaSurable kind; the curtains of
my couch extended, and fancied l saw "The
Tempest" acted by real ArielS and P,'osperOs
5. few months excessive smoking produced
the craving, or opiomania. 6. suddenly gave
up the habit, and suffered severe physical pain
for three days, and discomfort recurring at irreg-
ular periods for over two years. The pain and
discomfort were not accompanied by mental de-
preston. Some of these effects may have been
due to individual idiosypcrasies; but, from the
study of my own and other cases am inclined
to believe: l. That the temptation to excess is
greater In the case or opium than in that of
alcohol But here it must be remarked that
ment, and drinking social one. The smoker,
too has to go deliberately to work. he has to lie
down, light his opium lamp, friZZle the opium.
place the lump OF opium outside his pipe care
fully, so that the pipe may draw, fix the lamp
in position so that he can keep his pipe
just over the flame of the lamp all the time
he Is smoking; In fact, go through long and
fore, be surprised into an excess OF opium as he
can into an excess Of alcohol Lastly, opium is
not adulterated, and no artificial. craving Is
created by poison, such as potato spirit stry-
chnine and sulphuric acid, with which the
drink OF our poor Is drugged. g. 1t Is possible
that the long-continued course OF excessive
opium-Smoking might impair the intellectual
faculties and blunt the moral sensibilites. 3. 1t
Is probable that excessive smoking impairS fer
tility, but the numerous cases have known of
immOderate smokers having large families does
not confirm this view 4. 1t Is undeniable that
many families are reduced from comfort to Pc
nury by their bread-winnerS spending an I'M
due portion of their earnings in opium; also,
that In few 1sSOlated cases, poor smokers re-
sort to theft to enable them to indulge In the
pleasure; But the same may be said OF any
other habit of self-indulgence 5. That many in
d1v1duals sufer in health from excess iSincOntro-
vertible, but the number oflthese is not so great
as Is imagined. The denouncers OF the drug are
apt 10 De under the influence OF single idea or,
TO speak In vulgar parlance, get 'Opium on the
Draln,' and whenever they see person unwell
VINO is an opium-smoker, at once attribute his
Illness 70 his opium-snoking, post hoe, ergo
1ncontrovertible that thousands Of hard-worE-
ing people are indebted to opium-smoking for
the continuance OF lives agreeable to themselves
and useful to society. 8. That the physical diffi-
Guilty in breaking OF the habit is greater and
the moral difficulty less in opiomania than in
dipsomanta- The argument that those who use
commodity as medicine and harmless luxury
should not be deprived Of it because weaker
brethren abuse 1t is stronger in the case of
opium than in that OF alcohol No one is mad
aened Dy smoking opium to crimes OF violence,
inal returns or swell the number OF prison in
mates