Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-08
Effects of Opium Smoking.

The British consul mt Chefoo. in re-
porting on the opium trade, gives the
following account of an experiment In
opium-smoking as tried by himself.
During my residence in China ] have
spent much time in visiting the opium
shops OF the large towns and small viii
lagos in many parts of the empire, and in
conversation with the customers, ] was
surprised nj the large numbers who told
me that their first motive for smoking
was ..to check the splitting of blood, TO
which they had become subject. In the
end Of 1865, being attacked with severe
fever, which left me so weak that gave
UP hopes of recovery, felt justified in
trying upon myself the experiment of
immoderate opium-smoking. The fol-
lowing were the results: |. Tempta-
tion TO excess greater than in the case of
alcohol. 2. Excessive stimulation of
the memory. 3. Utter Indifference TO
cares and anxieties. 4. / only had one
opium vision. and that was after ten
hours hard smoking without intermis-
sion. The vision was of plcasurable
kind; the curtains Of my couch ex-
tended, and / fancied saw "The Temp
est" acted by real Arit Is and ProsBeros.
8. A few months excessive smoking pro-
duced the craving, or opiomania. 9.
Rhhf up isit
severe physical pain for three days, and
discomfort recurring at irregular peri
DDS for over two years. The pain and
discomfort were not accompanied by
mental depression. Some of these effects
may have been due TO individual idio-
syncrasies; but, from the study of my
own and other cases i am inclined TO
believe: /. That the temptation TO ex-
cess is greater in the case of opium than
in that of alcohol. But here il must be
remarked that opium -smok ng is. neces-
sarily, solitary enjoyment. and drink
ing "A social one. The smoker, too, has
TO go deliberately 20 work; he has to
| lie down, light his opium lamp, friZzle
the opium, place the lump of opium
outside his pipe carefully so that the pipe
may draw, fix the lamp in a position SO
that he can keep his pipe just over the
flame of the lamp all the time he is
smoking; in fact. 90 through long and
tedious processes. A man cannot,
therefore. be surprised into an excess OF
opium rs he can into an excess of aico-
hol. Lastly. opium is not adulterated,
and no artificial craving is created by
poison. such as potato spirit. strychnine,
and suiphuric acid, with which the
drink of our poor is drugged. 2. 1t is
possible that the long-continued course
OF excessive opium-smoking might in
pair the intellectual faculties and blunt
the moral scnsibiltics. 3. II is proba-
bic 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 10 penury by
their bread-winners spending an undue
portion of their earnings in opium; also,
that in few isolated cases. poor smok-
crs resort 10 theft TO enable them to in
dulgc in the pleasure. But the same
may be said Of any other habit of self
indulgence. 5. That many individuals
suffer in health from excess is incontro-
vertible, but the number Of these is not
so great rs is imagined. The denouncers
ofthe drug are apt To be under the infiu-
ence OF a single idea or, TO speak in vul-
gar parlance, get "opium on the BRAIN"
and whenever they sec n person unwell
who is an opium-smoker, at once at
tribute his illness TO his opium m-smoking.
post hoe, ergo prOpter hoe. On tho other
hand. ii is equally incontrovertible that
Thousands of hard working people are
indebted TO opium-sm smoking for the con-
tinuance of lives agreeable to themselves
and useful TO society. 6. That the physi-
cal difficulty in breaking off the habit
is greater than in diysomania. The ar
gument that those who use commodity
as a medicine and harmless luxury
should not be deprived of it because
weaker brethren abuse it is stronger in
the case of opium than in that of alcohol.
No one is maddened by smoking opium
TO crimes of violence, nor does the habit
of smoking opium increase the criminal
returns or swell the number Of prison
inmates.