Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1880-02-06

GADCIlEuCCA- LIE oLllL M1l4Ln hOAN
which was also slashed, gave to Harry
Widmer, now Of the Baldwin, who was
playing with me at the time, and who still
has it, l believe.
Interesting Facts About Opium.
Opium is the dried juice of the poppy.
1t is prepared in Asia Minor, Turkey,
Egypt, and India, in which countries the
poppy is cultivated for the exclusive pur-
pose of making opium. 1t forms a staple
commodity of many provinces in India,
in which the following is the mode of
treatment commonly used. 1t is an object
of careful attention to keep the plants at
a due distance from each other. If the
seed happens to be too thickly soWn,
some of the young plants are pulled up
and used as pot herbs, the leaves of which
when boiled have flavor Of peas; but
when they have attained eighteen inches
in height, they are unfit for that use
from their intoxicating nature. The
plant flowers in February, and the opium
is extracted in March or April, according
to the period of sowing. When the
flowers have fallen and the capsules as
sumo whitish color, four or five incis-
ions are made in them with q three
toothed instrument which is drawn from
the top to the bottom. The incisions are
always made In the evening, as the night
dews, by their moisture, favor the e&-
halatlon of the juice, and the opium is
gathered next morning. The wounds in
each capsule are repeated for three sue
cessive days, and in general, fifteen days
suffice to gather all the opium in field.
From the incisions milky juice exudes,
which thickens upon exposure to the air,
and is carefully scraped of with shell,
or small iron instrument previously
dipped in oil. 1t is afterwards worked
i'll an iron pot in the heat of the sun,
until it is of consistence to be formed
into thick cakes of about four pounds
weight. They are then covered with the
leaves of the poppy or some other vege-
table, to prevent them sticking together,
and in this condition they are dried and
packed away for expectation.
The opium of India is, in the peculiar
properties of the drug, inferior and more
bitter to the taste than Turkey opium.
Its greatest consumption is in China,
where the habit of smoking it has be-
come almost universal. The Chinese
boil the crude drug, and by this process
the resinous impurities are separated,
and the remainder only reserved for
use. A small ball of it placed in a large
wooden pipe, with some combustible
material, is lighted, and then they pro-
ceed to take a few whifs, and re-
sign themselves to their dreams of elys-
ium. Baron de Tott gives a miserable
picture of those who frequent the opium
market of Constantinople, describing
them as having pale and melancholy
countenances, with meagre necks, heads
twisted to one side, back-bones distorted,
shoulders drawn up to their ears, and
other extraordinary appearances. Seated
IN the twilight of the evening, or reclin-
ing on sofas in the little shops ranged
along the walls of the Mosque of Soly-
man, may be seen the infatuated opium
eaters swallowing their opium pills, in
proportion to the degree of want, which
habit has rendered necessary.
The people of Java are addicted in
very remarkable degree to excess in the
use of opium. Such of the natives or
slaves as have been rendered desperate
by the pressure of disappointment or
misfortune, give themselves up entirely
to the baneful indulgence until their
minds are raised to a state of frenzy. In
this state they rush forth with dreadful
purpose against all by whom they think
they have been wronged or offended
They run along shouting, "Amok lamokTo
or Kill! kill p and in their blind fury
stab at every person they meet, until
self-preservation obliges the peopIe to
kill them in self defence. In some narfs
Of India, opium is presented at visits
and entertainments in the same familiar
manner as the snuf-box is in Europe.
lie very extensive use of this drug
Turkey and Persia is no doubt owingin
great degree to prohibition of intoxi.
eating liquors by the Mohammedan law.
Opium, like wine, stands as the tvpc of
a class OF stimulants of which manv1
kinds are used as substitutes for the iuicc
OF the poppy. The use of various pTepa.
ratlons of hemp is common in those
countries where opium is taken. The
most common preparation of hemp goes
by the name of bang, and is exclusively
used in India. The Peruvians have
been acquainted for a long period with
the virtues of a small tree called coca.
whose leaves possess properties resem-
bling the effects of opium. Many chew
these leaves as others do tobacco; and
such is the sustenance derived from
them that they frequently take no food
for four or five days, although constantly
working, and while they have a good
supply they feel neither hunger, thirst
nor fatigue, and without any injury TO
health they can remain upwards Of
week without the refreshment of sleep.
When Peruvian starts on a journey
he carries with him a small leather
pouch for holding coca and a calabash
for lime o- ashes of the MOLE to mix
with the Coca. Thus equipped, man
will undertake to convey Intelligence up |
wards of one hundred leagues without
any other provision.
Men of this description have been
known to convey news a distance of six !
hundred leagues in six days. A mush- |
room which grows in Siberia is used as
a narcotic in Kamschatka and other |
parts of the Russian Empire. Its effects |
lave more resemblance to the intOxica- |
tion produced by spirits than to the So
ber dreamy visions induced by opium. |
The following anecdote, for which, |
however, the authority is not given, gives /
q curious example of the effects of i'm
moderate habits of using opium. An
English Ambassador, sent to Mahone-
tan Prince, was conducted upon his ar
rival at the Palace through several
richly decorated and spacious apartments,
with officers arrayed in superb
dresses, to a room small in dimensions,
but ornamented with The most costly
and splendid furniture. The attendants
After short interval, two
persons of superior mein entered the
saloon, followed by state bearers carry
ing under lofty canopy litter covered
with delicate silk and the richest Cash
mere shawls, upon which lay human
form, to all appearances dead, except
that its head was dangling loosely from
side to side as the bearers moved into
The room. Two officers, holding rich |