The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-06-16
The Opium Eaters.

There is no doubt that the victims o.
the habit of opium eating are surpris-
ingly numerous in the United States,
and are constantly increasing. Per.
haps, outside of China, there is no other
country where the ruinous vice of in.
diligence in opium is more general
Druggists in small country towns, in
New England and the West moro es.
pecially, are likely to have q dozen,
even a score and more, may be, of reg.
ular customers who buy opium-int these
days very frequently in the form Of
mOrphia-not to be used incidentally,
but to be taken, like alcohol, as slim.
ulant.
The habit has gained a mastery over
men and women both, young and old.
The practice can be kept secret much
more easily than alcoholic intemper.
ance, at least for many years, and it,
sly victims are therefore often found
among clergymen and others who dare
not offend public opinion. They resort
to many articles and use many excuse.
and receptions in purchasing the drug;
but even if their vice is concealed from
their neighbors generally, and is hardly
suspected in their families, the apothe.
cary who supplies them with the opium
is never deceived regarding their case.
The vice has extended so rapidly that
of late years cures of the habit are
constantly advertised in all newspapers
of large. circulation, especially those
which are read throughout the country.
It brings new class of recruits to the
insane asylums, and reformatories es.
tablished for the treatment of alcoholic
intemperance now give a large share
of their attention to the victims Of
opium.
Yet the churches which make Sc
strong and persistent fight against the
one vice have been usually disposed to
ignore the other. At last, however, 8
body of Christians has opened assault
upon opium eating. The yearly meet.
ing of the New England Friends, OF
Quakers. lately held at Providence, re.
ceived a report on the pernicious habit
from a committee appointed to investi
gate the subject, and, as first step to-
ward the reformation they seek to &C.
complish, ordered its publication in
pamphlet form for general circulation.
Here are some of the facts presented
in that report: In 1869 the importation
of opium into the United States amount
ed to 90,997 pounds. of a gold value Of
$525,SO In 1876 the quantity of crude
opium imported was $685. pounds,
while in 1880 it had increased one hun
dred and forty per cent. In 1876 we
imported 1000 ounces of morphia, and
in 1880 at New York alone $500 ounces
were entered. The growth of the
Union in population, of course, explains
only part Of that remarkable increase.
Neither has it been caused by the more
general use of opium incidentally. For
that purpose a fraction only of the
greater quantity imported has been re.
quired. Nor have we made any allow
ance for the considerable amount Of
opium Struggled.
The report of the Friends estimates
the number of opium eaters in the
Union at 100000. But, of course, that
is mere guess. 1t is impossible to de-
termine how many there are, to even
get figures anywhere near the true mum.
Der, for the vice is almost invariably q
secret one, and its victims are usually
suspected rather than actually known,
unless to druggists, who will not expose
their customers. Yet probably the esti-
mate given is not too high, and we are
also justified in supposing that the re-
port does not exaggerate when it puts
the yearly consumption of opium in the
United States by opium eaters at five mill
ion grains, 1t is startling, however, to
read that such statistics as have been
obtained show that in some portions Of
the country, in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
and Kentucky towns, there are from
three to six opium eaters in every one
hundred inhabitants.
These facts show that the Friends,
who, from the first, have been forward
in every good work, have good reason
for raising cry of warning against the
terrible vice of which their report treats.
IN. Y Sun.