The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-06-17
MEN WHO HIT THE PIPE,
A ADRUGaIsT'sREvELATIoHs ABOUT
OPIUM sMoKINq.
The Pcrnicious Practice Common I'm
Largo Cities-HOW tho Drug II
SmOked-Its Effect,

| Inc FcEn1ClOuS ffaCt1Ce common IN
Largo Cities-How tho Drug II
SmOked-Its Effect.
"Although quite common In almost
all the large cities in the West, the per-
nicious habit of opium smoking or hit
ting the pipe as it is usually called, is
quite unknown in Detroit" said a we'll
known druggist to reporter for the
Free Press.
This habit" he continued, "has
grown to an alarming extent on the Pa
cific slope and in all other localities
where Chinese are to be found in any
great numbers. have visited many of
the Chinese opium joints, both in New
York and San Francisco, and can tell at
glance whether person is addicted to
the use of the deadly drug or not. I
have had strangers come into my store
whose facial appearance indicated that
they we're the slaves of the opium habit,
and so far as I know there is no sure cure
for it except to shun the drug as one
would viper.
"The opium used by the Chinese is of
an inferior quality, and is brought to
this country in the form of a paste, put
up in small, round, foil.lined boxes,
similar to those used for pills. The pipe
is a curious looking contrivance, and
might be taken for common walking
stick were it not for the little metallic
bowl placed midway between the mouth
piece and the end of the stem. The stem
itself is constructed of bamboo, one end
being plugged, the other fitted with an
amber or metallic tip. In the bottom OF
the bowl are two small holes, one of
which leads through into the stem, the
other only about half way.
In using the pipe small quantity of
the opium paste is rolled up into pellet
and placed on wire, the end of which
is inserted in one of the holes in the bowl
of the pipe. The smoker stretches his or
her form on the floor or o low divan as
the case may be, and ignites the opium
by applying the bowl of the pipe to the
fame from charcoal brazier. If it be
his first attempt the initial Whit will be
sufficient to partially strangle him, as the
fumes of burning opium are exceed.
ingly pungent and distasteful. Verysoon
he becomes accustomed to the peculiar
taste, ind gradually succumbs to its in
fluence, as one does in taking an anaes-
thetic, and finally drops off into deep
sleep. I tried it once and that proved
sufficient for me. I had the most de-
lightful dreams, and imagined that I
owned the earth, and had chattel mort
gage on the other planets. When re-
gained consciousness my head felt as
large as Saratoga trunk, and for two
days at least every bone in my body
ached as badly as if I had been pun
ished with club. l had no desire to
try it again.
"With some people, however, the
habit grows like the taste for liquor,
and they can no more control themselves
than can a maniac. The peculiar head
ache which followed my attempt does
not continue after the first two or three
lessons, and unless person has very
strong will there is likelihood of the
practice being continued. Some of the
joints in the Chinese quarter in San
Francisco are fitted up regardless of ex.
pense, and almost every night after the
theatres are out men and wonderland
some of them belong to the upper crust
can be seen vending their way
along Dupont street, when all of sud-
den they will disappear and that is the
last that is seen of them until next day,
Some of them have become so accus-
toned to the narcotic influence that two
or three pipes are required to produce
the desired result. In the morning they
emerge from the dens with haggard
faces and deep sunken eyes, and having
look of utter desperation as can only
be produced by opium. The practice is
kept up day after day until their consti-
tutions are wrecked and death puts an
end to their sufferings.
"As an instance Of how far man can
20 in this way will state a little incl
dent that came under my notice when
was walking the hospitals of San Fran.
cisco. One day poor wretch was
brought in, and on examination found
him to be dclirious from opium smok-
ing. In his rawlings he begged for Just
one more pipe,' and finally to quiet him
administered hypodermic injection OF
laudanum. He soon recovered and was
discharged. About six weeks afterward
the same man was brought back in pre-.
cisely the same condition as at first. He
again asked for opium, and on rolling up
his sleeve for the purpose of giving the
hypodermic injection I was somewhat
amazed to find the arm covered with
small pimples. On closer examination !
discovered that the pimples were caused
by the steel needle of hypodermic
syringe, with which the victim had in.
iected laudanum into his veins instead OF
smoking opium. He did not live to re-
pent of his folly, and that experience
gave me some idea of the power of the
drug over any one addicted to its use."