, 1889-01-24
TWIN VICES.
Is Opium Smoking Worse Than
Whisky DrinkingH
The Opinion Of Several Doctors
on the Subject.
Opium Had for the Caucasian. "A viee
Spreading In the City,
Its Effects.

Doctor, is opium, smoking q greater
vice than spirit drinkinRp"
The question was addressed to we'll
known physician Of this city, who replied
drink. The opium vice in the MonRolinn
is not as bad as the alcahoic vice In the
Caucasian. A Chinaman can use opium, In
moderation, but a Caucasian takes 1t with
a vengeance and speedily becomes hope.
less victim TO the habit. Why did you
ask the question: said the doctor, paus.
ing for q point.
For this reason" said the reporter,
quoting from the annual Of the Colonial
Surgeon at Hong Kong the following par
aRraph: "Opium-smoking. held forth as
not to be compared 10 Its evil effects with
the European vice Of spirit.drinking, a
habit to which the Chinese as a nation are
not given. Instead Of making such an
outcry and wasting large sums of money
In trying to reclaim the Chinese, one can.
not but reflect with how much greater I'D.
vantage we might work nearer home and
and attend. to our own need of reform in
respect to intemperance."
There is good deal of common clap
trap in that report" said the doctor.
| OhuVAoIuuu NV hC SOutAuuCus uO
not underrate the evil effect of drinking
spirits. 1t is bad enough to alarm every
one who studies 1t. but as a vice It ~ not so
horrible or degrading az the opium habit
The Caucasian spirit-drinker intlicts mis-
cry, wretchedness and suffering on others,
while he may escape serious consequences
himself. He drinks alcoholic liquors, be-
comes excited, ungovsrnable and vicious,
and while under the influence of liquor
works incalculable mischief to his fellow
men. Tho Mongolian smokes his pipe
and becomes tranquil and passive. He
may smoke for years, using the opiate as
gentle stimuant, and be able to work
and govern himself. The habit accords
with his temperament, but he becomes q
| victim to the vice--a slave without hope of
emancipation. When the habit is Fixed
the opium smoker is doomed. He may
not destroy others, but self.destruction 10
inevitable. Without the stimulent he is q
wreck mentally and physically. q helpless,
0ibbering idiot without mind or strength
to help himself to food placed before him.
| undergoes In recovering from alcoholic
debauches of the worst form Is not to be
composed with the agony, misery. wretch
edness and paugs OF an opium tend with
out his stimulant."
doctor. do you think that the vice of
using morphine is spreading among eau.
casisns-l mean to ask II 1t is growing as
fashionable or popular form of dissipa-
tion?" inquired the reporter.
raGidy y;Ss ,r.,ss replied the ply ply
among the Chinese"
"Why, doctor you astound mt" 3"
calculated listener. "You cannot mean
"Well.' responded the doctor, ''the
statement may be qualified, but it is
spreading with alarming rapidity among
the whites. The use Of morphine as q
stimulant prevails in much larger degree
than you suppose. Among gamblers it Ia
popular form of stimulant. The vice
takes hold Of the white man with terrible
effect. Ne plunges in without regard to
consequences, and the end comes too soon
to leave many living wrecks.
lar form"
Eyes" replied the doctor, ''they usually
have their own syrinGes and inject the
morphine themselves. As remarked be.
fore, the Mongolian temperament does not
impel him to reckless dissipation in the
use of opium. He takes it to produce gen
tie repose and tranquil enjoyment, and not
for the purpose of stimulating himself to
activity. He smokes little opium once
or twice day, AM, he goes on from year
to year, perhaps. increasing the quantity
gradually. For the reason, aay that the
opiRm vice ia Chinsmea is NO as bad "a
the vice Of spirit drinking In Americans.
Some of our white people who use opium
as stiuulaut claim that it 10 safer and
better thau an alcoholic stimulant, and not
so degrading as drunkenness produced by
whisky. bad enough, indeed. for our
people 10 whisky. but spium would be in.
6nitely worse. No one can tell where its
degrading and demoralizing influences on
society will end if it ever becomes the
popular and accepted form Of dissipation v
Another physician vas ASKED If, IN bis
to an alarming extent among white peo.
pie, and he answered at once:
1t certainly is,' ! know one druggist
who could give you facts and figures that
would startle the community IL he would
speak freely and tell all he knows and
what he has the best of reasons for believ-
ing. The hypodermic injection Of NOR
phine is becoming very popular among GER
tain CLASSES of women, and 1t is growing In
favor. There are many clerks and work.
ers in various lines of industry who use
opium ~ stimulant, and advocate it in
preference TO alcahol. In my Judgment
they make a serious mistake. The truth
cannot be concealed, however. and assure
you that the opium habit is growing
vice in this city"
C.. w. Skeels returned yesterday from
the Chloride district, where he had gone to
arrange the dispute about the location Of a
claim in the Rsmmelmeyer group. The
circumstances of the case are certainly in.
terestiug, especially TO mining men.
II appears that Skeels and several 9th
era, when the great strike was made In
the Chloride. grub.staked Thomas SheareI
TO hunt and locate claim for them