St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-27
"Hitting the Pipe" a Certain
Preventive of Typhus and
Yellow Jack,
But Consumption Catches
Them When They Reach
America.
Their Women Are Seldom Able
to Survive the Change OF
Climate.

the 10000 or more Chinese or tnlS city
and vicinity have never been attacked
by any kind of fever, not even by the
dreaded typhus, which has gained such
a strong foothold among the white peo-
pie, says Wong Chin Foo in the New
York World.
The majority of the Chinese residents
of New York live in crowded quarters,
where pure air is at a premium during
their waking hours and where during
the night ventilation is something al
most unknown. With lack of air there
may also be a lack of personal cleanll-
ness, the two most important factors in
the breeding of fever germs. Yet in
the midst of conditions most favorable
to fever epidemics, in quarter OF the
city in which white men are stricken
down on all sides. the Chinese 90 I'M
concernedly and with apparent safety
about their business GbllvlOuS or the
most inSdiOuS dangers that threaten
the human race.
Some inquisitive and ignorant Ameri-
cans have even advanced the Idea that
those yellow heathens possess some sort
of secret charm or mysterious preVenta-
tive which secures them immunity
from fevers of all kinds. That IS sheer
nonsense, of course. but the fact re-
mains undisputed among scientists, as
well as laymen, that tYphus and other
fevers spare the Chinese, while they lay
low their brethren with white skins.
This fact led the writer 10 make IN
quries among his cOuntrymen as TO
their liability to ordinary sickness as
mt PnnalnS IOnS
he has reached, together with his own
personal experience, may be of interest
to the great doctors of the day, who dis
agree so radically as to the treatment OF
every serious disease known to human
ity.
| found that the Chinese of New York
are more susceptible TO ordinary all
ments than the members Of any other
race, owing. probably, 10 the sudden
changes of this inyigorating but harsh
climate, as opposed to the gentle and
warm atmosphere of their own country.
Most of the Chinese in the United States
come from the single province of tOrrId
Hong Kong. Ninety-tive per cent of
the Chinese who die here die OF con-
sumption. That is the ratio among
able bodied men, and that is the reason
why 50 few Chinese women come to
this country. They are constitutional
weaker than men, and TO come here
Would-mean TO court almost certain
death by consumption.
In nearly all ailments, except con-
sumption, find the most popular and
efficient remedy among the Chinese i'll
this country is opium smOklng-cOnSid-
cred as a medicine, not as luxury.
Almost without a single exception
whenever Chinaman has feVeriSh
feeling he will at once find an opium
layout, lie down quietly and take three
or four long pulls of the narcotic stuff
and allow the smoke to go through his
entire system, making temporary
chimney OF his nostrils. Any kind Of
fever i'll its early stages is thus
driven out OF the system in
less than single hour by
means of this internal fumigation.
Chinese physicians say that all kinds of
fevers, especially typhus and yellow
fever. are contracted by the inhalation
OF foul or damp air usually i'll Swampy
or low IOcalties). This foul vapor per-
meates every pore of the system, and
cannot be eradicated or driven out eX-
cept by another stronger VapOr that acts
as an antidOte. All American doctors
are agreed that opiates act as antidotes
to all kinds of malarial complaints, but
they administer the ODiateS in crude or
bulk form, which reaches the patients
stomach intact, only to create another
deadly vapOr Instead OF driving
the Shiny moisture out of the
body. 1t really tends 20 increase the
evil, while, on the contrary. the dry and
powerful smoke of the opium pene-
traJeS and works perfect havoc almost
instantly among the lever microbes and
does not leave a particle of its own
poison in the system. The opium smoke
IS inhaled Just as the smoke of cigar
TTould be, and when the pores are
thoroughly saturated and impregnated
with this dry smoke the germs of almost
any kind of malaria are almost instantly
killed.
In 1876. during the dreadful epidemic
of yellow fever, was in Memphis,
Teun.. where hundreds were dying
daily on all sides. Two of my Ameri-
can companions and myself were down
with the fever, DR.. Newton, of ST.
Louis. and gentleman of the name of
Kelley, from Louisville. Ky. We were
all attacked by the fever at about the
same time and were taken to the same
ward in the hospital. While we were
lying there, tossing on our cots. sur
rounded by the most dreadful scenes
Imaginable, l whispered to Kelley to
secretly spit out his medicine on his
handkerchief. The sick people around
Us were taking the alleged yeilOw-fever
cure and dying like sheep. 1t was plain
enough that the medicine did not cure.
Kelley took my advice, and he, New
ton and |, by means Of a little perSua-
sion (fOI the discipline was very lax.
and every one was panic-stricken and
cared nothing for three sick men more
or leSs) got out of the hospital Oh dead
run. 1 was already becoming deliriOus,
but knew enough to make for Chinese
laundry. The proprietor proved to be
friend, and he saw at once that with
me it was either death or Init the pipe"
While | Law there in a half-unconSciouS
condition my Chinese friend cooked the
opium pellet, put it in the bowl and
thrust the pipe i'll my mouth. / knew
just enough to draw with ali my might,
and swallowed the smoke. After the
third pipe l began to realize my sur
roundingS and was able to speak coher-
emily.
did not stop hitting the pipe until
nine of the little pellets were absorbed
into my system in smoke. | fell into
deep sleep, and when l awoke 1 was as
completely cured of the yellow fever as
il had never been sick with it. Kelley
followed my example. and begged the
yellow heather, our saviour as he proved
10 be, TO do the same for him that lie
had done for me. Instead of falling to
sleep, after the seventh pipe Kelley
Vomited freely, and, after resting a few
hours. got we'll. Poor Newton stuck to
the scientific" remedies, and. like most
OF the others who did the same thing,
died.
Americans may suggest one argument
against opium smoking. it iS-the COM
mon Impression here that dose or two
of opium smoking, even if used as a
medicine, would make a ''iiend" of the
patient. The Same argument might be
used that dose or two of brandy used
as medicine would make the patient a
drunkard.