The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-08
OPIUM 80 WORSE THAN WHISKY


London. April 1.-The report Of the
royal commission on the use Of opium.
presented in parliament this week, will
much astonish many people. especially
in America. bat IL must he accepted as
the decisive verdict 81 truth aud science
upon this veKed subject. The inquiry
WAS conducted on great scale and the
decision was practically unanimous. over
TO witnesses were examined. including
ia2 called at the desire OF tne Anti-optum
Society. Every care was taken 70 obtain
representative testimony. and tina CON-
mission record their conviction mat the
evidence forms trustworthy ground Tor
the conclusions reached.
Upon the crucial issue. whether the use
OF opium as habifuaIly practised in India
is or Is not injurious. the commissioners
relied 10 "a great degree on the state
rnents Of 16I medical witnesses. The EVIL
dence Of the doctors in the service of tho
government VAS practically unanimous
ID is c0rroDofatea by other medical men
in private practice. and by some medical
missionaries. The medical witnesses VINO
advocated prohibition were few and all
OF thom were more opposed TO the use OF
alcohol than 10 that OF opium. The gen.
erai effect of the medical testimony IS de-
CIared in the report 20 bs that the tenn
perate use of opium in India should 10
viewed ia the same light as the temper
harmful, harmless. or even benencial. ac-
coraing to the measure and discretion
with which II Is used.
That IS the Judgment OF science upon
the actual consequences of The opium
habit. The natives OF Iadia. on the whole.
agree with the doctors. bat they attach
greater value 10 the drug than science
directly warrants. Il Is universally al
lowed that tho excessive consumption Of
opium is an evil though an evil or which
me effects have been grossly exagger-
afed
Opium is largely taken as stlmulent
10y those past the middle age They use
a. In the striking phrase OF one OF the
witnesses, as a prop 10 a falling house.
In the opinion Of the great majority Of
native medical practitioners and repre-
sentattves Of large. influential classes.
this employment Of the drug - attended
hy beneficial results Opium eaters of
fifteen 10 twenty years standing appear
ed before she commission. They believed
the habit had done them good. Their az
pesFance and vigor satisfied the commits
sloners az ali events. mat It rad done
them no percepgiale harm.
opium Is also used AS an occasional
stsmulant in physical emergencies. X
has been issued. ny medical advice, 80
troops engaged la fighting and roadmak-
log among ghe mountains of Sikkim. Il
Is taken occasionally hy camel drivers
who work in the extremes of heat and
cold that prevail sn me Ratputans desert
Many consumers in tae fsunlah use the
drag in the winter months only.
Another striking fact about the opium
hablt IS that 81 prevails among some of
the most manly. Woodworking, tarifry
races of India. The splendid sikh sol
dlers and peasants, the active Marwsri
traders ard Ra1puts are among tne
opium eaters opium ia consumed - he
native army. and. me witnesses say. 3ces
no uereeptihte harm. and - often aeue-
Heial 1t is used among the natives ~
tha public service, and = he service Of
railroad companies. planters and mil!
owners The evidence ~ employers "a al!
10 ma same effect D3smissaIs for inteua~
perance IN tne use az Opium are pCaeEs-
@ally unknown Opium, SIR William Rob
frts observes. does nor appear % beger
any Spee{ac disease. Opium eaters hear
surgical operations - well as n0u-con-
suu1erS. and the waEasrr of 3 large ia
sursnce company said hat after twenty
wars experience. his company charged
no extra premium on the lives - lnodeF-
ate opium eaters.