Evening star., 1901-08-31
OPIUM HABIT IN CHINA.
Native Society for the ENtirpatiOn
of the Eastern Curse.

Translation from the ''Shen Pao' in the Shanghai
Mercury.
Opium is poison Westerners prepare it
for medical purposes and first brought it
to China with the object of curing diseases.
But the Chinese did not know it was poi
son, and so began to smoke it daily. SO that
poverty and suffering are the result for the
person, for his family and for his country.
Alas! China has become weakened by this
poison, while foreign countries, through not
having it, have waxed strong. Hence the
great Importance of breaking off the opium
habit. Mr.. Sum Ching-hu of Shanghai has
accordingly established a society for the
purpose of combating this evil.
i. The object of the society, which Is
hoped will widely extend its operations, is
to cure the opium habit and aid in rescuing
China from poverty and decay. Mr.. Sun
subscribes LOCO taels for the purpose,
which Is already deposited in the Imperial
Bank of China. The first office is situated
in the Hua Hsing Company's place, west
of the Rainbow Temple, on Marking road.
No outside subscriptions are asked. The
capital is sufficient to cure twenty patients
monthly. If others lend help and increase
the capabilities of the society the number
will be increased.
2. Expenses will be kept down to the low
est point of economy. The rooms of the
Hua Hsing Company are borrowed mean
time rent free, and the pay Of servants of
very low.
3. AS to using the medicines, great liberty
Will be allowed to suit the convenience of
all. Respectable families may object to the
publicity of cure in the refuge and prefer
to take the medicines at home. In these
cases allowance will be made, provided
they are genuinely desirous of breaking off.
They will only be asked to pay the bare cost
OF the medicines. Again, poor people may
take the medicines to their homes. Those
who desire to come to the refuge to break
off will find the rooms large and the attend
ance good. One months stay will suffice
to effect cure. These will pay food money
only. Those in other places who wish to
establish branches Of the society are in
ylted to open correspondence with the
Shanghai society.
4. All previous attempts to establish this
society in Shanghai failed because of the
hard times and the heaviness of the ex-
penses. Mr.. Sun, perceiving this, came for
ward with the means to make fresh start
But he fully expects, however, that when
ever the society becomes well known
wealthy persons will come forward with
help; subscriptions to be sent to the Impe-
rial Bank of China. The more is received
the more poor men will be cured free of
charge. All donors, with the accounts of
their subscriptions, will be published in the
daily papers,
5. All employees of the society must of
course, be themselves pure of any yielding
to the seductionS of the pipe, SO as to in
spire confidence in the patients.
q. The medicines used in the establish
ment are all guaranteed as made by our
selves scientifically and chemically correct
No adulteration with opium ashes, white
powder or other Illicit substances is toler-
ated. Those in the habit of smoking the
tenth of an ounce must take five grains
After five days the quantity is gradually
reduced, until one months time is COM
pleted with a cure. The patients do not
suffer pain, nor do they get other ailments
after they are cured of opium. Old and
female
patients.
I. Our pills are. all the same. Shanghai
is flooded with so-called opium pills for the
cure of the habit many of which are use
less or mischievous. But the society's pills
are their special prescription, which can
not be Initiated, and patients may take
them with the fullest confidence.
8. Each month a full report of cures,
with names, ages, places. amount of opium
consumed, will be published to prove the
sincerity of the promoters and to encour-
age others to break Off
8. The original intention was to cure all
free of charge, but as the society's capital
is limited it cannot at present afford to do
as it wished. But each month twenty free
cures will be given. For all others
charge of 10 cash per package will be made
for medicines to help pay inside expenses
10. The founder of this society does not
venture to claim any merit, although such
acts are we'll known to be meritorious and
under the special protection of heaven Mr..
Sun formerly instituted the Kiang Hal
Benevolent Book Society for the free dis
tribution of Virtue books. Succeeding
officials testified their approval. The pres
ent Anti-Opum Society is founded from the
same disnterested motives. The address
is 173 Marking road. The society is in
fiourishing state, judging from the list of
cures which appear each day in the native
papers. Some interesting facts might be
aScertained by an examination of these
lists, say, for month. The sex, age, place,
amount smoked are all given. We com
mend this study to our foreign anti-opium
friends.