The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-08-02
BURMESE
POWDER
Vice Added to New
York by Honolulu
ChInaman.

NEW YORK, July 22.-Chinatown
has a new vice.
| Opium smoking has given way to
| the seduction of shutting Burmese
Powder" and not only has the prac-
tice become craze among the hab-
tues of the Chinese quarter, but 1t has
| extended to the Tenderloin as well.
| numbering among it's devotees SUR
prising proportion of women, men
about town, FOUNDERS and sporting
men.
| Had De Quincy lived today he might
| have added to his famous Confession
| another classic, describing in vivid
| word painting the sensation induced by
indulgence in this exhilarating and at
the same time brain-chilling snuff.
"a Chink from Honolulu brought
over de stuff first said a Chinatown
celebrity, IAN all de bIokes an de gals
an de monks are using it," he went on.
cit may be explained that Monks"
means Chinamen)
What does 1t cost?''
It's a little more expensive dan
hop was the answer, IAN costs about
tree or tree an a half day. All dey
do Is TO use a rubber hose an blow de
gag up in dey're nose. 1t gives dem
de dancin' eye-see? Talk about your
evil eye, dey're eye looks like de abb
nos in de museum
How does it make you feel? You
have used it, haven't you?"
Not on your bundle. Dat amt de
kind of hops I want. L want de good
old mixed ale
He says the habit has been in vogue
here for the last two years and was
first introduced by a wealthy China
man who came from the Hawaiian ISL
ands, where he was a sugar buyer for
Claus Spreckels. He was a cocaine
fiend using the powder as a powder
which he snuffed.
Becoming acquainted with Chin Yen,
prominent Chinese sport, at No. SO
Mott street, where he stopped, he in
duced his new-made friend to try the
drug to which he was a slave. Yen
was soon as much of fiend as he, and
before long his girl was also.
When the sugar buyer went away
they found that the procuring of CO.
caine in the quantities needed to ap-
pease their cravings was not an easy
matter without a prescription, but
some enterpriSing pharmacist found
way TO supply their wants without risk
of punishment at law, by selling in
stead of pure cocaine the powders now
SO generally used.
These powders are cocaine combined
with menthoI and drugs of similar
character and have the same effect as
the cocaine alone if used in larger
quantity.
They are sold under various names |
\ reporter bought some of the pow
der, and in conversation with a drug
clerk was told that the sale of the
compound is increas-
ing every day.
1--WE certainly have a big trade in the
stuff said the man behind the coun
ter. They buy it in the place OF
opium
The same information was had from
many other sources. AS a matter of
fact. practically every one of the
white Slaves" of Chinatown is VIC
tim of the vice.
The manner of using the powders is
IS simple as they are easy to obtain.
The paraphernalia has none of the
Of the Layout" of the
opium joint, neither is it necessary for
the "fiend" to seek special localities for
the qualification Of the desire-perhaps
that may be one reason why the new I
vice has spread with such rapfdity. All
that is needed Is the phial Of the pow
Ter itself and a glass tube about two
and one-half inches long, to which is
attached a rubber tube about twice
hat length.
The glass tube is thrust into the pow
Ter until it is partly filed; then, in
serted into the nostril, the end Of the
'ubber tube is placed between the lips,
short quick puff is given and the
operation is over.
The drug, blown far back through
he inner nasal passages, sets the deli
ate nerves of the mucuOus membrane
ingling and the sensation sweeps from
Up 20 toe With repeated applications
yes brighten, pupils become dilated,
Is With the use of belladonna and eX-
iilara ton Of feeling reaches its height.
Delightful GOODNESS surges through the ;
ems, but this gradually gives way TO
lumbness ard a deadening sensation =
bout the brain. which is only relieved :
" stupor OF repeated applications OF / .
he powder in greater and greater