Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
OPIUM AS MEDICINE,
Patrons of Institution Now Treated by
Hitting the Pipe"

London Cor Chicago Chronicle
The bare announcement that an institute
for the accommodation OF those who would
smoke opium has been established in the
prosaic eighborhood of Red Lion Square
is calculated to give Imagination a rein: the
fact that 1t is discreetly titled THE Pyro-
little %. P) Institute" suggesting a the
atTical flavor to those who are not ac-
quainted with all the possible meanings of
y. r., Is enough to make imagination take
the bit between its teeth.
There would naturally be found within
the dull shell a riot of luxurious elegance.
one could see mirrored. gilded rooms with
thick. oriental carpets. on which the foot
fell noiselessly: soft, subdued light from
shaded lamps languorous couches that in
vited ecstatic dreams and, of course. beau
tiful handmaidens fitting to and fro bear
ing light refreshments
The reality: a waiting room, like a thou
sand other waiting rooms. in which patients
glare at one another before they see the
doctor, and consulting room. rather bare
or fourniture than mcst. with a couple OF
not very easy chairs. small table on
which Is spirit lamp, and two or three
opium pipes, and If il were permitted to
give the name of the doctor who receives
you 1t would be that of a most dstin-
gulshed physician and surgeon of the high
est possible repute, who has gained fame
for his treatment of one terrible disease
1t has long been known that the Chinese
opium pipe. so much abused in that coun-
tTy anu eiSeWHeTeI is yet or considerable
therapeutic value. The late DIR. ]. X. Sha-
dichum endeavored some years ago to In
troduce IL into the medical practice OF Eu-
rope, prescribing II extensively for chest
complaints. neuralgia and other maadies
involving pain SpaSm or progressive vast
ing. Although ''pyrolitic inhalation as
this mode OF administering medical sub
stances is termed. is said to be often moro
effectual than any other, his attempt failed,
partly on account OF rooted prejudice.
partly because the medical faculty were not
conversant with the peculiar art of smoking
the pipe.
With stringent precautions against MS
to the eminent authority who has estab-
lished the institute in Red Lon Square,
why the opium pipe should not be resorted
to in suitable cases AS a matter OF fact,
he says. the effect of opium vapor Is slim
ulant or narcotic. AZ each Whit the guam
tity of morphia which is conveyed to the
lungs and thence into the system is
tremely minute. An excessive dose is ut
terly impossible. voluntary act for
opium smoking is a slow and relatively te-
dious process. The knack OF accomplishing
1t at all demands intelligence. and even
cradle time is needed for the absorption OF
a very tiny dose of the opium alkalods. 1t
thus presents an emphatic contrast to all
other methods of administering these sub
stances.
Numerous distressing rna;adics, il is con-
tended. can be more successfully treated by
pyrolitic inhalation than by any method
previously known. Nervous sleepessnesS
is cuunteracted at once. and the most d-
rect and useful effects produced IN
spasmodic and convulsivc affections of :he
nervous system In cancer II has been
tried with great success, not merely for al
leyia ting pain, but with the object of hold
ing the disease directly In check.