The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-05-25
OPIUM A MEDICINE.
xHSTITuTE PATRONS SMOKE IT
As A cuRATIvI.
1nstitution in London Has Narcotic
for Theme Of It's Existsnce-
System Tried with suo-
cess on Cancer.

London.-The bare announcement
that an institute for the accommoda.
tion Of those who would smoke opium
has been established in the prosaic
neighborhood Of Red Lion square Is
calculated to give imagination rein;
the fact that It. Is discreetly titled
"The Pyrolitic 20. P.) Institute" sug.
gesting a theatrical flavor to those
who are not acquainted with the pos
sible meaning Of o. p, is enough to
make imagination take the bit between
its teeth.
There would naturally be found
within the dull shell riot Of luxurious
elegance. One could see mirrored, gild-
ed rooms with thick oriental carpets.
on which the foot fell noiselessly; q
soft, subdued light from shaded lamps;
languorous couches that invited &C.
static dreams. and, Of course. beauti.
ful handmaidens fitting to and fro
bearing light refreshments.
The reality: A waiting-room, like
. thousand other waiting.rooms, in
which patients glare at each other be.
fore they see the doctor. and consult.
ing-room. rather bare Of furniture than
most. with q couple Of not very easy
chairs. q small table. on which Is .
spirit lamp. and two or three opium
pipes, and II It were permitted to give
the name Of the doctor who receives
you II would be that Of most distin-
guished physician and surgeon of the
highest possible repute. who has
gained fame for his treatment Of one
terrible disease.
It has long been known that the
Chinese opium pipe. so much abused
in that country and elsewhere. Is yet
of considerable therapeutic value. The
late DR.. J. X. Shadichum endeavored
some years ago to introduce 1t into
the medical practice Of Europe. pre-
scribing 1t extensively for chest com.
plants, neuralgia and other maladies
involving pain, spasm or progressive
wasting. Although "pyrolitic inhala.
tion," as this mode Of administering
medical substances is termed. is said
to be often more effectual than any
other, his attempt failed. partly on
account of rooted prejudice, partly be-
cause the medical faculty were not
conversant with the peculiar art OF
smoking the pipe.
With stringent precautions against
misuse, there Is no apparent reason
according to the eminent authority
who has established the institute II
Red Lion 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 stimu
liant, not narcotic. At each Whit the
quantity Of morphia which is conveyed
to the lungs and thence into the sys
tenn is extremely minute. An ex
cessive dose Is utterly impossible, Al
a voluntary act, for opium.smoking II
a slow and relatively tedious process
The knack Of accomplishing 1t at al
demands intelligence. and even whei
this knack has been acquired consider
able time Is needed for the absorption
of a very tiny dose Of the opium aka
loids. It thus presents an emphati
contrast to all other methods OF at
ministering these substances.
Numerous distressing maladies,
is contended. can be more successful
treated by pyrolitic inhalation than b
any method previously known. NerN
Gus sleeplessness is counteracted q
once and the most direct and useft
effects are produced in spasmodic an
convulsive affections Of the nervou
system. In cancer 1t has been trie
with great success. not merely fo
alleviating pain. but with the objet
of holding the disease directly
check.