The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-06-18

HiOIe NdluaOle remedy than opium in
! the materia medica. Contrary to
the usual belief OF the layman, opium
and its chief constituent derivatives.
codeine, morphine, apormorphine and
heroin, are not used for anaesthetic
purposes alone; opium possesses
medicinal properties which are of in
estimable value in many diseases. 1t
is almost trite to cite opium as an ex-
ample OF how abuse can convert a
valuable and beneficial agent into a
destructive power of the most de-
grading nature. This is undoubtedly
truer or opium in the case Of the
western races than in that of the
oriental ones; and It is claimed that
the smoking of the drug, as practiced
moderately by the Chinese in com
Portable circumstances, has not ma
terially affected them, especially in
respect to longevity, but the immod-
crate use of opium is most destruct-
I've even to the Chinese or Malays of
the poorer classes, who are not con-
stitutionally so we'll able to resist the
terrible inroads of the drug upon the
system and the mind.
ARABS we ind mention of the poppy,
and proof that the use of the juice of
the plant is one of the most ancient
OF practices. At first opium was un-
doubtedly used as a medicine alone
Theophrastus was familiar with IL
and Dioscorides as early as II \. ID
wrote learned paper on its proper-
ties and uses. UP to the twelfth CEN
fury, Asia Minor was the source OF
supply, and from then on it was
gradually distributed over the globe.
The Chinese first obtained the drug
In the thirteenth century, using it
merely as medicine, but gradually
It's insidious effects were realized
and 1t became so important drug in
commercial sense, that in 1857 the
great monopoly was secured in India
by the East India Company. The
business rapidly increased from 1000
chests in 1916 to nearly 5000 in
1890. At this time the Emperor Kea
King fully realized the effect the drug
was having upon his people, and i'm
1885 It's importation was forbidden.
chinese caught smoking were logged
and otherwise severely punished. but
this did not have the desired effect.
and thereafter those who were de-
tected using 1t were transported or
Deheaded. Even this did not affect
the sale, and in 1925 the i'm
portation Of opium into China
had increased to nearly 1900
chests. In 1889 the Chinese Govern
ment made a desperate effort to
drive on the English opium sellers
by ordering away the British opium
ships. The order not being complied
with, nearly 10000 chests of opium
were destroyed, entailing a loss of
$1O,O00,000. This act led to the war
and the final treaty of Nankin in
1912.
Some idea of the Importance of
the trade and the amount used can
be seen from the fact that in Mace
donia the crop is estimated at 14O.-
600 pounds yearly; in Bengal. where
1t is Government monopoly, the out
put is equal to nearly 100 900 chests.
valued at some $60,000,O00; Persia
produces about 10000 chests. and
Egypt about $4,000 worth annu-
ally, while 1t is said that Mozambique
has $4,000 acres under cultivation
for this purpose. Opium has been
raised in Virginia, Tennessee and
california, as well as parts of Cen
tral Europe, but owing to the lack OF
cheap labor and the uncertainty of
the crop because of frosts, the opium
industry in these regions has never
assumed profitable proportions.
Opium is fundamentally the dried
Juice OF the unripe capsules of tho
Papaver somniferum, often known as
the common poppy and less generally
as the white poppy, although the
latter appellation is really appro-
pirate to one OF its varieties alone
All varieties of the poppy are cana
pie or producing opium, though the
quantity and quality of that from GER
tain Kinds is very much inferior to
mat from others, particularly the va
rlety mentioned above. The plant
was discovered probably by the Arabs
and carried from Arabia over largo
portions Of the globe. It is now
lound throughout the south and mid
ale or Europe, in Great Britain and
the United States, principally as q
garden plant. In India its cultiva-
ton for opium is carried on I'm va
rious parts of the country. as much
as million acres being under Guilt
walton for this purpose. But the
chief opium district is n large tract
on the Gauges I'm Bengal For
the profitable cultivation a rich
soil is requisite. and in India the
helds are usually locatedin the neigh
borhood OF villages, where manure
can be easily obtained. The soil
should be fine and loose when the
SEED is sown, and the subsequent cu1-
tiYation consists chiefly I'm thinning
ana wedding. In certain localities
irrigation is practiced. Mild. moist
weather with night dews IS consid-
cred most favorable by the native
growers during the time Of the coilec-
ZION OF the opium. Very dry weather
has been found to diminish the Juice.
and heavy rain Is injurious. In India
the seed is sown I'm the beginning of
November; the plant flowers late I'm
January or early I'm February. and
within three or four weeks after this
the poppy heads are approximately
the size Of hens eggs and are ready
for the manufacturer. Prior to this
Ia ! L. r.