The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-09-29
INTERNATIONAL
REFORM BUREAU
By e. w. Thwing.
Especial Correspondencel.

Shanghai next January. Various re-
ports, and the testimony of many ply
sicians in China, will be laid before the
commissioners.
The cure of OPIUM smoking by pills,
and the "tapering off, theory has been
tried in Hawaii with little success,
while some who have been kept in con-
finement and unable to secure opium
have been able to break off the habit.
AS a punishment for the use of
opium, Imprisonment is far more eff
fective than fine. The fine impover-
ishes the family and may do little good
to the man, while Imprisonment may
cure him and so help both him and
his family.
The Reform Bureau has found that
the consensus of medical opinion in
China is:
1. That the worst opium sots can be
cured in a month, while the majority
of opium users can stop at once, with
out harm, as prisoners do, especially if
opium prohibition has put them in like
case-that they can not get the drug.
2. That whatever slight "tapering'
is in rare cases permissible should be
done in a hospital or at least through
medical prescription, and that it is
foolish to suppose any sot, with opium
dens accessible, will himself drop the
habit by a sliding scale.
g. That like does not cure like in
the case of alleged opium cures" made
wholly or in part of opium, and that
suppressed.
Bran V. Somerin Taylor, M. B.,
| NEARLY 20 years medical missionary
| in China, Hing Hua, Foochow, July
6, 1907, in answer to questions said:
1. Opium users do not need a long
period for tapering off.
2. mo continuance of opium dens.
They simply perpetuate the evil. Sweep
them off the face of China.
3. Prohibit all such pills. They are
useless and delude the patient"
DR. Crafts, Superintendent of the
Bureau has made careful inquiry as to
the treatment of opium sots in the
| KongkCng prison. The warden said
that opium-using prisoners, on being
jailed dramatically protested they
could not live without opium" The
answer would be not denial but seem
ing postponement. Tomorrow" to
them meant indulgence, but to the
keeper it meant treatment. On the
morrow there would be yet more dra-
matte scene" that might be called
dope or die" The keeper would prove
to be a believer in Mark Twain's motto,
"Never put off till tomorrow what you
can do day after tomorrow just as
we'll" At last, when the prisoner
had discovered he could really live two
or three days without dope, but was
miserable enough to listen to advice,
he would be assured by the keeper
that a glass of water would relieve him
of his misery. There is nothing an
opium fiend so much loathes as water
but he would finally conclude to try
the remedy. The water would serve as
an emetic. A vey foul stomach would
be cleaned out and hot bath and long
sleep would complete the cure.
WHAT 1T MEANS TO CHINA.
Opium is not only robbing the Chi
nese of millions of money, year by
year but is actually destroying them
as a people 1t undermines the con-
stitution, ruins the health, and short
ems the life of the smoker, destroys
every domestic happiness and pros
perity, and is gradually effecting the
physical, mental and moral deteriora-
ton of the nation as a nation,
eve have inflicted a terrible wrong
on the people of China, and it is our
solemn duty to try to undo it by aban-
doning the trade at once and for ever
ourselves, and by giving them every
sympathy and aid in our power in theiI
attempt to Danish the curse from with
in their own borders. '-Rev. DR.. Crit
fifth John.
DR.. David T. Stewart, Superintendent
of Elizabeth Blake Hospital, Soochow
China, said:
"Take away opium from the Chinese
and who can tell what a powerful peo'
pie they will be-"
BUREAUS COUNCIL FOR HAWAII
The International Reform Bureau
has separate councils, or cooperating
committees in Canada, Great Britain
China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand
and other places. A council for Ha
wall is soon to be formed which viii
aid and advise in the important efforts
of the bureau. 1t is expected tha
through the efforts of the bureau anC
at the request of the Hawaiian church
es, an anti-opium bill will be passed a
the coming session of Congress, China
needs and should have the earnes
cooperation of all Christian people
| ayarvubara in this GREAT 6pht apainS