The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-04-09
LETTER FROM CHINA.
Distressing Situation Resulting First
From Use Of Opium; Second, From
Result OF Prohibition.

"A lew extracts from a very
long letter to Mr.. and Mrs. W.
H. Baumgardner, from their SON.
in-law, DR.. j. C. Humphreys,
Ningyuenfu, West China, will be
of interest to our readers. The
letter gives a detailed account OF
the work the missionaries are do
ing in connection with the gov
ernment of China to rid that
country of the curse of the ma
tional opium habit. The govern
ment's part in the work is to pro
hibit the cultivation of the poppy
plant from which opium is gath
cred, and severe penalties, that
would seem inhuman in this coun
try, are imposed upon the farm
ers and smokers who violate the
law. In spite of this there are
still some districts so isolated that
it is difficult to determine how
far the lawis observed; but speak
ing of China in general, it is now
pretty free from the business.
The suffering, of the confirmed
users is great, since the supply
has been cut off.
The Doctors part in the re-
form move is to relieve tn e
wretched creatures who, by rea-
son of the law against smoking
opium, come to him for medical
treatment, just as a confirmed
opium user in this country must
do when he is cut off from his
daily supply, and who, we all
know, is the most miserable spec
linen of humanity the imagina-
tion can picture. A recital of
the Doctors experience with one
case will do for all.
"A few weeks ago a wretched
creature crept to the steps of the
dispensary for treatment, ragged
dirty, weak, yes, he was dying.
He had smoked for several years.
When the drug became so expen-
sive he could not secure it, be-
cause of the reaction that follow
ed, he was unable to work, lost
his position, such as it was, and
was gradually starving to death;
but it was not long before relief
was given him. All those who
must stop will not become so re-
duced as was this poor fellow,
but many will follow the same
course, and for the same reasons,
large numbers will suffer great
distress before they can possibly
go without this drug for which
every cell of their body issues a
demand when the supply is cut
off"
with propriety one might ask
why the officials did not take this
up and, when demanding that
the people stop, offer them some
assistance? But China is not
built on that principle. The peo-
pie were told to stop and that
ended it so far as a majority of
the officials go, and it is in just
such emergencies whether if it
be flood, famine, epidemics, or
relief in any form that the peo-
pie turn to the Christian mission
aries. The Chinese physicians
cannot give them any help, and
we CAM"
DR.. Humphreys goes on to tell
of the handicap under which the |
missionaries work for lack of
funds and facilities to accommo-
date the throngs that besiege the |
missionary dispensaries, and re-
lates how it has awakened a lit
tle-but very little-interest from |
the local officials. He says;I
That will help. But the appro-
priations for medical work here
for this year and the next year
were not made out to meet such
and an overwhel-
ming emergency It's. The ques-
ton of funds to buy large a
of extra drugs that will
be required is another problem,
and the Society is deeply in debt.
Something about the patients
up to date. | at first treated two
men who were studying with a
class of inquirers. They returned
to their home and within three
..ol.. L laL a.AEaa4.A. Z. =. ....... |