Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

fifth century II. c. Hyppocrates speaks
of 'opion, which should mean iitti7
juice or. perhaps. the affectionate dear
little Juice
Although II was largely TO aid Chine
in her fight against opium that this
country initiated the internatiohaA
movement. she will nevertheless be -
ceiving considerable benefit herseli -
a consequence of it's snccessfui tei lhista
tion A canvass was made following ths
Shanghai comm ssion or about NV -.
the leading physicians and surgeons ot
this country with TN, idea OF detefHi,i,ns.
the quantity az opium used Tor sihohtii'
in the United states. That much sihhti-
or amount Is us.,i TODAY than ten years
ago was the unanimous opinion; also that
from 5oeD 10 10000 POUNDS wouiu OF
SUFFICIENT quantity for medicai use PEI
year. . .x,.r.
than 400 600 mounds proves. therefore that
the balance is being used for either iiiie''
medical purposes or for smoking.
subsequent investigation was mace -
6na ont tiist What use the 10000 pounds
~ opium were put TO, an invesu8atioh
which was extremely difncuit 10 CARR OF. ,
Habituee could not be counted pnysicists
and druggists although known To be SCI
,nr large Quantities of haoit-forfninsa
drugs un;awfully. when questioned
promptly denied i There were oane
means however. tne OF the hioSt itl'-
ahla sources was found To he the reports
az state prisons jails and houses OF cor
raction a source Of information from
which could be determined the percent
age OF the oatlaw c.asses VINO are ofos
addicts.
II Vas found that the average OF re-
norts from TWENTY-FIVE states showed I at
about 6 per cent OF the prisoners entering
the large tails are addicted Id the use OF
opium In some one 90 Its forms. OF tho
general criminal population. nearly 40 per
cent are habitues. Unfortunate women
and their companions are to large eN-
tent addicted TO the use OF OPIUM a can
that more than per cent OF physicians
use opium, while nearly IL per cent OF
the nurses use L. Sales books OF sin
gle firm showed that the trade In opium
had increased 1jo per cert In one or two
states In the last ten years. while sta
tistical statements from several manu-
facturers showed a Iel per cent increase.
One interesting point brought out In
connection with the opium evil In this
country was that following the civil
war the abuse of medical opium and
morphine spread almost over the en-
tire country and they were so generally
used that there were few families some
member of which did not become an ha-
bitual user Evidence Is plentiful. how
ever. to show tina; one OF the prime
causes for such a state OF affairs was
the physical and mental overstrain or
breakdown of a large per cent of the
population during or Immediately follow
ing the war.
While il Is extremely difficult TO ascer-
tain definitely where an evil commenced.
there is story in existence to the ef-
feet that in California in 1888. the FIRST
opium was smoked by a white man, SO
far as the United States is concerned
He. Clendenyn by name, was n sport.
and later helped in its spread, as the
second man is supposed to have tried IL
at his invitation.
Shortly after his Inauguration Presi-
dent Wilson was called upon to make .
statement in connection with the opium
problem, Ii was only last April that
the question of an appropriation to cover
the expenses of the delegates to the pres
ent conference was made At the time
the bill Was before Congress President
Wilson wrote:
1T Is a source of qualification to me
personally, and 1t will always be, 1 am
confident. n subject of qualification to
the nation. that this government, realiz-
ing the extent of the opium and allied
evils. should have initiated the world
wide movement toward their abolition"
Again, IN referring to the narcotic
bills which have recently been passed
by the House. the President said:
'At this vital period OF the movement.
TO fail to take the few final steps neces-
sary definitely and successfully to con-
clude the work would be unthinkable."
These narcotic bills provide for the in
terstate traffic in opium. and place 50
heavy q tax upon that article that IL ID
expected to materially discourage its use
for smoking and other Illicit purposes.
Opium, for smoking. has been placed un-
der a ban for everal years and is subject
to conflscation by United States officials
wherever found but these new bills are
expected to further discourage its use
for all Illicit purposes.