THE USE OF XARCOTICS. 613 



lief is that even moderate indulgence must necessarily be injurious, 

 audit is easy to point to the enervated character of the Turks and other 

 Oriental races as a probable result of the habit. But at the same time 

 it is a disputed point among physiologists how far this belief correctly 

 represents the truth. The opinions of many men well acquainted with 

 the East might be quoted in opposition to it ; for example, Dr. Eat- 

 well, formerly of the East India Company's service, in writing to the 

 Pharmaceutical Journal, has affirmed that, as regards the great mass 

 of the Chinese, no injurious effects of the opium they consume can be 

 noticed, the people being generally a muscular and well-formed race. 

 Dr. Macpherson has given similar testimony in respect to the Chinese, 

 and Dr. Burnes in respect to the natives of Scinde and Cutch ; while, 

 on the other hand, Dr. Little, of Singapore, is of opinion that the native 

 population of that island would be in danger of becoming extinct from 

 the use of opiates, were it not constantly recruited by immigration. 

 It is, however, evident that the question can only be satisfactorily an- 

 swered by knowing the real extent to which opium-eating prevails 

 among the different Eastern populations, and of this no reliable statis- 

 tics can be obtained. 



There is a similar want of definite information in respect to the 

 United Kingdom. Attention was partially drawn to the subject so 

 long ago as 1844, by an inquiry that was made into the state of large 

 towns in Lancashire ; and since that time there is every reason to be- 

 lieve that the evil has largely augmented. The increase in the quanti- 

 ties of the raw material imported would alone be sufficient to render 

 this probable; for, while in 1852 the importation amounted to 114,000 

 pounds, it had grown to 356,000 pounds in 1872. No doubt a large 

 portion of this enormous quantity is employed in the manufacture of 

 morphia or other alkaloids, and is either exported or employed for 

 legitimate medicinal purposes; but it is difficult to account for an in- 

 crease in twenty years of 200 per cent., except on the supposition 

 that the drug is more largely used as a narcotic than is generally 

 believed. The facility with which this form of vice can be concealed 

 renders direct evidence on the subject difficult to obtain ; but such 

 evidence as can be procured tends to pi-ove that the above supposition 

 is correct. We have recently been informed by the medical attendant 

 to the workhouse in one of our larger cities, that a week rarely i:)asses 

 without a case of opium-eating coming to his knowledge among those 

 who seek admission to the workhouse ; and that he has known women, 

 when suffering from the depression consequent upon their enforced ab- 

 stinence, even go down on their knees to beg tliat he would administer 

 to them an opiate. Again, there is reason to believe that opium is a 

 favorite stimulant with many underfed and overworked artisans and 

 laborers ; and from inquiries made by parochial officials, clergymen, 

 and others, this would appear to be especially the case in agricultural 

 districts. In the fenny districts of Lincolnshire, a belief being preva- 



