l62 THIRTY-FIVE VEARS IN THE EAST. 



used in India, and is still more detrimental than the other 

 intoxicating drutj^s whose preparation and use I have been 

 describing ; ample particulars respecting the effects produc- 

 ed by it will be found in the second volume. The abuse 

 which the inhabitants of India make of this poisonous drug 

 is freqeuntly carried to such an extent that all medical 

 assistance proves vain and futile. As an example, I will 

 mention the case of a lady who poisoned herself by the 

 excessive use of this drug, a short time previously to the 

 annexation of the Punjab. This lady took poppy juice 

 mixed with oil, which is the usual method adopted when 

 they wish to baffle medical assistance. Her motive for 

 committing suicide, was jealousy, her husband having 

 another wife, whom she believed to enjoy the love of her 

 consort in a higher degree than herself. The magistrate, on 

 hearing of the circumstance, requested me to attend her. 

 An hour had passed since she had taken the opium, and I 

 found her in the full possession of her senses, which she 

 retained up to her last moment. She was sitting on her 

 bed, and related to me calmly what she had done. In order 

 to lose no time, I began to administer some remedies, and 

 ordered her to be conveyed to my hospital. But she was 

 past all remedy, and after having been for twenty-four hours 

 in a -sitting posture she fell back dead, as if struck by 

 apoplexy ; she had previously complained of feelingj severe 

 pains in her limbs, and requested her son to pinch theoa 

 continually. 



Those who desire to abstain from the habit of taking 

 opium, or drinking the cold infusion of poppy-heads, are 

 recommended to take a large quince, and having cut away 

 a portion, and made a cavity in the centre, to weigh it, and 

 then to put in the tenth part of its weight of opium ; the 

 opening is then to be filled up with the piece of quince ; 

 and, enclosed in a paste, it is placed amidst hot embers, and 

 left until the paste has become charred. The quince is then 

 to be taken out, cleaned from its burnt coat, and the re- 

 mains of the opium thrown away, the effective part of it 

 having been absorbed by the quince. Of this preparation 



