64 KEE. 



warding oft' or in curing fever. The use of opium as a household remedy 

 has a special importance in a country like China, where the mass of the 

 population is beyond the reach of modern, qualified doctors. Although 

 there are a large number of old-fashioned native practitioners, yet they 

 are only to be found in towns and are chiefly resorted to by persons in 

 easy circumstances; therefore, the poorer sections of the community 

 and especially the agricultural classes, must prescribe for their own 

 ailments. In the countiy it is. used by persons as a restorative and 

 stimulant after they have done hard work or have been much exposed to 

 wet and cold. It is also employed to enable individuals to undergo 

 fatigue on long journeys, and also, on occasions, when special exertion 

 is required. In the large cities the people believe opium to have a 

 special quality as an aphrodisiac. 



Enough has now been said concerning the motives of the Chinese in 

 using opium, but before I discuss diseases produced by the habitual use 

 of the drug I wish to say a few words in regard to the modes in which it 

 is consumed. 



As a general rule, the commonest and in fact the oldest way, is by 

 smoking. This is done by using a special preparation. This method 

 is employed by the majority of the people, and is the manner in which 

 they find pleasure. In this way the drug is offered to guests on all 

 social occasions. The second, the next most common method is by 

 eating opium. The crude material, the prepared extract, the dried 

 leaves, or more rarely, the patent pills, are used for the purpose. The 

 users either chew the preparation, as is the case with the dried leaves, or 

 they swallow it either as the pills and as the extract, or as morphine. 

 These methods are used by the poorer classes, because they are cheaper 

 and more effective ; that is they are generally used by persons who can not 

 afford the luxury of smoking, or who have reached a condition in which 

 smoking no larger satisfies their craving. 



The method of hypodermic injection .is also used, this is of course of 

 more recent introduction, it is the most harmful and fortunately, the 

 least irsed. Hydrochloride or sulphate of morphine are generally em- 

 ployed. Hypodermic injections are also habitual with a percentage of 

 individuals of the poorer classes, because comparatively, they are the 

 cheapest of all. Persons who no longer obtain the desired effect by 

 smoking and eating, and those who originally contracted the habit after 

 they first used opium as a medicine to stop pain; or those who desire to 

 have a speedy action of the drug, also employ it. Some individuals have 

 the habit of using all the methods mentioned, that is; smoking, eating 

 and hypodermic injection. 



