454 
orruM SMOKING. 
Singapore, 11th July, 1849. 
To-day a Coroner’s Jury of Chinese having brought in 
a verdict on the body of a poor [Chinaman to [this effect: 
“ That the deceased “ Tan-ali-Sah” died by the visitation 
of God through age, and sickness, brought on in a great 
measure by the use of tye linco” (or the refuse of opium) — 
reminds me that 18 months ago, through your Journal, I 
published a short article “ on the habitual use of opium in 
Singapore.” During the time that has elapsed since its pub¬ 
lication, I have bad many opportunities of verifying the 
conclusions and statements therein advanced “of the great 
evils resulting from the use of opium,” and during my official 
experience as Coroner, I find that to all the evils resulting 
from its use, there is one more to be added of no small im¬ 
portance, viz , suicide. A Chinese artizan in health may be 
said to be in comparatively affluent circumstances—for by 
ordinary, usually very light, labour he can earn from 5 to 10 
dollars a month, and can, according to his economy, save 
from 1 to 7 dollars a month—but let him take to opium, he 
at first spends but little, not more than a dollar a month ; and 
small the sum appears for moments of great gratification, 
when the mind seems to have left the vile body of the work¬ 
man, and revels in imaginative transmigrations into great and 
rich men, in a paradise of feasting and sumptuous living; and 
this gratification is not confined to the imagination, but ex¬ 
tends to the body, throughout the whole frame a thrill of 
pleasure seems to run, the blood feels as if it galloped through 
its vessels, the strength of a giant is added to muscles that 
were puny before, the eye that was dull now sparkles, laziness 
is followed by activity, inertia by restlessness, and intense 
desire takes the place of former apathy. This excitement 
repeated day alter day soon diminishes in intensity unless 
the supply is increased—so that the smoker of 2 years du¬ 
ration requires 2 to 3 dollars a month to procure what one 
did in his first year’s probation, until at last from a fractional 
part of his wages, say a 6th or an 8th, dedicated to the de¬ 
moralizing vice $• to •§ of them are now the sacrifice. To the 
sacrifice of income, is added that of health—the muscles have 
lost their tone, the mind its force; lassitude, languor, and 
debility have now succeeded to that sprightliness, and con¬ 
sciousness of corporeal strength, the strong man’s delight, 
sickness quickly follows with its train of diverse maladies, 
until exhausted in vital and deranged in physical powers, with 
an enfeebled mind, the poor wretch lifts his hand against 
