IN’ SINGAPORE. 
Sense of suffocation. Oedema of tlie lung’s or effusion into the pleu¬ 
ra have now set in. Sometimes complaints are made of pain in the 
cardiac region, and weak and irregular are found to be the rythms of 
the heart, until after repeated warnings it at length forgets its part, 
and there is left hut a senseless mass of clay, the remains of the mi¬ 
serable opium smoker. 
The low state of nervous energy predisposes to large boils and car¬ 
buncles, from the latter of which few recover, I remember one very 
wealthy Chinaman, whom I attended for carbuncle ; but who perished 
in spite of every care, and it was not until his death I learned that he 
was an inveterate opium smoker. This low state of vitality gives rise 
to many filthy foul and indolent ulcers, which attack two thirds of the 
paupers under the care of Dr. Traill. Scrofula, and tubercles are also 
induced. In fact every disease that has its origin in a weakened ac¬ 
tion of the vital power is produced on the person of the opium smo¬ 
ker by this habit, and when disease of a violent nature does attack 
him he immediately succumbs. I have seen a remittent fever run its 
course with a Chinaman in four days, and where this fever prevails, 
as at Blakan McLti, and Tanjong Pagaiv the Chinese are the princi¬ 
pal sufferers. 
I have avoided entering into professional details, as this paper is 
more or less intended for the general reader. I will therefore finish, 
this account of the physical evils resulting from the habitual use of 
opium by giving the opinions of Doctors Oxley and Traill, the H. E. 
I. Coy’s Surgeons for this Settlement. 
Copy of a letter from Thomas Oxley, Esq, H. E. I. Coy's Res* 
Surgeon, Singapore. 
“ My Dear Little, 
1st. Does the use 
of opium induce phy¬ 
sical evils and what 
are they ? 
“ Here is my opinion in answer to your que- 
44 ries. 
44 The inordinate use or rather abuse of the 
44 drug most decidedly does bring on early de- 
44 crepitude, loss of appetite, destruction of the power of procreation 
44 and a morbid state of ail the secretions; but I have seen a man who 
u * 
