30 
ON THE HABITUAL USE OF OFIUM 
4t had used the drug for 50 years in moderation without any evil ef* 
{< fects, and one man 5 recollect in Malacca who had so used it was 
** upwards of BO, several in the hahit of smoking assured me that in 
“ moderation it neither impaired the functions nor shortened life, at 
u the same time they fully admitted the deleterious effects of too 
** much. 
“ I have seen death follow, and I recollect 
2d. What physi¬ 
cal evils result to opi- “ a Malay who was apprehended on some cri- 
deprived ofthe'drug? “ m!nal char £ e some y ears a ?“' " ,ho "' hen fir9t 
“ locked up previous to examination, and as a 
n matter of course deprived of the drug for some days, pined away 
so rapidly that although only 4 or 5 days in the lock-up-house, he 
E< could not leave it when released, but was carried out, having en- 
** tered the place as strong and muscular a man as could be met with. 
The lower class of Chinese when deprived of their allowance are 
4t very liable to become dropsical, and 1 have lately quite cured se- 
fI yeral cases of this sort by allowing a moderate quantity of the drug 
** for smoking. I have tried the opium in substance, but with not 
H nearly so good an effect, I find the Sesquiearbonate of Ammonia, Tr. 
u Valerian VoL, Tr. Opii, and mist. Camph. to be an excellent for- 
“ mula of medicine for these cases. The effect of deprivation, at 
“ first appears to produce desperation, a heart rending despondency, 
* c something like the low state of delirium tremens but differing in 
“ many respects from that malady. The 3d. query is pretty well re* 
* ( plied to in this; death does certainly occur from deprivation and 
“ most generally I would say by effusion into the cavities and gene- 
“ ral dropsy.” Yours truly, 
“ August 28th, 1847. (Sigd.) Thomas Oxley.” 
Copy of a letter from Wm. Traill, Esq, M. D., H. E. /. Coy's 
Asst. Resdt. Surgeon, Singapore . 
** My Dear Little, 
s< l have been pretty busy this morning or would have 
** answered you sooner. 
f< I have not paid marked attention to the effect of opium smok* 
