IN SINGAPORE. 
3i 
** in the Chinese Pauper shed have been formerly addicted to the 
** ing on the Chinese, but by enquiring I find that most of the men 
“ practice, and to their present deprivation of it lam inclined to at«* 
“ tribute the very slight effect of the usual remedial agents on such 
** cases. 
“ Economy is a main object in that Hospital so that I have not 
“ introduced opium smoking except in a few aggravated cases; but 
“ I have seen enough to convince me that where the vice has been 
“ before habitual, the moderate and judicious exhibition of opium 
“ smoking will sometime effect a rapid cure when other remedies 
“ have seemed inert. 
“ In answer to your first query, I may say that I have observed 
“ that when a habitual opium smoker has been deprived of the ac« 
“ customed stimulus, he becomes liable to various diseases, princi- 
“ pally Dropsy (more especially “ Anasarca 9 ’,) “ Atrophia” and 
“ Bowel complaints, also troublesome Dyspeptic Symptoms and any 
“ previously existing disease is commonly much aggravated. To 
“ your second query I may say I have seen death result in the above 
“ mentioned diseases, when opium has been withheld ; on the other 
“ hand I have seen recoveries that could only be attributed to opium 
“ being allowed. 
“In answer to your third query, my limited experience does not 
“ warrant me in saying, that opium smoking is in any way so power- 
“ ful a promoter of disease as the habitual use of alcoholic liquors.” 
“ Yours in haste, 
" 28th. August, 1847. (Sigd.) Wm. Traill.” 
CHAPTER VI. 
THE POWER OP THE OPIUM SMOKER TO MODERATE THE 
QUANTITY OF OPIUM USED. 
Does such a power exist ? for on that, will greatly hinge the ques¬ 
tion as to the deadly injury to which the use of opium subjects man- 
kind who indulge in it, and its greater or lesser power in creating 
disease, when compared with intoxicating spirits. 
Can a man inhale a mouthful or two of the smoke, and before his 
