13 and 20, will be found a digest of the evidence collected from 100 Indian medical officers, from which it appears that raw opium is taken habitually by a very large number of the population throughout India, those who are accustomed to the drug taking it in quantities of from 10 to 20 grains in the 24 hours. So long as this amount is not exceeded they do not appear to suffer ill-bealth or any injurious effect. It is entirely unknown what quantity of an opiate should be considered a poison. ous dose for an opium eater, In the New York Med. Record, xii 239, is mentioned the case of a former officer in the English army, who at the age,of III was still living in New York and had been an opium habituate for 70 years, and at one time his daily con- sumption of the drug was 97 grains. Though undoubtedly pernicious when indulged in by persons merely for the sake of intoxication, its effects seem to be greatly modified when taken by those accustomed to undergo great fatigue. Those interested on the point should read the views in Appendix E of Dr. William Moors, late Surgeon-General, Bombay.
Appendix F gives also a `recent view of the subject.
2. OPIUM WATER.
In India among the Rajputs, infused opium has long been the drink bath of reconciliation and of ordinary greeting. On a birthday, whea all the chiefs convene to congratulate their brother, the large cup is brought forth, a lump of opium is put therein, upon which water is poured, and by the aid of a stick, a solution is made, to which each helps his neighbour, not with a glass, but with the hollow of his hand held to his mouth. The infusion will contain all or nearly all of the morphine of the opium.
3. OPIUM WINE.
This is sold in Hongkong under the name of Anti-opium wine. It is recommended as a remedy or cure for opium smokers. Two samples consisted of samshu or Chinese wine and contained bitter and flavouring substances and .09 and 1.5 per cent. of opium, to which last all the effect of such wines is due, The strength depends entirely on the whim of the vendor, there being no fixed formula.
4. OPIUM PILLS.
These also are sold as Anti-opium remedies They are sometimes recommended in a cir- cular accompanying the bottle to be preferable to opium smoking as an effect is quickly pro- duced, and moreover, that they can be carried and taken secretly. Appendix G shows the nature of such pills and how variable is their strength. The most popular pill is one con. taiping the most of opium. An attempt was made by a vendor to put on the market ope containing of a grain of morphine in each pill, but the provisions of the Frepared Opium Amendment Ordinance effectually prevented its sale. However, these pills are very cheap so that they are within the reach of the poor- est, and those better off can buy them to an almost unlimited extent, so that their sale in- stead of the much more expensive and very much weaker smoking opium is likely to do considerable harm in fostering the opium babit.
5. MORPHINE INJECTION. This practice is very injurious as not only are solutions of uncertain strength used, but dirty hypodermic syringes are constantly em- ployed. These are made usually of bamboo or metal. They are frequently very rough in
design and the needle is fastened into most by means of lead. Probably the needle after in- sertion in one person is put directly into an- other. The employment of this method was stamped out by Ordinance in 1893. The prac- tice of morphine injection was very populir on account of its cheapness,
6. SMOKING QPIUM OR CHANDOO. This preparation is used solely for smɔking purposes. Much care is exercised in making it so that its consistency, aromɩand flyyour when smokei may vary as little as possible. Any kind of opium can be used, but the variety which commends itself more particularly to the opium boiler and smoker is the Indian. This is remarkably uniform in composition, always a recommendation to the Chinese who cannot be troubled with the extra care that opiums of uncertain quality require. Chinese opium be ing carelessly prepared and of dubious quality cannot yield an esteemed smoking product. A bigh percentage of morphine in the opium is no recommendation, in fact, nearly ali smoking extract of the best quality is prepared from opium with a low morphine content. The rea- con for this disregard of the morphine propor- tion will be seen when the chemistry of opium smoke is considered. Appendix H gives prticulars of an opium smoking apparatus and manner of smoking, and Appendix I shows with what care the well-known extract is pre- pared. By the student of the subject the table below should be carefully studied. Particulars are first given of the composition of opium extract. The ashes from the pipe from the smoking are known as opium dr ́ss and in quantity the amount obtained is about one balf the quantity of extract smoked. This residue is converted into dress obium extract after it has been mixed with about an equal weight of ha lan or dross from dross opium extract, and boiling out, and preparing in the manner al- ready indicated. The ash of bá 'án consists almost entirely of sodium and potassium sul- phates and a little phosphate. The proportion of morphine in the first dross from opium ex- tract is noteworthy as it shows what a very small quantity of morphine is carried away in the smoking. The results are expressed as percentages in the undried substances.
Opium ex.
Water.... Ash
First dross
from
Dross from dross Dross opium opium ex-
tract, cbandoo,
or prepar- opium
ed opium extract.
extract as
tract or
smoked.
ha lan.
25*25
8*35
5*78
4'35
4.85
9'25
32-66
54'40
Morphine Soluble in hot
water
All
Yield of dross 50*00
8 98
7'63
9'73
1'30
47'80
All
80'72
65'00
CHEMISTRY OF OPIUM SMOKE. The celebrated French chemist Henri Mois- san made a number of experiments in connec tion with this subject. His treatise is given its Appendix J. He placed about one and a half ounces of opium extract in a retort, through which air could be drawn, and so fitted that the products formed at various temperatures could be collected and examined. He had determined previously that the temperature at which a smoker dried the chandoo immediate- ly before use was 240° C., and at which he smoked it, was about 250° C. He found from his experiments with chandoo of the best quality that at a temperature not exceeding 350° C. the quantity of substance carried over in the smoke was excessively small and consist- ed of a small quantity of fragrant oils and a