CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 619

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The Wai-wu Pu pointed out that, under Article 6 of the Regulations for the eradication of opium smoking formulated by the Government Council, the high provincial authorities shall appoint efficient and experienced medical officers to make a careful study of opium remedies with a view to the manufacture of pills, and that such pills shall not contain opium ash or morphia. But the samples sent in for analysis to the Kuan I Chu are very possibly not the same as the remedies offered for sale, and it is only, therefore, by effecting a secret purchase at every shop and sending the samples to the Kuan I Chü for examination that the effective working of the Regulations can be secured.

In view of the fact that all the Powers are co-operating in the movement for the eradication of the opium habit, it is naturally all the more essential that the matter should be carefully investigated. Should any of the above malpractices be discovered, it is to be hoped that the offenders will be treated with the utmost severity as a warning to others.

The Wai-wu Pu further requested a reply by wire.

The Viceroy replied, admitting that the introduction of morphia into anti-opium remedies was a practice which was likely to cause the most harmful consequences, but stating that neither the fact of the examination of the pills sold nor the manner in which such examination had been conducted by the Kuan-i-Chû had ever been reported to him since the issue of the anti-opium Edict. Should the facts as stated by the Governor of Hong Kong be true, it would be essential that samples of the various remedies sold by shops dealing in anti-opium medicines be carefully analyzed, so that foreigners should have no ground on which to base such statements.

He therefore felt it his imperative duty to issue instructions by despatch for A satisfactory joint action to be taken with the Provincial Treasurer in this sense. scheme must be devised for the supervision of all shops where anti-opium remedies are sold, and the effective working of the scheme must also be provided for, and any offender must be severely punished as an example for others. Reports must also be furnished from time to time on the working of the system, and these injunctions must be strictly obeyed.

With reference to this, we would observe that some time ago the Head Police Office sent for samples of anti-opium pills and other remedies from various shops, and had them chemically examined, and some, being found to contain morphia, a notification was issued prohibiting their sale. But this was some time ago, and it is very difficult to prevent a recrudescence of the evil, or to prevent others from trying to make illicit gain.

We have therefore given orders to the officers in charge of the measures for the suppression of the opium habit to secretly obtain samples and have them analyzed. It is, moreover, our duty to issue this Proclamation, bringing the matter to the notice of all, and warning all shopkeepers, Chinese and foreign, of the exceedingly harmful nature of morphia, and of the evil consequences which will result if it is incautiously mixed with anti-opium remedies. The Emperor, to remove a national scourge, has made Agreements with foreign Powers for the probibition of the importation of morphia. Should, therefore, these evils continue, not only will foreigners have a good excuse for criticising us, but the people selling morphia will themselves get into trouble.

Henceforth, if any trader, paying no regard to the public welfare, secretly uses any morphia, he will on discovery be severely punished. What we, the Financial Commissioner and the Commissioner of Constabulary, have said we will abide by; no indulgence will be shown. Purchasers of anti-opium remedies must gradually reduce the amount, for it is only by this means that the movement can advance, amount consumed remains the same, although there is no morphia in the pills, it is impossible to break off the habit.

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We therefore, in deference to public welfare, solemnly enjoin one and all to obey these injunctions.

An Ya Puo, January 11, 1909.

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