647977-1893-Correspondence-re-Morphine-Injections — Page 4

970 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 16TH SEPTEMBER, 1893.

SIR,

Enclosure No. 2.

(Superintendent Government Civil Hospital to Colonial Surgeon.)

GOVERNMENT CIVIL HOSPITAL, HONGKONG, 3rd July, 1893.

I have the honour to report that on the 31st May last, I interviewed a Street Coolie who was sent to me by Mr. MCCALLUM. His statement was as follows:-

'My name is Fú A-KWAN. I am 43 years old and live at No. 7, Tai Loi Lane, First Street. I am a Street Coolie. For the past twenty years I have been in the habit of smoking opium, the daily amount being three

mace.

"A little over two months ago I was told that I could be cured of this habit by having some medicine inserted into my arm.

"Twice daily I have had this done at the Hung Cheung Shop (crockery ware shop) Morrison Street, for which I have paid one cent each injection. It is much cheaper than smoking opium and I get the same satisfaction out of it.

"I know of ten Chinese Doctors who each treats 50 to 100 men daily with this medicine."

The man had a number of marks on both arms evidently produced by punc- tured wounds.

His weight was 120 lbs.

I received from the Honourable Colonial Treasurer about this date a liquid in a small bottle which he informed me was the medicine used by these Chinese Doctors for this purpose.

I handed it over to the Government Analyst to analyse. About the 20th ultimo I received a solid preparation from the same gentleman which I also handed over to Mr. Crow for purposes of analysis.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

DR. PH. B. C. AYRES, C.M.G.,

&c.,

Colonial Surgeon,

fc.,

&c.

J. M. ATKINSON, Superintendent.

SIR,

(Opium Farmers to Colonial Treasurer.)

HONGKONG, 24th May, 1893.

The Prepared Opium Ordinance of 1891, section 10, provides for the preparation and sale of prepared opium, and the word "preparation" by the interpretation clause in the Ordinance is stated thus: "the subjecting of opium of any kind to any degree of artificial heat, for any purpose whatever shall be taken to be the preparing of such opium."

In the latter part of section 10 it is provided "that no medical practitioner, chemist or druggist, not being a Chinese, or being such and having a European or American diploma, shall be prevented from preparing or selling opium bond file for medical purposes."

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