Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 526

522

No. 12.

Enclosure No. 1.

Government Analyst to Colonial Surgeon.

GOVERNMENT LABORATORY,

HONGKONG, 1st July, 1893.

SIR,

My attention was first called to the practice of Morphine injecting among the Chinese about a month ago by Dr. ATKINSON, when handing me a bottle of liquid alleged to have been prepared for subcutaneous injection which on analysis proved to be a solution of Hydrochlorate of Morphine.

2. At my request our Compradore, Mr. Hoe A CHOO, brought me, about a month ago, a victim of this pernicious habit who volunteered the following state-

ment :-

"My name is CHU A YEE. I am a barber, and am 28 years of age. The marks on my arms and thighs are caused by a needle used for insert- ing medicine. I took the medicine for the first time in this way in October last. At first I had two injections daily, one in the morn- ing and one in the evening. Afterwards, when I had diarrhoea and pains in the stomach, I had one or two injections more.

After using the injections for three months, my arm used to be very stiff at night. I am now having four or five injections daily. Have had two this morning (12 noon). At first I paid two cents for each injection. I now only pay one cent. I had the injections in the first place because I was told by many people that they would cure me of the opium habit. Have not smoked any opium since October 1892. Up to that date I had been an opium smoker for more than a year.

I felt better when I smoked opium than I do now. I used to get medicine injected at the Chun Tak-tong, drug shop, Wyndham Street. They were made this morning by CHAN MUI YUR, Queen's Road Central."

3. I may mention that the man on that date weighed 112 lbs. He appeared

somewhat dazed.

4. Thinking it would be useful to have some information as to the strength of the Morphine solution I requested Mr. Hoo A CHOO to obtain a supply. He forwarded it to me on Sunday last. I then requested him to send the actual purchaser to my Office. The man came on the 29th ultimo. He was the barber referred to in paragraph 2. His appearance had certainly not improved. Weight 107 lbs.-a loss of 5 lbs. within a month. He said that he had had three injections that day.

5. He made the following statement

"On the 25th June, Mr. Hoo A CHоo gave me $1.30 to buy some medicine. I went to Tsing Lok Hin, 87, Queen's Road West, and saw the man who had given me injections on a former occasion. I asked him to let me have some of the medicine he uses. He filled the bottle (one fluid ounce) I had with me and charged 20 cents for it. I handed the bottle to MAK KAU."

6. MAK KAU informed me that he handed this bottle to Mr. Hoo A CHOO personally.

7. Submitted to analysis this solution yielded 2% of Morphine-2.5 % of the Hydrochlorate or Muriate, the commonest commercial salt of this alkaloid.

8. The solid preparation handed to me by Dr. ATKINSON a few days ago proved to be Hydrochlorate of Morphine.