Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 530

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(Minute by Assistant Registrar General.)

HONOURABLE REGISTRAR GENERAL,

Apparently the practice of injecting Morphia has arisen only within the last few months.

Injections can be obtained at the following places

312, Queen's Road West.-A branch open about a month. 50 or 60

people go there a day.

1, New Street.-Opened a fortnight. Plenty of patronage. 1st floor, 2, East Street.-Opened 2 weeks. 60 or 70 a day.

above places, 1 cent an injection.

Fee at

Fee, 2 cents. Number increased

2nd floor, 18, Taipingshan Street.---Opened 3 weeks. 2nd floor, 10, Kwaiwa Lane.-Opened in November.

from 10 to 40 a day. Fee reduced from 2 to 1 cent.

367, Queen's Road Central-Opened in March. Number of patients

increased from 20 to 60.

98, Bonham Strand.-Opened 1 months. 40 or 50 a day.

41, Stanley Street.-Branch of Kwaiwa Lane establishment. About 60. 179, Queen's Road East.-Opened 2 months.

104, Bonham Strand.

85, Bonham Strand.

65, Third Street.

91, Queen's Road West.

50, Praya West.

* Attached is a notice by a hospital, in Canton, recommending the adoption of the injection of Morphia.

The numbers given above cannot be relied on.

The ostensible reason for taking Morphine is to get rid of the craving for opium; but even if a man doesn't want to do so he naturally prefers spending 3 or 4 cents on Morphia to 15 or 20 on opium.

The coolie class patronise these places. I should say that we won't be able to judge of the extent of this practice for another month or so. The writers put the number of people at between 1 and 2,000, who were no doubt all habitual opium smokers.

5th June, 1893.

*

Not printed.

A. W. BREWIN.

(Report by the Police.)

CENTRAL POLICE STATION,

19th June, 1893.

CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT,

In accordance with instructions received from you and Mr. BUCKLE we have made inquiries regarding the use of Morphia injections.

The injections of Morphia are made with the object of curing persons of their opium-smoking habits and the method is said to have been instituted by one of Dr. Kenn's students in Canton. It was commenced in Hongkong on a small scale last year, but it is only within the last two or three months that it has attained to its present extensive use. There are in the Colony, including Aberdeen,