Vincent Richards has collected some statistics regarding Balasor in Orissa which throw some light on the influence of this practice on the health. He examined about 600 opium-eaters who took, on an average, 5 to 7 grains daily. The diseases for which it was chiefly taken were malarial fever, dysentery, diarrhoea, spitting of blood, rheumatism and elephantiasis. Richards concluded that its moderate use may be and is indulged in for years without pro ducing any decided or appreciable ill effect, except weakening the reproductive powers. Dr. W. Dymock of Bombay, speaking of Western India, concurs in Richards' opinion regarding the mod erate use of the drug. Dr. Moore's experience of Rajputana strongly supports the same view. Among the Rajputs infused opium has long been a drink both of reconciliation and of ordinary greeting.
Opium-smoking.—This is chiefly practised by the inhabitants of China and the islands of the Indian Archipelago, and in countries where Chinese are largely employed. Opium-smoking began in China in the 17th century. Foreign opium was first imported by the Portuguese (early 18th century). In 1906 it was estimated that about 27% of the adult males in China smoked opium.
For smoking, the Chinese use an extract of opium known as prepared opium or chandoo, containing about 8% of morphine, and a cheaper preparation known as dross opium extract, con taining about 7% of morphine. This latter is used chiefly by the poorer classes.
Prepared opium is made by a lengthy process of digestion of opium in water, boiling, evaporating, beating, followed by a peculiar toasting process which is very important and is very carefully done. The opium at this stage resembles dark coloured ginger-nut crackers. There is more boiling of this in water, straining, evaporating, filtering and further evaporating until the prepared opium results as a black treacly substance, having the fragrant opium-like odour which is characteristic.
Opium-smoking is performed by the smoker lying on his side. Then he takes a thin metal dipper and puts the sharp end into the opium. Twisting it round and round, he brings a drop over the
flame of a lamp until it is sufficiently roasted. There is further manipulation of the opium, and eventually a little piece of opium, about the size of a grain of hemp-seed, is left adhering to the bowl of the pipe immediately over the orifice. The smoker then holds the bowl over the lamp. The heat causes the opium to frizzle, and the smoker takes three or four long inhalations which are exhaled through both the mouth and the nose. Moissan has shown that the smoke of chandoo contained only a very small quantity of morphine. F. Dent and also H. Fraser and B. J. Eaton found that the smoke from i oo grams of chandoo yielded o.Ioo gram of morphine in two independent experiments. Frank Browne examined the smoke of dross opium extract which is very largely smoked in the East. Dross opium extract is prepared by boiling together opium dross or residues from the smoking of chandoo and residues from the smoking of dross opium extract, with a small quantity of demorphinated opium, and filtering and evaporating to a proper consistence. His results are shown in the table with an analysis of tobacco smoke by Pontag. The results are expressed in percentages.
The following shows the nature of the dross opium extract used—expressed in percentages on the extract:— Water 8.61 Morphine 7.35 Ash ....... 28.45 Insoluble in water ... • 3.84 A smoker of this extract would use from five to six grams daily. He is considered to smoke in excess when he burns about double this quantity.
This dross opium extract is admitted by smokers to be stronger in effect than chandoo. This strength must be attributed to the pyridine bases, ammonia, hydrocyanic acid, and other substances rather than to the morphine, which is present in much less amount than in the smoke of chandoc.
So far as can be gathered from the conflicting statements pub lished on the subject, opium-smoking may Ibe regarded much in the same light as the use of alcoholic stimulants. To the great majority of smokers who use it moderately it appears to act as a stimulant, and to enable them to undergo great fatigue and to go for a considerable time with little or no food. According to the reports on the subject, when the smoker has plenty of active work it appears to be no more injurious than smoking tobacco. In a large dock company in the Far East where 5,000 labourers were employed, the managers were unable to pick out any opium smokers who, by any difference in physique, capacity for work or in behaviour, were different from the non-smokers.