Page:A wandering student in the Far East vol.1 - Zetland.djvu/284

216 in the East that where opium-smoking is suppressed, the use of morphia or of some equally deleterious drug is almost certain to take its place, unless the most stringent precautions are adopted to prevent it. This danger appears to be imminent in China at the present moment. "Since the closing of the dens," says Dr Main of the Church Missionary Hospital at Hanchow, "anti-opium pills, containing morphia or opium in some form, have been freely distributed by the gentry, and shops for the sale of these anti-opium pills are opened everywhere and doing a roaring trade.... Some have been cured, but most of those who frequented the opium dens have simply replaced the pipe by morphia pills, and the last state is worse than the first." Precautions were taken some time ago in the shape of a greatly enhanced duty upon morphia coming into China; but the smuggling of the drug appears to go on unchecked. Thus 'The Times' correspondent at Peking wired on June 25th of this year that