All about opium / edited by Hartmann Henry Sultzberger.

Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: All about opium / edited by Hartmann Henry Sultzberger. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    city walls, and written by a Sucbau scholar. It stated that men were so impoverished at that period that no one was worth Tls. 100. If the question be asked, why is it that such an extraordinary cir- cumstance should not have found a place in historical and miscella- neous works, I cannot answer. That the story is not wholly unapo- cryplial must be admitted, apart from its supernatural aspect, the more so as a work on prophecy'attributed to Liu Powan the Tai-pei-tu is un- doubtedly a forgery. Making every allowance for this and for obvious exaggerations, there can be no doubt that the habit of opium-smoking prevailed during the Mongol sway, and it is in this way only that one can satisfactorily account for the eagernesss which was exhibited by Chinamen to obtain the article when it first reached their shores by sea. Smokers of the drug were still to be found in many portions of the country, provided with the unique pipe apparently of Indian origin, and the other utensils of the opium tray ; they seized the imported article with avidity, hence the rapid increase of the demand. It seems safe to affirm, therefore, that while the Chinese are right in tracing the evils of opium-smoking to foreigners, it is Mongols and not Europeans who are responsible for the destructive habit. If, indeed, it be true . that five centuries ago extensive opium-growing and opium-smoking were suppressed, one may yet entertain hope for the empire. It shows that a popular and vigorous administration could cope with the evil. ' ; ■ •• • •. /- •