Opinions of over 100 Physicians on the use of Opium in China, Compiled by William Hector Park, M.D, Printed at the American Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai, This is an Anti-opium League publica tion, consisting of answers received from various medical men and women, to a number of questions circulated by a Committee of the Soochow Missionary and Literary Association. There is not much to be learnt about opium. We already know that, while it is one of the greatest blessings granted to humanity, its abuse—like that of everything else,—inay become, and too often does become, a curse. As might be expected, it is the latter aspect of the question which is emphasised in this pamphlet but -the conflicting opinions expressed, even among thesy declared enemies of the drug, would lead an impartial enquirer to doubt whether the cause of the league will be much advanced by the circulation of these replies. There are no contradictions in the answers concerning the evil moral effects of smoking opium all are convinced that they are utterly bad, though many unprejudiced residents in' China who have come into close contact with the natives could cite instances of regular smokers. who are not in the least demoralised by the practice, But when we come to the utely medical aspect of the case we find some admitting that the drug is a he it; while nearly all admit that Chinese rophylactio, and others strenuously deny-doctors prescribe it in certain eases. It is hardly likely that the habit would be so prevalent were there nothing to be said in its favour, The drug is expensive, while alcohol is cheap, and the economical Chi-nego would have taken to the latter as a stimulant had it suited their constitutions better than opium. The facts as elicited by the Royal Commission seem to be that opium taken judiciously and moderately, as it ig by many fine races in Indin, is extremely valuable snd sometimes necessary. 'Bue it was also stated that smoking appeared to be the most deleterione' method of consumption. There can be no doubt that smoking is indulged in amongst the Chinese to a very harmful extent, and that it is increasing. The habit will never be eradicated, but it should be checked by education and by making the drug dearer by taxation. It is probable, that the poor food and insanitary dwellings of the Chinese are largely responsible for the use of this stimulant. Tf they were better nourished and better housed, the poorer Chinese would not need it so much, These improvements may be looked for with the opening up of the country. Meanwhile, missionaries are doing a good work in educating the people and preparing them for the coming change.
The Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journul, May 1899. Shanghai: The American Presbyterian Mission Press.
In a recently issued book written by one who loves the sea and sailors—a book full of sea lore and sea courage, and through which the wind whistles cheerily—we find, among much that is fresh though briny, the following sentence: "Though you toil all night and catch nothing. you catch experience." Experience is often dearly bought, and we should not lightly pass by the experiences of veterans who have con-quoted many difficulties and come safely ous from many a tight place. The second instalment, therefore, of Dr. Ashmore's "<Bits of Missionary Experience" natural-Jy occupies the first place in the May Recorder. In this article we find narrated some experiences in toiling for a transfer of certain huge burdens of responsibility, in from missionary over to native administration, and which includes, also, a steady diminution of appeals to Consular offices, and increased persistent appeals to yamens.
In pointing out underlying facts and principles, Dr. Ashmore notes that, as a common thing, when a Chinese bec mes a Christian he is apt to encounter persecution. Then, too, it is a natural principle of common social ethics that various Christians, who are thus ill-treated by their neighbours and relatives, and are cut off from the usual din shelter, should turn to each other for sympathy and help. Other principles refer to the relation of the persecuted to their teachers, to native Jaw, and. to foreign treaties; but when these facts and principles come to practical application, we find o: her facts manifesting themselves and certain tendencies being developed which compel m-edification and discrimination. In his discussion of the kind of reconstruction called for, Dr. Ashmore specifies certain cases and the mode of dealing with them.
Following this we have an article by the Rev. W. N. Browster, on Christ's methods, in theory and. practice, the paper apparently having been evoked by a criticism of a former article by Mr. Brewster, appearing in another journal. In conjunction with this second Recorder article, the reader would do well to read the article on page 228 of the Recorder by Mr. A. G. Jones, An Outline of the Aim and History of an Experiment made in Shantung to start a Cotton Industry—1893-1897." Both gentlemen luck at the same subject from different standpoints, Mr. Jones having the benefit of an abortive experiment which he had carried on at his own expense Mr. Brewster is not alarmed at Mr. Jones' failure; he thinks the trouble is not with the principles involved, but in their application. Mr. Jones's article is valuable in showing how difficulties arise which had not entered into first calculations.. The original iden," he says, was to adopt the principles of Western cotton manufacture, as developed in England over one hundred years ago, so as to introduce into this province, among Christian communities, the art as it formerly existed in England, using a maximum of native material and Inbour and a minimum of imported appliances. So far, so good. The machinery was successfully constructed on those principles and good yaru was produced from native cotton by natives, who were taught to make the machinery and manufacture the yarn."
Whilst the' result @ mechanical triumph, commercially it was a failure. Among the causes of failure were, mutual Suspicion among the Chinese, their inability to handle nuw problems (the past conditions ut Chinese life had evidently atrophied and paralysed the enterprise of the ordinary man), the low busines capacity of the men among whom the scheme was floated, a general fear of she complicatedness ut the machinery, and the inability to form and associate themselves into a properly constituted ce-operative body. There were also minor causes of failure, such as insubordination, careless mit ery, and negotiation jarrings. of the lessons to be learned from the-experiment, Mr. Jones makes some interesting remarks regarding missionaries undertaking mercantile projects-—the missionary often not being expected or able to act on strictly business principles, e.g., the demands of all the exact branches of the useful arts admit no. concession, semibarbarous bungling, or inexactness. Iron or wood make no accommodation to the error of the workmen. A piece of work is according to measurement and plan, and so right; or it is not, and so spelted. What happens then? Why, the missionary of poscefulness and a concessive spirit in all the things of life is at once in a position where he can concede nothing whatever, and must insist on exactness and exact fulflment. This is perfectly just and absolutely necessary, but the world being as it is, he is very likely to suffer in the eyes of a religious though ignorant and short-sighted constituency. To the mass of them he looks as if he taught one thing and acted an opposite."
The notes supplied by Mr. Uperaft of a journey on the. Tibetan frontier, whilst not remarkable from a literary standpoint, contain much interesting information. We are introduced to grand scenery, bad priests, and a people deeply religious, but with no sense of individuality. Of his Litang experiences Mr. Uperaft says "Shaven heads, red gowns, insolent faces and a domineering attitude will always remain as the vivid impression of Litang. 'Outsiders' are not wanted, and they are likely soon to feel that. Strulling down the street on the ovening of our arrival we were quickly surrounded by the befrocked knights of the rosary and sven became a butt for their jests. The monastery gates were bonyed in our faces and not even a look in was allowed us. Yet, later in the evening, some more friendly ones came around and asked for books and medicine, but the majority still remained hostile, and when on our return journey we wished to remain in the place for a fow days we were told our animals were ready and our absence desired."
But Batang was no improvement on Litang: "The monastery, built about half mile from the village, dominates the region. The monks are suspicious and sullen. like their brethren of Litang, who visited and Inughed at us, these would have none of us. The monastery gates were shut in four faces, attempts to make conversation were met with silence—a thing equally hard to quarrel with or to bear—and altogether the fraternity treated us with studied contempt. Yet a more woeful collection of the genus homo it would be difficult to gather. Hardly one among those we saw was froe from some physical blemish. Blind, goitred, lame, and so on, they would been pathetic had they not in their rigid pride made thems-Lves ridiculous."
OF the other items in this May Recorder attention might he drawn to the Formosan problems in Mr. Campbell's notes, and to the further chapters of Viceroy Chang Chih-tung's book, but want of space forbids
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.