Harbin, Jan. 8." is no doubt that morphia-in-assuming most Proportions among the lower classes. of Chinese throughout Manchuria. The curse will soon be worse than the Manchurian Plague of 1910 unless properly stamped out. People who do not know the conditions and surroundings of the greater portion of Chinese labourers may wonder how it is the morphine habit has obtained such a tight hold in Manchuria. The answer is a simple one. Firstly, the price of dose is so cheap (from two to five cents) that the poorest are able to indulge in the vice. Secondly, many moderate opium-smokers of the poorer classes can no longer afford to bay opium, on scoount of the enormous increase it price of this drag. Thirdly, drag fiends who now inject morphia instead of smoking opium sveert that they get #8 much pleasure from the former from the latter, at one-tenth of into daily contact with. He bes nothing to fear from the emigrant coolie into Manclrria comet over quite dione and Kaw usually no ties i the lend where he hopes to make money and return afetwards to hiv oncostes! orte, He hae nothing to fear from the Chinese authorities, like the opiuttsmoker who, if caught, severely punished, for it is very Gitfeult mutter for an officer of Jaw to catch an addict injecting the poison; the whole process ix con-eluded in 4 minute.
Since 1900 the importation into China of both morphia snd all morphia appliances has been prohibited, except in the case of duly qualified foreign medical practitioners and foreign chémitits and il and military hospitals complying with certain conditions. a well-known fact, however, that enormous quantities find their way not only into Manchuria but also into China, and that the whole of this illicit trade is in the hands of the Japanese, who carry on a most lucrative business.
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