Tlio habitual use of opium is
by
no
means
confined
as
a
preventive of malarious fever
to
Godavery. Dr. Moore, Superintendent-General of Dispensaries, Rnjputana, has repeatedly drawn attention to the subject. In his report on the Rajputana Dispensaries for the year 1871 lie observes : ?
much attention to
the influence of
opium-eat"Having paid ing on the natives of this country, I may be permited to express an opinion that, however it may be in China and elsewhere, the habit of consuming opium is not here followed by those dire OPIUM AS A
PROPHYLACTIC
MALARIOUS
OF
consequences which sensational writers would have a large quantity of opium will kill ; and in
us
believe. Of
excessive, but not quickly poisonous, doses, ill-health, terminating in the opium djscrasy, marked by apathy, debility, and diarrhoea, will supercourse
FEVERS.
Dr. Cobnish, Sanitary Commissioner for Madras, not long ago drew the attention of his Government to the great consumpvene. But this is no worse than the results of immoderate use tion of opium in the Godavery district. An investigation was of alcoholic liquors, and I feel sure that quite as much misery ordered, and Mr. Foster, in the report from which we have given
long
a
extract in the
preceding article, furnishes the following information on the subject " Opium is very largely imported into the Godavery District from the Nizam's dominions via Jnggayyapeta; indeed, I believe that very little of the large amount used in the district comes from any other source. Malwa opium is largely used, but that also coines through the Nizam's dominions. A slight quantity is exported to Vizagapatam and other places north. Prom a!l the inquiries I have made, I am led to believe that the value of the drug used comes to no less than seven lakhs of rupees per annum. It is used by persons of both sexes, the least estimate being that forty per cent, of the male population and twenty-five per cent, of the female population are opium-eaters, other estimates amounting to as much as seventyfire per cent, amongst males and fifty per cent, amongst females. All classes of society use it indiscriminately, but the use amongst Brahmins and Yuisyas is not so extensive as amongst the other classes. I
am
satisfied that it is not used
only
indulgence. It stages, especially rife in this
as
an
is considered a cure for several diseases in their final
preventive against some diseases After steady use for a time it is found so difficult to break through the habit, that persons who have once taken it and
a
district.
seldom leave off. There
are
several indications that the drug is used which I may mention the
following
as a
:?
medicine, amongst (1.) It is given in small doses to children. (2.) It is not used as a rule by healthy adults before the a^e of thirty or forty, indicating that it is not taken as a source of pleasure. (3.) It is not so much used by the upper classes as the lower, indicating again that it is not taken as a self-indulgence> but is considered necessury to those living a life of greater exposure and less abundantly supplied with clothing and good
are produced by the latter as by the immoderate use as with And, opium. alcohol, so with opium, the moderate use of the drug is, notwithstanding all advanced against it, often actually beneficial. The use of opium enables the "kossid" to travel long distances, which, without such stimulant, he would be unable to accomplish. Opium affords endurance to persons who, in the semi-desert districts of Marwar, either tending camels, or otherwise, are reduced to Remittent and Intermittent fever, Indian Annals of living on the most meagre fare, Medical Science, No. XXI. and the least nourishing of cereals. And, as I have elsewhere* observed, I am inclined to believe that opium exerts a prophylactic influence over the occurrence of I have frequently noticed the confirmed malarious disease. opium-eaters escape fever when others were attacked. This was specially noticed during tile autumn following the heavy rains of 1863. At Joudpoor, in the month of October, every two opiumperson attached to the Political Agency, excepting eaters, suffered from one or other type of fever. Many natives, moreover, believe opium will not only preserve them The drug has from fever, but also from some other maladies. indeed long been regarded as a remedial agent, second only to quinine, and therefore a prophylactic action might be presumed. Besides, like alcohol, preventing waste of tissue, it also exerts its well-known, direct, stimulating or sedative influ*
the nervous system, and thus tends to prevent malapoison taking effect in several different ways. Lastly, there are numerous old persons met with, who, hale and ence
The drug is considered an admirable febrifuge and is administered to fever-patients. It is supposed to keep out cold and prevent rheumatism and ague. I believe that the extensive use of
opium in this district is due to the extensive prevalence of fever, and that if the fever could be checked so would the use of the drug. Conversely, I think it unadvisable to at
present."
attempt arbitrarily
to
stop its
con-
on
rious
hearty, have been addicted to opium-eating during the greater portion of their lives. The conclusion appears, therefore, inevitable that the abuse, not the moderate use, of opium must be credited with the undoubted deleterious results of immoderate indulgence in the practice of either eating or
smoking
the
drug."
has
Opium tion with
frequently
quinine
been used both alone and in combina-
in the treatment
of malarious fevers.
It
by Paracelsus in doses of thirty, forty or fifty minims of the tinctui-e exhibited an hour before the expected paroxysm. Lind recommended the administration of the drug during the hot stage and applied an opium liniment to the
was
houses.
sumption
and disease
of
recommended
spine one
on
the
approach
The use of narcotine, opium, as an antiperiodic was O'Shaughnessy and its virtues have
of the cold stage.
of the constituents of
introduced by Sir W.
The most careful and been proved by several observers. complete trial of this drug was made by Dr. A. Garden
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
218 during an epidemic
of fever at
Ghazeepore
in 1859-60.
The
results of his experience were published in Yol. VII of the Indian Annals of Medical Science. He concluded that " though not of equal value with q\iinine, it has just claim to the next place in the ranks of antiperiodics and that there is no drug (quinine excepted) which cures so rapidly, so surely and with of the drug itself, at the same time that so little expenditure it is free from disagreeable effects in the majority of cases." Such being the case, the prophylactic value of opium becomes intelligible, though its use for the purpose of preventing fever can hardly, on other grounds, be recommended.
[August 1,
1874.
by
no
means
confined
as
a
preventive of malarious fever
to
Godavery. Dr. Moore, Superintendent-General of Dispensaries, Rnjputana, has repeatedly drawn attention to the subject. In his report on the Rajputana Dispensaries for the year 1871 lie observes : ?
much attention to
the influence of
opium-eat"Having paid ing on the natives of this country, I may be permited to express an opinion that, however it may be in China and elsewhere, the habit of consuming opium is not here followed by those dire OPIUM AS A
PROPHYLACTIC
MALARIOUS
OF
consequences which sensational writers would have a large quantity of opium will kill ; and in
us
believe. Of
excessive, but not quickly poisonous, doses, ill-health, terminating in the opium djscrasy, marked by apathy, debility, and diarrhoea, will supercourse
FEVERS.
Dr. Cobnish, Sanitary Commissioner for Madras, not long ago drew the attention of his Government to the great consumpvene. But this is no worse than the results of immoderate use tion of opium in the Godavery district. An investigation was of alcoholic liquors, and I feel sure that quite as much misery ordered, and Mr. Foster, in the report from which we have given
long
a
extract in the
preceding article, furnishes the following information on the subject " Opium is very largely imported into the Godavery District from the Nizam's dominions via Jnggayyapeta; indeed, I believe that very little of the large amount used in the district comes from any other source. Malwa opium is largely used, but that also coines through the Nizam's dominions. A slight quantity is exported to Vizagapatam and other places north. Prom a!l the inquiries I have made, I am led to believe that the value of the drug used comes to no less than seven lakhs of rupees per annum. It is used by persons of both sexes, the least estimate being that forty per cent, of the male population and twenty-five per cent, of the female population are opium-eaters, other estimates amounting to as much as seventyfire per cent, amongst males and fifty per cent, amongst females. All classes of society use it indiscriminately, but the use amongst Brahmins and Yuisyas is not so extensive as amongst the other classes. I
am
satisfied that it is not used
only
indulgence. It stages, especially rife in this
as
an
is considered a cure for several diseases in their final
preventive against some diseases After steady use for a time it is found so difficult to break through the habit, that persons who have once taken it and
a
district.
seldom leave off. There
are
several indications that the drug is used which I may mention the
following
as a
:?
medicine, amongst (1.) It is given in small doses to children. (2.) It is not used as a rule by healthy adults before the a^e of thirty or forty, indicating that it is not taken as a source of pleasure. (3.) It is not so much used by the upper classes as the lower, indicating again that it is not taken as a self-indulgence> but is considered necessury to those living a life of greater exposure and less abundantly supplied with clothing and good
are produced by the latter as by the immoderate use as with And, opium. alcohol, so with opium, the moderate use of the drug is, notwithstanding all advanced against it, often actually beneficial. The use of opium enables the "kossid" to travel long distances, which, without such stimulant, he would be unable to accomplish. Opium affords endurance to persons who, in the semi-desert districts of Marwar, either tending camels, or otherwise, are reduced to Remittent and Intermittent fever, Indian Annals of living on the most meagre fare, Medical Science, No. XXI. and the least nourishing of cereals. And, as I have elsewhere* observed, I am inclined to believe that opium exerts a prophylactic influence over the occurrence of I have frequently noticed the confirmed malarious disease. opium-eaters escape fever when others were attacked. This was specially noticed during tile autumn following the heavy rains of 1863. At Joudpoor, in the month of October, every two opiumperson attached to the Political Agency, excepting eaters, suffered from one or other type of fever. Many natives, moreover, believe opium will not only preserve them The drug has from fever, but also from some other maladies. indeed long been regarded as a remedial agent, second only to quinine, and therefore a prophylactic action might be presumed. Besides, like alcohol, preventing waste of tissue, it also exerts its well-known, direct, stimulating or sedative influ*
the nervous system, and thus tends to prevent malapoison taking effect in several different ways. Lastly, there are numerous old persons met with, who, hale and ence
The drug is considered an admirable febrifuge and is administered to fever-patients. It is supposed to keep out cold and prevent rheumatism and ague. I believe that the extensive use of
opium in this district is due to the extensive prevalence of fever, and that if the fever could be checked so would the use of the drug. Conversely, I think it unadvisable to at
present."
attempt arbitrarily
to
stop its
con-
on
rious
hearty, have been addicted to opium-eating during the greater portion of their lives. The conclusion appears, therefore, inevitable that the abuse, not the moderate use, of opium must be credited with the undoubted deleterious results of immoderate indulgence in the practice of either eating or
smoking
the
drug."
has
Opium tion with
frequently
quinine
been used both alone and in combina-
in the treatment
of malarious fevers.
It
by Paracelsus in doses of thirty, forty or fifty minims of the tinctui-e exhibited an hour before the expected paroxysm. Lind recommended the administration of the drug during the hot stage and applied an opium liniment to the
was
houses.
sumption
and disease
of
recommended
spine one
on
the
approach
The use of narcotine, opium, as an antiperiodic was O'Shaughnessy and its virtues have
of the cold stage.
of the constituents of
introduced by Sir W.
The most careful and been proved by several observers. complete trial of this drug was made by Dr. A. Garden
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
218 during an epidemic
of fever at
Ghazeepore
in 1859-60.
The
results of his experience were published in Yol. VII of the Indian Annals of Medical Science. He concluded that " though not of equal value with q\iinine, it has just claim to the next place in the ranks of antiperiodics and that there is no drug (quinine excepted) which cures so rapidly, so surely and with of the drug itself, at the same time that so little expenditure it is free from disagreeable effects in the majority of cases." Such being the case, the prophylactic value of opium becomes intelligible, though its use for the purpose of preventing fever can hardly, on other grounds, be recommended.
[August 1,
1874.
