(Corresponimtce. THE TREATMENT OF OPIUM-EATERS. To the Editor of the "Indian Medical Gazette Sir,?In the last (July) number of the Indian Medical Gazette, Dr. Mayne, Civil Surgeon of Narsingpur, C. P., gives his plan of treatment of opium-eaters, and expresses a desire to have the opinion of other medical men on the subject. As my experience of the treatment of opium-eaters was quite in unison with his among the same class of people in a neighbouring district, I beg to give it publicity with the hope that others situated like us may be induced to give it a fair trial. I was attached to the civil station at Sagor, C. P., from November 1867 to December 1873, as an Assistant to the Regimental Surgeon who held civil medical charge of the station. While there, I had certain duties allotted to me, and the medical charge of the Jail was one of them. During my 6 years' stay at the station I had hundreds of opium-eaters brought to the jail to undergo sentence of imprisonment. The people of Sagor were worse off as regards opium taking than those of Narsingpur. My rule of practice was to stop opium completely at once. It is true that the prisoners complained of excruciating pain for a day or two, but this was, I think, more imaginary than real, or rather the sensation of a mind weakened and imbeciled the habitual by prolonged opium-eating. The majority of them suffered from diarrhoea, but here too I obstinately withheld opium and treated the cases with chalk and kino, &c., and they invariably yielded to this treatment. I had in fact no real difficulty in treating these cases without opium. After the short period of 3 or 4 days' illness, they made gradual but steady improvement, so that at the time of their release they were found invariably to gain in weight. The happy result thus obtained should not be wondered at when we remember the grand principle that opium is a poison, and that there can be no compatibility between life and poison. I regret to state, however, that the improvement carried on in the jail was not to last long. No sooner were these opiumeaters out of jail than they invariably took to opium-eating again, and this even after years of abstinence. I remember well the case of a Brahmin opium-eater who was sent to jail several times for petty thefts, &c.; while in jail he got rid of his habit of opium-eating on each of these occasions, but no This sooner was he out than he contracted the habit again. gives us a practical lesson that to stop the habit of opium-eatto an is next a free in impossibility. population ing I am, yours truly, Ram Chundeb Mitter, Asst.-Surg.,

Dy.-Supdt. of Vaccination, Calcutta.