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A 43
20. There is also the general claim by Chinese employers of
labour that opium smokers are lazy, but we have been reminded
by-other witnesses that smokers, owing to the expense of their habit,
are unwilling to risk losing their employment.
21. The evidence of our medical witnesses naturally carrie!:!
considerable weight, and we feel that it is desirable to set out an
abstract of their views :-
Dr. Hoops.-Not morally or physicftlly harmful if used in
moderation. No distinguishing facial characteristics.
Dr. Connolly.-Reduces physical efficiency by 50 per cent.
Results in loss of memory and of power of concentration and
causes inaptitude for prolonged mental strain. Non-smokers
work better than smokers.
Dr. Ho Shiu Khan.-Makes a man lazy and negligent.
Does not cause any serious physical incapacity or mental
disease. Can tell the smoker by physical appearance.
Smoker of one or two packets a day differs little in capacity
from non-smoker.
Dr. Ah Chit Jap.-It destroys the body and brings moral
ruin and mental instability. Makes men thin and apathetic.
Dr. Samuels.-As a cause of insanity it is negligible. Not
noticed any ill effects in his particular Ime (mental cases).
Dr. Edgar.-Never seen any mental or moral degradation
result. Never known a case of insanity due to it. Moderate
smokers work as well and as hard as non-smokers. Keeps off
malaria. No loss of efficiency mental, moral or physical. .
Dr. Macaskill.-Smoker cannot be distinguished by
appearance. .Has never seen any mental or moral degradation
result. No physical degeneration other than a little emaciation.
Never heard of a case of insanity due to it. Smokers apt to
be lazy. Not a reason for refusing to pass a man for life
insurance. Gives freedom from worry and may thus lengthen
life.
Dr. Stanton.-From point of view of public health not a
serious menace. Much less serious than alcohol.
Dr. Kam Tak Khong.-Considers opium smoking results
in about 15 per cent loss of efficiency. No mental or moral'
degradation results. Good for diabetes, phthisis and malaria.
Moderate smoker and moderate drinker about same value, but
excessive smoker preferable to excessive drinker.
22. It will be observed that there is considerable disagreement
amongst the doctors. Seven of the nine medical witnesses have
little or nothing to say against the moderate smoker, while two
assert that mental, moral and physical ruin must result from the
habit. Not one of them claims to be able to distinguish the moderate
smoker by his appearance, and only two consider that it affects
capacity for labour, their estimates of loss of efficiency being as wide
apart as 50 per cent and 15 per cent.
23. We also have the views expressed by medical officers who
supervised the censuses of Chinese opium smokers in hospitals.
This view was recorded in respect of 699 of the smokers enumerated
in hospitals and in no case was the disease of the patient said to be
wholly attributable to opium smoking. In respect of 29.3 lIf these