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digital image 4
“...The following engravings, intended to depict the course of hun-
dreds and thousands of opium-smokers in China, were originally
published in the form of cartoons by the Canton Anti-Opium
Association—a purely native institution.
The explanations following are for the most part taken from
“ China’s Millions,” the monthly publication of the China Inland
Mission....”
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digital image 31
“...III.
THE EXTENT OF OPIUM-SMOKING IN
CHINA.
In the absence of an official census, we can only
select the most reliable evidence to be had on the
subject.
J. Dudgeon, Esq., M.D., C.M., of the Peking
Mission Hospital, estimates that of the male
population in China generally, probably 30 to 40
per cent, smoke opium; of the general city
population, 40 to 60 per cent.
The former of these statements is perhaps
rather excessive, seeing that the same authority
gives the number of agriculturists and field
labourers as averaging only 4 to 6 per cent.
Of the city population we have from various
quarters more minute estimates to guide us.
Taking three important cities from various
parts of the country, we find that the number of
opium-smokers does in each case exceed the
estimate given by Dr. Dudgeon.
1.—Suchow, the capital of the province of Kiang Su.
The Rev^C. H. Du Bose, a resident missionary, writes :—.
“ As a minimum estimate, seven-tenths of the adult
males smoke opium. To this fact all of the...”
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