[ C o m m u n ic a t e d to the Council Official No. : G. 521. M. 333. 1936. XI.a n d the Members of the League.] [O.C./A.R. 1935/37(a).]

(Issued in English only.)

Geneva, December 7th, 1936.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS

ANNUAL REPORTS BY GOVERNMENTS FOR 1935

CONCERNING PREPARED OPIUM

HONGKONGCommunicated by the Government of the United Kingdom

Note by the Secretary-General.

In accordance with Article 21 of the Convention for limiting the Manufacture and regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs of 1931, the Secretary-General has the honour to communicate herewith to the parties to the Convention and to other States the above- mentioned report.

(For the form of annual reforts concerning prepared opium, see document O.C.1422(c)(2 ).)

I. (a) New Legislative Measures.

There were no new legislative or administrative measures during the year under review.

I. (b) Working of the System of Control in force in the Territory.

The statements made in the 1933 and 1934 reports continue to hold good.1 Hong-Kong is flooded with illicit Chinese opium and the enormous disparity between the prices of licit and illicit opium makes the colony a hunting-ground for smugglers. The price of Chinese raw opium remained fairly constant through the year, and from evidence collected in opium boiling cases it was obvious that the local market is very largely supplied with prepared opium which has been prepared in Hong-Kong from Chinese raw opium. Fines and imprisonment continue to make no impression on the illicit traffic, which is looked upon by a large section of the public without antipathy.

For further information, see the Opium and Dangerous Drugs Report.2

II. New Activities during the Year with a view to combating the Use of Prepared Opium.

(1) Instruction of young people and the means employed for this purpose. There is 3 * dded under this head to last year’s report, except that the disproportion betweenitOUTCra-

Panamap.u .tie Education Department in 1935 and the revenue derived from opium {videu'pium and Social Services Account) has been accentuated.

(2) Propaganda carried out by the Government.—No change from last year's report.(3) Social and medical services which the Government consider to have an important

bearing on the habit of smoking opium.—Social services.—The policy of encouraging athletics in conjunction with the Children's Playground Association has been continued. In addition to the grounds held by that Association, the Government allots areas to the extent of 14 acres in all to Chinese recreation clubs, whose membership runs into several thousands. Evidence of the success of this policy is apparent in the fact that all the senior football trophies and the Tennis League championship of the colony are at present held by Chinese clubs.

1 Documents O.C./A.R. 1933/53 and O.C./A.R.1934/53.2 Document O.C./A.R.1935/37.

d- N. 700.12/36. Imp. Réunies, ChamWiy.

Medical services.—i. The Government makes provision for the treatment of opium addicts in two of the large hospitals in the colony—viz., the Government Civil Hospital and the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital.

2. At the Government Civil Hospital, 37 cases were treated during the year and 441 were treated at the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, making a total of 478 cases—the Government being responsible for the expense.

3 . At the Government Civil Hospital, where treatment was carried out under Professor Gerrard, the method employed was complete and instant withdrawal of opium. In addition the Modinos method of treatment by means of vesicatory serum was used in some cases. Professor Gerrard states : “ The efficacy of the latter method is extremely difficult to assess.I am doubtful that any real immunity to drug addiction, as claimed by Modinos, is ever developed.”

4. Results of treatment.—Relieved, 35 cases ; unchanged, 1 case ; under treatment,1 case.

5. Forty-two opium addicts attended at the Out-patient Department for treatment, but refused to enter hospital. Treatment of out-patients is unfortunately seldom successful.

6. No patients have returned for readmission. There is, however, no follow-up system in Hong-Kong and, as a result, no reliable figures can be given for relapses.

7. In the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, where treatment was carried out under the direction of the Senior Medical Officer, Dr. Phoon Seek Weng, the method employed consisted in withdrawal of opium and the administration of stimulants, tonics, carminatives and, some­times, sedatives. Occasionally, tincture of opium in pharmacopoeia! doses was given to stubborn cases, especially of elderly addicts.

Concurrently with the above treatment the injection of a serum taken from the patient's blisters was tried in some cases.

8. The average duration of treatment was ten days.9. According to Dr. Phoon, 70% of the patients were relieved of their habit, 20% were

improved and 10% were unaffected.Most of the patients were happy and contented during treatment. Very few complained

of suffering.10. The preceding figures refer only to actual observations in the hospital. None of the

patients reported subsequently, so that it is impossible to say how far the cure was permanent,

(4) Organisations engaging in activities to combat the use of prepared opium, their strength and activities, and financial support, if any, accorded by the Government.—The attitude of the Hong-Kong Government remains as announced in previous reports.

III. Scientific Research.

No special research was undertaken.

IV. Other Information.

(1) Reports by the medical authorities having charge of the treatment of addicts are annexed as appendices.

(2) No collection or purchases of opium dross are made, for reasons stated in the 1933 report. All opium dross seized was found to be illicit and, in view of the low figure to which the licit opium sales have fallen, the amount of dross from licit opium available must be very small.

(3) The whole colony is affected by the illicit traffic, which should be subdivided in two heads : (a) for local smokers and (b) for export to opium-smoking communities elsewhere.

The supplies for local smokers are generally prepared locally from Chinese raw opium and during the year several seizures were made which indicated boiling on a considerable scale. In one case, 11 gallons of an aqueous solution of opium were found, together with 23 taels of prepared opium and 28 taels of opium dross. Particulars of seizures of prepared and raw opium are given in Appendices I A-D. The retail price of illicit prepared opium ranged from 2-5oHong-Kong dollars to 3.50 Hong-Kong dollars per tael. Chinese raw opium ranged from 1.60 Hong-Kong dollars to 2 Hong-Kong dollars per tael, and very little Iranian raw opium was used in the illicit Hong-Kong market. Throughout the year, divans and boiling establish­ments were continually raided. The number of divans is unfortunately not decreasing, and in many cases it was discovered that they reopened within a few hours of being raided. In_ some divans, female attendants were found, also supplies of tea in thermos fia^Ss^'A^most disquieting feature was the number of opium divans in which diacetylmorphine jÇills were also available for smoking purposes. From information collected by experienced ofl&r.eis,„j.tJs estimated that there are two to three thousand opium divans in Hong-Kong, and that a divan cannot exist and pay its expenses on less than 2 taels of prepared opium per day, a quantity that would meet the daily needs of from thirty to forty medium smokers. Hong-Kong’s illicit consumption must therefore be over 4 000 taels per day. The following are the figures for the year of fines, imprisonments and deportations following opium offences (including heroin pills but not other dangerous drugs) :

(a) Fines imposed, 549 363.50 Hong-Kong dollars ;(b) Fines paid, 14 734-33 Hong-Kong dollars ;(c) Persons imprisoned : 1 323 ;(d) Persons deported : 597.

— 3 —

As a general rule, persons found smoking in divans were not arrested, owing to lack of gaol accommodation, and in most cases the divan-keeper did not pay his or her fine. To the r e a s o n s given in the last year’s report for the non-payment of fines should be added the known fact that convicted divan-keepers are often paid by their principals for the period served in gaol in lieu of fine. During the year under review, 79 423 days in gaol were served by opium p r i s o n e r s (many of whom were convicted at the same time for offences under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance) and 13 781 days were served by persons convicted under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance only. The cost of maintenance of these prisoners in gaol was 106 252.56 Hong-Kong dollars.

The export traffic is necessarily carried on under conditions which make it difficult to form a reliable estimate as to its extent.

During the year under review, large seizures were made on vessels bound for ports in Java, Malaya and the United States of America, but the ultimate destination of the opium can only be a matter of conjecture. The large amounts seized in some cases indicate an orga­nised traffic. During the year, extensive smuggling of prepared opium was detected in printed matter and letters posted in Hong-Kong and elsewhere. This opium was generally specially dried prepared opium, and the amount in each letter or packet varied from 1 to 6 taels. In the la tter case, raw opium was being forwarded. Two arrests of senders of these postal packets were made in Hong-Kong. One male absconded, leaving a bail of 2 000 Hong-Kong dollars, but the second was tried and convicted. Information regarding these postal packets was forwarded to the authorities in the countries concerned, and it is understood that several arrests were made. Correspondence seized, in the two cases mentioned, showed that the traffic had been carried on for some time and had been facilitated by the fact that printed matter and letters were not normally liable to Customs examination in the countries of destination.

(4) The preventive staff consisted of four executive and twenty preventive European officers, 108 Chinese preventive officers and eight Chinese female searchers. Rewards through­out the period under review were paid for information received according to the results obtained, but financial stringency dictated the reduction of rewards for large seizures and thereby added to the difficulties of combating the large-scale international traffic. Information was regularly forwarded to the Government or departments concerned elsewhere, and is understood to have resulted in seizures of importance.

(5) In the course of the year, there were 310 seizures involving 654 233 diacetylmorphine pills (see special remarks under diacetylmorphine pills in the Opium and Dangerous DrugsReport).

(6) A table of the prices at which prepared opium has been sold by the Government during the year is set out in Appendix II. During the year, there was no change in the price. The Kam Shan brand is a special luxury type prepared and packed prior to January 1933.It is sold only to registered and rationed smokers, and stocks are becoming exhausted. The number of these consumers has again decreased considerably owing to deaths, departures from the colony and the financial depression. They now number a hundred only, and in 1935 they paid 179 680 Hong-Kong dollars for the opium which they purchased—i.e., 49.6% of the gross opium revenue.

(7) For the year under review, the special opium account shows a loss of 140 410.69 Hong-Kong dollars. This is a matter of grave concern, indicating inadequacy in the present • machinery of control and throwing doubt upon the ability of the local administration to cope with the demands of the situation unaided. The geographical position of this small colony makes it inevitably a nodal point in international illicit traffic, and it is to be apprehended that the cost of successfully combating that traffic may eventually prove to be in excess of its domestic resources.

O p i u m a n d S o c i a l S e r v i c e s A c c o u n t , 1935.1

Debit. Hong-Kong dollars CreditCost of E duca tion D ep a r tm en t . . 1 702 205.44 DeficitCost of M edical D ep a r tm en t (less

direct expend itu re in connec­tion w ith opium ) ..................... 1 383 981 .17

Cost of S an ita ry D e p a r tm e n t . . 920 862.32Deficit on Special Opium A ccount 140 410.69

4 147 459.62 4 M 7 459-62

Total revenue of th e colony, 1935 : 28 430 549 58 H ong-K ong dollars.

1 I t is necessary to bear in mind that, owing chiefly to the necessity for bringing to account the vouchers covering the receipts and disbursements for the year in the United Kingdom, it is not possible to close the colony's accounts tod so prepare the special opium account for any year before the middle of April in the following year.

Certain figures relating to raw opium are included in this report, owing to the fact th a t in Hong-Kong raw and Prepared opium are closely connected. The raw opium figures are included in the report on raw opium and dangerous drugs (document O.C./A.R.1935/37).

Hong-Kong dollars 4 147 459.62

— 4 -

S p e c i a l O p i u m A c c o u n t , 1 9 3 5 -

Hong-Kong dollars

21 455 .86

1 002.23

Debit.

O p i u m P u r c h a s e s :

R aw opium .......................................P repared opium ..............................T ran sp o rt charges, e tc ., to and

from S in g a p o r e ..............................Opium incidental expenses

M o n o p o l y E x p e n s e s :

Expenses chargeable in fu ll to opium :G overnm ent shops an d salaries to

opium r e t a i l e r s .............................. 20 976.59T ran sp o rt in connection w ith shops 273 .00O pium rew ards (to ta l, including

p ay m en ts to p o l i c e ) ..................... 31 132.00

Overhead expenses partially chargeable to opium :

Personal em olum ents :40% of to ta l expend itu re on

personal em olum ents of Im ­ports an d E x p o rts D ep a rtm en t 105 097.38

15% on above for expend itu reon passages an d pensions .. 15 764.61

Launches :50% of th e ru n n in g expenses of

th e th ree revenue launches of Im p o rts and E x p o rts D ep a rt ­m en t ....................................... 16 815.01

O ther charges :40 % of miscellaneous charges . . 5 938 .55

Credit.

22 458.09

Gross proceeds from sale of opium

T o ta l va lue of op ium seized a n d d isposed of o therw ise th a n by des tru c tio n

Proceeds of fines and forfe itu res

D eficit

Hong-Konr» dollars °

361 713.55

5 3 4 6 5 . 2 6

H 734-33

1 4 0 4 1 0 . 6 9

P o r t i o n o f t h e E x p e n s e s o r t h e

G e n e r a l S e r v i c e s c h a r g e a b l e

t o O p i u m :

P r i s o n s :

Expenditure chargeable in fu ll to opium :Cost of m a in tenance of opium

1 9 5 9 9 7 - 1 4

prisoners

Overhead expenses partially chargeable to opium :Personal em olum ents :

21 % of to ta l ex p en d itu re of the d ep a r tm e n t fori935

15% on above for passages and p e n s io n s .......................................

O ther charges :21% of to ta l for 1935 less cost

of m a in tenance of opiumpris’o n e r s .......................................

New buildings :21 % of p a r t of cap ita l expend ­

i tu re on new prison apportion- able to 1935, th e p robab le life of th e prison being es tim ateda t fifty y ea rs .....................

21% of p a r t of cap ita l ex p en d ­itu re o n extensions to L ai Chi K ok prison ap po rtionab le to 1935, th e p robab le life of th e build ing being es tim a te d a t tw e n ty y e a r s ..............................

P o l i c e :

5 % of to ta l expend itu re of d e p a r t ­m e n t .................................................

H o s p i t a l s a n d D i s p e n s a r i e s

chargeable in full toExpenditure opium :T re a tm e n t of opium add ic ts

Overhead expenses partially chargeable to op ium :P o rtio n of general ex pend itu re of

M edical D e p a r tm e n t fo r 1935 . .

New build ings :0.415 % of p a r t of cap ita l expend ­

itu re o n new hosp ita l ap p o r ­tio n ab le to 1935, th e p robable life of th e bu ild ing being es t i ­m a ted a t fifty y ea rs

27 321 51

81 780.31

12 267.05

69 587.44

“ 18 900 .00

5 9 8 . 9 2

121 788.60

2 263.80

17 062 .17

298.80351 868.60

570 323.83 T o ta l . . . . 570 323.

* This figure differs from tha t in the 1934 report, owing to revision in the estimated cost of the building.

Nü.

Form I . — P r e p a r e d O p i u m m a n u f a c t u r e d d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

Form I I . — Q u a n t i t i e s o f R a w a n d P r e p a r e d O p i u m u s e d i n t h e M a n u f a c t u r e o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m

d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

No G overnm en t m an u fa c tu re in th e te rr ito ry .

Form I I I .—C o n s u m p t i o n o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

1 2 3Name or brand under which the Quantities consumed by smokers

prepared opium was sold Rationed Non-rationedKg. Kg.

1. K am S h a n ..................................................... 255 —2. S i n g a p o r e .................................................................... -— 400

T o ta l : 655 kg.

F orm I V . — S t o c k s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m .

A m ount of stocks held by th e G overnm ent on D ecem ber 31st, 1935, in G overnm ent s trong room :1 292 kg.

Form V .— N u m b e r a n d N a t i o n a l i t y o f S m o k e r s a n d R a t e o f C o n s u m p t i o n .

1 2 3 4 5Consumption

Estimated per head ofXT . . „ ,. , Non- population estimatedNationality Rationed rationed of each population

nationality of eachnationality

Chinese ..................... 100 824* 944 971 Infinitesimal®

a That is, smokers of Government opium as ascertained by a census of customers a t Government shops and licensed retailers taken during three consecutive days in December.

6 That is, consumption of Government opium. No accurate data are available regarding consumption of illicit opium ; but some idea of its extent can be derived from the figures given under head IV(3) and in Appendix I.

Form V I . — N u m b e r o f R e t a i l S h o p s .

Owned by the Government Licensed by the Government

1 2 3 4Opened during In existence on Opened during In existence on

the year December 31st the year December 31stNil 6 Nil 24

A rrangem ents were m ade during th e y ea r under review to open seven G overnm ent reta il shops and close th ir te en licensed shops early in 1936.

F orm V I I . — N u m b e r o f S m o k i n g - E s t a b l i s h m e n t s .

No G overnm ent or licensed sm oking-estab lishm ent.

Form V I I I . — D r o s s .

Stocks of dross held by the G overnm en t on J a n u a ry 1st, 1935 : Nil.Q uantities of dross collected or purchased b y th e G overnm ent during the y e a r 1935 : Nil.Q uantities of dross seized during th e y e a r : 4 kg.Stocks of dross held b y the G overnm ent on D ecem ber 31st, 1935 • Nil.Average price pa id by th e G overnm ent for dross purchased : No purchase made.

Note.—All op ium dross seized was destroyed.

Form I X -— S e i z u r e s o f R a w a n d P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

Total quantity seized Raw opium Prepared opium

Kg. Kg.1 755a 688

* Of this 1 472 kg. were Chinese raw opium and 283 kg. were Iranian raw.

A ppendix I A.

M a j o r S e i z u r e s o f R a w O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

See A ppendix I IA to th e A nnual R e p o rt for 1935 by H o n g-K ong on Traffic in O pium and Other D angerous D rugs (docum ent O.C./A.R.1935/37).

A ppendix I B.

M a j o r S e i z u r e s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1 9 3 5 .

Place of seizure Kind of opium

President Hayes, a long K ow loon w harf . . . . K w angchow -W an5 .5 .W in g Wo in th e h a rb o u r of V ictoria . . . . K w angchow -W anM.S. Pleasantville ................................................. K w angchow -W anM.S. Pleasantville ................................................. K w angchow -W an5.5. Gaasterkerk ................................................. R ed L ionF ish erm an ’s h u t, L a m m a Is lan d ..................... K w angchow -W an

Taels

3 ° °6409903 4 °132500

Destination indicated by circumstances

of seizure U.S.A. H ong-K ong U.S.A.U.S.A.Singapore or Java F o r ex po rt

A ppendix I C.

C l a s s i f i e d L i s t o f S e i z u r e s o f R a w O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

Number of cases Quantity in taelsChineseIra n ia n

564 38 86021 7 473

585 46

1 ^

1

£

1 1,1T ota l

A ppendix I D.

C l a s s i f i e d L i s t o f S e i z u r e s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

Number of cases Quantity in taelsR ed L ion B ran d ....................................... 6 3 893Indo-C hina ................................................. 1 9C an ton .......................................................... 26 360W uchow .......................................................... 22 310K w angchow -W an ....................................... 23 12 350D oubtfu l .......................................................... 757 1 246

T o t a l .......................................................... 835 18 168

Appendix II.

P r i c e s o f G o v e r n m e n t O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1 9 3 5 .

Kam Shan Singapore3-tael tin 20-tael tube 0.02-tael tube

80 H ong-K ong dollars 3.40 H ong-K ong dollars 0.35 H ong-K ong dollar

Appendix III.

O p i u m A d d i c t s t r e a t e d i n t h e G o v e r n m e n t C i v i l H o s p i t a l .

Report by Professor Gerrard.

Opium Addicts.

D uring th e year, th ir ty -seven were adm itted . T re a tm en t has been on previous lines an d im mediate results have been good. No cases have re tu rn ed for readmission, w ith the resu lt th a t reliable inform ation as to relapse can n o t be obta ined.

Clinical research on the gastric function of add ic ts is being continued and results so far show, almost w ithou t exception, a condition of hyperch lo rhydria and pylorospasm .

In-patients.

N um ber of cases ad m itted to the U niversity medical clinic from Ja n u a ry to th e end of December, 1 9 3 5 : 37 -

Duration of Treatment.

Less th a n 5 d a y s ..............................5 to 20 d a y s .......................................O ver 20 d a y s .......................................A verage n u m b e r of days in hospital L ongest d u ra tio n in hosp ital S h o rte s t d u ra tio n in hosp ital

Result of Treatment.

R e lie v e d .................................................U nchanged .......................................U nder t r e a t m e n t ..............................No cases read m itted for fu rthe r t r e a tm e n t

(S igned) W. I. G e r r a r d .

35 cases 1 case 1 case

1 case 33 cases

2 cases13 days (approximate) 24 days

1 day

— 7 —

A ppendix IV.

T r e a t m e n t o f O p i u m A d d i c t s i n t h e T u n g W a h E a s t e r n H o s p i t a l .

In-patients.

N um ber of cases ad m itte d to th e T u n g W ah E as te rn H ospita l from J a n u a ry is t , 1935, to D ecem ber^ist, 1935, inclusive :

Males ........................................................................................................................... 429 casesF e m a l e s ........................................................................................................................... —

T o t a l ............................................................................................... 429 cases

'Duration of Treatment.

Less th a n 5 d a y s ........................................................................................................ 28 cases5 to 20 d a y s .............................................................................................................. 397 casesO ver 20 d a y s ................................................................................................................. 4 casesA verage n um ber of days in h o s p i t a l ................................................................... 10 daysL ongest d u ra tio n of days in h o s p i t a l ................................................................... 27 daysS horte s t d u ra tio n of days in h o s p i t a l ................................................................... 1 day

Result of Treatment.

R e l ie v e d ........................................................................................................................... 70%Im p ro v e d ................................................................................................................. 20%U nchanged ................................................................................................................. 10%

(S igned) T. W . W a r e ,

Visiting Medical Officer, Chinese Hospitals and Dispensaries.

U.lUi !B?5^TWÇÇll

OC/AE If35 / Br/(e)

REPORT OP THE

GOVERNMENT OP HONG KONG

FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1935

ON THE TRAFFIC IN

PREPARED OPIUM.

PRINTED BY

NORONHA & COMPANY, HONG KONG.

N o t e :—It is necessary to bear in mind that, owing chiefly t o

the necessity for bringing to account the vouohers covering the receipts a n d disbursements for the year in the United Kingdom it is not possible to close the Colony’s accounts and so prepare t h e special opium account for any year before the middle of April in the following year.

Certain figures relating to Raw Opium are included in this report owing to the fact that in Hong Kong Raw and Prepared Opium are closely connected. The Raw Opium figures will be included in the report on Raw Opium and Dangerous Drugs.

REPORT OF THE

GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG

FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1935 ON THE TRAFFIC IN PREPARED OPIUM.

I . (a) New Legislative Measures.

There were no new Legislative or Administrative measures during the year under review.

I. (b) Working of the System of Control in force in the Territory.

The statements made in the 1933 and 1934 reports continue to hold good. Hong Kong is flooded with illicit Chinese opium and the enormous disparity between the prices of licit and illicit opium makes the Colony a hunting ground for smugglers. The price of Chinese raw opium remained fairly constant through the year and from evidence collected in opium boiling cases it was obvious that the local market is very largely supplied with prepared opium which has been prepared in Hong Kong from Chinese raw opium. Fines and imprisonment continue to make no impression on the illicit traffic which is looked upon by a large section of the public without antipathy.

(For further information see the Opium and Dangerous Drugs Report.)

II. New activities during the year vnth a view to combating the use of prepared opium.

(1 ) I n s t r u c t i o n o f y o u n g p e o p l e a n d t h e m e a n s

e m p l o y e d f o b t h i s p u r p o s e . There is nothing to be added under this head to last year’s report except that the dispro­portion between the cost of the Education Department in 1935 and the revenue derived from opium (vide Opium and Social Services Account) has been accentuated.

(2 ) P r o p a g a n d a c a r r i e d o u t b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t .

No change from last year’s report.

(3) S o c i a l an d m e d i c a l s e r v i c e s w h i c h t h e G o v e r n ­

m e n t CONSIDER TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT BEARING ON THE HABIT

OF SMOKING OPIUM.

Social Services.

The policy of encouraging athletics in conjunction with the Children’s Playground Association has been continued. In addition to the grounds held by that Association, Govern­ment allots areas to the extent of 14 acres in all to Chinese Recreation clubs whose membership runs into several thousands. Evidence of the success of this policy is apparent in the fact that all the senior football trophies and the Tennis League championship of the Colony are at present held by Chinese clubs.

Medical Services.

1. The Government makes provision for the treatment of opium addicts in two of the large hospitals in the Colony, viz., Government Civil Hospital and the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital.

2. At the Government Civil Hospital 37 cases were treated during the year and 441 were treated at the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, making a total of 478 cases—Govern­ment being responsible for the expense.

3. At the Government Civil Hospital where treatment was carried out under Professor Gerrard the method employed was complete and instant withdrawal of opium.

In addition the Modinos method of treatment by means of vesicatory serum was used in some cases. Prof. Gerrard states “ the efficacy of the latter method is extremely difficult to assess; I am doubtful that any real immunity to drug addiction, as claimed by Modinos, is' ever developed.”

4. Results of Treatment

Relieved, 35 cases;

Unchanged, 1 case;

Under treatment, 1 case.

5. 42 opium addicts attended at the Out-patient Depart­ment. for treatment, but refused to enter hospital. Treat­ment. of out-patients is unfortunately seldom successful.

6. No patients have returned for re-admission. There is, however, no follow-up system in Hong Kong and as a result no reliable figures can be given for relapses.

7. In the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, where treatment was carried out under the direction of the Senior Medical Officer Dr. Phoon Seek Weng, the method employed consisted in withdrawal of opium and the administration of stimulants, tonics carminatives and sometimes sedatives. Occasionally tincture of opium in pharmacopoeia! doses was given to stubborn cases, especially of elderly addicts.

Concurrently with the above treatment the injection of a serum taken from the patient’s' blisters was tried in somecases.

8. The average duration of treatment was ten days.

9. According to Dr. Phoon 70% of the patients were relieved of their habit, 20% were improved and 10% were unaffected.

Most of the patients were happy and contented during treatment. Very few complained of suffering.

10. The preceding figures refer only to actual obser­vations in the hospital. None of the patients reported subsequently, so that it is impossible to say how far the cure was permanent.

(4 ) O r g a n i s a t i o n s e n g a g i n g in a c t i v i t i e s t o c o m b a t

THE USE OP PREPARED OPIUM, THEIR STRENGTH AND ACTIVITIES.

AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT, IF ANY, ACCORDED BY THE GOVERN­

MENT.

The attitude of the Hong Kong Government remains as announced in previous reports'.

III. Scientific Research.

No special research was undertaken.

IV. Other Information.(1) Reports: by the Medical Authorities having charge of

the treatment of addicts are annexed as Appendices.

(2) No collection or purchases of opium dross are made for reasons, stated in the 1933 report. All opium dross seized was found to be illicit .and in view of the low figure to which the licit opium sales have fallen the amount of dross from licit opium available must be very small.

(3) The whole colony is affected by the illicit traffic which should be subdivided in two heads :—

(a) For local smokers and(b) For export to opium smoking communities

elsewhere.

The supplies for local smokers are generally prepared locally from raw Chinese opium and during the year several seizures: were made which indicated boiling on a considerable scale. In, one case, eleven gallons of an aqueous solution of opium were found together with 23 taels of prepared opium and 28 taels of opium dross. Particulars of seizures of prepared and raw opium are given in Appendix I. The retail price of illicit prepared opium ranged from H.K .$2.50 to H .K .$3.50 per tael. Raw Chinese opium ranged from H.K. $1.60 to H .K .$2.00 per tael and very little raw Iranian opium was used in the illicit Hong Kong market. Throughout the year divans and boiling establishments were continually raided. The number of divans is unfortunately not decreas­ing and in many cases it was discovered that they reopened within a few hours of being raided. In some divans female attendants were found, also supplies of tea in thermos flasks. A most disquieting feature was the number of opium divans in which diacetvlmorphine pills were also available for

smoking purposes. From information collected by experienced officers it is estimated that there are two to three thousand opium divans in Hong Kong, and that a divan cannot exist and pay its expenses on less than two taels of prepared opium per day, a quantity that would meet the daily needs of from 30 to 40 medium smokers. Hong Kong’s illicit consumption must therefore be over four thousand taels per day. The following are the figures for the year of fines, imprisonments and deportations following opium offences (including heroin pills but not other dangerous drugs) :—

(a) Fines imposed H .K .$549,363.50(b) Fines paid H .K .$14,734.33(c) Persons imprisoned.— 1,323(d) Persons deported.— 597

As a general rule persons found smoking in divans were not arrested owing to lack of gaol accommodation, and in most cases the divan keeper did not pay his or her fine. To the reasons given in the last year’s report for the non­payment of lines should be added the known fact that convicted divan-keepers are often paid by their principals for the period served in gaol in lieu of fine. During the year under review 79,423 days in gaol were served by opium prisoners (many of whom were convicted at the same time for offences under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance) and 13,781 days were served by persons convicted under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance only, The cost of maintenance of these prisoners in gaol was H.K. $106,252.56.

The export traffic is necessarily carried on under con­ditions which make it difficult to form a reliable estimate as to its extent.

During the year under review large seizures were made on vessels bound for ports in Java, Malaya and the United States of America, but the ultimate destination of the opium can only be a matter of conjecture. The large amounts seized in some cases indicate an organised traffic. During the year extensive smuggling of prepared opium was detected in printed matter and letters posted in Hong Kong and elsewhere. This opium was generally specially dried pre­pared opium and the amount in eac-h letter or packet varied from one to six taels. In the latter case raw opium was being forwarded. Two arrests of senders of these postal packets were made in Hong Kong. One male absconded leaving a bail of H.K. $2,000, but the second was tried and

convicted. Information regarding these postal packets was forwarded to the authorities in the countries concerned and it is understood that several arrests were made. Corre­spondence seized, in the two cases mentioned, showed that the traffic had been carried on for some time and had been facilitated by the fact that printed matter and letters were not normally liable to customs examination in the countries of destination.

(4) The preventive staff consisted of four executive and twenty preventive European officers. 108 Chinese preventive officers and 8 Chinese female searchers. Rewards throughout the period under review were paid for information received according to the results obtained but financial stringency dictated the reduction of rewards for large seizures and thereby added to the difficulties of combating the large scale international traffic. Information was regularly forwarded to the Government or departments concerned elsewhere, and is understood to have resulted in seizures of importance.

(5) In the course of the year there were 310 seizures involving 654,233 diacetylmorphine pills (see special remarks under diacetylmorphine pills in the Opium and Dangerous Drugs Report).

(6) A table of the prices at which prepared opium has been sold by the Government during the year is set out in Appendix II. During the year there was no change in the price. The Kam Shan brand is a special luxury type prepared and packed prior to January, 1933. It is sold only to register­ed and rationed smokers and stocks are becoming exhausted. The number of these consumers' has again decreased con­siderably owing to deaths, departures from the Colony and the financial depression. They now number a hundred only, and in 1935 they paid H.K. $ 179,680 for the opium which they purchased ; i.e., 49.6% of the gross opium revenue.

(7) For the year under review the special opium account shows a loss of $140,410.69. This is a matter of grave concern, indicating inadequacy in the present machinery of control and throwing doubt upon the ability of the local administration to cope with’ the demands of the situation unaided. The geographical position of this small Colony makes it inevitably a nodal point in international illicit traffic, and it is to be apprehended that the cost of successfully combating that traffic may eventually prove to be in excess of its domestic resources.

HONG KONG.

Y e a r 1935.

Opium and Social Services Account.

D e b i t . C r e d i t .

$

Cost of Education Deficit 4,147,459.62Department ,..1,702,205.44

Cost of Medical Department (less direct expenditure in connectionwith opium) ...1,383,981.17

Cost of SanitaryDepartment .... 920,862.32

Deficit on SpecialOpium Account. 140,410.69

$4,147,459.62 $4,147,459.62

Total Eevenue of the Colony 1935 $ 28,430,549.58

Hong Kong.

Year 1935.

S-pecial Opium Account.

D EBIT.

O p i u m P u r c h a s e s : $

Haw opium ...................................... Nil.Prepared opium ............................. 21,455.86Transport charges, etc., to and

from Singapore ................... 1,002.23Opium Incidental expenses .... Nil.

M o n o p o l y e x p e n s e s :

E x p e n s e s chargeable in fu l l to opium. : —

Government shops and salariesto opium retailers ................ , 20,976.59

Transport in connection withshops ...................................... 273.00

Opium rewards (total includingpaym ents to police) ............ 31,132.00

Overhead expenses partially charge­able to Opium: —

Personal Em olum ents :40'% of to tal expenditure on

personal emoluments of Im ports and Exports D e­partm ent .............................. 105,097.38

15% on above for expenditure onpassages and pensions ........ 15,764.61

Launches :50% of the running expenses of

the 3 Revenue Launches of Im ports and Exports D e­partm ent .............. ...» 16,815.01

O ther charges :40% of miscellaneous charges... 5,938.55

P o r t i o n o f t h e e x p e n s e s o f t h e

G e n e r a l S e r v i c e s c h a r g e a b l e

t o O p i u m :

P r i s o n s :

Expenditure chargeable in full to opium :

Cost of maintenance of opiumprisoners ................................... 27,321.51

Overhead, expenses partially charge­able to o p iu m :Personal Emoluments :

21% of total expenditure of thedepartment for 1935 ......... 81,780.31

15% on above for passages andpensions ........................... 12,267.05

Other charges :21% of total for 1935 less cost

of maintenance of opiumprisoners ................................... 69,587.44

New Buildings :21% of part of capital expendi­

ture on new Prison appor- tionable to 1935, the prob­able life of the prison beingestimated at 50 years (1) 18,900.00

21% of part of capital expendi­ture on extensions to Lai Chi Kok Prison apportion- able to 1935, the probable life of the building being estimated at 20 years 598.92

P o l i c e :

5% of total expenditure of D e­partment ................................. 121,788.60

H o s p i t a l s & D i s p e n s a r i e s :

Expenditure chargeable in full to opium. :

Treatment of opium addicts 2,263.80

Overhead expenses partially charge­able to opium :

Portion of general expendi­ture of Medical Departmentfor 1935 ................................. 17,062.17

New Buildings :.415% of part of capital expendi­

ture on new Hospital appor- tionable to 1935, the prob­able life of the building being estimated at 50 years. 298.80

22,458.09

195,997.14

351,868.60

$570,323.83

CREDIT.

Gross proceeds from sale of o p iu m .

Total value of opium seized and disposed of otherwise than by destruction ................................

Proceeds of fines and forfeitures ......................................

Deficit ............................................. ................. ............

$

361,713.55

53,465.26

14,734.33

140,410.69

$570,323.83

(1) This figure differs from th a t in the 1934 Report owing to revision in the estim ated cost of the building.

— 9 —

FORM I.

P r e p a r e d O p i u m M a n u f a c t u r e d d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

1 2

Name or brand under which the Quantities' manufactured (kg)prepared opium is sold.

Nil Nil

Total :— Nil

FORM II.

Q u a n t i t i e s o f E a w & P r e p a r e d O p i u m u s e d i n t h e M a n u f a c t u r e

o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

1 2 3 4 5

Quantities of Eaw Opium employed derived from Total

quantities of raw

opium used

Prepared Opium used

(seized or remanu- factured)

Horn e Produce Imports Seizures

Kg. Kg. Kg. Kg. Kg-

No Government manufacture in the territory.

— 10 —

FORM III.

C o n s u m p t i o n o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

Name or brand under which the Prepared Opium was sold.

1. Kam Shan2. Singapore

Quantities consumed by Smokers

Non-rationed.Rationed.

Total ................ 655 Kgs.

FORM IV.

S t o c k s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m .

Amount of stocks held by the Government on 31st December, 1935 in Government Strong Room : 1292 Kg.

FORM V.

N u m b e r a n d N a t i o n a l i t y o p S m o k e r s a n d R a t e o f C o n s u m p t i o n .

1 2 3 4 5

Nationality RationedNon-

rationed

Estimated population of each nationality

Consumption per head of estimated population of each nationality.

Chinese 100 (1) 824 944,971 Infinitesimal (2)

(1) i.e., smokers of Government opium as ascertained by a census of customers at Government shops and licensed retailers taken during 3 consecutive days in December.

(2) i.e., consumption of Government opium. No accurate data areavailable regarding consumption of illicit opium ; but some idea of its extent can be derived from the figures given under Head IV (3) and in Appendix I.

— 11 —

FORM VI.

N u m b e r o f R e t a i l S h o p s .

Owned by the Government.

Opened during the year.

Nil

In existence on 31st December.

Licensed by the Government.

3

Opened during the year.

Nil

In existence on 31st December.

24

Arrangements were made during the year under review to open seven Government Retail Shops and close thirteen Licensed Shops early in 1936.

FORM VII.

N u m b e r o f S m o k i n g E s t a b l i s h m e n t s .

Government Establishments.

Opened during the year.

In existence on 31st December.

Licensed Establishments.

Opened during the year.

In existence on 31st December.

No Government or licensed smoking establishment.

FORM V III.

D r o s s .

Stocks of dross held by the Government on 1st January, 1935...Nil Kg.

Quantities of dross collected or purchased by the Governmentduring the year 1935 ......... Nil Kg.

Quantities of dross seized during the year ............. 4 Kg.

Stocks of dross held by the Government on 31st December,1935 ...................... Nil Kg.

Average price paid by the Government for drosspurchased ................................................................. No purchase made

N o t e :—All opium dross seized was destroyed.

— 12

FORM IX.

S e i z u r e s o f E a w a n d P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

Total Quantity Seized.

Eaw Opium Prepared Opium

Kg. Kg.

1755 (1) 688

(1) Of th is 1472 Kg. were Eaw Chinese Opium and 283 Kg. were Eaw Iranian.

— 13

Appendix I A.

M a j o r S e i z u r e s o f E a w O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r 1935.

Place of Seizure. Kind of Opium. Taels.Destination indicated

by Circumstances of Seizure.

11 Queen’s Road West, 1st floor ................ Chinese, Raw 2,750 Hong Kong.

Vaumati Typhoon Shelter ............................. Iranian, Raw 816 For export.

Oil Lighter Po Koi at Bay View ............. Chinese, Raw 2,230 Hong Kong.

Boat 4516A at Gin Drinker’s Bay ................ Chinese, Raw 950 Hong Kong.

Junk near Ferry Wharf, Sham Shui Po... Chinese, Raw 1,320 Hong Kong.

la n k in Yaumati Tvphoon Shelter ............ Chinese, Raw 980 Hong K ong.

3.S. Wing Wo in the Harbour of Victoria Chinese, Raw 940 Hong K ong.

Saigon Wharf ..................................................... Iranian, Raw 1,360 For export.

S.S. Toi Shan ................................................. Chinese, Raw 900 Hong K ong.

K) Catchiek Street, 1st floor ......................... Chinese, Raw 550 Hong Kong.

\Tam Cheong Street .......................................... Chinese, Raw 880 Hong Kong.

ioat at Kennedy Town ................................. Chinese, Raw 7(X) Hong K ong.

ioat at Gin Drinker’s Bav ............................. Chinese, Raw 1,824 Hong Kong.

iaihvay Station, Tsim Sha Tsui ................ Chinese, Raw 600 Hong Kong.

>.S. Ping Tsi ................................................... Chinese, Raw 510 Hong Kong.

'ishing Boat a t Cheung Chau Island ...... Chinese, Raw 2,450 Hong Kong.

:ea-shore near Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon ....... Chinese, Raw 850 Hong Kong.

1.8. Gaasterkerk .............................................. Iranian, Raw 2,748 Singapore or Jav a

Chinese, Raw 1,730

2,886

Hong Kong.

'isherman’s hut, L am m a Island ................ Chinese, Eaw For export.

Iranian, Raw 1 , 2 0 0 Batavia.

Appendix I B.. I a j o r S e i z u r e s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

Place of Seizure. Kind of Opium. Taels.

“ President Hayes ” , along Kowloon Wharf ....................................................... Kwong Chow Wan 3,300

S. S. Wing Wo in the Harbour of Victoria ................................................... Kwong Chow Wan 640

M.S. Pleasantville ........................................ Kwong Chow Wan 2,990

M.S. Pleasantville .................................... Kwong Chow Wan 3,340

S.S. Gaasterkerk ............................................. Red Lion 3,132

Fisherman’s hut, Lamma Island ............. Kwong Chow Wan 1,500

Destination indicatedby Circumstances

of Seizure.

U . S . A .

Hong Kong.

U.S.A.

U .S.A.

Singapore or Java.

For export.

— 15 —

Appendix IC.C l a s s i f i e d L i s t o f S e i z u r e s o f E a w O p i u m d u r i n g

t h e y e a r 1935.

No. of Cases. Quantity in Taels.

Chinese .................................. 564 38,860Iranian ....................................... 21 7,473

Total .............. ., 585 46,333

Appendix ID.C l a s s i f i e d L i s t o f S e i z u r e s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r in g

THE YEAR 1935.

No. of Cases. Quantity of Taels.

Red Lion Brand .................. 6 3,893Indo-China ........................... 1 9Canton ................................. 26 360Wuchow ............................... 22 310Kwong Chow Wan ......... 23 12,350Doubtful ....................... 757 1,246

Total .................. 835 18,168

Appendix II.P r i c e s o f G o v e r n m e n t O p i u m d u r i n g t h e y e a r 1935.

Kam Shan

3 tael tin

H .K . $80.00

Singapore

.20 tael tube.

H.K. $3.40

.02 tael tube

H.K. $0.35

— 16 —

Appendix III.

Opium, Addicts treated in the Government Civil Hospital.

R e p o r t b y P r o f e s s o r G e r r a r d .

Opium Addicts :—•

During the year 37 were admitted. Treatment has been on previous lines and immediate results have been good. No cases have returned for re-admission with the result that reliable information as to relapse cannot be obtained.

Clinical research on the gastric function of addicts is being continued and results so far show, almost without exception, a condition of hyperchlorhydria and pylorospasm.

In-patients :—

Number of cases admitted to the University Medical clinic from January to the end of December, 1935

37 cases.

Duration of Treatment :—

Less than 5 days ....... 1 case5 to 20 days ........ 33 casesOver 20 days ...................................... 2 casesAverage number of days in Hospital 13 days (approx.)Longest duration in Hospital .......... 24 daysShortest duration in Hospital .......... 1 day

Result of Treatment :—

Relieved .......... 35 casesUnchanged ......................................... 1 caseUnder treatment .......................... 1 caseNo cases re-admitted for further treatment.

(sd.) W. I. G e r r a r d .

— 17 —

Appendix IV.

T r e a t m e n t o f O p i u m A d d i c t s i n t h e T u n g W a h

E a s t e r n H o s p i t a l .

In-patients :—

Number of cases admitted to the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital from 1st January, 1935, to 31st December, 1935, inclusive :—

Sex :—

Males ......................... 429 cas'es

Females ....... ........... Nil

Total ............ 429 cases

Duration of Treatment :—■

Less than 5 days ......................... 28 cases5 to 20 days .............................. 397 casesOver 20 days ........................ 4 casesAverage number of days in Hospital ....... 10 days

Longest duration of days in Hospital ___ 27 daysShortest duration of days in Hospital ...... 1 day

Result of Treatment :—

Relieved ..... 70%

Improved ........................................... 20%Unchanged ........................................................... 10%

(sd.) T. W . W a r e ,

Visiting Medical Officer,

Chinese Hospitals and Dispensaries.