THE DRUG SCANDAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1506, 10 April 1919, Page 5

THE DRUG SCANDAL.

(From Melbourne Argus Correspondent)

LONDON, Feb. 3. During the last month there have been several remarkable revelations regarding the growing drug habit. There js always in every big city, an underworld of evil, and it would be false to say that London is worse than other capitals. But every now and then the public are surprised-at tho n - velation of some widespread offence which had not been suspected. The renting of | swell West End houses for gambling clubs; the orgies at Giro’s; the racketing and fur--1 nituve-smashing of dance parties which sometimes lead almost to riot in one or two of bur very first hotels, are incidents that disturb the moralist, but which a man of the world looks upon as the froth of an overstrained condition of society. The spread of the drug habit is worse than gambling or the ebullitions of a few excited dancers. It is not difficult to explain. In part it is duo to the increased restrictions in the sale of beer, wines, and spirits. In some cases the taking of narcotics is a reaction against the strain which lias fallen upon many persons through the war. But ttie chief cause can bo traced to the hospitals. Thousands of shell-shocked soldiers and other wounded men suffering from sleeplessness have been supplied with drugs while lying in the hospitals in France. Paraldehyde, opium, veronal. and cocaine are most frequently administered, and are more easily obtainable in the French hospitals than in England. The effect of these narcotics is so fascinating that a patient easily becomes a permanent victim, and every medical man knows the tricks to which people will resort to obtain the forbidden thing. Within recent years the law lias provided heavy penalties fur anyone convicted of dealing in opium,, and the Defence of the Realm Act forbade traffic in opium, cocaine, and other narcotics. Nevertheless, such is the craze for these drills that there arc smugglers who openly parade sonny of the West, End -streets for rli-> purpose of selling cocain-' or opium to purchasers whom thov can trust An article which a few years amt brought 16s an ounce now brings £lO, and sometimes thrice I hat sum. Much light has been thrown, upon this drug habit through an inquest on Miss Stewart, better known as ‘-‘Billie” Carleton, a popular actress at the halls, and through a prosecution that her death. It has been revealed that “Billie” Carlcton was one of a small group of de-generates-who met together for orgies of opium smoking. Five or six of these people assembled at a Dover street (Piccadilly) flat, kept by Mr and Mrs Rcggio do Voulle, on the evciiing of the Victory Ball held at the Albert Hall on November 27th. “Billie” Carlcton was present at the ball. Betora midnight she joined a supper party win -a had already gathered at Dover street. Alter supper the people arranged themselves for opium smoking. The men dressed in pyja mas and the women in chiffon night-dresses. Largo cushions were strewn about the floor, and a woman named Mrs Lo Ping You (a Scots girl married to a Chinese) act' d as high priestess for the orgy. She prepared the opium, lit the pipes, moved from couch to -couch, and attended to _ tlrsmokers’ requirements. She was equipped with opium needle, lamp and all the usmJ accessories. The orgy went on from 9 in the evening till 3 the following afternoon “Bdlie” Cailetou was a late comer. \\ non she left Dover street she went to her oy,n flat, and a few hours afterwards her nu.i.l found her dead in bed. Mrs Lo Ping \ou lias been prosecuted under the Defence oi the Realm Act for administering opium, and the magistrate, sentenced her to livemonths’ imprisonment with hard labour. When the police searched her husband --. house in Limchouse Causeway they discovored opium pipes, opium, and abundant other evidence that the place was an opium den. The man himself was a physical wrecc through opium smoking. He was fined LR Those two prosecutions have directed attention to other cases. In one instance a nine • and apparatus for opium smoking was found behind an Oriental curiosity shop near Grosvenor square. In another case a person was punished with a_ fevv weeks imprisonment for selling cocaine in the streets. Sevortl cases have been reported of nurses who have contracted the drug habit through overwork in. hospitals. 1 hero has beciv a newspaper outcry on the subject, and a domaud for severer penalties and increased restrictions of sale. Ihe special kind or opium required for smoking is smuggled into tliis country from China by sailors and Chinese passengers. There- arc not, a few dens in the East End where opium is surrelititiouslv used, and there are middle and upper class victims of this drug who know these places and visit them by stealth.