Gods Own Medicine or Drowsy Demon

Confessions of an English Opium Eater is a testament to opium s insatiable hold on its victims, even those with such great imaginative faculties  

For thousands of years, before the advent of heroin or purified morphine (and the abundant consumption of laudanum in the West), opium was primarily consumed by smoking it. Smoking opium requires the habitue to engage in a complex process, 

Traditionally, opium is smoked with a pipe, typically around 20 inches long. Opium pipes are usually made of wood, and the type of wood used often denotes the wealth of the smoker. Poor smokers typically use pipes made from bamboo, while wealthier smokers may have pipes constructed of ebony. About three-quarters down the shaft of the pipe rests the bowl, a hollow structure that can be made of metal, porcelain, or clay, again depending on the quality of the pipe. The hollow pipe is sealed on one end and has an opening on the other, through which the user takes in the smoke. 

In addition to the pipe, serious smokers require a host of additional materials used to prepare and smoke opium. These include a container to hold the opium, a needle to clear the bowl opening, a lamp to ignite the opium, and a tray to hold all of the supplies. 

The serious smoker will prepare several pipes and smoke continually until satisfied. 

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