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'Biak': An Opium Substitute - Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums ZZZ

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Year of original publication: 1906

Format of original publication: Newspaper article

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source: v.2 (1906-1909) - Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums. - Biodiversity Heritage Library pg 53 Vol2, No. 2 1906

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pg 53

“Biak”: An Opium Substitute

By L. Wray

The leaves of an indigenous tree are sometimes used in Malaya as an opium substitute. In the State of Perak its ==use is said to have declined in recent years, owing to the introduction of cheap opium==; but it is still reported to be much in vogue in Patani and other Northern States. This native report was corroborated by Phya Sri Sahabheb, Vice-Minister for the Interior, Siam, who lately visited Perak. He described a tree, the leaves of which were used in place of opium, in the Siamese-Malay States of the northern part of the Malay Peninsula. From his description, I have no doubt, that the tree is poko biak. He said it was ==a much worse form of drug-habit than opium smoking==, the effects on its habitual devotees being far more deleterious.

Poko biak is a medium-sized tree, with large leaves and balls of greenish-white flowers. It is widely distributed in Perak, and there is a place near Salak, in the Kuala Kangsar district, named after it. It is known as Keton in Patani. It occurs in the jungle and is planted in the kampongs, and also has been preserved when the other trees were felled and cleared away. Consequently, it is frequently seen in and around villages. Specimens of the dried and powdered leaves, as prepared for consumption, have been shown in the economic collection

pg 54

of the Perak State Museum for over twenty years, and botanical specimens of it were collected in the year 1888. Mr. E. M. Holmes, Curator of the Museum of the Pharmaceutical Society, kindly examined and identified them as Mitragyne speciosa of Korthals. This was subsequently confirmed by the Botanists of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Calcutta, to whom I also sent them. The following description of the tree appears in Sir George King’s “Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula:”

“2. Mitragyne Speciosa, Korth., Obs. de Nauclées Indices, p. 19 (name only).—Young branches usually dark-coloured, compressed. Leaves membranous, oblong-obovate to oblong, shortly and abruptly acuminate or sub-acute, the base broad and rounded or rarely slightly and suddenly contracted; both surfaces glabrous, the lower mnutely reticulate and sometimes puberulous on the 12 to 15 pairs of slightly curved ascending nerves: length 4 to 5.5 inches; breadth 2 to 3.5 inches; petiole thin, .8 to 1.2 inches long; stipules lanceolate, sparsely pubescent. Corolla .3 inch long; tube of calyx wide, ridged, its mouth wbout .075 inch across. Anthers sagittate at the base. Stigma mitriform.

“Haviland, in Journ. Linn. Soc., XXXIII., 69; Stephegyne speciosa, Korth., Verh.-Nat. Gesch. Bot., p. 160; S. parvifolia, K. Schum, fl. Kaiser-Wilh, Land., p. 127; Nauelea speciosa, Mig., Fl. Ind. Bat., II., 140.

“Pahang: Ridley, 2190. Perak: Wray, 1896, 4280; Scortechini, 616; King’s Collector, 1770, 10029, 10459. Distrib., Sumatra ; Forbes, Borneo; Motley, 1169; Korthals, Philippines: Cuming, Motley: Vidal, New Guinea.”

It will be noticed that the geographical range of the species is very wide: embracing the whole Malayan Archipelago and Peninsula.

A reference to the supposed properties of the plant appears in the ==“Kew Bulletin,’ No. 5 of 1907==, p. 199, where it is stated: “A communication from Mr. D. Hooper drawing attention to an article by ==Mr. H. N. Ridley in ‘Journal of the Asiatic Society’ for July, 1897,== wherein the writer refers to the leaves of Mitragyne speciosa, Korth., as being employed in Perak as a remedy for the opium habit.” ==It appears, however, that in the July number for that year there is only one article by Mr. Ridley, and that is “Malay Plant Names,” and at p. 58 occurs the only mention== of the plant, which is as follows:

“‘Biak’ (Perak): Mitragyne Speciosa, Korth. (Rubiaceae).—-

Leaves used as a substitute for opinm in Perak, according to Mr. Wray.” ==[author of this article?]==

This is quite another matter; “remedy” and “substitute” being words of such widely diverse meaning. It only shows, once again, how very necessary it is to look up references.

pg. 55

There are two distinct ways of preparing the drug for use. In the first, the leaves are picked and put out to dry in the sun, until they become crisp, when they are reduced to a powder by rubbing between the hands. The fibrous ribs and veins of the leaves being removed during the process. The resulting powder may then be stored for future use.

The dose was, characteristically described by an old Malay to be, about four-duit ayam’s weight of the powder. A duit ayam is a small copper coin having on the obverse the figure of a cock. It was issued by the East India Company at several dates at the beginning of the last century. They weigh on an average 34 grains each, so that the dose would be 136 grains, or, say, 2 1/4 drams Apothecary’s weight. The powder is mixed with cold water in a cup and the whole drunk; or an infusion is made with hot water and it is taken like tea. It is usual to take it twice a day, before meals.

The second method of preparation is to dry the leaves as before in the sun, then boil them in water so as to form an infusion. This is strained and the clear filtrate is evaporated to a sirupy consistency. This extract can be kept a long time, and is usually stored in the little horn boxes used by opium smokers for keeping prepared opium. ==It is called chandu by the Malays, which is also the name of opium when prepared for smoking.== This extract of biak is mixed with hot water before taking. The dose is said to be one hun, which is equal to 5.83 grains Troy. Sosme people just put it on to the tongue and wash it down with a drink of water.

The extract may also be smoked, somewhat in the same way as prepared opium. The pipe employed for this purpose is made of the bamboo known to the Malays as buloh minyak (Oxytenanthera sinuata), and is 14 1/2 inches long and 7/8ths inch in diameter. It is closed hy a natural septum at one end, and is open at the other, this is the end which is applied to the mouth in use. Near the closed end a brass tube is inserted, which projects at right angles to the bamboo, and is 1 3/8 inch long, with a bore of 1/4 inch in diameter. There is in the Museum collection an opium pipe of Patani pattern, almost exactly similar to the one described above, only the bowl, if it may be so called, is of tin in place of brass. The extract is prepared for smoking by mixing it intimately with the finely shredded leaves of the Palas palm (Licuala paludosa), cut in the same way, and with the same implements, as native-grown tobacco. This mixture, which is a sticky, fibrous, brown mass, is called ==madat==.

A lamp on a tall foot completes the outfit. A specimen in the Perak Museum has a wooden base in the form of a conventionalized four-lobed flower, of 5 1/2 inches square and 1 1/2 inch thick. The upper part consists of a piece of bamboo 2 5/8 inches in diameter, cut so that the upper portion forms a shallow cup, closed beneath by a septum.

pg 56

Below this the greater part of the walls of the bamboo have been cut away, leaving only four equidistant cylindrical-shaped pieces, the lower ends of which are mortised into the wooden base, the whole being 9 inches in height, the cup serves to hold the oil container which is a valve of a fluvio-marine shell. The wick is of twisted cotton cloth, kept in place by a metal support. Coconut oil is burned in it.

The method of smoking is as follows: The smoker sits tailorwise on the floor, with the lamp in front of him. He then takes a small piece of the madat, rolls it with his fingers into a pellet, the size of the bore of the brass tube, into which he inserts it, then putting his mouth to the other end of the bamboo he brings the madat in contact with the flame of the lamp and inhales the smoke of the burning pellet through the pipe. From twenty to thirty pellets are smoked at atime.

The effects of the drug, whether taken internally or smoked, are said to resemble those of opium, and in large doses it is poisonous, producing stupor. It is also said that users of it suffer from permanent enlargement of the abdomen. This is attributed, by some, to the indolent life which is induced by indulgence in the biak habit.

Besides the purposes already mentioned, the leaves of this tree are used medicinally for worms in children. They are made into a poultice and applied externally over the upper portion of the abdomen. It is held that, if applied to the lower portion, the worms are driven upwards and escape by the mouth; but if confined to just beneath the termination of the ribs they are expelled downwards and are passed in the ordinary way. Of their efficacy as a vermifuge, applied in the manner indicated above, I have very grave doubts.

Some time back I sent about 16 pounds’ weight of the dried leaves to ==Mr. E. M. Holmes== for examination. He, however, reported that no poisonous alkaloid had been found in it. A further consignment has now been sent, and it is hoped that the active principle will be successfully separated from the drug.

@inbook{1906l.wray,
  title = {“{{Biak}}”: An {{Opium Substitute}}},
  booktitle = {Journal of the {{Federated Malay States}} Museums},
  author = {{L. Wray}},
  date = {1906/1929},
  volume = {2},
  pages = {53--56},
  publisher = {{Kuala Lumpur : F.M.S. Museums}},
  location = {{Kuala Lumpur}},
  url = {http://archive.org/details/journaloffederat02fedeuoft},
  urldate = {2021-10-22},
  abstract = {Fleming Collection; 14 29},
  bookauthor = {Federated Malay States and Museum, Perak State and Museum, Selangor State},
  langid = {english},
  volumes = {10}
}

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