456
chittak of the latter, if it be intended to possess
light intoxicating power, and with double that
quantity of ghi if a stronger intoxicating power be
required. If still stronger intoxication be desired,
the water extracted from a chitak of poppy-heads
(dipped in water) is added. Saffron and carda-
moms would be added if it were desired to make it
odorous.
30. When consumed in private, the usual
quantity of bhang and charas is taken by the con-
sumer ; while in company one takes a larger
quantity than the habitual dose. I have had
occasions of observing several people drinking
bhang or smoking charas in company. On enquiry,
they answered that one could not object (to taking
an overdose) in company as it would expose one to
shame.
These (drugs) are consumed by women as well
as men; but it is only the low class women that
do so. Genteel women, too, sometimes use bhang
for (begetting) offspring, as it possesses a peculiar
property.
There is no restriction of age; it is used, how-
ever, generally by those of the rising age. It is
never allowed to be taken by children. Indeed,
those addicted to bhang may foolishly give a
spoonful of it to their sons.
31. The consumption of these drugs for a time
leads to their habitual use; but the habit is not
easily formed.
It is not so very difficult to break off the habit
of bhang-drinking ; but one would feel a great deal
of trouble by giving up the habit of charas-
smoking.
It is a peculiarity of the charas habit to grow
from the moderate into excessive; but it is less so
with bhang.
32. There is no particular custom, in which its
use is considered essential. On the Shivratri day,
indeed, which is a Hindu day of worship, it is
regarded meritorious by some Hindus to use bhang.
Even those who are not habitual consumers take a
spoonful or two of it; and the god Shiva is pro-
pitiated with it.
36. Alcohol is substituted for bhang. A patient
of mine was once suffering from rheumatism,
brought about by the excessive use of bhang. I
caused him to use liquor instead of bhang during
illness, and he recovered thereby. He became
thereafter a habitual consumer of liquor instead of
bhang.
37. As I possess no accurate information about
ganja, I cannot describe the difference between the
effects of charas and ganja smoking.
There is indeed a great difference between the
effects of charas and bhang. In point of intoxi-
cation they are alike, but there is the following
difference. Bhang greatly operates on the stomach,
the intestines, the vital organs or parts, and the
organs of generation; charas on the heart, brain,
eyes, stomach, and lungs. The operation of bhang
on the stomach consists in increasing the appetite
for food to such an extent that one can never feel
satiated, because it dries up the humidity in the
stomach, which is contracted in consequence; and
this very contraction of the stomach produces
the feeling of hunger. In connection with the
organs of generation, bhang is used in cases of
spermatorrhea, gonorrhea, and nocturnal emissions,
and also for procreation and retarding the discharge
of the semen.
Many people become habitual
consumers through their use of it for the last-
mentioned object. It condenses the semen, and
it is evident that a condensed thing will flow out
more slowly than a more liquid one. In its effects
on the vital parts, it produces forgetfulness and
impairs the thinking and grasping powers. In its
operation on the intestines it (bhang) cures diar-
rhœa.
The effect of charas on the lungs is seen in its
producing cough. By affecting the brain, it pro-
duces forgetfulness, impairs the understanding,
and brings about insanity. Its effects on the heart
induces palpitation, hysterics, and swoons. In its
effect on the eyes it dims the sight. By affecting
the stomach it lessens the appetite.
The difference, speaking generally, is that charas
is more injurious than bhang.
39. It is less injurious to eat a preparation of a
hemp drug than to smoke it. Some people mix
bhang dust with honey so as to give it consistency,
and then smoke it. This is more injurious than
the eating of bhang, because smoke, being a subtler
substance, immediately affects the heart, brain and
the lungs, as is evidenced by a feeling of dizziness
or partial senselessness produced immediately after
smoking it. The intoxication and partial stupor
brought about immediately by the smoking of
charas is due to this very cause. Cough is pro-
duced by its effect on the lungs. The case of
tobacco is also similar in this respect, for the eating
(sic) of tobacco does not produce coughing, as is
done by the smoking of tobacco.
That the eating of a preparation of hemp
drugs is not so injurious as its smoking, is due to
the fact that when eaten it first of all goes into
the stomach and after a while exhalations arise
therefrom to the brain and produce intoxication.
These exhalations are not so injurious as smoke,
because they have to travel from a long distance
and do not therefore operate so completely as the
smoke, which operates as soon as it is inhaled.
In the next place, as smoke contains a great deal
of fiery atoms, they produce their effect immediate-
ly in consequence of their (latent) heat; while the
exhalations, in consequence of containing aqueous
atoms, which possess less heat, cannot produce their
effect (so rapidly.)
Smoking also weakens and thins the body rapid-
ly by reducing the appetite, and induces insanity
by drying up the brain.
40. Many proficient physicians have prescribed
bhang in the following diseases :—
Remittent fever.—Azam Khan, the physician,
in his work called " Iksir-i-Azam," volume IV,
page 123, prescribes bhang under the head of fevers.
Indigestion.—(The work called) " Amrit Sagar "
at pages 75—76 prescribes bhang in cases of
dyspepsia.
Diarrhœa.—(Prescribed by) Arzani Sahib, the
physician, in his work entitled " Karabadin " in
the chapter on diarrhœa at page 242.
Spermatorrhea.—(Prescribed by) the physician
Arzani Sahib in " Mizan-ul-Tib" under the head
of " Sailan-i-Mani," discharge of the semen.
Barrenness.—(Prescribed by) Hakim Sharif
Khan of Delhi in his work " Ilaj-ul-Amraz/' sec-
tion 16, page 438, under head of diseases affecting
the organs of generation.
Piles.—By Hakim Ahmad Khan of Sikandar-
pur in his work " Yakuti" at page 47, under the
letter dal; at page 14, under the letter ta ; and at
page 11, under the letter ya.