132
cannot give any opinion as to the habit being
hereditary.
49. I believe that all the hemp drugs are sup-
posed to have a temporary exciting effect on the
sexual inclinations. They probably act by their
generally exhilarating effects. Much as alcohol
has the same effect.
50. As the man who consumes alcohol to excess
is led into debauchery, so likewise is the habitual
consumer of hemp drugs in their various forms.
56 and 57. I have no information to give on
these points.
90. Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN J. MORWOOD,Superintendent, Central
Prison, Benares.
1: I arrived in India six years and seven months
ago, but have had no opportunity of obtaining in-
formation about hemp drugs.
B. Kali Bassant, Head Clerk, Benares Central
Prison, has made himself acquainted with the
subject, and has supplied me with the informa-
tion given below.
2. The definitions given are correct.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smoking.
23. Hardly ever. Very rarely it might be
smoked medicinally.
28. (a) Habitual moderate consumers—
Bhang, 6 masha, 1 pie.
Ganja, 1 masha, 6 pies.
Charas, 1 masha, 6 pies.
(b) Habitual excessive consumers—
Bhang, 3 tolas, 6 pies.
Ganja, 1 tola, 6 annas.
Charas, 1 tola, 5 to 6 annas.
Excessive consumers are usually rich people and
fakirs, and often thieves and gamblers.
29. The ingredients ordinarily mixed are: with
bhang— pepper; with ganja—dried tobacco leaves;
with charas—smoking tobacco. The ingredients
extraordinarily used are: with bhang—dried rose
leaves, aniseed, kasni, cucumber seeds, and almonds.
In cold weather ajwain is used, and in hot weather
poppy seeds and sugar. With ganja, the dried leaves
of ganja are macerated in rose water, keora, and
then mixed with ilaichi seeds. Dhatura, etc., are
rarely used except by fakirs. The object of these
admixtures is to make the use of the hemp drugs
more pleasant and agreeable.
Bhang
massala consists of—(1), aniseed,
(2), almonds, (3), cardamoms, (4), dried rose petals,
(5), kasni, (6), tukhm-i-raihan.
30. Not definitely known. It is mainly con-
fined to the male sex, unless in the case of women
of loose character, who sometimes use it. It is
unusual for children to consume any of these
drugs.
81. (a), (b) and (c) Yes.
32. (a) The consumption of these drugs is not
sanctioned by religion; it is purely social. At
festivals, especially Holi, people use these drugs.
(J) Not essential. (c) Usually temperate; some-
times excessive.
(d) Yes.
36. None.
37. Bhang is considered to be less injurious in
its effects than ganja and charas. Not known.
39. Not known. The moderate use of these
drugs, but more especially of bhang, if accompanied
with good food, will act as a tonic to the system
and do little or no harm. The excessive use of
them is supposed to be injurious, but the tendency
towards producing insanity does not seem clear.
40 (a) Probably yes.
(b) Yes.
41 (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes; people believe so.
42. Yes; they are supposed to act as tonics.
44. (b) It is refreshing.
(c) Slight intoxication.
(d) Does not allay hunger.
(e) Creates appetite.
(f) Prom two to three hours, proportionate to
the quantity used.
(h) Yes.
45. (a) Probably not, if accompanied with good
food.
(b) Probably not, or only very slightly.
(c) Probably not.
(d) May perhaps cause cough.
(e) Probably not.
(f) I do not know of any case.
46. The excessive consumption of these drugs
is supposed to impair the moral sense and induce
laziness.
47. No.
48. The habitual excessive use of these drugs is
believed to be injurious.
49. (a) Yes.
(b) Low caste prostitutes use them.
(c) Not known.
(d) Probably yes, ultimately.
50. The excessive use of any of these drugs is
supposed to produce impotence.
56 and 57. Not known.
91. Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN A. E. ROBERTS, Civil Surgeon, Aligarh.
1. I must premise that until this enquiry I knew
absolutely nothing about the hemp plant, its use
or abuse, save the few grains of information ac-
quired by every student of Materia Medica in a
medical school. Thus I may say at once that the
remarks are the result of hasty gleaning of others'
knowledge, and are thus second-hand. I have
been five and a half years in India (in the Punjab,
in Rajputana, and the North-Western Provinces
and Oudh). Half that time was spent in medical
charge of regiments.
For one year I toured
through towns and villages of the North-Western