196
grow it, may sell it where they like. I believe
that the true hill raiyats do not smoke the drug
or use it for drinking, but only for medicine.
I have never heard of a cultivator so using it in
the small villages. The drug may be so used in
the towns like Jeypore, but I have made no in-
- q u i r y , n o t k n o w i n g t h a t 1 w a s t o b e e x a m i n e d .
I have never seen the drug sold in the markets.
It may be sold at Maidalpur or elsewhere. There
is nothing to prevent such a sale, but I have no
experience of such sales. The drugs are mainly
used by foreigners. The hill raiyats keep
S h i v a - r a t r i . I h a v e h e a r d a g e n e r a l r u m o u r t h a t g a n j a
is smoked in Jeypore, but I understand it is not
smoked in the villages. I have generally under--
stood that it is consumed by loafers, idlers, and
such people in Jeypore and other large towns.
I have never seen any ganja going across the
border. I have never conducted any inquiry into
the matter of smuggling across to the Central
Provinces. The matter has never been brought
to my notice. During the last four years I have
had nothing to do with the Government Excise
revenue.
As I know nothing of the use of the drugs
among the people generally, I know nothing of
their effects among the people generally.
I remember a foreigner, an Uriya Brahmin,
a schoolmaster in a village, going mad about four
years ago. As he was a schoolmaster, I inquired
of the villagers (he had, as far as I remember, no
relatives with him) why he had gone mad, and
they said he smoked ganja. I knew nothing of
his past history, and accepted that ; and, as far
as I remember, I entered ganja in form C
a s t h e c a u s e o f i n s a n i t y . I s e n t t h e m a n t o t h e
asylum at Waltair as Magistrate. I heard recent-
-ly of his being back in another school again.
I think he has been back some time. I do not
know whether it might not be madak that this
man smoked. There is a great deal of opium
smoked and the people do not discriminate. Vil-
lage people are very ready to attribute insanity to
ganja in Jeypore. I have heard of lunacy being
attributed thus to ganja; but I am unable to
recall any other cases. When I sent this school-
master to the civil apothecary at Korapat, as far
as I remember, I told him that the supposed
cause was ganja. I should not as a Magistrate
inquire into such cases personally as a rule, but
receive report from the police, and examine any
witnesses the police brought up. In this case I
went to the village to inspect the school. I do
not think any ganja was grown in the village;
but a good deal of opium was consumed. This
is the only ganja case I remember. I have had
other lunacy cases, but all this has been more
than four years ago, when I was a Magistrate.
In view of what I have said regarding the use
of the drugs among the general mass of the
people, there is no need for restriction. But
neither, so far as I know, would any privation be
caused if restriction were necessary in the inter--
ests of other provinces. I have not inquired as t o
whether the people use the drugs in their feasts.
There would certainly be no privation involved in
the prohibition of export. And, so far as I know,
there would be no privation of a general character
involved in the prohibition of the use of the drugs
in Jeypore estate above the Ghats which is under
my charge. I think that the introduction of the
Government system of licensing sale would meet
with no opposition from the people in the estate
generally. It would only affect at all such places
as the town of Jeypore. It would, however, be
the best plan in regard to such towns. If opium
arrangements were altered, there might be a
greater demand for ganja, and this might alter
the conditions of the problem. I would recom-
mend the Government system being introduced
experimentally by opening a shop in Jeypore.
I think there would be great difficulty in interfer-
ing with the present growth of hemp. It would
require an expensive preventive agency. I do
not know certainly whether this little cultivation
is carried on with a view to using the drug or to
making profit by selling it. I have seen one or
two plants of wild hemp in the estate.
I have not hitherto discriminated between the
excessive and moderate use of ganja as a cause of
insanity. But I should certainly inquire into the
extent of the use if it could be ascertained. It
would be very difficult to get any definite inform-
ation as to this. If ganja were mentioned, I
should still make the prescribed inquiry regarding
other causes, as shown in the form C, going back
for a period of two years which (as far as I
remember) is prescribed. I believe that people
often take to ganja (as to drink) when they have
heavy losses; and the two causes might combine.
My own impression is that ganja might very well
be a cause of insanity. I base this on general
report. I should not therefore employ a man in
estate service of whom I knew that he used the
drug at all. I could not with confidence put
such a man on important guard duty lest he
became incapable. I should not have the same feeling about the moderate consumption of liquor.
c o n s u m p t i o n
22. Evidence of MR. J. G. D. PARTRIDGE, Assistant collector, Ganjam.
1. Information has been specially gathered for
this purpose from some medical officers and traders
in these drugs. Also my position as Divisional
Officer.
2. Yes. Bhang, as defined above, is locally
called patri. What is locally known as bhang is
a liquid mixture consisting of milk, hemp leaves
or ganja, and some spices.
3. In no district I am aware of does this plant
grow abundantly.
4. Trisuli, basavapatri, etc. Yes.
5. Good soil containing manure is necessary for
the growth of the plant. Much rain spoils the
plant.
6. No definite information.
7.
7. (a) , (c) , (d) Yes.
In this district it is cultivated in backyards of
houses and in fields, also in some villages. To
a slight extent; but definite information will
follow on the receipt of reports from Taluk
officers.
8. There may have been some decrease after
the introduction of the Madras Abkari Act, I of
1886; but I have no definite information on the
point.
9. A well-manured plot of ground is selected
for sowing seeds, which is generally done in June.
When the plants grow to a cubit's height, the
male ones are singled out and extirpated, and the
female plants are transplanted, generally in the