289
bhang is practised in company. These habits are
mainly confined to the male sex, chiefly by
those over 30 years of age. In some cases, younger
people, and even children, drink a mixture of bhang.
Prostitutes also occasionally take bhang for sexual
excitement.
31. The habit of smoking ganja is easily
formed. This habit is difficult to break off, and
there is a tendency for the moderate habit to deve
-lop into the excessive.
32. Bhang is made and freely sold in some
places during the Kama (Indian Cupid) festival.
Some religious men (ascetics) use bhang. It is
not essential that such religious men should take
bhang. This leads one on to the formation of the
habit.
36. Alcohol and bhang are frequently taken
together by the habitual consumers of bhang.
But alcohol, ipso facto, is not substituted for any
of these drugs.
37. The drinking of bhang is more intoxicating,
and leads to no manual or mental work.
39. The drinking of bhang is more intoxicating.
While smoking is soothing, drinking produces an
uncontrollable restlessness, singing, boisterous talk
-ing, and fighting; and a regular immoderate in
- d u l g e n c e i s a p r e d i s p o s i n g c a u s e o f i n s a n i t y .
40. Ganja is so used as a narcotic, diuretic or
parturifacient. It is generally prescribed for
delirium tremens, various forms of neuralgia and
nervous affections.
41. (a) (b) and (c) Of no use.
(d) Ganja is primarily stimulant; then it is
used as an anodyne, sedative, antispasmodic. It
is also used as a narcotic, diuretic, and
parturifa-cient. It is a powerful aphrodisiac.
42. The moderate use (in smoking) is not harm
- f u l . I t h a s a s o o t h i n g e f f e c t .I
h a v e k n o w n
many persons who smoke in moderation none the
worse in any way
.
44. Ganja produces first a period of excitement
or intoxication, followed by sleep and coma; the
intoxication often lasting a couple of hours. Native
young men, chiefly Muhammadans, use bhang to
enjoy pleasant dreams, chiefly of a sensual kind.
Bhang is also considered refreshing, and that is the
reason why it is chiefly used during the hot weather,
while ganja is smoked during the cold or wet
weather. It does not allay hunger. It does not
create appetite. In moderation, there are no after
- e f f e c t s . T h e w a n t o f s u c h p r o d u c e s l o n g i n g a n d
uneasiness.
45. (a) No.
( b )
I t w e a k e n s t h e p u l m o n a r y a c t i o n .
(c) The stomach is not affected, and the appetite
may be increased.
(d) A few suffer from dysentery, bronchitis and
asthma.
( e )
N o .
(f) The moderate use does not deaden the
intellect or produce insanity. It is a predisposing
cause of insanity. I saw two cases of insanity pr
o - d u c e d b y g a n j a b e i n g u s e d i n e x c e s s . I n b o t h
cases acute mania was present, and in both it was
permanent.
46. Ganja produces loss of appetite and strength,
trembling and much mental weakness. The exces
- s i v e u s e p r o d u c e s m o r a l i n e r t i a — a d e s i r e n o t t o d o
any kind of work, mental or moral—and this state
gradually leads on to cerebral softening.
V O L . V I .
47. Yes, it is hereditary
.
48. The habitual excessive use has a stronger
hereditary tendency.
49. A class of people, called Setts, on the West
Coast of India, use all these drugs as an aphr
o-disiac. All the preparations are well-known aphro
- d i s i a c s , a n d i t i s s o u s e d b y p r o s t i t u t e s . T h i s
aphrodisiac property induces finally certain special
diseases, as locomotor ataxy and sclerosis of the
cord. The free use of hemp does produce im
- p o t e n c e .
50. The excessive use of all, or any, of these
drugs produces a gradual loss of memory, induces
nervous debility, cerebral softening, sclerosis of the
spinal cord and brain, locomotor ataxy, and in
- s a n i t y .
56. As stated in a previous article, dhatura and
cantharides are mixed (a) to produce undue sexual
excitement. Nux vomica, dhatura and bhang are
introduced into country liquors to produce cerebral
excitement and intoxication. A certain class of
people administer these admixtures to unprotected
women to produce narcotism with a view to sexual
indulgence.
57 (a). A tolerance of opium imparts to the sys
-tema similar power of resisting the influence of ganj
a . H a s c h i s c h i s t h e n a m e o f t h e p l a n t i n a p a r t i c u l a r l y
dried state. In some people, even the smell of the
leaves, which is strong, is apt to produce intox
i - c a t i o n .
Oral evidence.
Q uestion 1.—I
have had nearly fifteen years
' service, of which about three have been passed in
civil employ. I have had no special experience of
insanity. In the Central Provinces and Orissa, I
was in military employ with a native regiment.
In Madras I have also served with a regiment.
My paper contains the experience gained in both
military and civil departments.
Question 45.—When I was with the 17th Re
-ment at Trichinopoly, I had to treat three cases of
ganja-poisoning. These men drank liquor and in
-dulged in ganja. In all these cases there was con
-gestion of the lungs present. The men were all
suffering from the effects of ganja when they came
to me, and they all eventually became insane and
were sent to the Madras Asylum. These are the
only three cases in which evil effects of the drug
have come directly under my notice. The symp
-toms, in all three cases, were the same and,
for that reason, I concluded the pulmonary affection
to be result of the drug. I have learnt by enquiry
from medical subordinates and people in villages,
that dysentery, bronchitis and asthma result from
the drug; I have no personal experience on this
point. The two cases of insanity mentioned in
my written answer are among those referred to
above. I did not mention the third case in my
written answer, because I had no notes of it. I
have not brought my notes of the two cases. I
am not prepared to give details of the cases. The
notes are those made by me in the hospital books.
To the best of my recollection there were in all
three cases restlessness, a quarrelsome tendency,
desire to fight, weakness of memory, inability to
converse coherently or follow an argument. I
noticed these symptoms before I made up my mind
to send the men to the asylum. One of them
certainly suffered from impotency, and an utter
disinclination to work. It was in the hospital I
diagnosed the impotency. The man, in answer to
my question, told me he had sexual desire, but
was unable to gratify it. I noticed no other