265
aniseed, dry ginger, cocoanut, and at times a little
over-ripened plantain is used also.
37. Charas smoking is very rare here; it is
said to be used by the richer community.
38. No information.
39. Drinking or eating the hemp plant in any
way is injurious to the brain ; it soon makes one in-
- s a n e . S m o k i n g , a l t h o u g h l e s s d a n g e r o u s , t a k e s
time to cut up the constitution, weakening the
n e r v i n e
s y s t e m .
41. It is not beneficial in its effects.
(a) As a food accessory on digestion, nil.
(b) At the same time it may give staying
- p o w e r u n d e r e x e r t i o n o r e x p o s u r e , b u t a t t h e e n d i t
is detrimental to health in general.
(c)Not known. Moderate habitual and mode
-rate occasional use of the drug are both danger--
ous.
42. The moderate use of any of these drugs is
far from being harmless. They gradually tell on
the whole constitution.
43. Generally inoffensive to their neighbours.
44. For the time while under its influence it is
refreshing. It produces intoxication, combined
with a peculiar stupidness. Hunger is allayed,
and its after-result is that it creates a false
appetite. The effect lasts about one hour. Yes,
the limbs and nerves become quite weak, and a
kind of dull sensation prevails. Yes, the want of
it produces a great longing and desire, and great
uneasiness prevails.
45. Yes ; physically, mentally and morally.
It impairs the whole constitution gradually by a
regular decline of muscles, and finally emaciation
sets in.
46. No information.
51. All fakirs and wanderers from place to
place, and those who are habitual gamblers with
no permanent mode of living resort to ganja
smoking; for want of the drug, whether moderate
or excessive, leads to crime.
52 and 53. No information.
54. It is not used to fortify one's self to com-
mit premeditated crimes or violence ; but when
under its influenee at times it leads to crime
coupled with timidity.
55. Yes ; criminals do at times, to further their
designs, induce their victims to partake of the
drugs to stupefy them.
No ; complete stupefaction cannot be induced
by this drug without admixtures.
57. No information.
4 to 7 per cent of the previously onvicted
prisoners now in jail have been accustomed to the
use of hemp drugs.
75. Evidence of MR. G. CLONEY, Superintendent of Jail, Tanjore.
1. My information has principally been obtain--
ed by coming in contact, while jailor at Berham
- p o r e , e t c . , w i t h c r i m i n a l s a n d i n s a n e s t h a t w e r e
consumers of the various hemp drugs, and partly
from observation of pilgrims to the shrine of
Jagannath (Puri). Large bodies of these pilgrims
from Southern India en route to Puri used to en--
camp in the vicinity of the jail. I had opportuni-t-
ies, too, of observing the pilgrims, from North
India, to the same shrine.
2. Charas is not generally known or used by
the people locally (Tanjore). Flat and round
ganja are well known, and the definitions may be
accepted. "Chur" or broken ganja is known,
locally, as natu ganja, that is, country ganja.
19. Ganja is used (a) for smoking, (b) for
eating. It is used as a vegetable curried, with
fowl or fat mutton or made up into halwa
(electuary). (c) For drinking, it forms one of the
ingredients in sherbets. The above are some of
the uses to which the consumers put the drug. (b)
and (c) perhaps require a little explanation :
—
The object of cooking ganja in a curry is, is
it supposed, to initiate the tyro, who would other
-wise hesitate to eat or smoke it. It is needless
to say habituals also are fond of the curry. Mixed
with the halwa it serves the same purpose as
the curry. The sherbets, in different but a more
enticing form, keep the same object as the curry
in view. A brief description of the sherbets and
the halwa may not be out of place.
Halwa. For a month's supply for a moderate
consumer. The following are the quantities or
weight of the ingredients :—
Rs. A. P.
12½ oz. ganja
. . . 0 3 0
0 6 0
. . .
12½ oz. ghee. . .
0 7 0
.
3 ⅛ lbs. refined sugar. . .
0 1 0
1 oz. spice. .
0 0 6
12 pips or kernels of almonds. . .
1 oz. cuscus or poppy-seed. . 0 0 3
Vol. vi.
The ganja is thoroughly cleaned and boiled. The
water in which it has been boiled being thrown
away, the ganja is put out to dry, and in order
to remove any lingering moisture, it is placed in
a pan over a slow fire, thoroughly dried, and then
reduced to a fine paste. The ghee is put into a
dekcha and boiled and the ingredients are one by
one dropped into the boiling ghee and stirred. until
the mixture has reached the desired consistency.
This preparation is supposed to keep good for
six months, but as age seems to detract f rom the
virtue (intoxicant) of the ganja a supply enough
only for a month or two is made. A bolus the
size of a walnut is taken twice a day before
t h e p r i n c i p a l m e a l s t o i n d u c e a p p e t i t e a n d
t h e s e n s a t i o n o f i n t o x i c a t i o n .
Bhang sherbet, occasional drink for a day.
Necessary to be made daily.
RS. A. P.
2 cocoanuts or 1½ pint cow's milk
0 1 0
45 grains ganja. . . 0 0 1½
Refined sugar. . .
0
1 0
6 pips ahnonds. . .
0 0 3
⅔ o z . c u s c u s
( p o p p y - s e e d ) . . . 0 0 2
Spice. . .
0
1 0
4 ripe plantains. . .
0 0 4
and some rose petals.
The mixture will give about two pints bhang
sherbet. The ganja is boiled and the water
thrown away. It is then ground into a very fine
paste and strained through a piece of muslin. The
other ingredients are now ground and added to
the ganja extract. The whole is then mixed with
cow's milk or the extracts of the cocoanut kernel,
and strained. Sometimes . the seed of the common
mint or subja plant (Isphogal) is added, as the
natives say, to cool the blood. Its mucilaginous
properties are known to cool the blood, but the
seed is possibly used to counteract the heating pro--
pensities of the spicy ingredients. Moderate con-
2 o