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86. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR G. A. EMERSON, Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent,
Lunatic Asylum, Bareilly.
1. As Civil Surgeon in the North-Western Pro-
vinces and Oudh.
2. Yes, these definitions may be accepted as
applicable to this district. In this district bhang
is called bhang, patti, bhouti and subji, but not
siddhi. Charas is called charas and sulfa; and
ganja, ganja.
19. Charas and ganja are only used for smoking
in this district by the people. A preparation of
charas is used as an aphrodisiac by certain hakims
here, but only medicinally.
23. Bhang is, I believe, sometimes smoked by
the Kahars, but only to a limited extent.
28. I have no definite information on this sub-
ject.
29. (a) Ordinarily.
With charas, tobacco is
the usual ingredient. With ganja, tobacco is
often used, but the drug is usually smoked alone.
With bhang the usual ingredients are black pepper,
cardamoms, and milk and sugar. I know of
nothing that is used exceptionally with charas, and
ganja, but with bhang, cloves, almonds, betel, pan
are used.
I have heard of dhatura leaves being used with
bhang, and the leaves and seeds of the same being
smoked with ganja and charas to produce the in-
toxicating effects more quickly and intensely. I
have never heard of opium, nux vomica or cantha-
ridis having been used with any of these drugs. I
know of no preparation as bhang massala.
30. Charas and ganja, as a rule, are consumed
in company, though, of course, both are used to
some extent in solitude; but bhang is principally
used in solitude; at the same time it is to a great
extent used in company.
31. The habit is easily formed and is difficult
to break off. I should say there must be a certain
amount of tendency for a moderate consumer to
become an excessive user of the drugs, just as there
is in the use of other intoxicants.
32. In the Holi, Dassera, Dawali and Sheorathri
festivals of the Hindus bhang is largely used for
its intoxicant effects. Charas and ganja are also
used to some extent during these festivals. I
believe the use is not really essential; but custom has
made it nearly so, the same as the use of red
powder (ahir golal) at the Holi festival. Bhang is
used excessively ; but still I do not think that this
annual custom is likely to lead to the formation of
the habit; but it does sometimes produce injurious
effects as a temporary measure.
Bhang is given to children by some Muham-
madans at the time that male children are circum-
cised ; but this is solely done to prevent the child
feeling the pain of the operation.
36. I think there is little doubt that the use of
alcohol has to some extent taken the place of these
drugs; but still those who want to take intoxicants
will take alcohol more in preference to these drugs,
because the effects are more certain and marked,
and to some extent the social penalty, which was
formerly exercised over those who take spirit, has
been somewhat relaxed. Consumers of hemp drugs,
and who also take alcohol, have told me that they
do so chiefly on account of the intoxicating effects
of alcohol being more certain. I have very little
doubt in my mind that if the consumption of hemp
drugs be interfered with there will be greater use
of alcohol.
37. The effects of these drugs are all more or less
the same; only charas is much stronger in its effects
than either ganja or bhang.
39. This I do not know.
40. Yes, certain Hindus use them, and bhang is
given to cattle as a supposed digestive.
41. (a) I very much doubt that bhang in anyway
can be beneficial as a food accessory and digestive.
(b) There is little doubt that these drugs, but
chiefly bhang, do to a certain extent give staying-
power and alleviate fatigue, and is consequently
largely consumed by kahars, fishermen, and those
who have to work much in water.
(c) These drugs, but bhang principally, are
used in the malarious districts, such as the Terai,
on account of the supposed action as a preventive
of disease, and the people who use them thus no
doubt believe in their efficacy.
(d) I know of no other way.
42. I consider that the moderate use of bhang is
to a great extent harmless, as no doubt it does, to
some extent, give a fillip to those who are tired or
weary ; but I do not believe that ganja or charas
would be harmless.
44. (b) Bhang is certainly to some extent re-
freshing, but not ganja or charas.
(c) They all three produce intoxication.
(d) I very much doubt whether the former of
these drugs allays hunger; but I have heard it
stated that charas and ganja, when smoked, do to
some extent, just the same as is done by a pipe of
tobacco.
(e) I do not consider that any of these drugs
produces appetite. Bhang drinkers are inordi-
nately large eaters ; but I think this is more due
to a kind of paralysis of the stomach. The man
can fill his stomach with food, and he does not feel
as if well-filled, and he will often take food to
excess, then vomit, and then take more food into
his stomach.
(f) From two to six hours or so.
(g) No after-effects that I know of.
(h) Yes, certainly the want of subsequent grati-
fication would produce a longing or uneasiness.
45. (b) It certainly does impair the constitution.
(c) It would certainly impair digestion and
cause loss of appetite.
(d) I have never seen dysentery caused by it;
but there is no doubt that bronchitis and asthma
are to a great extent due to the use of charas and
ganja, as these are principally smoked, and bhang
would, no doubt, produce the same diseases in those
who smoke it.
(e) I think it does, to some extent, impair
moral sense and induce habits of laziness.
(f) Yes, certainly, all these drugs do cause a
certain amount of insanity and deaden the intellect,
principally charas and ganja. As a rule, the type
of insanity is mania with a great tendency to
laughing. The insanity is nearly always tempor-
ary, i.e., in those cases solely due to the use of
these drugs. Yes, certainly, the symptoms may
and will, in all probability, be reinduced by use of
the drug after liberation from restraint. Typical
symptoms—Laughter, principally mania, some-
times melancholia. Yes, after a while insanes will