170
That is what I mean by my answer here. I apply
his dispensary average to the general public.
Question 1.—I was educated in the Medical
College, Calcutta, and obtained the old diploma
of Hospital Assistant (Vernacular class) forty-one
years ago I have served here since in general
dispensaries and in jail and police hospitals, but
not in any lunatic asylum.
114. Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT DABEE HAM, Agra Lunatic Asylum.
2. Charas.—There are three varieties of charas—
(1.) Yarkand, which is very powerful. (2) Bokhara.
It is little less in power than above. (3) Essence
of charas, which in Afghanistan is a strong nar-
cotic.
Ganjas of three kinds—baluchar, khussi of
Ulwar, and chur are broken in small pieces. The
most powerful is baluchar.
Bhang:—Suddi, patti, sabji, bijia, buty, and
thattia (the thattia is best), used for drinking pur-
poses and sometimes used as cattle medicine, for
increasing appetite, and greatly used for majum or
confection.
19. They are used in this country only for
smoking.
23. No; not in this country.
28. Charas—
Moderate consumers.
Excessive consumers.
Bhang—
Moderate consumers.
Excessive consumers.
1 to 4 pice (an anna)
1 to 4 annas.
1 to 2 pice used by 6
to 10 individuals.
2 pice for one man.
Sometimes 2 to. 3 chittacks are used by a man.
Ganja—
Moderate consumers.
Excessive consumers.
1 to 2 pice used by
poor men who have
no clothing in cold
season, as sweepers,
kahars, and hard
labourers, to make.
them warm.
2 to 3 pice daily.
29. (a) Generally mixed ingredients are the
following:—
Kaho seeds, kolfa seeds, khura seeds, kukree
seeds, sonf, pepper, mulahti, rose, gulkharo, misri,
kishmish, and a small quantity of bhang. This
mixture is commonly used by Brahmins and banias
daily, 60 to 70 in 100, and called thandai. Used
in hot season.
(b) Great drinkers of bhang mix dhatura in
bhang for a strong narcotic.
30. These three drugs are used by the male sex;
rarely by females or children. Especially bhang
confection or majum is much used in Holi festi-
vals by men, women and children. Majum is
always sold in the bazaar.
31. Little uses gradually progress to excess.
The habit of little drinking could be stopped, but
excessive drinking could not be reformed. They
could not take their food unless they have their
daily thandai or bhang.
32. Charas and ganja are used commonly, but
bhang is Shiva's (or Mahadev's) booty. Who are
Shiva's worshippers, they greatly use it, and also
by bairagis, sadhus, pujaris, Chaubes of Muttra,
and Brij people used greatly.
36. These drugs are used by poor classes who
are high castes, and they have no money to spend
for liquors, and also they avoid to touching
liquors, but lower classes use it.
37. Charas and ganja are diffusible stimulants.
They go direct by means of pulmonary circulation
to the brain, and eyes become instantly red, and
have pleasing effects for a few hours, and after-
wards dull. Bhang's, effect is not so instanta-
neously perceptible.
39. In these practices of smoking and drinking
among them, smoking is worse than drinking.
The smoking sooner brings insanity than drink-
ing. The case of bhang could be cured in a fort-
night or a month, but charas and ganja eases
require more time. I have experience in employ-
ment of lunatic asylum for twenty-two years.
40. I have heard that some villagers use them
for their cattle for failing appetite, but they are
not used by native doctors.
41. Bhang, except charas and ganja, is useful
in its effect—
(a) in small quantity in increasing appetite;
(b) stimulant for a few hours;
(c) sometimes used by native baids with
some pepper and asafœtida as febrifuge,
but very slight in its effect for this
purpose;
(d) used as plaster or lap and in fomentation
in the orchitis.
42. These drugs, when used moderately, are
considered harmless, but used in larger quantities
are injurious, as 2 tolas of majum to one lota of
bhang.
44. The habitual user is not satisfied on indulg-
ing in small quantities. If reduced subsequently,
it is not refreshing and not intoxicating. Does
not allay hunger and does create appetite, and
effect will last a short time.
It will certainly make a person eager and un-
easy for a week or more.
45. (a) to (e) No.
(f) The moderate use of these does not cause
insanity, but the excessive use might do so. The
insanity caused by the free use of these drugs is
soon relieved. About 90 per cent. of these pa-
tients are cured. The symptoms seen generally
with these patients are those of mania. By leav-
ing this habit they are cured from the disease, but
when they take up the habit again, the symptoms
of mania recur.
(g) I have never heard any insane complaining
after having been cured that he was addicted to
the habit of these drugs simply to get relief from
brain disease. An insane addicted to the habit of
these drugs takes them in excess when there is no
control over him,
46. The excessive use of these drugs causes
madness.
47 and 48. Yes, sometimes, as Chaubes of
Muttra; others take this habit by society.