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79. Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL M. D. MORIARTY, Civil Surgeon,
Meerut.
1. Twenty-one years' service in India, viz., five
years as a Regimental Medical Officer (Native
Infantry) and sixteen years as Civil Surgeon and
Superintendent of Jail.
2. The definitions of bhang and charas may be
accepted for the province. Ganja I have little or
no acquaintance with, and have never before heard
of its three varieties. It is little used in these
parts.
The local names are bhang, charas, and ganja.
I understand that amongst those who use it
bhang is also called siddhi, sabzi, patti and bijiya.
19. The chief use of charas, and I believe also of
ganja, is for smoking. I believe both ganja and
charas are occasionally prescribed by native phy-
sicians in cases of intermittent fever. I have also
heard of both being applied locally in cases of hor-
net sting.
23. Not that I know of.
28. I cannot say.
29. I have heard of dhatura being mixed with
bhang in order to increase the intoxicating effect.
No.
30. All three, especially charas and ganja, are,
I believe, chiefly partaken of in company, e. g.,
in a "shivala" (Hindu temple), and by adult
males. I have never known of a woman or child
using any of these drugs. I should mention that
ganja is very little used in these parts.
31. In regard to charas and bhang these ques-
tions may, I believe, be answered in the affirmative,
the first and third at any rate. I have heard that
the hemp habit is much easier to break off than
the opium habit.
32. I understand that in the festival of the
Holi the higher castes of Hindus drink bhang in
the same way that the lower castes drink alcohol.
Such use of bhang use is not essential; it is, I
understand, sometimes excessive. I have heard of
women taking bhang in the " Holi," and remaining
more or less under its influence for a week.
36. I cannot say, and have never heard an
opinion to this effect expressed by a native.
37. In charas-smoking intoxication is almost
immediate, in bhang-drinking I understand it
occurs more slowly and is less intense.
39. On the contrary, I believe charas-smoking
is the most injurious form of consumption both in
regard to the respiratory affections it is prone to
produce and to its tendency to produce insanity.
Charas and ganja are, I believe, rarely eaten, and I
have never heard of bhang being smoked.
40. I believe native physicians sometimes pre-
scribe a poultice of bhang for an attack of the piles,
and sometimes order ganja and charas (with other
drugs) in intermittent fever. I myself have often
used tincture Cannabis Indica in dysentery with
good effect.
41. Not that I know of.
42. I do not. The effect is always, so far as I
know, intoxication, more or less, and the tendency
is to increase the dose. This is perhaps more true
of charas-smoking than of bhang-drinking.
44. It is said to be refreshing, stimulating, and
to some extent intoxicating, especially charas-smok-
ing. Bhang-drinking is said to excite hunger.
Moderate habitual consumers are, I believe, in the
habit of using the drug morning and evening, and
feel uncomfortable if they do not have it at the
usual time.
45 and 46. It is not easy to define " moderate "
and " excessive." The habitual use of charas is
apt to produce noxious effects. The greater the
use, the greater the effect. It is well known that
charas-smoking may cause bronchitis and asthmatic
symptoms. During the past 2½ years 36 cases of
insanity have come under my observation. Exclud-
ing from these 5 cases of post-epileptic insanity,
5 of dementia and 1 of amentia, there remain 25
cases of mania, of whom 6 were said to have been
addicted to charas-smoking, 1 to ganja-smoking,
and 1 to bhang-drinking. I cannot say what
quantities of the different preparations these men
may have used, or how frequently, or for how long ;
the insanity is usually permanent and of a recurrent
character; it is always mania so far as my experi-
ence goes. I am not aware of any typical symp-
toms. I have never heard that insanity tended to
indulgence in hemp drugs. I believe that charas-
smoking acts both directly as an exciting cause and
indirectly as a predisposing cause of insanity.
Following are short notes of two of the eight cases
of insanity referred to :—
Buldeo Gujar, age 22 years, sent for observation
on 2nd August 1892, said to have been recently
insane, to have been kept under restraint by his
friends, and to have attempted suicide by jumping
into a well. He admitted all this, ana said his
insanity was caused by smoking charas, which
habit he acquired from a sadhu (religious mendi-
cant); he had the appearance of a man recovering
from mania; by degrees he became perfectly quiet
and rational. On 22nd August symptoms of ex-
citement again appeared; he became very wild, and
was sent to an asylum on 5th September ; during
the excitement he was constantly talking of the
sadhu.
Bholoo, age 35 years, the syce (groom) of an
officer of the 2nd Goorkhas, was sent for observa-
tion on 24th December 1892. He presented the
symptoms of an ordinary attack of mania. After
some days he became quieter, and then said that
for some years he had been addicted to charas-
smoking, but had never before been insane. He
got quiet and rational by degrees and appeared
quite right except for the look in his eyes. On
25th January 1893, he got mad again, becoming
wildly excited ; this lasted for about a week. He
was sent to an asylum shortly after.
47 and 48. I have never heard of such.
49 and 50. I have heard that charas-smoking
diminishes sexual desire, and that this is one reason
why ascetics (jogis and fakirs) indulge in it.
56. Vide answer to 29.
57. I have not heard of such.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have no special experience in re-
gard to insanity. I never had any asylum experi-
ence at home, and have not been in charge of an
asylum in this country.
Question 32.—I have no personal knowledge of
women being under the effect of bhang for a week.
But I have heard from natives that women taking
bhang at the Holi remained under its influence for