181
among the Musalmans; also a few among the
respectable people having means at their command.
28. (a) One pice to two annas.
(b) One anna to eight annas.
This mostly depends on circumstances of the
consumer. A poor man can daily enjoy his daily
drug for a pice; while a man of means can spend
any amount on the same, the extra cost being due
not to hemp, which is only in proportionately a
small quantity, but accesories in the shape of
milk, sugar, almonds, saffron, musk, and such like,
which are the ingredients of bhang massala.
29. Ordinarily only black pepper and bhang
are made into a drink, Exceptionally milk, sugar,
raisins, almonds, saffron, etc., are used. Dhatura
is generally used by thugs, which they do not
use themselves with bhang, but for their victims
before they rob them.
There is no one formula for bhang massala.
Mostly the ingredients named above are used to
make the drink more palatable, and the proportion
varies,
30. About 50 per cent. of the consumers enjoy
themselves alone; about a similar number in
company; the latter especially being the case
among the charas and ganja-smokers, who asso-
ciate merely to share with each other, the major-
ity of these being composed of fakirs, idlers, and
poor people, and in places licensed for the sale
of these drugs. Children, as a rule, are exempt
from the habit. After years of discretion, it is
not confined to any time of life. A small minor-
ity of women is also addicted to their use.
31 The habit is easily acquired, but difficult
to break off, although not so difficult as the al-
cohol habit. There is a tendency to increase in
the case of idlers, etc.
32. Only on special occasions of festivity, the
Hindu festival of Holi or Dol Jatra being the
chief occasion, when bhang, in the shape of con-
fection called majun, is offered and accepted by
one another, especially among those who are
religiously prohibited from taking alcohol in any
shape. This is not likely to lead to injurious results.
33. In the case of fellows with no occupation
or calling, and who are excessively given to the
use of the narcotic, the public certainly looks
down upon them with contempt, the words
bhangeri and ganjeri being synonymous with the
term ''useless."
There is no special occasion that I know of
when the Hindus worship the hemp plant; but
the orthodox section of the community certainly
looks upon bhang as a sacred thing on account
of its being the favourite food of the god Shiva,
one of the Hindu trinity.
34. I do not know whether to call the privation
a serious one; but it will be equal to that of a
European labourer or soldier deprived of bis daily
6upply of beer.
35. In my opinion it would not be feasible to
prohibit the use of any or all of the drugs. It
will certainly lead to illicit consumption. I do
not think the prohibition could be enforced easily
in any way. I do not know if the discontent
occasioned by prohibition would amount to a
political danger; but probably recourse would be
had to other drugs — dhatura, for instance, that
grows wild all over.
36. I think not, although there are some per-
sons who take almost everything—alcohol, bhang,
ganja, charas, opium and arsenic. I know at least
half a dozen of such men personally.
37 to 39. I do not know.
40. I know that bhang is prescribed by the
baids in cases of rheumatism, fevers, etc., in the
case of human beings. I do not know if the
drug is so used in the treatment of cattle.
41. The consumers believe these drugs to
possess all these three properties. Some few also
believe in them as aphrodisiacs; and, in my opi-
nion, they do possess the first three qualities, as
is testified by the capability of the poor worker in
the fields, railroads, and those that are constantly
exposed to all weathers and climates, and are only
scantily clothed. These men are none the worse
for that; but are a set of hardy labourers—men
of great enduring power under severe exertion
and exposure. I have verified this by personally
observing them when at their work and afterwards.
Of course it is the moderate habitual or moderate
occasional consumer that I refer to.
42. If a man can avoid so much the better; but
in the particular class of men referred to under
question 41, I consider the use of the drugs to
be beneficial.
43. I think, yes, quite.
44. The habitual consumer feels no other effect
save that of gratification, and that a certain want
has been supplied, like a tea-drinker feels after
his accustomed cup of tea, and he is all the happi-
er" for it, and goes about his work cheerfully ;
but in the case of a person not in the habit, the
effects depend upon the quantity consumed from
mere exhilaration and rising of spirits to fatal
symptoms of poisoning, which are drowsiness, sick-
ness, dullness of vision, great thirst, dryness of
the throat, and heavy sleep, The pupils are gener-
ally dilated, eyes suffused, small, quick pulse,
and a dry tongue. The case may end in death
or recovery, which depends on quantity consumed
and proper treatment.
45. (a) to (f) No.
46. In the case of habitual excessive smokers
of ganja and charas insanity, generally temporary,
occasionally supervenes. It is usually an attack
of violent homicidal mania; in fact the person
attacked with it knows nothing of the injury be
is liable to inflict on others or himself while the
fit is on, which generally takes for its victims
poor wretches that are starving from lack of
means, and try to quench their devouring hunger
in the solace of a chillum of ganja.
These men never miss an opportunity of a smoke
as long as they can get one, and the attack gener-
ally comes on when the smoker pulls hard at a
fully charged chillum on an empty stomach after
abstinence, or goes on smoking excessively while
starving. If broken of his habit, he generally
recovers. I am personally cognizant of two such
cases which were cured alter the habit was given up.
The consumers of bhang are less liable to be
affected with violent mania. I know of no case.
The excessive consumers are generally in a fool's
paradise, and are also great gluttons, which seems
their chief pleasure in life. The only form of
insanity they are liable to is imbecility,
47. No.
49, It is used as an aphrodisiac; but I do not
think by prostitutes. It is only used by men
who indulge in excesses, and is liable to do more
harm when used for this purpose than as an ordi-
nary narcotic, because the drug is in such cases
used in a concentrated form, and often by persons
not given to habitual consumption. It also causes
impotence.
50. The excessive use of any of the drugs is
always injurious in every way. It impairs diges-
tion, dulls the thinking powers, causes loss of