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that is mixed with hemp was opium seeds, and
these only with bhang; and I think they were
not used for the amount of opium they contained,
which must be very small.
57. Ganja is not apparently used in this dis-
trict, and all declared that charas is never eaten
or drunk, but is only used in a chillum with
tobacco.
57.(a) One observation I made in the course of
my enquiry in the jail was the considerable num-
ber of charas and bhang consumers there were
amongst the prisoners without my being aware of
the fact. Opium eaters invariably complain of
the misery caused by the drug being stopped, and
plead for it. In the whole course of my service
as a Jail Superintendent I never yet have had a
prisoner come to plead for his charas or bhang to
be continued. Either then its total withdrawal
does not produce the same amount of misery, or
possibly their use is considered degrading; hence
prisoners do not ask. Incline to the former view.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I am over thirteen years' service.
Before coming out I had no experience of asylum
work. I have never held charge of an asylum.
Question 45.—I cannot say how many people
have been sent to me for observation; I never
kept notes. I remember they are most frequent
in the hot weather. I think they are usually
under observation about three weeks. They come
from the Magistrate. There is a statement given
by the police as to their previous history. I sup-
plement such histories by enquiries from the re-
latives and from the men themselves when they
got all right. That is what I chiefly go on. I
know of no typical symptoms of insanity from
hemp drugs. I base the diagnosis purely on the
histories. All I have really to decide is whe-
ther the man is a fit case to go to the asylum.
With a history of charas and rapid recovery I would
attribute the case to charas. The cases before me
were in the acute stage. I do not remember the
conditions of the pupils. I have seen a few cases
of taking dhatura; but never I think of mania
from it. In examining the relatives, I would ask
about the use of drugs. I would also ask about
family history usually, as to insanity in the family.
I would also ask if they knew any cause. I do
not very often see relatives; but they come at
least to take their patient away. I do not think
that I record my opinion about the cause of in-
sanity. The police do that. If the police report
showed the use of drugs as the cause of insanity,
I should ask the relatives, if there, for confirma-
tion of this. If confirmed, I should regard it as
an adequate cause of insanity. I have had no
cases in which alcohol is ascribed as the cause of
insanity.
Question 57 (a).—Twenty-two prisoners in a
jail population of between 280 and 300 confessed
to hemp drugs.
88. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. DEANE, Civil Surgeon, Moradabad.
1. I obtained my information, given below, from
Assistant Surgeon Jowala Pershad.
2. Yes, bhang is also called bijjia and baole
ghas.
Yes, charas is also known as ithur, sulpha, binai,
Yarkand.
Ganja is not used here, nor is it to be had in the
bazar.
19. Ganja is not used here. Charas is used for
smoking, and is also swallowed in small pills for
aphrodisiac purposes; but only in rare cases it is
supposed to be effective.
23. Never smoked here.
28. A moderate consumer will use up an ounce
of bhang, costing half a pice daily, and about one
drachm of charas, costing 2 pice. A habitual
excessive consumer will use 2 ounces bhang, cost-
ing half an anna, and about 5 ounces charas, cost-
ing Re. 1 daily. Some men fill an enormous
chillum with charas, sometimes over a seer, suspend
the chillum from a tree, get their friends in a ring
under the tree and smoke away.
29. Tobacco is always used with charas. I do
not know if any other drug is used with it.
Bhang is used in the form of majun, a mixture
of bhang, ghee, milk, and sugar, besides fragrant
herbs. The above, when mixed, are made into flat
cakes, which are much eaten here on certain occa-
sions, especially the Holi. Dudhia is another
mixture of bhang, milk, sugar, black pepper,
almonds, saffron, and cucumber seeds, and is drunk
on similar occasions. Also made into peras, made
up of bhang, sugar, and concentrated milk.
Kachauries made of flour with a little bhang inside.
The poor classes mix bhang, black pepper, and
water, and use it in this form. And the poorest
of all eat it as it is or mix a little salt with it.
Dhatura is used with bhang to make it more
potent. The above mixtures are simply used to
make the drug more agreeable to take, also to
assist digestion.
Bhang massala is made up of black pepper,
saffron, javitri, cardamom seed, liquorice, aniseed,
kasni, ghul khara ke phul, and ginger. The
above massala is mixed with bhang to make it
more palatable.
30. People who consume charas are inclined to be
sociable and pass round the huka; on the other
hand, consumers of bhang like solitude. Children
under ten never use these drugs, and generally only
the male sex use it, although some low caste women
also like it.
31. The habit of using these drugs is easily
formed in both cases, and is most difficult, if not
impossible, to give up, and there is a tendency to
excessive indulgence.
32. There is social or religious custom render-
ing the use of these drugs absolutely necessary ;
but bhang is served to guests on some occasions,
especially during the Holi, and it is often given by
way of a joke to bridegrooms' parties to make
them make fools of themselves. On the latter
occasions it is sometimes mixed with dhatura. As
a religious custom bhang is offered to the great
god Shiv and charas to demons. Those who wor-
ship Shiv use bhang, and worshippers of demons
use charas. It is generally used to excess on these
occasions. It leads to lazy habits, indolence, and
stupidity.
36. I have got no proof.
37. Ganja not being known here, I cannot com-
pare them.
39. Smoking is not less injurious than any
vol. V.
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