120
One of the thirty-six cases mentioned in my
answer had an alcoholic history. I did not attri-
bute the case to alcohol definitely, but put down
alcohol with a mark of interrogation after it.
As a regimental medical officer (Native Infan-
try), I had no case that I can recollect.
80. Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL B. O'BRIEN , Civil Surgeon, Benares.
1. Twenty years' employment as Civil Surgeon
in these provinces, during which I have very seldom
missed a day in visiting the out-door department
of the dispensaries which have been in my charge.
At these there has been a daily average attendance
of nearly two hundred per diem in round numbers.
31. I have repeatedly prescribed Indian hemp
for neuralgias, for ovarian troubles, and for dysent-
ery and its sequelæ and in large doses and for a
long time. I never found any difficulty in stopping
the drug, as would be the case if opium were used
in the same (relatively.) doses.
41. I have several times been asked by my
servants for money to buy bhang when out in
camp, and when they have been exposed to bad
weather. I have also frequently seen the drug
administered with food to my horses and bullocks
after a long and trying march. From the fre-
quency with which I have been asked for this drug
by my servants under such circumstances, and from
the results I have observed after its use by them,
I am of opinion that a moderate dose of bhang is
very useful after severe exposure and hard work.
42. I consider the use of the drugs in modera-
tion to bo harmless to most people. There are
some few excitable people in whom even moderate
doses of the drug cause very unpleasant symptoms.
Some of my patients, after even very small doses
of the tincture (10 drops), thought that they must
be going mad, as their minds were full of delusions.
In fact, they thought that they were delirious.
Had the dose been larger, it is probable that these
patients would not have been aware that their de-
lusions and hallucinations were unreal, but would
have taken them for real facts, and would, in fact,
have been temporarily insane.
45. (a) Physical.
(b) Impairment
of the constitution is not
observed after the use of hemp.
(c) The digestive functions are not injured.
(d) It gives great relief in dysentery. In both
the Agra and Benares lunatic asylums it is thought
by the officials that asthma is more prevalent
amongst the insane who indulges in ganja. I
could find no evidence to substantiate this idea.
(f) During my twenty years' attendance at dis-
pensaries in these provinces, I have never met a
patient who alleged that he was suffering from
the effects of the use, moderate or otherwise, of
hemp drugs. Except for a very occasional luna-
tic brought to the dispensaries, whose insanity
was said to be due to ganja or charas by the
police, I have had no experience in the treatment
of illnesses caused by ganja, charas, or bhang.
I do not believe that such exist. Even in
lunatics brought to the asylums or dispensaries in
a state of great emaciation, this condition was
due to the violence of their excitement rather than
to altered nutrition.
57a. I think that the records of every asylum
in India should be gone over carefully, and every
case of toxic insanity due to, or alleged to bo due
to, hemp drugs should be tabulated. Then, I
think, it would be made evident that there has been
no perceptible increase in the numbers of cases of
toxic insanity due to these drugs in recent years as
is alleged.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—My service has all been in the
North-Western Provinces. I had asylums for
eighteen months in Agra and six months in Benares.
I was three years at the Waterford Lunatic Asylum
during my medical studies. I have thus, I sup-
pose, more experience of insanity than many other
medical men. My total service is over twenty-
one years—twenty as Civil Surgeon.
Question 31.—For neuralgia I have prescribed a
drachm of the British Pharmacopoeia tincture.
One case I have where a lady patient has been
taking such doses for seven years continuously. She
takes it once in three weeks, sometimes two doses
two days running. She takes it plain, without
admixture of other stimulant. It is the only
thing that gives relief. I find natives more toler-
ant of the drug than Europeans. I have seen
Europeans show symptoms of uneasiness from the
drug, even from ten or fifteen drops; but never
natives. I think a drachm of the tincture of
Cannabis indica is a poisonous dose to any one in
ordinary health. Twenty drops would not ordi-
narily be exceeded as a dose, without some reason
in the special case. But I generally begin with
the twenty minim dose as I do not believe in less.
I had a case of chronic dysentery which required
Cannabis indica in large quantities of mucilage. It
was continued for months, and left off quite
easily when the necessity passed away. I have
had several such cases. I have found cases in
which moderately large doses of opium have not been
easily given up. My asylum experience, however,
shows that large doses or ganja are not easily given
up. I mean that lunatics crave much for it; but
I never give it; and I have seen no ill-effects from
refusing it. I have been Superintendent of Jails.
They never ask there. I have never given opium
to any opium-eater under my charge. I have
never been compelled to do so; and no one has ever
died from being refused. In moribund cases it
might be necessary, but I have never had such
necessity. All I mean in my answer is that it is
probably easier to give up hemp drugs than opium.
This is not, however, based on experience of the
manner in which the natives use the drugs.
Question 45. — I had no time to investigate the
connection between asthma and hemp drugs in the
asylums, and have, therefore, no opinion of my own
to offer either in support or contradiction of the
views set forth by the officials. In my long
experience in dispensaries, however, I have never had
a case of asthma set down to hemp drugs. I was
not in the habit of inquiring whether such patients
were ganja or charas smokers, though I did so
occasionally. I know several people who inhale
tobacco in cigarettes, etc., who are subject to
bronchial troubles ; and it seems possible that in-