179
of ganja having been antecedent to fully developed
insanity. The phrase "well observed," with
which I have introduced them, is not used in a
strictly scientific sense. I have never seen any
ganja smokers of long standing who do not suffer
from bronchitis and bronchial asthma, and in mak
ing this statement I do not confine it to my pro-
fessional observation. I have not noticed that
dysentery is so commonly connected with the
hemp drugs. I have heard of ganja being smoked
as a relief for asthma, and I have tried extract of
Cannabis indica for it without good result.
121. Evidence of MAHOMED YAR KHAN, Health Officer, Aligarh Municipality.
1. Our answer to the 1st question is based on
the books which we read in the Medical School of
Agra, that (hemp plant) has three principal in-
gredients.
2. The hemp plant is not cultivated in Aligarh
district. It is imported from Bharatpur and
Gwalior. Charas is the extract of bhang. Its
formation takes place when the plant is washed by
rain. After the rainfall when the soft leaves are
pressed, it is called charas.
19. Both kinds of ganja and charas are smoked.
But sometimes pills of charas are used by doctors
in spasm.
23. Bhang never heard of as being smoked.
28. I have heard that the average cost of charas
is about Rs. 12 per seer and bhang's cost is about
Re. 1-8 for four seers per day.
(a) Habitual moderate consumers are 25 per
hundred.
(5) Habitual excessive consumers are about 50
per hundred.
29. Some Hindu rich men mix with bhang the
following spices:—milk, sugar, black pepper,
aniseed, white carraway seeds, and roses. And
some mendicants or jogis mix dhatura seeds too,
to make it strong and use it like syrup. Those
who bad not excessive habit dislike the above
ingredients. Besides those ingredients its sweet-
meat, confection or majun is used by Hindus in
the special festivals as Holi or Diwali, in which are
mixed aromatic ingredients as cardamoms. Rose-
water is mixed and sometimes dyed different colours.
30. The sweetmeat or majum of bhang is used
by persons of every age and sex, both in solitude
and company. But simple bhang and charas are
used by the male adults and old men. They are
seldom used by children and females.
31. The habit of the drugs is easily formed by
associating with consumers of these drugs. And
it is not difficult to break off. Out of these three
the tendency of bhang reaches excessive habit
from moderate one.
32. The Hindus use the bhang as a social and
religious custom in the Holi or Diwali. In the
Hindu caste its habit is moderate. Although it
is not liked by society, yet it is thought harmless.
36. Alcohol cannot be substituted for it. Firstly,
alcohol is a more precious thing than it. Secondly,
it is more strong. Thirdly, it is disliked by many
people who freely use bhang. Fourthly, those are
mostly consumers of these drugs, and it is against
their religion to use alcohol in place of any of these.
37. Charas and ganja by smoking are more
efficacious than of bhang; thus quickly, they both
immediately affect the nerves. The effect of bhang
will be on the nerves after circulation of the blood.
39. Bhang is not smoked as ganja and charas;
but if any person after drinking bhang, and smok-
ed ganja and charas, the effect would be a strong
one and will lead to insanity or catalepsy.
40. Native doctors use internally charas in the
form of pills and mixtures. Bhang and ganja are
also used externally. In cattle diseases bhang is
used both externally and internally.
41. It is beneficial, if any man takes its sweet-
meat or syrup of bhang before food.
(a) It then creates appetite and alleviates
fatigue.
(b) And also it is a febrifuge.
42. The moderate use of any of these drugs
causes no injurious results.
44. On the habitual moderate consumers the
immediate effect of bhang will be refreshing and
steadying. The consumer will soon finish his
work which he undertook, and if he pays atten-
tion after drinking, he will gladly sleep and be-
come intoxicated. Bhang creates no loss of appe-
tite, but ganja and charas do so. Its effect re-
mains from three to six hours and produces giddi-
ness, headache, and pain of the body and creates
subsequent wants.
45. In the habitual moderate consumers, charas
and ganja cause dementia or auger. It is not
injurious to the constitution otherwise than by
causing thinness. They cause loss of appetite and
produce indigestion. At the time of their use the
man suffers from asthma and bronchitis; after
leaving their use he suffers from diarrhoea and
dysentery. They are at first smoked for immoral
purposes and debauchery; afterwards the consumer
becomes lazy, his moral sense goes away, and a
tendency to insanity is produced. In these cases,
if not stopped, there is fear of complete insanity.
If the insanity comes from moderate use then it
is temporary. But if the use is not checked, the
temporary insanity will change into permanent.
If the insane person remember the history of his
healthy state and wants to recover, he will know
the cause of his insanity.
46. From the fitfulness of charas and ganja the
habit of their excessive use is founded.
47. Some Hindu castes give one another as a
relic from some shrine, which they think to be a
moderate quantity. In this way the effect is ex-
tended to the children.
48. From childhood to old age, if not checked,
the habit leads to excessive use.
49. Yes; sometimes its use is as an aphrodisiac
and sometimes causes impotency. Prostitutes only
use for intoxication and for alleviating the fatigues
of dancing.
50. From both above-mentioned causes habi-
tual excess is the result.
56. The admixture of dhatura seeds is stated in
the answer of question 29, about jogis and mendi-
cants. Nux vomica, cantharides, opium and betel-
nut are never heard of being mixed in them.
57. Charas is the extract of Canab. and Tinc-
ture of Canab. made from ganja. These both
separately are used in proper doses in following
diseases:—Tetanus, hydrophobia, hysteria, rheu-
matism, chorea, convulsions, delirium from alcohol,
asthma, bronchitis, dysmenorrhœa.
vol. v.
2 D 2