136
this change would take. I knew one case—the
one case I have in ray mind—of a man who
showed this 'premature decay" after ten years
smoking of charas (he said). He was about forty-
five when I saw him. I only saw him twice
(with a month between), at that time. There are
one or two other cases I have seen, but none so de-
finite as this. I was called to treat this man, a
rich native, for general debility. There was no
history of spirit drinking. But there was possibly
excessive sexual indulgence. It was known that
he was given that way. I was told so quietly.
I do not think that excessive sexual indulgence
would alone have caused the state he was in. It
does produce debility and nervousness. I mean
by "nervousness" timidity, reticence, almost
inability to conduct his own affairs. That was
the state of my patient. He was also a thin,
delicate man with a bad cough. That, as well
as his history pointed to the drug. He com-
plained to me that he had used the drug a long
time, and it made him cough a great deal more.
Question 45.—My remarks here apply to the ex-
cessive use. They do not apply to the moderate
use. The whole answer should be read as re-
ferring to question 46 regarding the excessive use.
The moderate use of these drugs does not in my
opinion cause any injury or lead to any harmful
results. I have seen cases of insanity which have
been said to be due to the excessive use of the
drugs. I am pretty sure I have. But I have no
recollection of any case in which I had any ground
myself for knowing that that was the cause.
Nor have I any "evidence to show that insanity
follows the indulgence of drugs by persons who
are deficient in self-control." What I mean in
my answer is that there is probably such evidence
in the lunatic asylums.
In cases coming to me to be kept under ob-
servation there is generally a police report. I
rarely supplement that information by further
inquiry. Sometimes I get more information out
of the relations. I have nothing to do with the
cause of the insanity. I have only to find out
whether the man is insane or not, requiring to be
kept under restraint, or fit to be made over to his
friends. As a medical man I think that the use
of these drugs is sometimes a factor in the causa-
tion of insanity. That is my impression, but I
cannot tell on what it is based.
I have experience of people attributing their
ailments to the use of these drugs. I cannot say
at all how many such cases I have, or what pro-
portion they form of my hospital practice. But
I should say it was certainly not large. It is a
small proportion, for the bulk of our hospital prac-
tice is in respect to climatic disease. The disease
is entered. The cause is not entered anywhere.
They would be entered as debility. I am speaking
of a small proportion of my debility cases. These
debility and cough eases are the only diseases ever
attributed to these drugs.
Question. 50.—I refer here to brain and tissue
changes. My remark is based on no observations
or post-mortem examinations, but on statements
made by my assistants. They also had made no
post-mortem examinations.
93. Evidence of RETIRED HONORARY SURGEON J. C. ELLIS, Retired Civil
Surgeon, Lucknow.
1. Those afforded by my duties as Civil Surgeon
of different districts, which brought me in contact
with natives who were familiar with hemp drugs.
2. Yes; these definitions may be accepted for
the province.
19. They are used ordinarily only for smoking.
23. I believe it is sometimes, though rarely,
used for smoking; but this use is not confined to
any class of the people particularly.
28. The average allowance and cost are very
little. I can't say how much.
29. I am told that dhatura is sometimes mixed
with these drugs, but only at the request of the
customer. The object of the admixture is stated
to be the augmentation of the anodyne and stupe-
fying properties of the hemp. I haven't heard of
bhang massala.
30. Hemp smoking is chiefly practised in com-
pany; siddhi or subji, as the bhang beverage is
called, is indulged in solitude. The consumption
is mainly confined to adult males, but I have seen
a few women and boys (one about 12 years old)
who were addicted to hemp-smoking.
31. The hemp habit is easily formed, difficult
to break off, and liable to develop into the exces-
sive.
82. I don't remember hearing of any custom,
social or religious, regarding the consumption of
these drugs.
86. I don't think that alcohol is being substi-
tuted for any of these drugs. It is so much more
expensive to get drunk on spirits, and the inebri-
ation is not so pleasurable.
37. Ganja is regarded as being more rapid in
producing its effects than charas; and the intoxi-
cation doesn't last so long.
39. Smoking any preparation of hemp is re-
garded, I am told, as more injurious than drink-
ing or eating anything made from bhang. These
preparations being weaker in toxic properties than
the other; and smoking affords a more prompt
and effective means of introducing the drug into
the system than gastric digestion.
40. Yes; native practitioners prescribe these
drugs in the treatment of their patients.
Bhang is very commonly used in the treatment
of cattle diseases.
41. Yes, when used judiciously, under proper
advice.
42. The unnecessary resort to these drugs is
harmful; the habit of using them being readily
formed, being difficult to break off and liable to
grow to excess.
44. The effect is refreshing generally; produc-
ing an agreeable intoxication, and increase of
appetite. There is little, if any, after-effect. The
deprivation of the customary drug creates ardent
longing and uneasiness.
45 (a) Yes; if persevered in.
(b) Yes.
(c) Yes.
(d) Yes.
(e) Yes.
(f) It deadens the intellect, produces insan-
ity of a temporary type, and liable to be rein-
duced by return to the use of the drug.