146
44. The immediate effects of these drugs are
slight intoxication or stimulation, increase of
appetite, and removal of anxieties of the mind, if
taken in moderation, and they do not last more
than three or four hours. They produce not any
bad after-effect in moderate habitual consumers.
45. (b) Yes.
(c) Yes.
(d) No.
(e) Yes; but not debauchery.
(f) It deadens the intellect, but does not pro-
duce insanity. Mania is generally the type of
insanity produced by these drugs.
46. The habitual excessive consumers are lazy
and dull in their mental powers. They are very
prone to insanity.
47. No.
48. Neither the moderate nor the excessive use
of any of these drugs is hereditary habit.
49. No. Habitual excessive use of hemp pro-
duces impotence.
50. The excessive use of any of these drugs
produces impotence, laziness, and predisposition to
insanity.
56. The admixture of the bhang massala and
milk with bhang lessens its weakening effect on
the nervous system. Dhatura is occasionally
mixed with these drugs by professional thugs to
be given to their victims to facilitate robbery.
In my opinion the hemp drug is a very good
medicine for dysentery, cough, asthma, loss of
appetite, and to relieve inflammatory pains. It is
a better substitute for opium, inasmuch as it does
not produce costiveness.
101. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON SHASHTIVAR RAI, RAI BAHADUR, Kayasth,
Bareilly.
1. Experience in private practice.
2. Dr. Prain's classification of preparation of
hemp drugs holds good, except that bhang is also
called here "bhunti," and not known here as
siddhi.
19. Ganja and charas are, as far as I know,
used for smoking.
23. I have never seen it so used.
28. I am unable to answer.
29. (a) Tobacco is ordinarily mixed with charas
and ganja for smoking, and bhang with black
pepper and cardamom for consumption.
(b) Bhang is occasionally mixed with aniseed,
rose petals, cucumber seed pounded, sugar and
milk for drink in hot weather. I know of nothing
being exceptionally mixed with charas and ganja.
I have never seen dhatura, nux vomica, cantha-
rides, or betel-nut used as an admixture.
I know of no such preparation as "bhang
massala."
30. Charas and ganja are usually consumed in
company. Bhang is taken more in solitude than
the other two, but at times it is drunk in com-
pany. All these preparations are mostly used by
the male sex. Bhang is also used by the women
of low class, and on certain religious occasions by
the women even of respectable families. Charas
and ganja are rarely used by women. It is not
usual for children to consume these drugs, but
bhang in small quantities in the shape of confec-
tion is sometimes given to them on religious
occasions to make them merry.
31. The habit in my opinion is easily formed,
especially in case of bhang; and it being once
formed, it is difficult to break off. Yes; there
is such a tendency.
32. Bhang is largely used as a drink and in
sweetmeat, mostly by Hindus, on the occasions
of religious festivals, like Holi, Dewali, Sivrat,
and Dassera, and is considered by them more or
less essential, and is generally used to excess.
This annual custom is not likely to lead to the
formation of the habit, but in certain cases it
might be injurious, producing temporary derange-
ment of the brain.
36. I don't think that alcohol is being sub-
stituted for any of these drugs.
37. Charas affects the lungs and heart more
than ganja. Bhang is milder, but it affects the
brain more than the other two.
39. I am unable to answer.
40. Yes; I have seen these drugs medicinally
used, as in tetanus hæmorrhoids. I don't know
of any of them being used in the treatment of
cattle disease.
41. (a) Moderate use of bhang before meals
might be beneficial as a digestive.
(b) It does alleviate fatigue and gives staying-
power under exertion and exposure.
(c) Charas and ganja might be beneficial as a
febrifuge and preventive of diseases in malarious
and unhealthy tracts.
(d) Bhang is generally used with benefit in
dysentery and diarrhœa.
42. Considering the beneficial effects of these
drugs, as above stated, I think the moderate use
of them is harmless.
44. All three moderately used are refreshing,
and certainly produce more or less intoxication.
Charas and ganja are said to allay hunger, while
bhang is supposed to create appetite. These
effects last from three to four hours. There are
after-effects, such as giddiness and general weak-
ness. As far as I am aware, no such longing for
the drug is produced.
45. (a) to (c) No.
(d) No dysentery is caused, but bronchitis and
asthma may result from the habitual use of charas
and ganja.
(e) No.
(f) Intellect is not deadened, but insanity may
be caused by any of these drugs. In the majority
of cases seen by me, these drugs have been the
predisposing cause of insanity. They generally
produce insanity of a maniacal type and of both
kinds, namely, temporary and permanent. I am
unable to state whether the symptoms can be re-
induced. In insanity produced by bhang, the
typical symptoms are restlessness, tendency to
jump about and laugh.
(g) I am unable to answer.
46. Habitual excessive use of these produces
noxious effects, physical and mental, such as are