418
the foot in one stirrup (while about to ride a
horse) should produce intoxication by the time of
placing the foot in the other stirrup. Thereupon
they invented the practice of smoking charas.
The story is, however, not supported by any
book authority.
40 Yunani physicians prescribe bhang and
charas in exhilarating prescriptions. Some physi-
cians prescribe small quantities of its powder in
cases of remittent fever. It is administered to
horses as a food accessory. It is also administer-
ed to unruly horses; also when there is heat in
the system, or when they make urine of a reddish
colour. It is perhaps also administered to oxen.
41. (a) Bhang is consumed as a food accessory.
(b) It is also drunk to give staying-power under
heat and alleviate fatigue.
(c) Its use as a febrifuge has been noted above.
It is regarded as beneficial during malarious
seasons, and is commonly used during times of
pestilence. The object is perhaps to remove the
fear of pestilence and divert attention therefrom.
I do not know any particular class, but the idea
prevails among people in general. Habitual con- I
sumers, of course, use it at all times. The
number of occasional moderate consumers is also
large. It is, however, the masses who do so;
well-bred people seldom take it.
42. I have never observed or heard of any in-
jury done to an occasional consumer. It is said
to be rather beneficial.
43. Moderate consumers are not offensive to
their neighbours, unless they are mischievously
inclined. Even those addicted to its use are
inoffensive; they do not indeed become pertina-
cious, as is the case with akaliyas (a sect of
Sikhs).
44. The" immediate effect of the drug is a false
appetite and fear of every object. Should a bird
pass by, the consumer would suspect a brick to
have been thrown by some one. Imagination is
rapidly at work, and hence it is called vark-ul-
khiyal (i.e., exciting the imagination). In the
case of moderate doses, the intoxication lasts three
or four hours. A habitual consumer feels a sort of
perturbation when the intoxication abates, but not
such as is felt (by a drunkard) when the intoxi-
cation of alcohol abates.
45. The smoking of charas as well as of ganja
does produce physical, mental and moral effects
of a noxious nature. The body becomes lean and
disfigured. There is a false appetite during the
commencement (of the habit); but there is a loss
of appetite subsequently. Cough and asthma
follow, and moral discernment is also impaired.
One becomes lazy, wilful, and envious. It does
not, however, incline the consumer to debauchery.
A predilection is produced for sweetmeats, milk,
and other rich diet. It does also induce insanity,
especially if the habit be contracted during youth,
Many people have been seen to have become per-
manently insane.
The excessive use of bhang does also produce
such effects, as tremor, palsy, and other diseases
of the muscles.
Tnose who possess a control over themselves
may be cured by giving up the consumption of
the drug on the first appearance of the symptoms
of these evil consequences. The kind of insanity
corresponds to the temperament of the consumer.
Some become subject to melancholy; others to
fitful madness; others still to mania.
People do take bhang to allay mental anxiety;
but 1 have not fully understood the meaning of
the last portion.
I cannot mention any particular case; but my
statements agree with my general observation.
47. As a general rule, the habit does not appear
to be hereditary. Of course, if the children of an
habitual consumer always sit in the father's
society, it is possible they may contract the habit.
But there are also those who spurn the use of such
narcotic drugs notwithstanding such society.
People of both kinds have come under my observ-
ation.
49. Many people do take bhang primarily as an
aphrodisiac, but become impotent when they get
addicted to its use. Females also do occasionally
take it; but I have not come to know that all
prostitutes take it. Women are rarely charas
smokers, but there are more of them drinkers of
bhang. Drunkards, too, when the intoxication
(of liquor) abates, sometimes drink bhang to re-
move the after-effects.
51. No particular class of bad characters is
known to me to be the habitual moderate consum-
ers of any of these drugs. I have not heard that
the moderate use (of these drugs) has any connec-
tion with crime in general, or with crime of any
special character; Consumers of bhang and
charas are, generally speaking, not habitual crimi-
nals, for a boldness and activity are indispensable
for the commission of crime, whereas habitual
consumers of these intoxicants are generally timid
and lazy. Akali people, who were, during the
Sikh rule, noted for their excessive consumption
of bhang, did commit highway robbery and other
crimes, but not in consequence of their being
addicted to the drug. They were in reality pro-
fessional criminals and consumed bhang in excess.
I have not come across any such instance in
modern times. Chuhras (sweepers) are indeed
bhang drinkers as well as professional criminals.
Their criminal profession, however, is due to their
natural inclinations, and not to the consumption
of bhang or charas.
53. If the consumer of these drugs be naturally
wicked, he may commit violent crime. Habitual
consumers of bhang have sometimes been seen
perpetrating murder on slight provocation. Such
a deed is, however, not done under frenzy, but
through pertinacity, for habitual excessive consum-
ers of it do become of a pertinacious character.
The excessive use of bhang brings into play the
natural disposition of the consumer, and even
makes the characteristic peculiarities stronger.
54. I think these drugs are not used by crimi-
nals, because they would not fortify them, but
would rather make the criminals timid.
55. They may do so. I have not seen any such
case. Complete stupefaction would be induced if
an excessive quantity of the drugs was taken
through carelessness. Dhatura is mostly used
for such purposes.
56. Moderate use does cause injury, but of an
imperceptible nature, especially so if almonds,
aniseed, endive, and milk, etc., be mixed as correct-
ives. I do not know of any case of dhatura being
mixed with bhang for personal consumption. It
may be mixed for administration to others ; but I
possess no particular information on the subject.
57. Charas is mixed with (compounds called)
majuns, which are intended to serve as aphrodisi-
acs. The result is as noted already. Taken in
excess, even as a medicine, it produces injuriou