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99. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON POORNA CHANDRA BANERJI, Brahman, Benares.
1. From observation and report of friends and
professional men.
2. In Benares two sorts of ganja are sold, viz.,
(1), balucbar or flat ganja. It is imported from
Baluchar, a village on the other side of Patna,
near Hajepur; (2), pathar, a jungli product, not
generally used by the consumer.
19. Only for smoking.
23. When ganja is not available, the ganja-
smokers, to satisfy their hunger, do occasionally
use bhang in smoking. It is, however, very rare.
28. (a) About grains 10 a day = 6 pies.
(b) About 2 ounces a day = about R 2.
29. Ordinarily tobacco; exceptionally charas,
tobacco. To produce a goood taste and to ripen
its intensity of effects that charas and tobacco are
mixed. Bhang massala consists of bhang, black
pepper, cardamoms, almond, rose leaves, seeds of
kharbuza, aniseed, sugar and milk. They are
pounded and made into a sort of bolus.
30. In solitude, about grains 6. In company,
½ ounce. Mainly male sex, all ages; but gene-
rally youth and old age. Females also smoke
ganja, but they are of lower order of society;
bhang is generally used by both males and fe-
males.
31. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes; in youth.
(c) No.
32. (a) In Shivratri festival it is considered
religious to smoke ganja or to drink bhang. In
Dasomi day it is also considered sacred, for the
Mahadeva is the god to whom these drugs are
dedicated sacred.
(6) The use of the drug is considered not
essential.
(c) It is generally temperate.
(d) No.
36. Those who want to leave off this habit,
they betake to alcohol or opium, and then after a
few days' use leave off all intemperance.
37. No; ganja smoking produces more evil
effect than bhang-drinking.
39. Ganja is smoked; bhang is drunk. They
are not used in any other way, but very rarely in
any other way; ganja produces a tendency to
insanity, while bhang does not.
40. (a) Yes.
(b) In horse and cow and bullock disease.
41. It increases appetite in moderate doses.
Yes; it destroys the evil effects of severe exertion,
exposure and fatigue. It acts as a febrifuge in
malarious districts.
42. No; not harmless. It lowers the nervous
power by long use.
44. (a) Excellent.
(b) To a certain extent.
(c) It exhilarates in small doses.
(d) In moderate doses it creates hunger.
(f) The effect lasts about four hours.
(g) No after-effects.
(h) Yes; longing and uneasiness is produced.
45. (a) Continued moderate use produces noxi-
ous effects, physical, mental and moral.
(b) It impairs the constitution.
(c) Yes; after long use.
(d) Yes.
(e) Yes.
(f) Yes. Exciting. Moderate use, long con-
tinued, produces predisposing cause, generally
permanent. No, the insanes do not confess to the
use of the drug.
(g) Yes; the insanes consume more of this
drug.
46. The look of habitual ganja-smoker is
characteristic. The temples are sunk, the features
prominent, eyes sunken, shoulders raised, body
emaciated, mind wandering, lips parched and dry.
47. No.
49. (a) No.
(4) No.
(d) Yes.
57. Ganja and charas are smoked.
In my opinion the use of these drugs is bad.
100. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON GANGA SINGH, Benares.
1. Professional practice and contact with the
habitual consumers in North-Western Provinces
and Oudh.
They are known by bhang or sabji, charas, and
ganja in these provinces.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smok-
ing.
23. No.
28. (a) Ten grains of about 1/8th of a pice of
bhang in a day.
(b) Six mashas, or ninety grains or so, of
about a pice a day of bhang,
29. The ingredients ordinarily used are (a)
that of common bhang massala; (b) exceptionally
dhatura. Common bhang massala consists of
aniseed, black pepper, melon seeds, poppy seeds,
sweet almonds, sugar or salt, and kasni seeds.
30. They are generally used in moderation in
company, while the excessive consumers take them
in solitude.
31. The habit can easily be formed or broken
off. There is no tendency to develop from mo-
derate into excessive one.
32. There is a custom amongst Hindus to drink
bhang on the festivals of Shivratri and Holi.
It is not essential, and is generally taken in
moderation; nor does it lead to the formation of
the habit.
36. No.
40. The hemp plant is used by all the native
doctors of all schools for its medicinal properties
both internally and externally.
41. The moderate and occasional use of bhang
increases appetite and brings on sound sleep; that
of ganja and charas alleviates fatigue, and pro-
motes the power of undergoing severe bodily
labour or exposure to cold.
42. The moderate use of bhang is harmless, as
I have never come to know of any bad effect from
it.
vol. v.
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