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the quick-acting calorific property of the volatile
particles of the drug at once produces its effect on
the whole body. In the head it awakens the vital
(or volitional) spirit or power which controls the
motions of the whole body ; and all the powers of
the brain get ready for their respective functions
at that time. The five internal senses—intellect,
understanding, etc.,—become strong and active.
It is on account of this property of bhang that it
is called "zaid-ul-fikr" (the promoter of thought),
"warak-ul-kheyal," (leaf of imagination) and
"hosh afza" (the quickener of sense). The same
quick-acting heat rouses the animal spirit or power
in the heart, which keeps the whole body alive.
The blood begins to boil up (or gets heated) and
this results in the production of volatile vapours
in the heart. These vapours increase the essence
of animal life, which expands and thereby produces
exhilaration and elation (of mind) culminating in
the state known as intoxication. At that time
all the powers that keep the body alive become
strong. The same electric heat enlivens the animal
spirit in the liver (and thus excites the appetite)
on which the nourishment of the whole body de-
pends. This heat destroys the superfluous humours
that accumulate in the liver, the stomach and
other alimentary viscera , and by the removal
of these superfluous humours the inner surface of
the stomach becomes clear and empty. This empti-
ness produces hunger or desire for food, and what-
ever food is taken at that time is well digested.
Sweet and cooling food containing milk is felt
to be very palatable. The same heat penetrates
through all the limbs and destroys all superfluous
humours, thereby mitigating for a time the symp-
toms of diseases produced by wind, watery humours
and cold. The invigoration of the three spirits or
powers referred to above strengthens the sexual
appetite also, especially in the case of a person
who has watery humours in his organs and nerves,
or whose sexual appetite is weakened on account of
cold.
So far as my investigation and experience go,
the causes of the drugs being beneficial are those
that have been described briefly above, and all
these beneficial effects are produced simply owing
to the quick-acting heat of the volatile particles
of these drugs.
An hour of two after their use, when the effect
of this heat disappears, the cooling and drying effect
of the third degree, productive of disease, which
is the property of the dense and solid particles of
the drugs, spreads throughout the body and makes
it cold. It is a law of nature that exposure to
or application of cold at the time when heat in the
body has increased in consequence of hard work,
exercise or any other cause, results in great injury.
Accordingly when the cooling effect of the drugs
succeeds, the heat produced by their consumption
in the three spirits (i. e., energies in brain, heart
and liver) and all other powers, the change affects
the powers very injuriously and they become weak.
When the vital or volitional spirit becomes chill
and the cerebral blood becomes cold, dry and thick
or solid, the intellect is rendered dark (i.e., disturb-
ed), the sight dim, and the senses become dull.
Owing to the weakness of the brain all the nerves
branching out from the brain or from the spinal
cord—a continuation of the brain—become dull
and weak. By the weakness of the nerves the
motions of all the organs moved by nerves and all
functions of the body become weak and slow. The
working of all organs requiring exercise of brain
(mental power) becomes dull and languid. In
the same manner owing to the animal spirit or
power in the heart getting chilled and pure blood
of the heart and arteries being benumbed, the
general powers of the body necessary for life be-
come weak, and such special diseases (or indispo-
sitions) as palpitation of the heart, impotence,
fear, irascibility, grief and distemper are produced.
Again, owing to the weakness of the animal spirit,
the faculty of digestion and power of growth are
generally rendered weak ; and especially dyspepsia
and loss of appetite for food are produced. By
the weakness of these powers and energies all
organs and functions in general and sexual appe-
tite in particular become weak. The drying pro-
perty of these drugs by drying up the humours
that are necessary for keeping the organs in a
moist and fresh condition, stops the production of
semen and makes the joints stiff and. dull in mo-
tion. The production of vital principles ceases
owing to the blood becoming dry and diminished in
quantity. The body becomes lean and emaciated
and the skin is dry and unsightly. The first
symptoms exhibited (immediately) after the con-
sumption of these drugs and the passing off the
heat produced thereby, are as follows :—
Owing to cold and dryness the humours of the
eyes (dry up) and their membranes contract, and
this is followed by a state of convulsion which
extends to many organs, especially the fingers of
the hands and feet, through the nerves of the
brain. Owing to the drying effect of the drugs,
the lips, the tongue, the palate and the throat get
dry. This dryness even extends to the chest and
the orifice of the stomach, and then breathing be-
comes difficult and belching is stopped and the
patient becomes restless. Some relief is, however,
obtained by vomiting, whether spontaneous or
caused by medicine, etc. The patient then falls
asleep, and when he wakes up the former symp-
toms are gone, but he is nevertheless stupefied and
not in his proper senses. His looks are downcast
and his limbs and joints languid, He is much
indisposed and his state is very bad. When large
quantities are consumed and the habit of daily
consumption of these drugs is formed, all the
general and special diseases mentioned above take
root in the body and make life extremely misera-
ble. The above-mentioned beneficial and injurious
results are produced by the special properties of
these drugs (with reference to their heating and
cooling effect, etc.).
Second (injurious) effect.
The second cause of the drugs being injurious
is this—They possesses poisonous properties of an
imperfect character, because they are cooling in
the third decree. Had they been so in the fourth
degree, their poisonous effect would have been per-
fect. In short, owing to this poisonous property,
all powers, energies, limbs, motions and actions of
the consumers, especially of those addicted to a
habitual use thereof, become weak.
Third (injurious) effect.
The third cause of the drugs being injurious is
this—that they have an intoxicating property, and
after the quick-acting beat produced by their con-
sumption is gone, the state of intoxication is
changed into a kind of cold which chills and dries
up the powers and blood. Cooling intoxicants,
especially those having poisonous properties, de-
stroy life in such a manner as snake poison pro-
duces death.
Fourth (injurious) effect.
The fourth cause of the drugs being injurious is
this—that owing to their excessive coldness they