83
not in any way socially looked down on. Among
Muhammadans, of course, if a man is in the habit,
or ever uses intoxicating drugs, and it becomes
known, he is socially and religiously outcasted;
but this is. generally the case among Muham-
madans of lower sects, such as Pinjaras, Kunjras,
and the like.
34. Sudden deprivation of the drug would be a
serious privation to habitual consumers, but any
one could gradually break himself off the habit.
35. Feasible by prohibiting cultivation of the
hemp plant, which would to a small extent be
illicitly consumed. Of course, discontent would
be occasioned among consumers, but not to the
extent of a political danger. The prohibition can
possibly be effected by (a) raising the price, (b)
reducing the number of retail vends, (c) the quan-
tity now legally allowed to each consumer may be
reduced, as may appear, feasibly to half. It is
possible that the drug may be substituted for alco-
holic stimulants or some other drugs.
36. One addicted to this drug can substitute
alcohol for it, provided (a) not prohibited by reli-
gion or caste ; (b) the consumer cannot at once put
a stop to this habit, hence he must have some sort
of stimulants. This chiefly occurs among low
castes, as both the stimulants possess the same
sort of intoxication.
37. Ganja and charas smoking are alike in their
effects, but the latter is to a certain degree
stronger than the former.
38. The different preparations referred to have
not different effects on consumers, but " chur " or
broken ganja is considered to be more powerful
than the other two in its effect, because it contains
more resinous part.
39. The smoking of any of these preparations
is, of course, more injurious form of consumption
than eating and drinking, for the drug is com-
posed of cannabine, which is not diluted in smok-
ing, and hence it vigorously injures the system.
40. Ganja is generally used by native quacks as
an electuary or confection for aphrodisiac effects
in impotency, spermatorrhœa, incontinence of
urine or for piles or neuralgic pains, or eye sores,
etc., to allay pain. It is also used in two forms of
pharmacopæic preparations, viz., tincture cannabis
and extract cannabis for antispasmodic, anodyne,
hypnotic, aphrodisiac and utromoter properties
in several forms of diseases in dispensaries.
41. (a) It increases appetite in intoxication,
but ultimately it creates constipation, and all
secretions and excretions except liver dimi-
nish.
(b) Yes ; it considerably alleviates fatigue.
(c) In malarious and unhealthy tracts the
use of these drugs is, I believe, of no use, for
I remember to have treated most of the habitual
consumers suffering from malarious attacks, as it
has no antiperiodic property.
The labouring classes for the most part form the
number of consumers to a greater proportion, but
those who take it to alleviate fatigue or to prevent
malarious attacks are the habitual moderate con-
sumers.
42. Of course the moderate use of any of these
drugs is injurious, because the moderate use paves
the way for excessive habitual use.
43. The moderate consumers cannot be said to
be absolutely inoffensive to their neighbours, be-
cause they acquire peevish nature even by the
moderate use.
vol. vi
44. It at first excites the circulation whether
the consumer be a habitual consumer or occasional.
Of course it can be called refreshing at the very
outset of excitement, then it is followed by boister-
ous delirium, pleasant and surprising confusion,
distorted ideas terminating in catalepsy and sleep,
whose effects last for a couple of hours. It cer -
tainly increases appetite during intoxication.
After the effects disappear there are no symp-
toms of uneasiness, etc., except constipation. Like
opium it does not leave headache, restlessness,
nausea and sleeplessness.
45. Undoubtedly the consumer becomes gradual-
ly emaciated, dull and unable to bear the sun and
is consequently exposed to variety of diseases, such
as lung diseases, dropsy, and anasarca, etc. ; the
consumer becomes peevish, dull of intellect and
memory, and loses mental faculties, and adheres to
immoral character and habit, because he likes the
society of bad characters and indulges in luxury.
The ultimate result of all these is insanity, either
acute or chronic, permanent or temporary. If a
consumer leaves it after a long use and takes it
again, he is likely to be affected by temporary in-
sanity ; contrary to this, if a man use the drugs
continually for a long period without restraint, he
is sure to be affected by permanent insanity.
Typical symptoms of acute mania or insanity
are :—The passion, the intellect and emotion are
all affected. It is generally preceded by a period
of incubation which may vary from a few days to
some years ; and when it is fully developed, the
patient exhibits paroxysmal violence both against
himself or others. He cannot fix his mind to any
work, and becomes of highly irritable temper, He
will tear his clothes, and drink or eat voraciously,
or hate food altogether. He undergoes an amount
of muscular exertion without sleep, apparently
without fatigue. His face becomes flushed, eyes
wild and sparkling, and complains of ringing in
the ears, pain, weight and giddiness in the head.
Illusion, delusion, hallucination, monomania, klep-
tomania (propensity to theft), dipsomania (craving
for drink), satyriasis (excessive sexual desire),
homicidal or suicidal melancholia. Some of the
above mentioned symptoms appear singly and
sometimes conjointly. Yes ; some of the insanes
who have no recorded history very rarely confess
use of the drug.
46. Habitual moderate consumers become ulti-
mately habitual excessive consumers, and hence the
result becomes much the same as given in reply to
question No. 45.
47. It does not appear to be a hereditary habit.
The moderate use can affect the children of the
consumers in case he gets insanity.
48. Same thing as above.
49. Yes ; its moderate use is practised as an
aphrodisiac. As far as I know, it is never used so
by prostitutes. There may be very rare cases, say,
about 10 per mi l l e. In real i t y t he use of t he drug
as an aphrodisiac is more injurious than as an ordi-
nary narcotic. The grounds in support are:—( a ) It
generally lessens secretions, and so it may have the
like effect on seminal fluid. (b) When the seminal
fluid is less secreted, it is possible that the sexual
excitement may more or less be affected. The
excitement, I think, is directly proportional to the
secretion of the seminal fluid. (c) Ultimately the
man is likely to become impotent.
50. See reply to question 49.
51. So far as I can judge, the proportion of
habitual moderate consumers among bad characters
is from 10 to 15 per cent. The connection which
2