140
cated at Calcutta Medical College, and am M.B.
of Calcutta University. I have not made a
special study of insanity. I have been seven years
in Muthra, where bhang is largely consumed by
the Chaubes. I have sixteen years' service.
Question 37.—The evil effects I have described
follow on the habitual excessive use of ganja or
charas.
Question 41.—The benefits of the drugs follow
on habitual use in moderation by the labouring
classes.
My statement that three-fourths of the moder-
ate consumers will go to excess is probably
exaggerated. I should now say that the propor-
tion of consumers who go to excess is about one-
fourth. This proportion would hold both in
towns and villages. My village experience is
limited to my native place, Bengal. I made en-
quiries since receiving the questions. I have
given the impression gathered by my experience.
I have not had much experience of villagers in
the North-Western Provinces. Some, however,
attend the dispensaries.
Question 45.—Ganeshi Chaube was a young
man of about 22 years of age. He came under
my observation in 1886. He had drunk bhang
probably from his youth, like the Chaubes gene-
rally. His relatives brought him to the hospital,
and he was detained for a month. He was ex-
citable and noisy. He got quite well, and his
relatives took him away. He was insane for
about two weeks. I enquired of his brother about
the cause of insanity. I was told he had been
deprived of his share of religious contributions.
Some months after that he was overtaken by
insanity. I cannot say if he took heavier doses
of bhang after his loss of property. He did not
take alcohol. I did not hear of any insanity in
his family. It appears to me that bhang was
the exciting, not the predisposing cause. The
family grief might have caused insanity without
the additional effect of bhang. I don't think the
bhang could have caused insanity without the
family grief. I heard from the relatives that
Hiranath Jogi became insane at Indore. He
was brought to me after he returned from Indore,
and under my treatment his excitement was
relieved. The man himself did not give me his
history. The fakir with whom Hiranath went to
Indore did not return to his village. I only
know Hiranath began to take charas before he
went away. What he took after he went away
I can't say. The relatives merely have got their
information from him. He was not so insane
but that he might have given some information
of his doings. I think he had begun the charas
habit two or three months before he went to
Indore. It is probable that his brain was affected
when he left his village with the fakir. He was
two days under my treatment. The typical
symptoms I have given were present in this man.
I know that people of the class of the babaji
(fakir) do use dhatnra. I do not know if this
fakir used it. I have heard of dhatura insanity,
bub have seen no cases. Radha Syang was cured
in a few days, and therefore I regard his case as
one of intoxication. Hiranath improved in two
days' treatment, but I could not call his case
intoxication, because he had been in?ane for a
considerable time, as far as information went.
If intoxication lasts as long as a month, I should
call it a sort of insanity irrespective of other
symptoms. The typical symptoms I have given do
not enable me to diagnose hemp drug insanity
from other forms of insanity. The same symp-
toms may be found in other kinds of insanity.
I cannot diagnose hemp drug insanity by the
symptoms alone. History is necessary, and is
the most important means of diagnosis. History
may be said to be the only means of diagnosis.
Dilatation of pupil and contraction also occur in
the acute stage. It is not the same dilatation as
appears in dhatura poisoning, which is much
more marked. I have no notes of these symptoms.
I speak from recollection.
95. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON TROYLUCKO NATH GHOSE, Meerut City.
1. The information I have obtained on these
drugs was from vendors, persons who are in the
habit of using them, and from personal observation.
2. The leaves are known as siddhi in Bengal and
bhang in the North-Western Provinces. The
flowering tops are called ganja both in Bengal
and the North-Western Provinces. The resinous
matter is known by the name of charas in the
North-Western Provinces. It is called charas in
Bengal too, but is not sold there.
19. Ganja and charas only used by the common
people for smoking purposes. It is used also
in Bengal by native physicians to prepare anodyne
oil, and an extract of it is used in the English
system of medicine.
23. I do not know whether bhang is ever used
for smoking purposes.
28. (a) Half anna for bhang, one anna for
charas.
(b) Rs. 2 or more, as these people cannot smoke
alone.
29. I do not know of any admixture. Bhang
leaf powder, with treacle, is mixed with charas for
the purpose of adulteration.
Bhang is used as thandai, i.e., cooling draughts,
in hot months. Black pepper, seeds of marsh
melon and water melon, few grains of ajawan,
milk, and sugar are the ingredients used with
bhang in the cooling draught.
30. Bhang is seldom used in solitude. It is
always taken in company. This practice is con-
fined to males only. Similarly charas and ganja
are smoked in company.
31. The habit is generally formed at the begin-
ning by persuasion of friends. When it is once
formed, it is difficult to break off, and the moderate
habit develops itself into excessive, if the means
of the party allows, or by the inducement of well-
to-do friends, when he has not the means of his
own.
32. In Bengal we used bhang only on the
day of Dasohara, the last day of Durga Puja.
This custom we hold as religious. Men, women,
and children even partake of it. High or low
class of people alike use it in this day. The use
is mostly in moderation, but we sometimes make
a friend or relation take a little large quantity to
produce intoxication for amusement sake, as in-
toxication from this drug is generally hilarious.
This use in moderation for a day does not certainly