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48. Evidence of BABU HEM CHANDRA-SEN, Medical Practitioner, Delhi.
1. I have had frequent occasions to treat con-
firmed charas smokers, and cases of insanity
brought about by ganja smoking, as well as cases
of bhang poisoning with dhatura.
2. The definitions given in Dr. Prain's report
are acknowledged in this part of the country.
They are locally known as bhang or subzi ; charas,
of which there are three varieties (a) Churiya, (b)
Huttoo, (c) Bokhari. Ganja is not sold in the
Delhi market. The best bhang that is sold here
is called thatiya, which comes from Bhurtpur.
There are also some other kinds which come from
Meerut, Jagadhiri, and Moradabad.
19. Charas and ganja are only used for smoking
in this part of the country. But charas is some-
times used in making aphrodisiac medicines by
hakims of Delhi.
23. I have never known bhang to be used for
smoking in this part of the country. On local
enquiry, nobody here knows of bhang being
smoked.
28. The daily average allowance of bhang to
moderate consumers is ½ tola a day, and it costs
about from 1 pice to 4 pice a day along with sugar
and other ingredients. The daily average of charas
is 6 mashas by moderate consumers, and it costs
about 4 to 5 pice. The daily average allowance of
ganja is 3 mashas, and it costs about 3 pice. When
taken in excess bhang costs 4 annas, and charas
and ganja smokers sometimes enormous quantities
and it costs about one rupee a day.
29. Charas smokers mix opium and tobacco oc-
casionally. But ganja smokers use only tobacco.
The ordinary bhang massala that is used—
Black pepper 6 mashas ; aniseed 3 mashas
cardamoms 4 in number, small; almonds 1
or 2; bhang 1 tola. Sugar and milk to taste.
The bhang should be well washed till it does not
give green water. Sometimes dhatura is mixed
with bhang to cause intoxication.
30. Bhang is generally taken in solitude ; but
charas or ganja are always smoked in company.
Females are rarely in the habit of taking charas or
ganja, excepting some low class prostitutes or
mendicants. The habit is contracted at all ages ;
but generally young men contract this habit.
Children are rarely seen, but sometimes they do
commence if they fall into bad company.
31. This habit is easily formed in bad company ;
but, once commenced, it is very difficult to break.
Generally people never remain moderate but run
into excess. There are solitary instances in which
they have stuck to the quantity they have
commenced.
32. There is no religious ceremony in which the
use of bhang is thought indispensably necessary in
this part of the country. But in Bengal, on the
Dussehara day, it is used as a part of religious cere-
mony, but it is never seen that a person contracts
the habit of taking bhang from that occasion.
36. I do not think that alcohol is being substi-
tuted in place of these intoxicants, because people
who take these are generally orthodox ; but this
may be said, that those who have commenced alco-
hol very seldom use other intoxicants.
37. The effects of charas and ganja smoking are
quite different. Charas, when first smoked, causes
a certain amount of intoxication all at once, but it
does not increase by being subsequently smoked.
But ganja increases with every smoke ; like cham-
pagne it increases in open air. But bhang never
causes so much intoxication to habitual drinkers, nor
does it give exhilaration of spirits like ganja and
charas.
39. The injurious effects are the same whether
smoked, chewed, or eaten ; but, when drunk as
bhang, it is not so injurious, as in the process of
washing much of the poisonous effects are washed
out. But I know of cases of insanity produced by
bhang when taken along with dhatura.
40. These hemp drugs are generally used by
baids and hakims as an aphrodisiac, and especially
for being able to prolong sexual intercourse.
41. (a) They are not used as appetisers, but only
as a digestive in cases of diarrhœa. This efficacy
we find in bhang only.
(b) Charas has a staying-power under severe
exposure, exhaustion or fatigue ; but that only to
those who are habituated to smoke.
(c) Never.
42. These drugs are never harmless, as they
gradually produce seminal weakness and deaden the
intellectual faculties. These effects are produced
gradually by constant use, as we find it makes
people unfit for work, physical or mental.
44. The immediate effect of ganja and charas
are exhilarating, and makes one a careless sort of
fellow. Bhang is an appetiser, and without it
habitual consumers cannot take their food just as it
is with regular alcohol drunkards. The after-
effects of charas and bhang are dryness, and head-
ache the next day, which compels them to betake to
it the next day.
45. The habitual moderate use of these drugs,
when taken in moderation, is found to impair the
constitution physically by causing depression of
spirits ; it brings on languor and lassitude. Charas
and ganja always bring on bronchitis and asthma
if very large quantities are smoked. It brings on
dysentery also. It first of all produces false appe-
tite, but gradually spoils digestion. Only we do
not find bhang consumers suffer much for want of
appetite. But this much to be said ; that there is
always moral depravity in the case of charas and
ganja, but not so much in the case of bhang, As
for charas and ganja being the exciting cause of
insanity, I know three or four cases ; but in one
case I know there was no other predisposing cause
also. But insanity in these cases generally tem-
porary ; but, if not properly taken care of, it be-
comes permanent. Can't say whether the use of
these drugs would bring on the return of insanity
or not, as it has never been tried, and as for in-
sanity causing a tendency to the use of the drug I
know nothing.
One boy was brought to me from Baroneea, a
village in the Delhi district, suffering from acute
mania. There was no history to show that there
was any heredity or family history. He was in
robust health. All of a sudden he one evening fell
into bad company and smoked three chillums of
ganja and one of charas. The boy next day
showed signs of mania. He was brought to me
after a week, when he became violent. He was
kept under strict watch for a fortnight and treated.
He got well after a month. I saw him again
after a year ; he was in his perfect senses.
Two or three more cases were treated similarly
I and cured ; but in one case there was recurrence of