213
only is used as an admixture with charas and no-
thing else. As already described, the only massa-
las of bhang in use are aniseed, black pepper, car-
damoms, and almonds, etc.
30. Bhang and charas are generally used by
men, but some bad-conducted women sometimes
use them also. There is no age limit for the use
of these drugs, but they are generally not used by
children. Ill-trained boys sometimes use them in
bad societies, and become habitual to them.
31. Bhang and charas are easily acquired as a
habit, but it is broken off with great difficulty.
There is no tendency of these drugs, as far as I
know, to develop into an excessive habit.
32, In a religious point of view both bhang
and charas are objectionable, but badly trained
and ignorant people generally use bhang in a Holi
festival, and offer it to temples also, and the term
dudhia is applied to it, and that is considered to
be a religious ceremony, though such a custom is
never allowed in any religion. Often it is seen
that on occasions like these generally larger quan-
tities are consumed even by those who are in the
habit of taking just a moderate quantity, and
those who never used it before they also consume
it, though in a very small quantity. Persons using
it on these occasions sometimes become habitual
consumers.
37. It takes time to be fully under the influ-
ence of bhang, though the effect lasts for some
time. Reverse is the case of course with charas,
e.g., the person becomes soon intoxicated by its
use, and the effect lasts only a short while.
40. Native practitioners use bhang for its
astringent properties, along with other drugs in
looseness of bowels of animals ; and charas for its
aphrodisiac properties is also used with other
tonics.
41. (a) Bhang given in a moderate quantity to
a person who never used it before promotes appe-
tite, but, in my opinion, never helps digestion, or
rather disorders it.
(b) and (c) No.
(d) Useful in the treatment of piles.
44. Bhang at first causes delight and then
intoxication. The appetite promoted by it is also
only temporary, and whatever one eats under its
influence is also not digested. The effects of: these
drugs last only for some time, and then pass on.
Persons addicted to the use of charas are generally
phlegmatic, though at the same time anæmic.
45. Bhang and charas are both injurious-
Bhang impairs appetite in the end, and charas
causes bronchitis and asthma. Both these drugs
bring on immorality, idleness, and loss of in-
tellect, and incline one towards luxurious habits,
but the person at last becomes incapable of doing
all these. Charas and bhang both no doubt im-
pair intellect and bring on insanity, and this is
confirmed by different books. No such person
who has really turned mad by the use of these
drugs has, however, come under my observation
up to this time.
49. Bhang used with other tonic medicines is
no doubt potent, but when used alone is just the
reverse.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—My meaning in using the words
"deeply under the influence of" is "deeply in-
toxicated by" bhang or charas.
Question 19.—Charas is usually smoked in a
chillum, but sometimes in a huka. In majum
people put the root of mot (a pulse) as well as
charas. Mot root also is intoxicating. This is
put on to increase the intoxicating effect which
lies in the charas. What other ingredients are
put in are merely things that give strength or
vigour to the consumer.
Question 29.—I have seen low people who had
taken pachratna, a mixture of bhang containing
dhatura seeds, opium, and arsenic. This was about
50 years ago. All the arsenic taken would be a
few lines drawn by the solid arsenic on the mor-
tar : a mere trace. I have seen a marvellous
sanyasi who could take a tola of arsenic, so that
when a snake bit him, the snake would die, not
the man.
148. Evidence of NOBIN CHUNDER MITTER , Bengali Kayasth, Medical Practitioner,
Lucknow.
1. I beg most respectfully to repeat what I have
stated in my letter to Dr. Hooper, Civil Surgeon
of Lucknow, that I lay no claim to any special
knowledge on the subject of the hemp drugs ; but
that in the practice of my profession, in the
Government hospitals to which I was attached, as
well as amongst my private patients, extending
over a period of more than thirty years, I have
treated hundreds, if not thousands, of persons
habitually addicted to the use of ganja, charas,
and bhang, and consequently had ample oppor-
tunities of observing the effects of those drugs on
their constitution and habits.
2. Ganja, charas and bhang are the names by
which the hemp drugs are known, not only in
Lucknow, but in the whole province of Oudh.
They agree in their essential characters with the
description given in Dr. Prain's report. Four
different varieties of ganja are known in Lucknow,
viz. : (1) baluchar ; (2) pathar ; (3) mohadewa ;
and (4) chitkua.
19. Ganja and charas are only used for smoking
I know of no other uses to which either is put.
23. I have seen bhang smoked in a few instances
only. It was so used, because it could not be pre-
pared in the ordinary way as in a railway carriage.
28. The minimum quantity sold in the shops
to any single purchaser is four chitaks of bhang,
one tola of charas, and one chitak of ganja.
A habitual moderate consumer of bhang usually
takes a tola and a quarter per diem, and its cost
is half a pice. A habitual excessive consumer of
bhang may take a chitak a day, and its cost is
two pice.
A habitual moderate consumer of charas and
ganja usually consumes two pice worth of the
drug per day, the excessive consumer's average
quantity, and its cost cannot be definitely as-
certained.
29. Black pepper and aniseed are ordinarily
mixed with bhang ; but various other substances
are occasionally mixed, as cucumber seeds, melon
seeds, etc., etc., in the hot weather. Sweet almonds
sugar and milk are sometimes mixed to make
the drink a palatable one, and rose water or some
other scented water added to impart a fragrant
odour.