265
excess, is the number of people who indulge not
only in bhang drinking but also in ganja smoking
with apparent impunity. This morning in the
Arrah Jail I took at random a gang of 48 prison-
ers, and of these 10 were ganja smokers, 8 con-
sumed bhang, and 30 were addicted to neither
practice. Their state of health on admission to
jail was recorded as follows:—
Admitted to jail.
Ganja
Bhang
Others.
Admitted to jail.
smoker.
drinker.
Others.
In good health
6
4
13
In indifferent health
3
3
13
In bad health
1
1
4
TOTAL
10
8
30
40. Yes. Bhang is used for piles and to relieve
pain; it is also given to cattle, especially for colic.
41. Bhang has the effect of (a) increasing the
appetite temporarily.
(b) I believe the Nagas and other sturdy hill
races consume ganja; but that their power of
endurance is increased by using the drug I should
very much doubt.
(c) I should say not.
42. I am inclined to think that the use of these
drugs is much like the use of tobacco or spirits.
When taken very moderately, and when a man
takes plenty of good food and otherwise lives in
accordance with the laws of health, it would
appear to be practically harmless, if we may judge
by the number who indulge in the habit and
compare their physique with those who do not.
I append herewith the statements of those prison-
ers in Arrah Jail, who allow that they smoke
ganja.
Ganja-Smoking.
Ramlal
Bari.—Aged 69 years, smoked ganja
twice a day.
Achhai Lal.—Has smoked ganja for twelve
years. Piles relieved by it.
Sahadeo Dusadh.—Smoked from four years
twice daily, suffered from dyspepsia, but got cured
by smoking.
Kaval Mehter.—Smoked six years, twice daily;
suffered from pain in the chest, but is relieved by
the smoking. Never felt the worse for it.
Ram
Charan Dass.—Smoked five years, has
always felt better every way of it.
Bujhawan.—Two pipes daily; felt much better
and can work better with it.
Santo.—Smoked ganja as much as he could get;
also took bhang and charas. Felt strong at the
time of intoxication but weaker afterwards. If a
man gets good food and takes only one or two
pipes a day, he is no worse for it. I began
smoking at the age of about 16 years. I am now
32 years. There is difficulty in giving it up, but
after three or four weeks a man does not think any
more about it. When I go out of jail I will
begin it again, if I feel the desire for it.
Ram Kishen.—Fourteen years and could work
better with it. Smoked three times a day.
Ram Lal.—Smoked for three years, twice a day,
felt the better for it.
Ghisa Khan.—Three years twice a day; felt all
the better for it. Digestion better.
Raghunandan.—Four years; found his appetite
improved and worked better with it; never suffered
in the slightest from it.
Gopi Sing.—Sixty years of age, smoked ganja
twice daily for three years : so long as he took good
food was no worse. His digestion was improved.
Jogeshwar Dome.—For five years three times a
day; found his appetite improved. Never exceeded
this quantity, never cared for more.
Candabir.—For four years; appetite increased.
Sanker Kahar.—For ten years; was at first
smoking one or two pipes a day, but by and by
habit grew stronger; now he can smoke as much
as he can get. Before smoking he was stronger
and more healthy than what he is at the present.
Its smoke when inhaled by force goes up to the
brain of man and turns mad. It is more injurious
in summer than in winter. It makes senseless if
smoked without taking any food.
Rupa.—For two years; appetite increased.
Rijan.—For one year, twice a day; appetite in-
creased health improved. Growing daily weak as
he does not get ganja in jail. Can do more work
if he be allowed to smoke.
Halu Ahir.—For two years; makes man of
mild temper; does not get angry; is growing
weaker as he is not getting ganja. It makes a
man happy when intoxicated; appetite increased.
Evidence of 17 ganja smokers taken on the 12th
November, Jail population on that day being 255.
45. I am informed by Pundit Barhmo Deonarain
Misser, to whom I am indebted for his information,
that the moderate use even of all these forms of
hemp is bad; and besides the fear of insanity and
idiocy, there is the danger of asthma, dysentery and
injury to the digestive organs. I am, however,
inclined to think that where such results occur the
drug was somewhat immoderately used, or else that
it was made to do duty for good food.
With regard to the connection between insanity
and the use of hemp, I am not prepared to say
that in many cases weakness of intellect may not
have impelled many to the immoderate use of the
drug; but from what I have seen in lunatic asylums
I think there can be no doubt that excessive ganja
smoking was the exciting cause, if it did not actu-
ally beget the disease. As a rule the recovery of
these cases was a matter of time, which would of
itself tend to prove that the insanity was depend-
ent on the use of the drug. I am unable to give
any instances to illustrate these views as I did not
keep any notes of these cases.
47.
No.
49. I neither know, nor can I learn, that the
drug is ever used for this purpose. Ganja smoking
if immoderately indulged in, will produce im-
potency.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have been five years in military
service and nineteen years in civil employ in
Bengal. I had charge of Dullanda Asylum in
Calcutta, about sixteen years ago for one year. I
have had no special experience of insanity apart
from that.
Question 39.—About asthma and weakened
heart, I have nothing to say from cases under
my observation. The cases I saw were cases I
had to search for; I searched for them after get-
ting these questions. In twenty-four years'
practice I have never bad to treat a case. A
2 O