556
told my overseer what I wanted, and sent him
round to make it out. I was not aware that there
were three females in the returns for 1892.
These had all been released before I made my
census, and there were none then under my charge.
Question 51.—The proportion in the jail was
then about 6 per cent.; at the present time it is
about 10 per cent. (26 out of 267), as I ascer-
tained yesterday. These are high figures com-
pared with the 5 per cent. consumers in the district.
I do not think that this is explained by the fact
that criminals are more from the lower orders,
who also are mainly the consumers of the drug.
Question 53.—My opinion about homicidal
mania is based on the case I have quoted. There
is another man also in the asylum who killed a
man outside. Both these cases are associated in
my mind and in the asylum with ganja. But
this merely means that ganja was the cause of
insanity. They were both insane when they com-
mitted the murder. They are both cases of insane
men who committed crime.
Question 56.—I have no personal knowledge of
the use of dhatura in this way. I have been
merely told what I have written.
21. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. C. BANERJI, Civil Surgeon, Sylhet.
1. In my official capacity as Civil Surgeon,
Superintendent of Jail and Inspector of Labour-
ers in this district, I have occasionally come in
contact with persons who smoke ganja and drink
bhang.
2. Yes; they are known as ganja, bhang and
charas.
19. Yes.
23. Not within my experience.
28. Charas is rarely, if ever, consumed here so
far as I know.
(a) Ganja 3 chattacks per mensem, cost 3
rupees.
(b) Ganja 9 chattacks per mensem, cost 9
rupees.
Bhang is not sold in this district. It mostly
grows wild at the foot of the hills.
29. With ganja—
(a) Sada or tobacco leaf.
(b) Dhatura, opium, nux vomica.
With bhang—
(a) Milk, sugar, black pepper, aniseed.
(b) Dhatura and nux-vomica seeds.
Ingredients (a) to make the smoke or drink
pleasant.
Ingredients (b) to increase the intoxicating
effects.
Bhang massala is not sold here.
30. Ganja is generally consumed in company
and bhang drunk in solitude. They are mainly
confined to the male sex irrespective of any
particular time of life. Children do not usually
consume any of these drugs.
31. (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) Not so marked as in the case of alcohol
or opium.
32. As regards ganja it is a custom here with
many of the lower class Hindus to smoke the
drug on the occasion of a puja called "Trinath's
Seta." This puja is held by votaries of the god
Mahadeo pretty often in the year, when offerings
are made in fulfilment of vows to the deity;
ganja is hence essential on these occasions and is
smoked in excess. It is likely to lead to the
formation of injurious habits.
36. No.
37. Cannot say; have no experience.
39. Bhang is drunk, not smoked, here; its
action is generally much slower than that of
ganja smoking. It chiefly affects the nervous
system by first stimulating it, then gradually
producing narcotic effects. Ganja is always
smoked and not drunk here; it affects the brain
quickly. At first the person is excited, talks,
laughs, sings inordinately and is often subject to
hallucinations chiefly of a sexual nature. These
symptoms are generally followed by deep narco-
tism.
40. Kabirajes use ganja as a sedative and a
stringent in chronic diarrhœa; and as a sexual
stimulant in the early stages of impotency.
Yes; in diarrhœa.
41. Ganja—
(a) May help digestion.
(b) It certainly gives staying-power under
severe exertion or exposure and alleviates fatigue.
(c) It is said to be anti-malarial and anti-
rheumatic; it also helps to dry up dropsical effu-
sions into cavities.
Concentrates one's thoughts on religious sub-
jects.
42. Beneficial with many.
44. (b) Yes.
(c) No.
(d) and (e) It does not allay hunger, but increases
the appetite.
(f) Only for a short time.
(g) None that I could ascertain.
(h) To a small extent.
45. (a) Not to any appreciable extent.
(b) I do not think so.
(c) No.
(d) No.
(e) No.
(f) No.
46. Habitual excessive use of ganja thoroughly
impairs the constitution; it often brings on in its
train one or other of the following diseases: dysen-
tery, asthma, bronchitis, hœmoptysis, hœmate-
mesis; it thoroughly impairs the moral sense and
makes a man lazy and addicted to all kinds of
debauchery. It blunts the intellect and brings
on eventually a kind of insanity called dementia.
Here is a case in point. Juma, a native of the
town, started life as a cook, smoked ganja
excessively, became a syce, was obliged to leave
that occupation, now walks the streets a helpless
pauper suffering from dementia; his constitution is
perfectly broken up; he is dirty, talks incoherently
and is ever ready to put his hand to any kind of
dirty job for the sake of a few coppers to procure
ganja.