437
fixed stare, and an incapacity to wink. This is
what I mean by pupils contracting.
Question 45.—I have seen three to four persons
die of dysentery who were ganja-smokers, and I
have heard of others. They were smoking ganja
all along, and the native doctors could not check
the dysentery, and therefore I say the dysentery
was caused by the ganja. I have not noticed how
many people who were not ganja-smokers died of
dysentery. I have never heard of the drug being
used as a remedy for dysentery.
Every time I have visited the Sonpur mêla I
have seen four or five persons gone mad from
ganja. I have had them under my notice for 10
or 12 days together. Some were sent to asylums.
They were not personal friends of mine. I was
told that their insanity was due to ganja.
Question 46.—I have not seen a man actually
die of ganja myself; but I have seen ganja-
smokers one day, and heard of their death shortly
after, and heard excessive smoking mentioned as
the cause of immediate death.
I have personally observed the effects I have
described in 46. By "lungs contracted" I mean
difficulty in breathing.
Question 57.—I refer to the administration of
the drug for purposes of rape and robbery.
I
heard of one case of rape some years ago. In
that case I cannot say whether the drug appeared
on the record, but it was mentioned in pamphlets
written about the case. I cannot name any other
case. The pamphlets were written to expose the
mahant.
Question 55.—I have seen people stupefied for
hours by doses of bhang. They were persons
unaccustomed to the drug.
Question 58.—When I wrote the answer, I
was under the impression that the object of Gov-
ernment was to increase the consumption. If
the statistics show a reduction of both shops and
consumption, I withdraw the statement. As
regards my own district of Gaya, I see that the
figures of the comparative official
return
show a reduction of ganja consumed from 1831/2
maunds 16 years ago to 93 maunds in the last
year. In the earlier time bhang was not taxed.
Since bhang began to be shown in the returns the
quantity sold has increased. I wrote my answer
without sufficient enquiry as to the number of
shops and the consumption, but under the impres-
sion that Government was pressing the sale. I
admit that any person making an equally grave
charge against a private individual on equally
inadequate grounds would be deserving of censure
for his injustice. My justification is that I could
not have got such comparative statistics as have
now been shown to me, even if I had applied for
them. The Excise Deputy Collector, at my
request, furnished me with statistics for one year.
I think I asked him orally for figures for 20 years
or more, but he would not give them to me, nor
would he have given me the figures for one year
unless I had shown him the Commission's question
(remark under Chapter IV). I never made formal
written request of any kind, because I was certain
the statistics would not be furnished to me. I knew
excise reports were published each year. I have
never seen one, but I have seen abstracts of them
in the newspapers.
Question 69.—I have not myself made any
representation to the authorities regarding any
ganja shop, nor am I aware of such representation
having been made by the people of any locality.
I have made representation about liquor shops.
In one case a shop was near one of our schools.
That is the only representation I have made.
The shop was shifted, but not far, and its distance
from the school was much the same after the
change. I represented this, but my application
was rejected.
Ganja and liquor appear to me to be equally bad.
203. Evidence of the REVD. W. B. PHILLIPS, Missionary, London Missionary Society,
Calcutta.
1. Eighteen years in Bengal, mixing freely with
all classes of people; seeing effects on some, hear-
ing of effects on others; 15 years itinerating in
Murshidabad district; 15 years President of a
Society worked by Christians, Hindus and Muham-
madans, whose object was to promote total abstin-
ence from all intoxicating drinks and drugs.
2. Yes. Siddhi or bhang, charas and ganja.
19. For smoking only, so far as I know.
21. Flat ganja most largely used. It irritates
the throat more than round ganja; but smokers
like the sensation.
23. No.
24. Bhang largely drunk by many of lower
classes in Bengal.
25. Taking a period of five years, returns show
increase of revenue on ganja at about R47,500,
and on charas a rise from R2,772 to R7,568.
Ganja and charas afford a cheap means for reach-
ing intoxication, and on this account consumption
tends to grow steadily but not rapidly. The same
may be said of bhang.
27. Fishermen, washermen, coolies, cultivators,
carpenters, artificers generally, devotees, and some
of the middle and higher classes. Among the
better classes less common now than formerly, as
alcoholic drinks have taken the place of these
drugs to a large extent. Many are tempted to use
ganja as an aphrodisiac. Others are drawn to its
use by evil company. The criminal classes to a
large extent use these drugs.
28. Men earning 4 annas a day will spend from
2 to 4 pice on ganja. They are the moderate
smokers. Men with larger earnings spend from 6
to 10 pice a day. No man, however, can take more
than about 2 annas worth a day by himself. Rich
men may spend R1-8 per day, but that is on
their whole smoking party.
29. Bhang is pounded with cinnamon, cloves,
other spices and sugar; then mixed with milk and
drunk as a sherbet.
Ganja is rubbed with dry tobacco leaves before
smoking.
Dhatura is not used except for criminal purposes.
30. Largely in company. It is more econo-
mical to smoke ganja in company, for the effect is
so speedy that intoxication comes on before a
man has got half through his pipe, and it con-
tinues from 11/2 to 4 hours.
Bhang is also usually taken in company.
Intoxication folows in from 5 to 10 minutes.