332
the ordinary way, but in company it generally
comes to an excess to some extent. Bhang or ganja
is generally confined to the male sex, but females
sometimes use bhang and not ganja. Children
are seldom found to use any of these two drugs
except when it is given them in the shape of medi-
cines by kabirajes.
31. The habit of consuming bhang or ganja
is easily formed, but it is difficult on the part of
the habitual excessive consumers to break off,
though it is not the case with habitual moderate
consumers. There is a tendency in the case of
either of these two drugs for the moderate habit
to develop into the excessive.
32. There is a religious custom amongst the
Hindus, as far as my information goes, that
offerings are made by them annually to certain
gods of bhang prepared with the ingredients here-
inbefore mentioned with the addition of ripe
plantains, etc., of which they partake moderately,
looking upon it as a holy thing; but it is not like-
ly to lead to the formation of the habit.
36. There is no reason to think so.
37. The effects of ganja-smoking are stronger
and more rapid in intoxication than those of
bhang-drinking, which make a comparatively slow
progress.
39. Ganja-smoking is injurious, but eating or
drinking ganja is very rare as stated elsewhere.
40. Bhang and ganja are prescribed by kabi-
rajes or baidyas on account of their medicinal
properties. Bhang is, as far as I know, used in
the treatment of cattle disease.
41. Moderate use of bhang or ganja may be
beneficial in its effects—(a) as a food accessory
or digestive, and improving appetite; (b) to give
staying-power under severe exertions or exposure,
or to alleviate fatigue; (c) as a febrifuge or
preventive of disease in malarious and unhealthy
tracts.
42. Moderate use of bhang is in my opinion
harmless in curing dyspepsia, diarrhœa, etc.
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of bhang and ganja is refreshing, intoxicating,
sometimes allaying hunger and sometimes creating
appetite. The effect on an habitual excessive
consumer lasts for nearly an hour, on an habitual
moderate consumer for nearly four hours, and on
a beginner for nearly twenty-four hours. After
the intoxication is over, the consumer feels lan-
guid.
The want of subsequent gratification
produces longing and uneasiness.
45. Habitual moderate use or ganja of bhang
does not produce any noxious effects, physical,
mental or moral, but such use of the former
(ganja) impairs constitution some way or other.
Habitual moderate use of ganja or bhang does
not injure the digestion or cause loss of appetite;
but such use of the former (ganja) has a tendency
towards bronchitis and asthma, while such use
of neither of the two drugs impairs moral sense or
induces laziness or habits of immorality or debauch-
ery as far as I know; nor does it deaden the
intellect or produce insanity. I have had no
opportunity of personally coming across such cases
of insanity with which the connection of use of
hemp was alleged.
46. The habitual excessive use of ganja pro-
duces noxious effects, physical, mental and moral.
It injures the constitution, injures digestion, causes
loss of appetite, brings on bronchitis and asthma,
impairs the moral sense, induces laziness and habits
of immorality. It deadens the intellect and has a
common tendency towards producing insanity, but
neither of these evils results from such use of
bhang.
47 and 48. No, in the case of ganja or bhang it
does not.
49. The moderate use of ganja and bhang is
sometimes practised by kabirajes or baidyas as an
aphrodisiac. It is seldom used by prostitutes.
Its use for this purpose is not more injurious than
its use as an ordinary narcotic, as it is used in the
way of medicine. Moderate use of the hemp
does not tend to produce impotence.
50. The excessive use of ganja and bhang is not
practised as an aphrodisiac. It tends to produce
impotence.
56. The admixture of tobacco with ganja, used
in moderation or in excess, serves as an accessory,
but that of spices, sugar, etc., as hereinbefore men-
tioned, with bhang, alleviates its dryness and ren-
ders it palatable and delicious. Dhatura and nux
vomica are mixed with bhang, not for personal
consumption, but for administration to others with
intent to commit crimes.
57. Ganja in the absence of bhang is, as herein-
before mentioned, sometimes used by consumers in
this district in lieu of the latter by being pounded
and mixed with water and sugar, imparting strong-
er effects than bhang itself.
131. Evidence of BABU RAMES CHANDRA SIB, Overseer, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca.
Oral evidence.
I am Overseer of the Dacca Asylum. I have
been six years Overseer. I was before that clerk
of the asylum for eleven years. I now perform
both duties. I have no medical training. There
is a Hospital Assistant in subordinate medical
charge.
The case book is the only register of patients
received kept in the asylum. There is first a series
of entries giving the name of the patient and
certain details, including the disease and the cause.
Then there are certain entries giving a history of
the case before admission into the asylum. All
these details and this abstract are entered by me
in the register, except the name of the disease,
which is entered by the Superintendent. These
entries which I make are copied or abstracted by
me from the descriptive rolls received with the
patients. I never make any entry differing from
what is contained in the descriptive roll. So far
as I remember, no alteration of any entry made
by me has ever been made by any Superintendent.
So far as I know, the Superintendent has always
desired simply that my entries should accurately
represent what is entered in the descriptive rolls.
It is since 1880 that these entries have been made
by me. Before that they were made by the
Superintendent. But they were made by him in
precisely the same way. He copied or abstracted
the entries of the descriptive roll received with a
patient. He did this on the admission of the