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plant used as a medicine for cattle in Assam and
in Bengal.
41. (a) Not directly, but indirectly by acting
so as to allay fatigue and enable the natural
digestive powers to act.
(b) Yes.
(c) I am unable to say.
42. Yes; I commenced my enquiry into the
use of the plant with a preconceived idea,
derived from copious assertion, that ganja was a
pernicious drug, and that charas and bhang were
harmless. I have found that charas and ganja
are the same thing in reality, used in the same
way, and that, therefore, general opinion was
absolutely unreliable. I have been unable to find
a single instance during three months' enquiry
of any evil effects arising from the use of any of
the three products of hemp.
44. Bhang appears in a moderate dose in a
habitual consumer to act simply as a mild, pleasant
sedative; it is not used with reference to the appe-
tite for food; probably, if so used, it would allay
hunger. [ The increase of appetite that follows
the consumption of the substance by one unaccus-
tomed to hemp is only observed after the first few
doses.] The effect of an ordinary dose passes off
in a few hours. A certain amount of heaviness
continues for some time longer. I cannot say
whether the want of subsequent gratification pro-
duces longing or uneasiness.
Ganja moderately used is refreshing; it does
not produce perceptible intoxication; it does not
so much allay hunger as fatigue; it does not
appear to create appetite; in most cases there are
no visible effects, but the staying-power induced
by a dose lasts for some hours; the want of subse-
quent gratification produces no uneasiness, unless
there be a repetition of the conditions of exhaustion
from exertion calling for a new dose.
45. I do not believe that the habitual moderate
use of any of these drugs produces any noxious
effects, physical, mental, or moral. I believe that
it does not impair the constitution to smoke ganja,
and I believe that the moderate use of bhang does
so only very slightly. I think that, perhaps, the
use of bhang does injure the digestion and impair
appetite even when used moderately, but I
am convinced that it neither causes dysentery,
bronchitis, nor asthma. On the contrary, a pre-
paration of hemp is very valuable in the treatment
of dysentery. Bhang is said to impair the moral
sense, induce laziness, and lead to habits of immora-
lity and debauchery as well as to deaden the intel-
lect and produce insanity. I do not believe that
it does anything of the kind if taken in moderation,
and am convinced that much confusion has arisen
in considering this subject from the fact that the
lazy, immoral, debauched, or criminal sections of
the community are largely given to the use of
bhang.
I have not met with any case of insanity in my
own experience, which appeared to be due to the
use of bhang or ganja. In the cases of insanity
with a ganja history that have been considered by
me, I have never been able to find out whether
ganja or bhang was accused, and have been of
opinion that the use of the drug by people whose
minds were troubled, or perhaps even diseased, or
whose minds were naturally deficient, has not been
sufficiently considered.
46. Cases of the habitual excessive use of ganja
are not known to me, except among the class of
religious mendicants.
Habitual excessive use of bhang does impair
digestion and thus injures health. It does not
cause dysentery or bronchitis, but an excessive
dose of the drug often leads to carelessness on the
part of the subject as to his clothing, and the
chills which often result from this unconscious
exposure give rise to the attacks. The impaired
general health renders the constitution unfitted to
combat bronchitis, and the "asthma" which
accompanies chronic bronchitis is one of the results.
That true spasmodic asthma is ever induced by
the use of bhang, I do not believe. The sub-
stance that is prepared from hemp which is of use
in dysentery is an extract. The fact that this is
useful in treating dysentery is of itself proof of
the incorrectness of the idea that the use of bhang
causes the disease. Once, however, dysentery has
been induced by a chill, the use of bhang aggra-
vates it in spite of the fact that extract of hemp
is a remedy.
This is because bhang is taken as an emulsion
of the leaves themselves, so that the surface of the
bowel is exposed to the passage of small solid
particles of vegetable tissue while it is in a state
of inflammation. The irritation that results more
than counteracts the soothing effect of the resinous
narcotic matter the leaves contain.
47 and 48. I am unable to give an opinion on
this point.
49. Ganja is not used moderately as an aphro-
disiac. Bhang sometimes is. I cannot say if it
is used by prostitutes themselves. I think not.
But it is given by prostitutes to their clients.
This use is more injurious than the ordinary use, be-
cause, though the substance has not in itself any
specific aphrodisiac effect, it undoubtedly tends
to assist the subject in the abuse of the virile
powers. This abuse, and not the drug directly,
tends to produce impotence.
50. I have not met with any case where ganja
has been smoked to excess as an aphrodisiac. I
should doubt any statement to the effect that it
ever is so used owing to the physical difficulties
involved.
The use of bhang and of majum in excess for
this purpose is well known; but, as has been al-
ready said, the effect is indirect, and not really
attributable to the drug.
56. On this subject I regret I am unable to
give any direct evidence. Most of the informa-
tion I have received regarding this matter has been
of the nature of surmise.
57. Ganja, used as bhang generally is (by drink-
ing); produces, when given in physiological experi-
ments, exactly the effects produced by bhang, only
these are dose for dose more intense from ganja.
A small dose of ganja causes effects like a large
dose of bhang. I have not met with cases of
habitual use of ganja in this way, but I should
view any statement that the effects of drinking
ganja differ from the effects of drinking bhang
with considerable suspicion.
Oral evidence.
I have been in the service since October 1884.
From that time with the exception of about a year
in military employ, I have been in special civil
employ in connection with the Botanical Gardens.
Beyond the examination of specimens of plants
sent to me by the Board, I had no interest in the
hemp plant—no interest in its physiological effects
at all—previous to the inquiry I was called on to