327
are attributed to ganja, but I have no personal
knowledge of this matter. There is a great deal
of difference between alcoholic delirium tremens
and the ganja temporary insanity I have been de-
scribing and they are easily distinguished. In the
case of alcohol the man speaks sense, but has
occasional and particular delusions. He has clear
mind otherwise. The ganja man has always hal-
lucinations. The trembling of hand and tongue
is not so much in the case of ganja as in alcoholic
delirium tremens. Besides the giggling and other
additional symptoms mentioned above are not found
in alcoholic delirium tremens. The duration of
the latter is also shorter than in the case of ganja.
126. Evidence of Assistant Surgeon NEMAI CHURN CHATTERJI, Brahmin,
Bhagalpur.
1. I have had no special opportunities of study-
ing the qualities and characteristic effects of hemp
drugs; but living as I do at a place where cooks,
menial servants, palki-bearers, and low class
Hindus generally are addicted to ganja-smoking,
and where bhang is freely drunk by darwans and
even by men belonging to a better class, I have
seen and known some of the effects produced by
these drugs on their consumers.
I have also
known something of these drugs in my experience
as a medical practitioner.
2. Bhang, charas and ganja.
19. So far as I know, they are used only for
smoking.
23. I have never seen or known the smoking of
bhang.
28. (a) Four and five chillums of ganja, cost 2
pice; and one pice worth of bhang. (b) Two
bharis of ganja, cost 8 or 10 annas; and 2 annas
worth of bhang.
29. I don't know of any admixtures. I don't
know of any such preparation. But when bhang
is drunk by well-to-do persons as a stomachic, they
generally mix with the bhang aniseeds, cloves,
cardamoms, dried rose buds, cucumber seeds, and
such like things.
30. Bhang is generally drunk in solitude, and
ganja smoked in company. Excepting female
sanyasis (mendicants), I have not seen any female
ganja-smoker or bhang-drinker. No; so far as I
know I don't think it usual for children to con-
sume any of these drugs, though a few low class
boys, specially those whose fathers or guardians
are addicted to the drugs, learn to use them while
yet in their teens.
31. In my opinion the habit is, comparatively
speaking, easily formed and easily broken off. A
confirmed ganja-smoker or bhang-drinker does
not feel the want of his favourite drug so keenly
and has not the acute hankering after it which
the confirmed opium-eater or alcohol-drinker
has for his. I think there is a tendency in the
case of these drugs, as in fact in the case of
every intoxicant, for the moderate to develop into
the excessive. But in this case the tendency is
neither so rapid nor so marked as in the case of
certain other intoxicants, and can be more easily
checked.
35. The only custom that I am aware of is the
drinking of siddhi (bhang) in the Lower Provinces
of Bengal on the Bijaya Dasami day. It has now
become a quasi-religious custom, and the use of
the drug on that day is essential. On that day,
after the immersion of the image of the Goddess
Durga into water, friends and relatives visit one
another's house and are offered siddhi (bhang)
and sweets. I am inclined to think that the cus-
tom was originally a social one, though promul-
gated under the ægis of religion, as every Hindu
custom is. On that day relatives, forgetting at
least for the time their old quarrels and ancient
differences, embrace one another and drink siddhi
in one another's house. Even those who don't
touch or taste anything that intoxicates, must
take the prepared siddhi on that day with the tips
of their fingers and taste it. Siddhi is regarded
by the Hindus as an emblem of peace and pros-
perity, hence it is offered for drink at that day
along with sweetmeats. But apart from this
emblematic use of the drug, I think there was
originally another reason for its use. Bijaya
Dasami is a day of hard work for the votaries of
Durga, and some stimulant was found necessary
to sustain their energies and also to alleviate their
fatigue. Siddhi is mentioned in the Hindu medi-
cal books as a stimulant. It is also cheap, and
hence possibly its use was resorted to. One day's
use does not produce any injurious effects or form
a habit.
36. No.
37. I have no experience of charas smoking.
39. I have no experience.
40. Ganja and bhang in their naked form are
very rarely prescribed by the kabirajes of Bengal,
but are occasionally used by the Missers of these
places in certain diseases. They are, however,
largely used in the composition of several native
medicines both in Bengal and in Behar.
41. Those who smoke ganja or drink bhang
say that these drugs are digestive, and they alle-
viate fatigue and give staying-power under exer-
tion and exposure. Boatmen and people in East
Bengal smoke ganja to prevent the consequences
of damp and vicissitudes of climate.
42. I have not seen any bad effects produced
by the moderate use of ganja or bhang, and hence
I think that the moderate use of these drugs is
harmless.
44. The immediate effect of ganja is said to be
refreshing. I don't think it allays hunger for
any length of time, but it is said to create appe-
tite. Its want produces uneasiness and dulness.
45. I don't think that the habitual moderate
use of ganja and bhang produces any noxious
effects, physical, mental or moral.
46. The habitual excessive use of ganja impairs
constitution, injures digestion, and may cause
dysentery and produce insanity of delirious type
and also roughens the temper and deadens intellect.
47.and 48. No. I don't think so.
49. I have reasons to believe that ganja and
bhang are used as aphrodisiaes; but I have no
further experience on the subject.
56 and 57. Have no experience.