368
bhanga, patra, matulani, jaya, bijaya, and
morasan.
Sambidasar.—It is the juice or decoction of
siddhi and ganja, and is prepared from them
in the mode in which watery extracts are obtain-
ed. When the sambidasar is not obtained for
medicinal purposes, charas is substituted.
The Sanskrit names for ganja are sambida-
manjari, madini, harsini, and ugra.
19. Although ganja and charas are invariably
used for smoking purposes, yet the Sikhs,
whose religious rites do not allow them to smoke,
take ganja in the shape of a paste prepared with
water.
23. Generally, siddhi or bhang is not used for
smoking purposes, but poor, hard ganja-smokers
do occasionally use it for smoking purposes when
they had not sufficient funds for purchasing ganja,
for it occasionally supplies the place of ganja,
though mildly.
28. The cost of each of these drugs per diem
to habitual moderate consumers is as follows:—
(a) Siddhi ¼ anna, ganja ½ anna, and charas
½ anna.
Siddhi 1 anna, ganja 4 annas, and charas
2 annas.
29. (a) Ordinarily no ingredients are mixed
with any of these drugs by the consumers.
(b) In exceptional cases the following in-
gredients are mixed with bhang, called
the bhang massala, viz., cucumber seeds,
melon seeds, sugar, and aniseed. Dhatura
and opium are so used. The object of
these admixtures is to increase the intoxi-
cating power of these drugs. These admix-
tures are generally used by the poorer
classes of the consumers, who cannot now
afford to pay the higher prices of these
drugs.
30. The consumption of siddhi is generally
practised in solitude. The consumption of ganja
and charas is generally practised in company. It
is mainly confined to the male sex. It is not
confined to any particular time of life. Only
grown-up men use these drugs. It is not usual
for children to consume any of these drugs.
Prostitutes and Vaisnavis occasionally use
these drugs.
31. The habit of consuming these drugs is
easily formed in bad company. It is very difficult
to break off. There is always a tendency in the
case of these drugs for the moderate habit to
develop into the excessive.
32. There is a custom amongst the Hindus to
consume a moderate quantity of siddhi on the
fourth day of the Durga Puja. The use of this
drug on this day is regarded as religious. It is
generally temperate. It is not likely to lead to
the formation of the habit, or otherwise injurious.
36. I have no reason to think that alcohol is
now being substituted for any of these drugs.
Habitual drunkards of alcohol, in order to break off
the habit, resort to the use of these drugs.
37. The effects of charas-smoking are different
from those resulting from ganja-smoking. Ganja-
consumers generally contract the habit of smoking,
and stick to it throughout their lifetime. The
use of charas is resorted to for the sake of plea-
sure. The consumers of this drug find it less
difficult to break off than smokers of ganja. The
drinking of siddhi in moderate quantity is less
injurious than smoking of ganja or charas. Bhang
is used in small doses for medicinal purposes, and
in large quantities for intoxication. The effect of
ganja-smoking is more injurious than that of
charas and drinking of bhang.
39. The smoking of any preparation of the
hemp plant is not less injurious than drinking or
eating the same or any other preparation. Siddhi,
if occasionally or regularly used in small quantities
by making it a paste with water, does not produce
injurious effect, but ganja so taken does. The con-
stitution is affected by the use of excessive ganja.
Cases have occurred in which excessive use of
ganja brought on a tendency towards producing
insanity.
40. As regards the efficacies of bhang, ganja
and charas, as written in shastras, certain slokas
are quoted. Siddhi is also used in the prepara-
tion of tonic balls for horses, and for cough in
cattle.
41. The moderate use of the drugs in cold and
malarious countries and marshes and unhealthy
tracts is rather beneficial in its effects.
(a) It sharpens the appetite and is digestive.
(b) It alleviates fatigue after exertion.
(c) It is rather preventive of disease in mala-
rious and unhealthy tracts, but not as a febrifuge.
42. Under certain circumstances, the occasional
moderate use of any of these drugs is rather harm-
less in its effect,
44. The immediate effect of the moderate use
of the drugs on the habitual consumer is the feel-
ing of immediate relief, as it produces hilarity and
slight intoxication. It is refreshing. It does not
allay hunger. It creates appetite. The intoxica-
ting effect lasts for about three hours, and then
lethargy comes on, and the consumer has a long-
ing, but does not then feel much uneasy without
it.
45. The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs does not produce much noxious effects,
physical, mental or moral. It does not much
impair the constitution. It gradually injures
digestion and causes loss of appetite. Occasion-
ally it causes dysentery, bronchitis and asthma.
Habitual moderate use does not impair the
moral sense or bring on habits of immorality or
debauchery. Habitual moderate use does not
deaden the intellect or produce insanity.
46. The excessive use of these drugs brings on
insanity and kindred diseases, and deadens the
intellect. In my experience, a Brahmin of the
name of Harihar, a resident of Orissa, had taken
an excessive dose of siddhi on the fourth day of
the Durga Puja and ran mad within an hour, and
the next day lost the power of speech, and subse-
quently died of the same disease.
47. The habitual moderate use of any of these
drugs does not appear to me to be a hereditary
habit or to affect the children of the moderate
consumer.
48. The habitual excessive use does not affect
the children of the excessive consumer.
49. The moderate use of any of those drugs is
occasionally practised as an aphrodisiac.
It is so used occasionally by the prostitutes.
50. Various diseases and maladies spring up
by the excessive use of these drugs.
56. Dhatura seeds, etc., are mixed with the
drugs for the purpose of increasing the intoxi-
cating powers of the drugs.
57. The Sikhs drink ganja and charas in the
form of a paste prepared with water, as they are
forbidden to smoke.