275
while in Hyderabad bazar at Rs. 1–4 toRs.1–8:per
seer (2lbs.).
1.—For habitual moderate consumers.
Names of the
d r u g .
Sabzi
Average allowance
per day.
1 to 2 tolas
Cost.
¼ to ½ anna
Remarks.
NOTE.—Price
varies ac -
cording to
the
dis -
tricts.
Ganja
½tola
1 to 1½ aunas
Charas
⅓ dram
¾ to 1 anna
2.—For habitual excessive consumers.
Names of
drugs.
Average allowance
per day.
Cost.
Remarks.
Sabzi
6 tolas
2 annas
NOTE.—Price
varies in
Ganja
2 tolas
3 to 4 annas
different
districts.
Charas
1½ to 2 drams 1 ⅓ to 2 annas
29. Among the high class Hindus, a prepara
- t i o n c a l l e d
t h a d a l
i s p r e p a r e d c o n t a i n i n g a v e r y
small quantity of subzi admixed with sugarcandy,
poppy seeds and some spices. The object appears
to be to make it a pleasant and palatable drink.
Bhang massala not known. Ganja and charas
are always smoked admixed with tobacco, and the
object appears to be to remove the irritative pro
-perties of the drug.
30.
The consumption of these drugs is, as a
rule, practised in company, in a very few instan
- c e s i n s o l i t u d e . I t i s m a i n l y c o n f i n e d t o m a l e s e x ,
and the habit seems to be acquired about the time
of puberty. It is not usual for children to con
- s u m e a n y o f t h e s e d r u g s . I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t
children seeing their fathers taking subzi, ask
for some, and the fathers just to satisfy their
curiosity, give them a little.
31. The habit of consuming subzi is said to be
easily formed in many cases. The habit is,
as a rule, very difficult to break off. It does
happen at times that moderate habit of taking
subzi develops into the excessive, especially when
the consumer gets into some family squabble or
misfortune.
32. There does not appear to exist any social
custom regarding the consumption of any of these
drugs. Dr. Dymock, in his Materia Medica,
says " that on festive occasions large quantities
of bhang are consumed by almost all classes of
Hindus." So far as I am informed, it does not
appear essential for the Hindus to partake of
these drugs on religious festive occasions. Per
-haps some of the Hindu shastras will be able to
throw some light on this point.
36. No reason to think so.
37. The effects in the case of ganja and charas
are about the same ; in case of charas the intoxi
-
cation is brought about sooner than in case of
ganja. Moderate subzi drinking increases ap
-
petite and produces mild intoxicant effect.
39. The drinking of subzi is less injurious than
smoking ganja or charas, because the drug has
to pass through the stomach and the liver before
entering the general circulation, so that the
active principle is possibly modified by the gas
-
tric and biliary secretions.
In the case of ganja and charas, combined with
the nicotine of the tobacco admixed, is absorbed by
the blood during the process of oxygenation of the
blood in the lungs and thence conveyed to heart
and the general circulation. Moderate subzi drink
-
ers are as a rule healthy.
vol. vii,
40. Subzi is largely used by native tabibs and
hakims for medicinal purposes as an anodyne
soporific, astringent and for gonorrhœa and gleet
and in many uterine affections. Charas smoking
is prescribed by some to relieve asthma. Ganja
smoking is given in tetanus and scorpion bite.
41. From what I have seen of the working
classes in Sind and from the information I have
received, I consider that moderate use of subzi (a)
increases appetite, ( b) gives staying-power under
exertion or exposure, and alleviates fatigue, (c) acts
as a febrifuge in malarious tracts. Almost all
whom I have asked have testified to the moderate
use of subzi acting as a digestive and giving them
staying-power under severe exposure and alleviat
-
ing fatigue. While this jail was in Thar and
Parkar district in some malarious places, but very
few of the surrounding free population came to be
treated for fevers at this jail hospital, and among
these men the moderate drinking of subzi was
prevalent.
In April and May last, when my camp was at
Khadi, Barogoza Bund, a malarious and out-
of-the-way place in Shah Bunder subdivision of
Karachi district, there were over a thousand free
labourers working on the Bund, and among them
there were but a few cases of fever, and no case of
sunstroke, although they used to work in the sun
under a temperature varying from 130º to 140ºF.,
the temperature in the shade being about
110ºF. Although I was not in direct medical
charge of these free labourers, still, in order to pro
-
tect the general health of my prisoners, I used to
go about amongst the free labourers to find out if
there was much sickness or epidemic among them,
and good many of these free labourers used to take
moderate quantity of subzi in the day time after
finishing their work. Khadi is a small village
containing about 60 fishermen, who have their tem
-
porary huts at the place during the fishing season.
These people used to take subzi in moderate doses
and all appeared to me to be heathy. Sunstroke
and fever were almost unknown among them.
42. The query does not call for any remark, my
opinion being as stated above.
44. The immediate effect of moderate dose of
subzi is refreshing to the consumer, allays hunger,
creates appetite, produces slight intoxication.
These effects pass off in about a couple of hours
without leaving any bad symptoms behind.
45. From the enquiries I have made and the
information obtained, I am of opinion that mode
-
rate use of subzi does not produce any noxious
effects, physical, mental or moral. Small doses of
subzi are said to sharpen memory and vivify imagin
-
ation.
No sufficient data to discuss the question of
causation of insanity by hemp drugs. So far as I
have observed, moderate doses of subzi do not lead
to insanity.
47. In the sense of the hereditary taint of dis
-
eases, such as scrofula, phthisis, syphilis, etc., subzi
habit does not appear to be a hereditary habit, nor in
any way to affect the children of moderate con
-
sumers. Boys when they approach the age of
puberty and have to work for themselves or assist
their fathers in earning livelihood, take small doses
of subzi ; the idea being that the boys think that
the drink taken by their fathers must be produc
-
tive of some benefit. Girls who do household duties
do not take subzi.
49. Subzi for aphrodisiacal purposes is taken in
form of a sweetmeat called majum, prepared with
2 P 2