generally traceable to an excessive indulgence in
their habit.
43. Yes, quite inoffensive.
44.The effect of moderate use on a habitual
consumer is refreshing and slightly intoxicating.
It is said to increase hunger. The effect of smok-
ing charas lasts about an hour or two, that of ganja
smoking for two or three hours and that of drink-
ing bhang lasts from six to twelve hours. The only
after-effects are thirst and dulness of spirit. The
want of subsequent gratification does produce a
little longing and uneasiness, but not in the case
of charas.
45. (a ) No. I have seen many moderate con-
sumers of bhang and ganja in quite a good health,
physical, mental, and moral.
(b), (c), (d) and ( e) No.
(g) I do not think that sufficient consideration
has been given to the fact under question.
46. The habitual excessive use of any of these
drugs does produce all the bad effects indicated in
the above queries. I have seen several cases of
asthma and insanity produced by excess in ganja
and a few cases of dyspepsia, dysentery and
insanity by indulgence in bhang. Hemp insanity
does not partake of any particular nature. I have
seen melancholia, dementia, acute mania and some
forms of monomania produced by ganja smoking.
47. The habit is very likely to be hereditarily
transmitted to children.
48. Children of habitual immoderate consumers
would be affected in various ways. But as I have
no instances to quote, I can't say anything further
upon this point.
49. Yes, all these are used for aphrodisiac pur-
poses, but more especially the conserves of bhang, as
majum, etc., are so used. Also by prostitutes. Thus
used it is more injurious than as an ordinary
narcotic, simply because it always leads to con-
jugal excess and thus drains the system and is
also a cause of impotence brought on by the
excess.
50. The same remarks apply to the excessive
use with greater force.
51. A certain number of bad characters are in
this province habitual consumers of these drugs,
but the proportion can't be said to be large when
compared with alcoholic stimulants. The moder-
ate use of these drugs cannot be said to have any
connection with crime of any sort.
52. The same answer applies to the first part of
the question. The excessive habitual use deranges
the intellectual faculties, but I don't think that the
moral faculties are specially affected so as to
excite to crime.
53. As for the first part of the question, I don't
think so, but with regard to the second part, I
have read a case in Chever's Medical Jurisprudence
for India in which a man was convicted of having
murdered another by strangling him while in a
state of intoxication from the effects of bhang.
54. Rarely.
55. Yes, they generally administer majum or
some other hemp confectionery for that purpose.
Complete stupefaction can be induced by a large
dose of the drug without admixture.
56. Dhatura, nux vomica, and opium are some-
times added to bhang in majum and other sweet-
meats in some parts of Northern India. The
178
virulence of the preparation is greatly increased
by dhatura and opium ; the former is known to
cause loss of speech in some cases. Nux vomica
increases the aphrodisiac power of the drug. Used
in excess, these admixtures lead to grave conse-
quences, in some cases even proving fatal.
57. I don't know that charas is used internally
in any part of India. The internal use of ganja
in this province in the form of majum and other
hemp sweetmeats and that of broken ganja as
a substitute for bhang in the preparation of the
beverage called " ghota," has been already fully
dealt with under question 19. The use of the
broken ganja for preparing the drink is most
injurious, producing insanity, diarrhœa, dysentery
and wasting of the body. It is desirable that
Government should prohibit its internal use.
58. I think it is working well.
60. The present system does not require any
modification.
63 and 64. No.
65. I think it is reasonable.
66. The rates of taxation should be proportion-
ate to the strength of the drug as ascertained by
chemical analysis.
67. No.
68. There are such houses in this province. I
think there is a tendency to immoderate consump-
tion in these houses, and that they also serve to
spread the vice by attracting new customers, and
for these reasons they are not desirable.
69. The wishes of the people are not practically
ascertained before a new shop is opened in any
locality. I think local public opinion ought to be
thus ascertained.
70. I am not aware of any such facts. I don't
think that there is any general use of untaxed
drugs.
Oral evidence.
Question 1 .— I put in a letter No. 759, dated
11th December 1893, from the Chairman of the
Sarvajanik Sabha :—" I have the honour to here-
with send to you the written statement of answers
to the questions framed by the Indian Hemp
Drugs Commission by Dr. Ganesh Krishna Garde,
L. M. & S., Medical Practitioner, Poona, who has
been appointed by the Managing Committee of
the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha to give evidence
before the said Commission,"
I also put in printed answers to the questions of
the Commission. I understand my position to be
that of a delegate to represent the society. They
have not formally accepted my views in detail.
But they have selected me to represent them as a
delegate, leaving on me the responsibility for
details. I believe that my views are generally
acceptable to the society. I base this belief on the
fact of my selection as a delegate and also on the
fact that my paper has been read by several mem-
bers without any dissent. I am Licentiate of
Medicine and Surgery of Bombay University, I
took my degree in 1879, and have since practised
in Poona in a private capacity.
Question 2.—Bhang properly so called is scarce-
ly obtainable in the bazar on this side of the
presidency. I have seen it, however. What is
usually used as bhang here is broken ganja or
chur.
Question 21 .—From information I have re-
ceived from contractors, I think that both the