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97. Evidence of ARDESIR DADABHOY MODY, Parsi, J.P., Member, Municipal
Corporation, Medical Practitioner, Bombay.
1. My practice is among the natives of Bombay,
and especially among the Parsis.
(My evidence is as regards the Parsis of
Bombay only.)
2.
Bhang, charas, ganja.
20. The Parsis as a rule do not smoke. I do
not know of any Parsi who smokes ganja or
charas.
23. Generally bhang is not used for smoking.
26. A very few Parsis used bhang occasionally
in a very small dose made up into a sweet drink
with milk, sugar, almonds, &c. ; but that practice
is much on the decrease.
29. Dhatura was never used by the Parsis to
make up the bhang drink.
30. The bhang drink was used in company, and
it was only by the male sex. Never given by the
Parsis to children.
31. By taking bhang drink occasionally and in
very small doses, no habit is formed.
32. There is no social or religious custom
among the Parsis in which bhang is consumed.
33. The public opinion amongst the Parsis is
very much against the use of bhang.
34. It would not be any privation to the Parsis
to forego the consumption of the drug.
43. Occasional moderate consumers are inoffen-
sive to their neighbours.
44. It produces intoxication. It does not allay
hunger, except taken with milk, etc. The after-
effects are laziness and inaptitude for work, and
want of sleep and appetite. The want of subse-
quent gratification produces longing and uneasi-
ness.
45. (b) and (c) Yes.
(d) It causes dysentery and other derange-
ments of the bowels.
(e) It induces laziness.
(f) It deadens the intellect and produces
insanity, as imbecility, which has a tendency to
be permanent.
47. Not hereditary. The children are weak.
49. The use of hemp tends to produce impot-
ence.
98. Evidence of UTTAMRAM JEEWANRAM, ITCHAPOORIA, Audesh, Brahmin, Native
Doctor (Vaidya), Bombay and Surat.
1. My experience obtained as a vaidya.
2. The definitions of Dr. Prain may be ac-
cepted. Round ganja I have never seen. I
know broken ganja as " garda," and broken bhang
as " bhuki."
Ganja is known to me by the names of ganja
and mala. Charas is known as charas. Bhang is
known as vijaya, subji, maya, lillaghur, dyanvalli,
and patti.
7. There is cultivation of the hemp plant in the
Surat district, which is my home, ( a) for ganja,
(c) for bhang, (d) for seeds.
At Bhatta, a village in the Surat district. I
know also that the hemp plant is cultivated for
bhang at Diva and Devi villages, near Anklesh-
war in the Broach district.
9. The seeds are sown in the months of Shrawan
and Bhaderwa. They are sown like jowari.
The plant is ready in six or seven months after
the sowing of the seed. The plants are not irri-
gated.
10. No special class cultivates the hemp plant
for narcotics in my district.
14. (a) Ganja is prepared and ( c) bhang is pre-
pared in Bhatta in the Surat district, and Dewa
and Devi in the Broach district.
17. Kolis and Kunbis.
18. Ganja and bhang deteriorate by keeping.
They lose some of their narcotic properties. In
time they quite lose their narcotic effects. Ganja
will keep good for about two years, and bhang for
one year, with ordinary care. I attribute deteri-
oration to the absorption of moisture from the at-
mosphere.
19. Ganja and charas are only used for smoking.
I do not know whether either is used for any
other purpose.
20. Ganja is smoked by Brahmins, Wanis,
Kunbis, Ghanchis, and sadhus. It is also smoked
by Muhammadans and fakirs. Some of the
Burmese staying at present at Rander also smoke
ganja. Charas is mostly smoked by Muhammad-
ans, fakirs, and few sadhus and Kunbis.
21. Round ganja is not obtainable here. Flat
ganja is used here for smoking.
22. I have no personal knowledge of charas,
and I cannot say whether the charas used in
Bombay is native or foreign. In the Surat
district charas is very little used.
23.
Bhangs is never used for smoking. It is,
however, used as medicine, for vapour purposes in
piles, and in the case of irritation of rectum and
vagina.
24. Bhang is chiefly used for drinking. It is
very rarely eaten. Hindus of almost all classes and
Muhammadans drink bhang. Bhang is commonly
used in Central Provinces, Guzarat, Marwar,
Gokul, Mathura.
25. I think the use of ganja, bhang, and charas
is on the decrease in the Surat zilla. I do not
know whether the use of these drugs is on the
increase or decrease in other provinces. I attribute
the decrease in the consumption of these drugs
here to two causes, firstly, the spread of education,
and secondly, the want of company.
28. I am not in a position to answer this question.
29.
Ganja is ordinarily smoked with or without
tobacco. I have seen one man preparing cigarette
of ganja and putting in it little opium and saffron.
Ink bhang ordinarily pepper is mixed, and exception-
ally cardamoms, rose buds, anise, poppy seeds,