404
prepared by kneading on the palm of the hand.
This, I believe, makes it less pungent.
Charas is put into a capsule of prepared to bacco
(used in Bengal for smoking), and then put on fire,
which melts the charas and thereby gets it mixed
with the to bacco. This has also the same effect.
Bhang is used with black pepper, aniseed, rose
p etals, cucumber seeds, milk and sugar. These are
supposed to have a cooling effect, but the term is
used rather vaguely. Dhatura, opium, nux-vomica,
cantharides or betel-nut is not used.
Bhang massala is sold in Calcutta for the purpose
of its being mixed with bhang, and is composed of
black pepper, aniseed and rose petals.
30. Ganja and charas smoking is considered de-
grading in the Bengal society, and consequently
they are not smoked in public ; but when smokers
meet they smoke together, and generally there is a
place where they meet and smoke.
Bhang is consumed in public, as sanctioned in
the social custom mentioned under paragraph 32 ;
but it must be mentioned that a son using anything
intoxicating (even smoking common tobacco) before
his father or men of that position is not sanctioned
by good manners. I have not seen ganja or char-
as used by females or males in their minority, nor
have I seen bhang being used by minor males.
Females seldom use bhang during the above-men-
tioned social custom.
31. I am unable to answer.
32. There is a social custom in Bengal under which
bhang is used on the fourth day of Durga Puja
(the biggest of all Hindu religious ceremonies held in
Bengal about September or October). Hindus re-
turning home after throwing the idol into water,
visit and embrace each other. During these visits
bhang, prepared into a syrup with the ingredients
mentioned under paragraph 29, is offered as well as
sweets. It is not essentially necessary to drink the
bhang thus offered. It is generally temperate, but
as it is used once only in a year, and as there is no
definite rule about the strength, people sometimes
find the amount of intoxication produced undesir-
able. I have never seen any injurious effect produced
by this custom, neither have I seen any one being
habitual consumer of the drug.
36. None that I am aware of. Use of alcohol is
very rare in my part of Bengal, but then alcohol
shops are few and far between.
37 and 39. I am unable to answer.
40. Bhang is used as medicine by kabirajes, and
as a family medicine in diseases of the digestive
organs. Ganja is used in cattle disease.
41. From my limited experience I am of opini-
on that all the three in moderate doses are
—
(a) beneficial as a food accessory.
(b)hey give staying-power under severe
exertions or exposure and also alleviate
fatigue. My reasons for (a) and (b) are
what I have seen.
People after drinking bhang eat a good lot, but
those people ordinarily do not eat so much. In one
case I recollect there seemed no end of the feed and
the man had to finish because there was nothing
more to give him. The few charas smokers I have
seen were good eaters.
Dooly-bearers in my part of Bengal are all ganja
smokers. When their services are wanted they have
to be fed, and the measure of their ration is not an
ordinary one. Amongst all labourers their labour
is the hardest. They will never grudge a distance
nor take shelter from rain or sun if they get their
ganja, extra for extra.
(c) I d o n o t r e c o l l e c t e v e r t r e a t i n g a g a n j a o r
charas smoker.
(d) I have no experience in any other way.
44. Never had an occasion to enquire, but from
what can be seen outwardly, these drugs seem to
be refreshing ; do not produce intoxication that
may be apparent in the consumers' actions and
conversations ; allay hunger and create appetite. I
am unable to say how long the effect lasts, and
what are the after-effects. But the want of sub-
sequent gratification produces longing.
45. (a) Habitual moderate use has apparently
no noxious effect.
( b ), (c) , (d), (e) Not that I know of.
(t ) Does not deaden the intellect. I have not
seen insanity amongst those cases that I knew.
46. The two excessive smokers I have seen
were known for short temper and outspoken habits,
otherwise there was nothing wrong physically,
mentally or morally.
47 and 48. I have not seen any case which leads
me to that conclusion.
49 and 50. I am unable to answer, but so far
I know that ganja and charas smokers have
children.
57. I have not seen ganja or charas being
eaten, but I have heard that when a ganja smoker
falls short of his quantity, he chews and eats it,
as it is believed that to produce the same effect
it requires a smaller quantity when eaten than
when smoked.
47. Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON MAUNG THIN.
Oral evidence.
In the case of Abdul Kadar, admitted this year
(1894), three friends came with the lunatic. They
were not related to him at all, but merely friends.
I found out nothing about his hereditary history.
They said they knew Abdul Kadar, and lived with
him. They said he had been eating ganja with
milk for about a year. They noticed he did not go
to his work as usual, and. used to quarrel with
people. I asked about his previous habits. They
said he was sober and regular in his habits, and
never quarrelled with anybody. I asked how
much ganja he took. They could not tell me.
They said he had been quarrelsome for two or three
days before admission to the asylum. He had also
been regular at his work until within two or three
days before. When I asked how much ganja he
took, they said they could not tell, but it was very
much. I did not ask how often he took it a day,
nor how much he spent on it, nor whether he was
ever intoxicated with it. They said. they them-
selves did not take ganja. They were from
Madras. I asked nothing further.
I have been Assistant Surgeon in subordinate
charge of the Rangoon Asylum, only for ten
months. I know of only one case of alteration
here of the entry made by the Civil Surgeon in
the " history." The cause had been shown as " un-
known " ; but Dr. Dantra entered it as " opium
eating. " I understand that this was because the
patient came from a district where opium was