CH. XI.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 215
but rather cures them. Witness No. 39, also an assistant surgeon, stated that the
use of bhang is probably quite free from noxious effects, but abuse of charas
brings on bronchitis and asthma. Assistant Surgeon Rahim Khan (witness No.
37) is Superintendent, Medical School, Lahore, and has had 33 years' residence
in the Punjab, and has been connected with the out-patient department, Medical
College Hospital, for that period. He stated: "There are no bad after effects
from bhang, but even the moderate use of charas brings on chest affections."
Cross-examined as to the meaning the witness attached to moderate, he replied:
"I call ten or twelve chillums, costing one or two annas, in the 24 hours moderate
use. I know of no more moderate use than that. I know of no case of a man using
only one or two chillums a day. I would call a man taking one or two annas' worth
a day a 'charasi'." It is clear that this witness knows nothing of the moderate
use. Assistant Surgeon Mehr Chand (witness No. 40) stated that the
moderate use of bhang produces no noxious effects, while charas, if even
used moderately, brings on bronchitis and asthma, general irritation of the re-
spiratory organs, indigestion, and dysentery. On cross-examination the witness
said: "As to dysentery, I saw a case of a man who said he was a charas smoker,
and took an excessive dose, and it brought on dysentery. I had doubt as to this
being the cause. But I think charas may injure the digestion and predispose to
diarrhœa or dysentery. I have not enough of cases to be able to say that the drug
really produces dysentery. I am not certain. But I have had one or two allegations
as to this being the cause, and I had no other cause. I ought to say rather 'it may
produce' than 'it does produce dysentery.'" Assistant Surgeon Bhagwan Dass
(witness No. 36) is Civil Surgeon of Jhang, and has nearly 251/2 years' service.
He stated that charas or ganja smoking caused indigestion and diarrhœa and
chronic bronchitis. On oral examination the witness stated: "My personal
experience of the effects of the drugs is based on my dispensary practice alone.
In my social or domestic life I have no knowledge of moderate or excessive
consumers
I have seen five or six cases of chronic bronchitis in
people addicted to hemp drugs. I cannot say that it was due to hemp drugs
solely. I have also seen several (say about twenty) cases of indigestion and
diarrhœa. But here again I cannot say that they were solely due to hemp drugs,
but simply that the patients were consumers. These are all the diseases I
have seen attributable to hemp drugs. I have never seen a case of dysentery or
asthma which I attributed to hemp drugs, though I have seen both in consumers.
My reason for not attributing these diseases to hemp was that other people also
suffer from these diseases equally." Witness No. 41 did not ascribe any ill
effects to bhang, but stated that bronchitis and asthma are often met with in
consumers of charas. Witness No. 38 does not discriminate between the moder-
ate and excessive use.
Three hospital assistants were examined. Witness No. 42 considers that
charas smoking causes asthma. Witness No. 43 considers that noxious effects
are induced by moderate use of the drugs. Hospital Assistant Karm Elahi
(witness No. 44), of 25 years' service, considers that moderate use of the drugs to
some extent produces noxious effects; and added: "I have not seen a single case
of dysentery caused by the practice: of course cases of cough and asthma."
Seven native practitioners were examined, of whom three failed to discrimi-
nate between moderate and excessive use. Witness No. 51 stated that charas