214 REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [CH. XI.
and charas produce asthma. Witness No. 134, a private medical practitioner,
considers the drugs injurious to the bowels and lungs. On cross-examination he
stated: "There would be no harm to speak of if a man continued to be a moder-
ate consumer of ganja or charas. But I think it difficult to keep the habit
within bounds." Witness No. 136 stated: "Unless used as a digestive, causes
asthma, deafness, and thinness." Witness No. 137 stated that ganja and charas
(among other evils) cause "asthma to those who are weak." Bhang has no
injurious effects unless taken in great excess. Witness No. 170, a native physi-
cian, stated that "habitual consumers do not feel any physical, mental, or moral
injury. They neither feel pain nor ever have cough." Witness No. 171 con-
siders that bhang produces no noxious effects, but that ganja and charas cause
dysentery, bronchitis, or asthma. Witness No. 172 states that ganja or charas
may cause dysentery and asthma; bhang is less harmful. No reply is given
to the question dealing with excess which is apparently not distinguished
from the moderate use. Witness No. 143 considers that charas and ganja
produce "various diseases." Witness No. 146 does not deal with the moder-
ate use. Witness No. 147 considers that bhang and charas are both injuri-
ous. "Bhang impairs the appetite in the end and charas causes bronchitis
and asthma." Witness No. 173, a hakim of twenty years' experience, replied
that "ganja often brings on bronchitis and asthma, and charas produces in-
flammation of the stomach and liver. None of them, however, has been found to
cause dysentery." Witness No. 149 considers that bronchitis and asthma are
produced. Witness No. 151 stated that ganja produces bronchitis and asthma,
but not dysentery. Witness No. 152 stated that the use of charas and ganja causes
cough and asthma. Witness No. 153 stated that ganja and charas give rise to
a number of diseases, "especially to complaints of the stomach, lungs, brain, liver,
bowels, etc." Witness No. 174 considers that the use of ganja and charas causes
bronchitis and asthma. Witness No. 160 stated that, in addition to bronchitis and
asthma, dysentery is also caused. Witness No. 158 considers bhang to be harm-
less, but that charas and ganja cause dysentery, bronchitis, and asthma. Witness
No. 159, a vaid, stated that "ganja and charas weaken the heart, dry the consti-
tution, and create lung diseases."
Punjab.
503. In the Punjab, Surgeon-Major J. A. Cunningham, witness No. 35, of
over 12 years' service, stated that charas and ganja
smoked cause chest affections, but not dysentery.
Surgeon-Major Dennys, witness No. 34, stated that "charas smokers, even in
moderation, are generally emaciated and in poor health, and are depraved crea-
tures both mentally and physically. This is not the case with moderate con-
sumers of bhang as far as I have been able to gather." The witness does not
mention any connection between the use of the drugs and chest affections or
dysentery.
Of the assistant surgeon and qualified private practitioner class eight were
examined. Witness No. 48 is an L.M.S. and a private practitioner. He stated
that "charas and ganja always bring on bronchitis and asthma if very large
quantities are smoked. It brings on dysentery also." A perusal of this evidence
indicates that the witness has mixed up the effects induced by moderate and exces-
sive use of the drugs. Assistant Surgeon Jai Singh (witness No. 47) considers
that the use of the drugs does not seem to cause bronchitis, asthma, or dysentery,