CH. XI.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 211
the drugs, and may be presumed not to have discriminated. Surgeon-Lieutenant-
Colonel Holmes (witness No. 77) is also a Superintendent of a central jail. He
stated: "Those who habitually smoke ganja or charas suffer from chest affections;
said also to cause dysentery, bronchitis, and asthma." The witness does
not distinguish between moderate and excessive use; and the basis of his informa-
tion is "from seeing effects on prisoners and others, and from enquiries made of
the various officials and medical subordinates." Surgeon-Major G. Emerson (wit-
ness No. 86) has had sixteen years' service, seven of which have been in civil
employ. He remarked: "I have never seen dysentery caused by it, but there is
no doubt that bronchitis and asthma are to a great extent due to the use of
charas and ganja." On cross-examination, the witness said: "My opinion in
regard to moderate use of ganja and charas is that evil effects might be pro-
duced in certain cases even by moderate use, but as a rule not
I should
not be prepared to attribute to the moderate use of these drugs any further evil
effects than to the moderate use of tobacco. I should like to transfer my
remarks now to answer No. 46, which deals with the excessive use."
Twenty-four assistant surgeons were examined. Witness No. 109 stated:
"I have had to treat a few cases of chronic bronchitis and asthma in which
charas smoking was the alleged cause. Charas smokers cough very much." On
cross-examination the witness said: "I may say that I did not make enquiry as to
whether the bronchitis or asthma was really due to charas, and as a fact people
suffering from these complaints often take to charas for relief." Witness No. 105
stated: "Smoking causes bronchitis and asthma, but drinking (bhang) does not,
and is beneficial in dysentery." On oral examination the witness stated: "The
smoking of ganja and charas caused asthma and bronchitis within my own observa-
tion. I have found these diseases very prevalent among those who smoke the
drugs to excess. The moderate use will bring about the same results in time, but
I have no personal experience of this. It is not a fact that ganja smoking is a
domestic remedy against asthma and bronchitis, but dhatura is so used." The
witness then referred to two cases of asthma which he attributes to the drug.
"Both these cases began with the moderate use, which developed into the excessive
before the effects I have described came on. I have no experience of the moderate
use causing such serious results, but I think it probable it could if long continu-
ed." Witness No. 96 does not mention any diseases as resulting from the moder-
ate use. S. P. Roy (witness No. 120) is an M.B. of the Calcutta Uni-
versity and not in Government employ; he is Municipal Analyst, Allahabad. His
evidence is to the following effect: "Cases of chronic bronchitis and bronchial
asthma and dysentery are too numerous to be cited. It is a popular notion, and
I believe well founded in Bengal, that the habitual ganja smokers suffer from
bronchitis and die ultimately from bloody stools." On cross-examination the
witness stated: "I have never seen any ganja smokers of long standing who do
not suffer from bronchitis and bronchial asthma, and in making this statement
I do not confine it to my professional observation. I have not noticed that
dysentery is so commonly connected with the hemp drugs. I have heard of
ganja being smoked for the relief of asthma, and I have tried the extract of Can-
nabis indica for it without good results." Assistant Surgeon Subhan Ali (witness
No. 98) is an M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. of London, and stated that ganja and
charas cause bronchitis and asthma. Witness No. 103 states: "Ganja and
charas very often produce asthma and bronchitis and sometimes dysentery, but one