38
effect lasts some two or three hours. It leaves no
after-effects, nor does the want of subsequent grati-
fication produce any longing or uneasiness. Charas
and ganja even in moderation are noxious. They
produce loss of appetite and intoxication and leave
bad after-effects and a longing for subsequent
gratification with great uneasiness if ungratified.
45. The moderate use of these drugs produces n o
noxious effects whatever.
It does not impair the constitution in any
way.
It does not injure the digestion or cause loss
of appetite.
It does not cause dysentery, bronchitis or
asthma.
It does not impair the moral sense or induce
laziness or habits of immorality or debauchery.
It does not deaden the intellect or produce in-
sanity.
Have known none such.
There is no evidence to indicate that insanity
tends to indulgence in the use of the drug by a
person deficient in self-control through weakened
intellect.
Nil.
46. (1) Prolonged and excessive use produces
noxious effects, both physical and mental; but I
have not observed any noxious moral effects there-
from.
(2) It weakens the constitution like excess in
any other vice.
(3) Does not specially affect the digestive organs.
(4) Does not cause dysentery, bronchitis or
asthma.
(5) I have not observed that it impairs the moral
sense or induces to laziness and habits of immo-
rality and debauchery.
(6) It does not deaden the intellect, but, on the
contrary, produces insanity by hyper-activity of
the brain, and is the direct exciting cause and not
the predisposing cause. The insanity may be tem-
porary or permanent. The symptoms may, of
course, be re-induced by use of the drug after
liberation from restraint. There are no typical
symptoms after insanity is absolutely established
(though the symptoms of the acute stage of deliri-
um from cannabis sativa differ somewhat from that
produced by alcohol (delirium tremens), owing to the
nature of the poison). Just as repeated attacks of
delirium tremens from alcohol produce, in a definite
percentage of cases, permanent madness, so repeated
attacks of acute cerebral excitement from over-in-
dulgence in Indian hemp cause permanent aberra-
tion of intellect. The two cases are, in my opinion,
analogous. Insanes have no reluctance to confess
the use of the drug: on the contrary, the sane
soldier, fearing the result, would be reluctant to
confess the use of it.
The excessive consumption of hemp may, and
often does, cause madness: but insanity would
scarcely lead to excessive indulgence in the drug;
that is " placing the cart before the horse."
The only cases during an experience of some
fifteen years with the regiment which I can recall
are the following:—
I. Tent lascar—(a Hindu). The notation in his
medical history sheet runs as follows:-
"Had maniacal excitement, raving, gesticulating,
using violence to those about him, picking his
clothes to pieces, and was restrained with difficulty
at times. This condition resulted from the con-
tinual use of Indian hemp and alcohol." Was in
hospital eighteen days and was convalescent and ra-
tional on discharge. The man is still in the regi-
ment. This, of course, is not an unmixed case, but
I regarded the symptoms, particularly the un-
restrainable violence, more as the effects of hemp
than alcohol.
II.-A Hindu. Case Book No. 1, Army Hospital
Book No. 2 of 1887, shows him to have been
admitted with dementia. This man was a habi-
tual bhang-drinker; but it was not known
whether or not he drank to excess. He was in
hospital for slight fever and had become con-
valescent; but it having been observed that he
talked strangely, excitedly and incoherently at
times, he was kept still further under observation,
and after a few days he showed decided signs of
mental aberration, talking excitedly and angrily
and threatening those around him, stating his in-
tention of either committing suicide or of killing
some one of his companions. He escaped from his
attendants, rushed across to the cook-room, shut
himself in, and possessing himself of a block of
wood threatened to harm any one who came near
him. On my arrival at the hospital and ordering
him to desist, he willingly threw away the wood and
came out, and I led him back to his bed, which he
pointed out to me. He talked excitedly and said peo-
ple wished to harm or kill him. He was watched
carefully by relays of orderlies, but on the following
day suddenly rushed through the attendants and
ran down the road shouting; he was with some
difficulty secured and brought back. Showed other
signs of madness, such as an unconnected and rav-
ing manner, a wild expression, refusing to take food
or medicine from anybody but a European officer;
and on one occasion seized his "lota" and smashed
the glass and frame-work of the window of
the room in which he was isolated; accusing those
around him of stealing things which had never
left his own possession, etc. On another day he
showed the cunning of madness: appeared to be
perfectly sane, and it was reported that "the mad-
ness had left him since yesterday morning." He
requested to be allowed to return to duty, but not
being allowed to do this he again became violently
excited and under delusions and suspicions of any
one, refusing to take his food, etc. He was brought
before a special medical board and transferred
to the Lunatic Asylum, where he remained some
months, and being discharged, returned to the
regiment as "cured," but on the advice of his
friends took his discharge at his own request. And
from this time I heard nothing more of him.
NOTE.-In this case there was no impairment
of constitution or tendency to indigestion, dysen-
tery, asthma, etc., nor was the man known to be
morally or physically either better or worse than
his comrades. He had done 6 5/12 years' service and
had been, I believe, a consumer of bhang during
the greater part of the time.
[Questions 45 and 46 answered by Medical
Officer.]
49. I am assured by all natives to whom I
have spoken that these drugs have a contrary effect,
although I see it stated in Ringer's Hand-book of
Therapeutics that in some cases their effect is
aphrodisiac ?
51. I think not: consumers of charas and ganja
are generally too emaciated to commit crimes of
violence and too stupid to commit others. Bhang,
as I have stated, would not have any effect on such
characters.
53. I do not think so.
I do not.
54. I think not, for reasons already given.