17
the eyes. In some cases these two drugs (ganja
and charas) tend to make a man insane, either
temporarily or permanently. Charas on account of
its being too expensive is not smoked as much as
ganja.
41. No, the use of these drugs are not beneficial
in their effects.
42. A moderate use of bhang may be harmless,
for it acts somewhat like a stimulant and dispels
fatigue, etc., but ganja and charas-smoking is
always injurious if taken moderately or immoder-
ately, because these latter two affect the brain
and the chest more directly, whereas this is not the
case with bhang.
43. A moderate consumer of any of these
drugs is not offensive to his neighbours.
44. As mentioned above, bhang is stimulating;
it is refreshing; its intoxication is not the same as
that of liquor; it does not allay hunger; yes, it
creates hunger, which is not easily satisfied; its
effects last for three or four hours; yes, the con-
sumer feels lazy after the effects have passed off;
yes, those who take bhang oftener than once a
day have a craving for another dose as often as
the time for repeating arrives, and until this
craving is gratified he feels uneasy and restless;
the same feelings come on to those who only take
bhang once a day.
Ganja, as mentioned before, is used for smoking,
and the immediate effect is that the smoker's head
is at once affected and the appetite is checked; it
is not refreshing; yes, there is a kind of intoxica-
tion which comes on after smoking ganja. Yes,
it allays hunger; no, the appetite is spoilt after
smoking this drug; there is no certainty as to
the length of time the effects last; yes, the after-
effects are that the smoker becomes drowsy; yes,
the want of subsequent gratification does produce a
longing and uneasiness.
45. This question is answered by the Medical
Officer in charge of the regimental dispensary:—
No physical, mental or moral bad effect is pro-
duced by the moderate use of bhang.
It does not impair the constitution.
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
insanity. But ganja has bad physical, mental
and moral effects.
It impairs the constitution.
It does not injure digestion, but causes loss of
appetite.
It does not cause dysentery, but causes bronchitis
or asthma, rarely.
It does not impair the moral sense or induce
laziness or habits of immorality or debauchery.
It impairs the intellect and makes the smokers
dull.
It is never known to produce insanity in moderate
smokers of ganja.
46. This question is also answered by the same
Medical Officer:—
Habitual excessive consumers of bhang are
not known to be affected constitutionally, thus
digestion is impaired only. But it often occasions
a ravenous sensation, which is not appeased by food.
It does not cause dysentery, bronchitis, or asthma.
It impairs the moral sense, induces laziness, habits
of immorality and debauchery. Excessive bhang
is said to be many a time taken for the purpose of
debauchery, which very likely develops into the
habit.
Habitual excessive use of bhang is never known
to produce insanity.
Habitual excessive use of ganja has very bad
physical, mental and moral effects.
It impairs the constitution. It injures the
digestion. It is not known to cause dysentery, but
it produces bronchitis and asthma.
It deadens the intellect.
As regards insanity, ganja (excessive smoking)
is the principal cause in producing insanity in those
who have no hereditary history, and in the latter it
acts as an exciting cause. By itself it acts as a
predisposing cause also. I have never seen any
typical symptoms. It is not known of a person
suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease
resorting to the use of this drug for obtaining
relief.
49. No, the use of any of these drugs will not
induce aphrodisiac unless the consumer is addicted
to the practice; but these drugs are not used for
the purpose.
51. No, there is not a large proportion of bad
characters habitual consumers of any of these
drugs. The use of these drugs has no connection
with crimes in general or crimes of any special
character.
53. It is not certain; a great deal depends upon
the quantity taken and the constitution of the
consumers. I know of no case where an excessive
indulgence of any of these drugs has led to tem-
porary homicidal frenzy.
54. No, these drugs are not used by people to
fortify themselves to commit a premeditated act of
violence or crime precipitately.
55. These drugs are not usually used to stupefy
victims, as it would take a large quantity to do so.
An excess quantity of any of these drugs taken by
those not used to them will stupefy a person
without admixture of anything else.
Answer No. 26.
20. Total strength
154
Brahmans
3
Pardesis
67
Vaghra Muth
2
Mahrattas
34
Parbhus
2
Rajputs
2
Marwari
1
Muhammadans
31
Gossawi
3
Other castes
7
(a) Combatants
135
(b) Non-combatants
18
(c) Authorised camp-followers
1
None of these people use ganja or charas.
24. There are only four Pardesis who moder-
ately drink bhang every day, and few others at times.
25. The drinking of bhang is on a lower scale, be-
cause those who drink, it do not find sufficient time
to indulge in it, owing to heavy responsible duty.
D