Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-20
HASHEESH EATERS.
How They Submit Themselves 70 It's
Eject and the Results-SalOOns
which Flourish i'm Arabia, Persia
and Syria-The Elder Dumas, Hero i'm
"Monte ChristO'' - The Sensations
Caused by the Drug, Pleasant and
Otherwise Advice Of a Chemist
Against Using IL.


Against Using Ii.
From the Brooklyn Fagie
us there any habit equivalent to the eating
and smoking OF opium" the writer inquired of
Mr. Jomacmahn. professor of chemistry, who as
seated in his private laboratory.
Yes" replied the professor thoughtfully, as
he stroked his side whiskers. There are
people who eat hasheesh."
lis that habtual?"
Certainly" was the rejoinder ''But it is
not common in this country. though / person.
ally know OF two or three men who are hasheesh
eaters"
Are the effects and the results the same as
those of opium"
No. not exactly replied the Professor
1.-The effects are generally pleasanter and the
results less harmful. A man under the influence
man to be. or perhaps just the opposite eX-
IRENE. The hasheesh is a preparation of Indian
hemp
"But does not the hemp of other European
countries, or even that raised in America have
the same prOperties!"
No" said the Professor emDhatically .'thev
do not. In the northern ATTITUDES the hemp
plant (c0rr,abis sotioa) grows almost entirely
tn the fiber. and is great resource for mats and
cordage. In the south, or rather India. how
ever tue pftiit loses It's HOTOuS texture. Out Sc
cretes. in quantities equal to One-third of it's
bulk. an Opaque and greensh resin. ThasOuthern
hemp il known as cOnadbis Indicd. Hasheesh is
obtained by boiling the adhesive parts of the
plant in alcohol, which is afterward distilled Off
leaving resinous extract with somewhat fra
grant odOr, and abitterish acrid taste. The stimu
liant and narcotic of the Indian hemp has been
known i'm the early times. 1t was employed as
an anesthetic az far back as A. ID. 300 At pres
ent it is employed in the eastern countries as an
anodyne and narcotic. and to effect the mental
functions. 1t is considered safer than opium.
belladOnna and similar remedies as it does not
check the secretiOns OF or impair the digestion.
1t has been known by several expressive names
for instance: 'Causer of reeling-g laughter
mover and vari ons others. 1t is generally be-
Ieved to have been the nepenthe of the an
cents'
HOW Is THE DRUG TAKEN?"
III Is sometimes taken in its crude state as it
comes from the stalk. Then it is manufactured
into conserve with classified butter. honey
and spices The dried plant is also smoked in
pipes. or chewed. Again, it is taken in the
form ola pill. In Arabia. Persia. Syria. has
hHesh saloons are in comparison as common as
the liquor saloons in this country The inte-
riors of the saloons are not unlike the concert
saloons of New York. The walls and ceiling
are gprgeousiy painted to represent picturesque
scenes in Oriental type. They are hor-
r rioie dauos, however: yet to the
gigantic in proportion. and appear to be genu-
me scenes of rare beauty. few string instru-
ments furnish the music, and an occasional
story-teller-the genuine story-teller of the
EaSt-endeavOrS to carry his listeners through
land of wonders; and he usually succeeds for his
listeners. under the influence of the drug with
little assistance. will allow the Imagination to
carry them TO the extreme. The twang of the
musical Instruments. even though struck in ac-
cord, will reyerberate through the saloon with
anfy Io1
In sober state. / say sober. because a man
under the influence of hasheesh is intoxicated"
what are the sensations experienced by the
hasheesh eaters?"
IT'S EFFECTS
"The effect upon different people is as various
as that of alcohol; with some it merely produces
stupOr. while others experience mental ecstasy
Alcohol enlivens. saddens, excites, depresses,
nus with tenderness, or urges to brutality i'm
parts vigOr and activity. or nauseates and weak
ems. while. On the other hand, hasheesh gives
rise TO still greater phenomena. The first sensa-
ton experienced by the eater is, sometimes.
pain In his head. The top of his skull seems to
move up and down like the cover of a coffee pot
when standing On the stove. After that sensa-
ton has passed away he begins to have visions
OF no ordinary kind For time he is apparently
transformed into another being, and has taken
flight to another world. He becomes
exceedingly happy, and his visions are OF
will burst out into fits of boisterOus laughter.
with no idea OF what he is laughing at. except
that everything has assumed ludicrOus ap-
pearance. Time lengthPns. and minute seems
IKE hours; space expands, and a distance OF
ten feet seems long way-a tiresOme Journey
Fitzhugh Ludlow, in writing of his experience
as q hasheesh-eater. tells of his first sensations
After he has experienced many delightful
visions he retires to bed. There he is seized
with the idea that he is dying from the effect of
no Ho rofc
ing to see doctor. He describes his sensations
something like this: 4 hurriedly left nv room.
but paused as | looked down the stairs The
depth was fathomless; 1t was a journey Of years
to the bottom. The dim light of the sky
shone through the narrow pane at the side of
the front door. and seemed like demon lamp
In the middle darkness of the abyss never
could get down. Suddenly happy thought
struck me. If the distance be infinite. am
immortal. Then began the descent YEARLY,
YEARLY. down the league-lOng yeaE-long Jour
ney. stopping to rest now and then as traveller
would at way side inn.' Though the book Is
greatly Overdrawn. that portion which has
reference to the apparent difference of time and
distance, as viewed in the hasheesh state is per-
fectly true. person when under the influence
OF the drug will sometimes imagine that he is
living life eternal, or that he is plunged into
an iniinity OF space. To walk hundred yards
would seem like so many miles, while the time
consumed in making the journey would be
NJ. ALBERT while under the influence of hasheeh
may interest yOu He says:
Il was engaged In conversation when felt
priekling sensation in my feet, and In my
head structure. which gave way suddenly, and
my skull seemed empty. Every object wore q
new aspect; my companions face seemed
grotesque in appearance; burst out laughing.
and continued to laugh for an hour. The
merest trife renewed my mirth. Meanwhile
the most various and whimsical ideas coursed
through my mind. I experienced the most
perfect sense Of comfort For me there was no
longer past. present and future; the fieeting
moments limited my whole existence Then
followed calm, and sleep stole over me. The
whole night was but
ONE LONG, DELIGHTFUL DREAM.
On awakening remembered all that had taken
place, and nv head was not heavy nor my
mouth dry. as it would have been after a de-
bauch in opium or wine. Others have written
of their various experiences Sometimes IT,
sound of the voice to the eater will reverberate
Ike thunder This is owing to the intense sus-
cephbiity of the sensorium produced by the
drug"
What decided effect win the drug have
upon person."
"Hasheesh is always characterized bv the
most remarkable phenomena, both spiritual
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