Idaho semi-weekly world., 1893-11-28
HAsHEESH SMOKERS.
A NARCOTIC IN INDIA THAT HAS rE-
cULIAR EFFECTS.

cULIAR EFFECTS.
The Use Of q Vegetable Among Savage
Afric:ia Pcoplc transformed Their Ma
tures-nashcesh s1a,.es Some pcorio
Peaceful and others Drunk.
Alcohol, opium and cocaine nro tl.e
cause of endless WOO to humanity.
What II something could bo found
which could be substituted for these
ro;sons and at tho same timc havo n
pleasing and beneficial influence ca
ncn. and instead Of making him wild
would quiet him ns did the Tyre Of Or
phcus? Tie African traveller. Wiss-
mann. describes in detail the cultiya-
ton and use of the .'riambo" among the
former cannibal inhabitants of Lubuku.
by which their customs and manners
were made go mild that it was even for
bidden by them to shed tho blood Of an
imals. This people. who before had
been aggressive leaders in wars are now
living in peace. Villages which hereto
fore he'd been engaged in bitter fcnds
became friendly. Laws and customs OF
tho most peaceful Lind were introduced,
with the result that the country into
which strangers had never before ven
tured was open to ell.
This peaceful disposition. as also this
autagonism to the shedding of the blood
Of animals. points to characteristic fea-
ture Of an old oriental people. These
are the Indiana. The same herb which
made the cannibals of Lubulsu the
friends Of men, and which they call
'bashilange." has been known to the In
dians for centuries as an intoxicant. It
is the Indian hemp. In the cast the in
toxicant extract is made ont of the bios
SONS and out of the whole plant Gen
orally it is called '.hashcesh," which sig
nifies merely hemp. 1t is chewed like
tobacco. or smoked as such. or the juice,
called "damamesk, is used with sugar
and almonds or whisky.
In moderate amounts the Indian hemp
and its preparations have u mild effect
on the nervous system and produce a
pleasant state of feeling. at any rate
among tho orientals. Larger quantities
| produce intoxication. In tho east the
number of those who use the hashcesh is
computed at between 100000, 900 and
300. 600. 600. Physicians are not all agreed
as to the effect Of the drug. some claim
ing that it produces nausea. heart beat
ing, dryness in the throat When fully
efficient it produces the feeling of pleased
intoxication and the most agreeable and
pleasurablc thoughts. Thereupon fol
lows sleep, deep and drcamless. and on
the following morning the pleasant Wis
ions gro still real and present. That
opium or alcohol eventually destroys
those who uso it TO excess goes without
saying. On tho other hand. the effect CT
the hemp chewing on the negro is Won
derfully quieting.
| Wissmann mention3 several African
people among whom hemp smoking haa
been firmly introduced IS habit. espc-
ci2lly tho Waniamesi. lie says lie is
convinced that tho effect of this hemp on
the negro is to make Lin milder and
more gentle and to make him more ac-
cessiblc to the influences of civilization,
although it does have to certain extent
an evil influence on the body. which in
Guence. however. is generally exagger-
ated. Most remarkable is the manner
in which Il Judgment of God" is secured
by the hemp smokers. Those that are
accused continue tho smoking of heinr
until the guilty one is compelled to make
q confession. On the other hand. the
thieves of India use this hemp for the
purpose of pursuing their work. They
secretly make Il hole in the house and
ell it with fumes OF hemp smoke. This
has its effect on the people Of the holse
and when tho thieves enter they end
them in the most agreeable humor. in.
capable of understanding what is going
on and even welcoming The ma-auders
with the most pleasant words and gcs.
lures. These statements are from the
travels of Won Bibra.
Then tho hasheesh smokers frequently
get into state much resembling LyiA
notism. in which it is possible to place
tho members of the body in any posi-
ton and to treat the body as though il
were all made of joints. Tho similarity
between hypnotism and the effects u
hasheesh smoking is so great that DR.. VOC
Schrenk- -Notzig of Munich made specie
investigation of this subject. 1t is vel
known that when person is hypnotizet
q single word or threatening action suf
fees to throw the subject into spasms ot
rage. The authority just mentioned ba!
discovered that in IL similar way per
son under the influence of hasheesh car
be affected. He even discovered thai
persons who do not submit to ordinary
hypnotism can be put into this STATE
through tho chewing or smoking of hash
eesh. The faculty most influenced by tli:
narcotic is tho imagination. The imme
diate present is idealized into the mos
beautiful and fantastic forms Hearin.
is made finer. and the finest strains oi
music effect Gs they never did before
Leipsic Daheim.
Surprised at Clerical Uneasincss.
Dr Ea-riaD n fo,.rpar rac4Or Of 'T,iY,it =,