142
affecting memory, but
often of finally injuring
his faculty and producing insanity.
43. They are generally inoffensive.
44. It produces
noisy or quiet excitement, often
sexual, and hallucinations, followed by sleep. It is
refreshing at the time and is a great intoxicant.
It both increases the appetite if food is taken,
and it allays hunger after a little if the appetite
is restrained. The effects last about one hour.
Afterwards some dryness of the mouth is left in
persons accustomed to it. There is a craving for
gratification if the drug is not taken.
45. In my opinion
it occasionally produces
physical, mental and moral deterioration in all
forms. It deteriorates the constitution in some
cases. It causes loss of appetite if the usual
stimulant is not taken.
It frequently causes
bronchitis, and specially
when inhaled.
It is used to encourage
habits of immorality. A
case of majum-poisoning came under my care in
April 1893. Deterioration of health will induce
laziness.
It occasionally induces
insanity, and may be
the exciting cause, or predisposing, as the case
may be. It may produce temporary or permanent
insanity. Temporary cases are excitable, as far
as my experience goes.
I am not in a position to
furnish reliable inform-
ation on these points.
A case under my care
occurred some years ago
when a recruit was insane for many weeks from
one single inhalation of ganja. No record is avail-
able. Ganja was the exciting cause.
A case was admitted on
2nd April 1889, of
toxic insanity from bhang. The patient was
excitable and violent,
and had been insane ten
years before. I have noted that there was a
predisposing cause in this case.
A case was admitted 19th
April 1887, due
to ganja, but denied. The man was excitable
and violent, and was ultimately sent to a lunatic
asylum. He had previously shown symptoms
of insanity in his former regiment.
46. The habitual
excessive use of any of these
drugs undoubtedly produces all the symptoms as
shown in answers to paragraph 45 in a marked
degree, where otherwise they may only be occa-
sionally found.
49. Yes, commonly.
Besides in the form of
ganja it is used here in the form of sweetmeat called
"majum," a compound of bhang, sugar, flower,
butter and milk. A syce was admitted with
accidental poisoning from this preparation in
April 1893.
51. Yes, but no statistics are to hand.
53. Yes; presumably
in the same way that
alcoholic intoxicants do. I personally know of
no case of homicidal frenzy.
54. Yes; it is well
known that bhang is thus
taken when a man is desirous of running "amuck."
A case occurred in this regiment before or about
1870 on parade when a man attacked his Euro-
pean officers and was at once cut down by the
other men.
55. Yes, this is a
well-known fact also. Com-
plete stupefaction can be induced by dangerous
doses of the drug without admixture with other
narcotics.
[Questions 28, 32, 33,
39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46,
49, 51, 53, 54 and 55 answered by Medical
Officer.]
Answer No. 210.
20. |
(a) Combatants |
625 |
(b) Non-combantants |
347 |
|
(c) Authorised camp followers |
72 |
Muhammadans 1 per cent
and Hindus 2 per
cent. smoke charas. None smoke ganja.
24. No one eats bhang;
one per cent. drinks it
in the winter, and ten per cent. drink it in the
summer.
25. The use is on the
decrease, and is very
small now. My authority for this is the native
officers of my regiment.
28. To habitual moderate
consumers—
Ganja not procurable here.
Charas not used.
Bhang one tola, about 1 pie.
32. I am not aware of any.
33. Hindus do
not look at it generally as very
disreputable. The Muhammadans do, and the Sikhs
never touch it. In the native army it is offensive,
as tending to make a man lazy and stupid.
We have no knowledge of
the worship of the
hemp plant.
39. Smoking is considered
the most injurious,
as it has a greater effect on the brain.
41. No beneficial effect.
42. A moderate
consumption does little or no
harm.
43. They are generally inoffensive.
44. It refreshes
first and then intoxicates, and
makes habitual consumers fit for their work; it
increases the appetite of beginners, but lessens that
of habitual consumers for
three hours after drink-
ing bhang, and only for a short period after charas
or ganja. Uneasiness and a craving for more.
45. Apparently not.
Not when taken in
moderation, or when nutri-
tious food is also taken.
It is said by consumers
that it increases the
appetite. It does not appear to cause indigestion,
bronchitis, etc., when taken
in moderation.
It probably does
ultimately, as it is more or less
a dissipated habit.
I have had no experience
of cases of insanity
produced, or said to be produced, by indulgence in
any of these drugs.
For the reason given
above, I am unable to
express an opinion.
From cases of insanes or
imbeciles observed, who
indulged in these drugs, I consider that such
evidence does exist.
One or two cases were
fakirs. They drank
bhang chiefly. They were stupid and lazy, but
not markedly morally or physically weak.
Other cases, among
servants, etc., were not
observed to be either physically, mentally or
morally affected. They chiefly smoked charas.
One case, addicted to
both hemp drugs and
opium, was observed to be markedly debilitated, to
have a cough, and to be unfit for much exertion,
mental or physical. No cases in the regiment
have come under my notice.
46. Excessive use causes intoxication, frequently