12
I have seen one Chlorodyne-drinker who ultimately died from the effects of the drug. As far as my experience as physician goes, opiam and morphia are not used very extensively in Bombay.
3. With regard to cocaine there is no doubt that it has been largely used by the natives of Bombay during the last few years; it is commonly added to pan-sopari and masticated, and also swallowed as a powder. I believe it is used because it is generally believed to be an efficient aphrodisiac, and this is the main reason of its popularity. The demand for it is large and illicit sellers are said to make a profit of 500 per cent; hence constant efforts are made to smuggle it into the town.
4. I think the effects of cocaine are even worse than those of opium, and that it is doing more harm than opium. I have seen several victims of the cocaine habit; they become mental and physical wrecks, were unfit for any work, and sauk into a state of incapacity and uselessness.
No. 1745, dated 25th May 1911.
From-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. T. CALVERT, M.B., M.R.C.P., I.M.S., Officiating Principal, Medical
College, Calcutta,
To-The Inspector General of Civil Hospitals, Bengal.
With reference to your No. 858-1), dated the 10th May 1911, forwarding a copy of No. 4055, from the Secretary to the Director General, Indian Medical Service, I have the honour to state as regards:-
(a) Opium and morphia.-I have seen them in use amongst all classes of natives of India and of other races domiciled in India. Of its deleterious effects when eaten except amongst a few decadents and members of the criminal classes I know nothing and have seen nothing. It is eaten as a stimulant much as the Euro- pean workman takes his beer or his richer neighbour his glass of wine. Each Opiuma consumer takes his daily dose the quantity of which he guesses for even morphia is not weighed. Of opium smoking I know nothing; it is regarded as a vice by natives and if indulged in, the habit is practised secretly. Of injection hypodermically the only cases I have come across have been amongst the staff of hospitals and dispensaries in natives and amongst Europeans living in the country and the evil effects have been marked.
(b) Of cocaine and its substitutes I know little. Its use is regarded as a vice by natives and if consumed the practice is followed on the quiet. I have seen a very few cases amongst the domiciled and the effects were incomparably worse than anything I have ever sceu following the use of opium, and produced if the histories were correct more rapidly. Alcohol is the substitute to be dreaded as replacing opium. A man may eat opium and morphia in fairly large quantities and still perform his business industriously and behave as a gentleman. The case is entirely different with cocaine and alcohol. The opium eater at his worst is a quiet and retiring individual, harmless to himself and his neighbour. The alcoholic to excess is a beast and often equally dangerous to his fellow beings.
KT
R
09
Total
population
Charas
Ganja
Use of
Opium
smoking.
smoking.
Bhang,
smoking.
Opium
eating.
Spirit
All other intoxicants
drinking.
(including cocaine)
Asylumes.
Statement showing cases of insanity among the inmates of Lunatic Asylums in India during 1909, caused by the use of intoxicants.
Province.
1
哭
48
GOT
IZ
:
180
I
OIF'I
837
:
:
:. : :.
:
:. 4.
Madras
Bombay
Bengal
***
Eastern Bengal and Assuin
United Provinces
paanqK
་་
Burma
F
**4
་་
***
www
Sai
Contral Provinces
***
3
:
#
82
786
50
38
396
225
36 28
的
G
I
Total
7,378
144
Percentage
1-95
12
21
era
93
148
10.9
13
FZ
8%
2:01
*
40
12
888
Ved
7
9
247
93
88.
98.8
au
1.26
481
1