ليبيا
गया
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
1
Reference :--
C.O. 882
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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OPIUM AND BHANG..
46
1. "Kansa," the name by which bhang is known here, is hardly ever used here for any other except purely medicinal purposes. Prepared bhang, such as gudak," "lidbu," "subjee," and "ganja," or "majoon" is unknown in this district, except to the Hindu mendicants, Brahmins, Arabs, and Afghans, who pass through the country now and again. They use it, but hardly ever by any Sinhalese or native residents of any other nationality.
2. Bhang is grown in almost every village, a tree or two in a garden, for the sake of its leaves, the juice of which, combined with the juice of other vegetable leaves, is much used as a vehicle for medicinal pills and powders. It is also used in small doses with other drugs as a vermifuge and a febrifuge for diarrhoea, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, ohronic bowel complaints, and nervous debility. It is given with other drugs, even to small infants, for worm and such other complaints. It is never used alone or as an intoxicating agent in this distriot. Long time back, I have known a few who smoked bhang with tobacco and other stuff, but now it is not so used. This is a plant, it is said, much used, and with success, in native medicine.
3. Opium.-Opium is used largely in different ways and proportions in native medicine. There is hardly any native medicine now for any chronic disease in which opium is not the active principle.
4. It also is used alone, but not for the sake of its intoxicating properties. Those who use it Bay that it enables them to endure pain, fatigue, and worry, and hence it is used by the low-country Sinhalese, who transport betel pinjos and other heavy loads across the country. The villagers never use it for such objects; but a large number of the oldish people in the villages have acquired its use, and this is how they have acquired it.
5. People suffering with diseases peculiar to old age, and others suffering from chronic diseases, are given medicines with opium. They are obliged to use the medicine for a long time before they get a cure. After they give up the medicine, they get back the disease. Then the use of opium, in minute doses, is prescribed without the combination of other inedicines for the sake of economy, and continue in using. As long as it is used, they are not worried with the disease, therefore they use it all along.
6. In these korles, I have not seen yet any bad effect in the population from the use of opium, and I have not seen any person intoxicated with it or using it for the purpose of intoxicating, except one old man, a notary, who is now dead.
7. The use of opium is growing certainly, but only as a medicinal drug, but not as an intoxicating agent.
8. The Singhalese did not use opium 16 or 20 years ago so extensively for even medicinal purposes, except in medicinal pills, but now it is largely used in medicine, and hence its use by itself for reasons stated in paragraph 5.
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9. The cause why it came to auch general use is explained in this way, namely, that years ago Sanskrit and Hindustani medical works of the more scientific class, in which opium is highly recommended, had not been introduced into this country. Now all such works are read and used by the vederales, and those who cannot read them have easy access to them through the translations. In these works, opium is highly recommended as a medicine, and the vederales accordingly prescribe it largely. Hence the growth of the use of the drug.
10. The people do not consider the use of opium as an evil, for they never use it here for evil purposes, but for its medicinal value. They consider the use of arrack, and especially the unlimited use of it, and more especially the use of the adulterated arrack, as is sold here, a greater evil, doing more horrid mischief than the use of opium, which is extremely limited, and in this opinion of the people I beg to submit, I readily concur.
11. The use of "tailam," "legiam,” and “mada,”—all these preparations of a com bination of bhang and opium with other ingredients-is not known in my korles; but I have seen it is elsewhere, and those I have found out is not used as a medicine or for any good purpose, but as an aphrodisiac and an intoxicating agent and such other wicked purposes. When once addicted to the use of these drugs, I have heard the people who use it themselves say that it cannot be given up. The use of these drugs is really a great evil, and I am glad that these drugs are still unknown here.
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12. Subjee, the preparation of bhang, and the favourite intoxicating drink of the alcohol-hating Mohamedans, is not used by the Moormen here, on account of their poverty.
13. The quality of the opium sold in the licensed shops here is very bad. It is adulterated several times before served out with different stuffs that would readily mix with the opium. This is an evil that should be prevented, for when thus adulterated it will at least lose its medicinal value if not render it exceedingly harmful in other ways.
These are the only observations I am able to make at present on this
8. D. MAHAWELATENNE,
Resident Magistrate.
question.
Mahawelatenne Walawwe,
December 23, 1893.
OPIUM PURCHASERS at LICENSED SHOPS in RATNAPURA between 6 AM. and 12 PM. on the 29th December 1893, with PARTICULARS as to the PURCHASERS and their PURCHASES.
Name of Liaenase.
Name of Street.
Sub-division.
No. of House.
Main Road Ratnapura Ratnapura
298
Ana Suina Thamby
Number of Salesman.
a. How many consumed on the premises ?
2
Purchasers.
Total.
b. How many carried away their purchases ? 4. How many were females ↑
Malays.
Sinhalese.
Tamils.
Others.
d. How many were apparently under 20 years old ?
4.
8.
G
¿.
3
26
1
2
82
Nil.
32
1
8 under 20 years.
A. BATTOOBARRA,
N.B. Constable.
24 above.
A. EKANAYAKE,
Inspector of Police.
OPIUM PURCHASERS at LICENSED SHOPS in RATNAPURA between 6 am. and 12 PM, on the 29th December 1893, with Particulars as to the Purchasers and their PURCHASES.
Name of Licenses.
No.
Name of Street.
Sub-division.
of House.
117
Kathersi Umma.
Main Road Ratnapura Ratnapurs
(proper).
Purchasers.
Total.
Malays.
baloss.
Tamils.
Others.
Number of Bloemen.
a. How many soneumed on the promises ?
5. How many carried away their purchases? c. How many wore famulas ?
d. How many were apparently under 90 years old.
&
Nil
9
Nil
1 Moorman
10
NI.
10
4 under 30
yourn.
6 over 20.
A. BARTTOOPARRA,
N.B. Constable.
A. EKANAYAKU,
Inspector of Polios.
F 3