70
the muscles occurs. Bronchitis is not uncommon
among those who indulge excessively; but this
may be owing to neglect and exposure. Insanity
must be a rare consequence, else one would expect
to find most of the sadhus insane, which in my
experience is not the case.
Cases of insanity associated with the excessive use
of Indian hemp.
Case I.—Udai Ram, age 47, Tahsil Jamadar,
Burhanpur, in which place he has lived for 20
years; caste, Chhipa. History.—He was brought
to Khandwa in February 1891 suffering from sim
- p l e m a n i a . H i s f i r s t s y m p t o m s w e r e a n i n c r e a s e d
excitability and irritability, he becoming very
angry about trivial matters, abusing people with-
-out reason in the bazaars, and interfering with
their property, neglect of his duties. He com--
menced riding about the country on a pony, which
he eventually lost. He was foolishly extravagant,
purchasing useless articles at high prices. At
Khandwa he was excitable and indignant at being
kept under restraint and not allowed to go home.
He was constantly in motion, walking round the
station two or three times a day with his attendant,
and at other times performing rather ludicrous
gymnastic exercises. He was loquacious, talking
to every one he met, sometimes incoherently, but
at other times sensibly enough. One of his delu-
-sions was that he had been appointed "diwan" to
a certain Raja, and that he had boundless wealth
at his disposal. The man was transferred to the
Jabalpur Lunatic Asylum at the end of March
1891. The Civil Sargeon writes that he died
there on the 7th September 1893 of general para--
lysis of the brain, but that no post-mortem ex
-amination was made.
In this case there is no hereditary history of
insanity or nervous disease. The most important
point elicited was that the man had been a ganja
smoker for many years, and latterly to excess.
He was also addicted to bhang drinking a
n d
m a j u m e a t i n g ; a n d o f t h e l a t t e r s u b s t a n c e a b o u t
half a seer was found in his house. This majum
he usually obtained from Ujjain.
The two causes, singly or combined, that are
chiefly said to produce general paralysis of the
brain among Europeans are sexual excesses and in--
temperance, especially if impure and bad alcoholic
dri nks are used; and t here i s no reason t o suppose
that Indian hemp consumed in excess might not
play the part of alcohol in the production of the
disease among the natives of India.
Case II .—Abdul Rahman, a Pathan, aged 32,
a resident of Raver, a village 10 miles from Bur
- h a n p u r . H i s f a t h e r d i e d w h e n h e w a s a c h i l d ;
his mother is still living. His relatives are petty
shop-keepers, selling cloth, bangles, etc. Abdul
himself has not followed this occupation, but ap--
pears to have led a somewhat idle life, occasionally
keeping a small village school for the instruction
of Muhammadan children.
The form of insanity from which he now suffers
is simple mania, and the history of the attack is as
follows:—About a year ago he went to the Berars
to visit a fakir and became initiated as his disciple.
After his return he resumed his duties as teacher,
and no symptoms indicating mental disease were
at first noticed for a couple of months until he
took to ganja smoking. It is stated that he con--
tinued this practice to excess, and finally, in the
course of a few months, his first symptoms showed
themselves. His people attribute the insanity to
excessive ganja smoking, and he himself admits
that he uses it. There is no history of heredity, of
opium eating, or other cause. His symptoms are,
an aimless desire to leave his home and wander
into the adjoining villages, entering other persons'
houses uninvited. He is sometimes irritable, and
he is easily excited by opposition, when he becomes
very abusive and even aggressive. Ordinarily he
is quiet and talks sensibly; but in the course of
any conversation he generally becomes incoherent
and wanders away to irrelevant subjects. For
instance, when I was speaking to him regarding
his usual mode of life, he suddenly began to talk
of the sun and moon. As I mentioned before,
there is no known or admitted heredity; but natives
will not readily disclose such facts.
47. The children of the ganja smoker often take
to smoking; but this is more from association
than from any hereditary predisposition; for the
children of ganja smokers—even of excessive
smokers—look as healthy as others.
48. The answer to this question is the same as
the above.
49. One and all say that it has no aphrodisiac
effect whatever, and this question may be taken
as settled. Prostitutes use the drug, not for its
aphrodisiac effect, but rather to blunt their sensa--
tion and render them oblivious of their profession.
I have seen strong healthy children born of habitual
excessive ganja smokers after the period when
they commenced the habit. This disproves the
assertion that impotence results therefrom.
50. The answer to question 49 also replies to
this.
56. Dhatura is mixed with ganja used in excess,
and, so taken, the dhatura must affect the mental
functions very powerfully, increasing the intoxi--
cating effect and producing delirium and tempo--
rary insanity. In dhatura poisoning the person
often tears off his clothes and wanders about quite
out of his mind for one or two days. The effect
on the brain of moderate doses of dhatura conti--
nued for some time must be also injurious.
57. I have no experience under this head.
Oral evidence.
Question, 29 .—Are the aromatic admixtures
used with ganja for smoking ?
Answer.—Yes, occasionally. Betelnut is used
only for the aroma, not for increasing the intoxi-
cating effect.
Question 31.— Opium smokers suffer from de-
privation of their drug, and when confined in jail,
beg for it. Do ganja consumers beg for their
drug in the same way ?
Answer.—Only once did a well-to-do Musalman
in the civil jail complain that he could not sleep
in consequence of his drug being stopped, and
begged for it.
Question 35 .—Why do you say that hemp is
not more injurious than alcohol ?
Answer.— I should have expected to see more
sadhus insane, who all smoke ganja and consume
bhang immoderately.
Question 45 .—You have not had charge of a
lunatic asylum or had special opportunities of
making observations with reference to insanity ?
Answer.— No , I have mentioned the only two
cases I have observed. I have been fourteen
years in service, and served in Madras and
Burma.