293
due to ganja. If it had been, I should have
reported them. I never reported a man, because I
was never certain that his illness was due to ganja.
The cause of illness is always entered in the cause
book, with a view to judging of a man's qualifica
- t i o n f o r p e n s i o n . G a n j a w a s , n e v e r t h e l e s s , n e v e r
entered for the reason I have already stated. My
statement regarding insanity caused by ganja is
founded on two cases within my own experience.
It is only the excessive use which, in my opinion,
causes insanity. A ganja smoker usually smokes
once or twice a day, and I call that a moderate use.
If he indulges to a larger extent, I should call his
habit excessive. I cannot give the weight of ganja
represented by such moderate use. I call it tem-
porary insanity, even though the insanity lasts a
few hours only. There is more violence in such
cases than is consistent with the state of intoxica-
-tion. In one of the two cases I have referred to,
the insanity lasted only one hour; in the others,
three or four hours. In the former case the man
had had a previous attack of temporary insanity
from the same cause, as I ascertained afterwards.
In both these cases I am confident that the insanity
was due to the hemp drugs and nothing else. In
the case which lasted only an hour the man was
brought to me in a state of doubtful sanity to the
Detail Hospital, which was in my charge. He
was cured in two or three days, but still under ob
-servation, when the orderly gave him some ganja.
From the effects of smoking this he was attacked
with a fit of temporary insanity, in which he stab
-bed the orderly. He spoke to me quite rationally
a short while afterwards, saying that he had stab--
bed the orderly because he would not supply him
with a sufficient quantity of ganja. I made en-
-quiries, which satisfied me that the condition in
which the man was when he was first brought to
the hospital was due to ganja. This information
was given to me by the native officers, who said
that he was frequently excited, and that his excite--
ment was caused by ganja. He was transported
for life by a civil tribunal, the Sessions Judge of
North Arcot. The case occurred between 1885
and 1887. The orderly was not killed. The en--
quiry I made satisfied me that I had correctly as--
certained the cause of his insanity, because he was
quiet while under observation at the hospital. He
was sent to the hospital, was violent, and therefore
kept apart for some days. But he there became so
quie a admitted him to the general wars, only
telling off an orderly to watch him. I excluded all
other causes of insanity. I gave evidence before
the Magistrate who came to the hospital to take
the wounded man's dying declaration. I was
under orders of transfer, and as Dr. Lancaster had
taken charge and knew all about the case, he ap--
peared in court in the subsequent proceedings. I
do not remember deposing to the state of the man's
mind. I did depose about the nature of the wounds.
I d i d n o t e n t e r a n y t h i n g a b o u t t h e h e m p d r u g s i n t h e c a s e b o o k , b e c a u s e I w a s n o t c e r t a i n w h e t h e r t h e
man was insane or not. I never certified him
insane because he was under observation all the
time he was in my charge, and I gave over charge
of the hospital on the day the offence was com
- m i t t e d a n d l e f t t h e s t a t i o n t h e s a m e d a y . W h e n
the offence was committed, the native officers came
on the spot and said the man was a ganja smoker
and excitable. I also knew that he had been sup--
plied with ganja, and he alleged the want of a suffi--
cient supply of ganja as the reason for committing
the offence, and I was therefore satisfied that his
insanity was caused by ganja. I did not enquire
about hereditary insanity. I saw him within an
hour after the attack, and he was then quite sane.
I don't think it was a case of mere rage, because if
it had been, I think the fit would have lasted
longer. But it is difficult to express the difference
between the two things. If there had been no
ganja history, I should not have described such a
fit as insanity. I cannot say why I should not
have done so, except that, apart from the ganja
history, there was no proof of insanity.
In the second case to which I have referred, it
was known that the man had taken ganja just be
-fore he committed the crime. It occurred in
Burma. I gave evidence, and the man was trans--
ported for life. I gave evidence that the man was
sane. The case was tried in the Sessions Court in
Tounghoo between 1881 and 1883. I gave evi--
dence that the man had smoked ganja; that he
had injured the two men; and that when I saw
him two hours afterwards he was quiet and in his
senses. This is the case referred to in answer to
question 53. These are the only cases of insanity
that have come under my personal observation.
99. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR A. J. STURMER, District and Sanitary Officer,
Masulipatam, Kistna District.
1. Enquiring of natives and from employment in
the Military and Jail Department, and having had
charge of an asylum.
2. Bhang and ganja are the names used chiefly
in this presidency.
19. Ganja is used chiefly for smoking; it is also
made into a sweetmeat.
29. This is said to be composed of bhang, pepper,
milk, poppy, aniseed, cocoanut, plantains, ginger,
water, and subza or "ryana" seeds.
30. Generally alone, but a pipe is often passed
'from one to another. Parties are occasionally given
for the smoking of ganja. Almost entirely con--
fined to the male sex. Majum is given to children
f o r _ d i a r r h œa , a n d wh e n t h e y a r e g o i n g t o h e
It is a sweetmeat which contains ganja-
or bhang.
31. Easily formed, very difficult to break off,
and in time usually leads to excess,
36. As people get more wealthy, they take to
alcohol. Ganja or bhang is very cheap, not so al
-cohol.
40. The smokers say that it is good for diarrhœa.
41. I do not think it is beneficial in any way,
but (a) it certainly increases the appetite, (b) and
people doing arduous work state that a whiff or
two make them forget fatigue. No doubt it may
keep them going for the time being, but the after
depression is worse.
42. I consider them harmful, because people can--
not restrict themselves to the moderate use. A
person in health does not require them more than
he does alcohol or opium.
44. I have never seen a person who has eaten
ganja, etc.,
and watched effects on him but I have seen people some time after eating or smoking
it who were not accustomed to its use, and they
were then in a frenzy, almost maniacal.
45. In time, I believe, it leads to mental and