115
answer 56. He has lucid intervals when he is per-
fectly sane. What he meant was that the seed
was thrown into the dry bhang as sold. I did not
suggest dhatura to him. At least that is my re-
collection that he volunteered the statement. He
said he had done this himself. He said that some
consumers take the drug purely for intoxicating
effects, and that the stronger the sample the better
they are pleased, so he adulterated thus. He was
a singularly disreputable man, so much so, that his
brother turned him out of the partnership. He is
also, of course, only a lunatic after all, though ap-
parently quite sane in his lucid intervals. He
did not mention the use of dhatura leaves or seed
specially. He used the word dhatura, and I pre-
sumed he meant seeds.
Question 37.—Charas is stronger than ganja.
It must be so, because it is the very essence of the
drug. Theoretically it should be stronger, and
smokers have told me it is so. My experience is
confined to the Benares and Agra Asylums. This
statement is based on pure theory.
Question 39.—My statement here is based on
enquiry from Hospital Assistant Debi Ram, who
is the most reliable man I know, with thorough
experience on these matters. I have read Dr.
Prain's statements, and his argument seems to
me, as it stands, convincing; but I have not
studied the matter, and have no personal knowledge
of it, while the results of experience as brought
before me seem against Dr. Prain's view.
Question 40.—My statement that it is common
to take bhang for fever is based on the statements
made to me by medical men (native practitioners)
frequently. I have heard this often. I should
think that, having diuretic properties, it might be
useful in fever. I speak of its being taken as a
cure for fever, not as a preventive. As I have said
in question 41, I have no personal knowledge of
the use as a preventive. This whole answer refers
to bhang as sold, not only to fresh bhang.
Question 42.—I think that these drugs are more
harmful than tobacco. In extremely moderate use
they are harmless. I have seen no harm result.
But I frequently prescribe tincture of Indian hemp
for dysentery, and have found patients complain of
the mental disturbance produced. I never pre-
scribe more than ten drops of the British Pharma-
copoeia tincture, which may be a strong dose taken
internally. Seven minims have caused such com-
plaints, only, however, from Europeans. I think
also that it is too strong to say that the practice is
almost universal, except in regard to such occa-
sional use as at the Holi, when even children are
given the drug in very small quantities, and nearly
everybody partakes more or less.
Question 45.—I have no knowledge of any
case in which the moderate use of any of these
drugs has produced either any deadening of the
intellect or insanity. Insanes do not ascribe their
insanity to the moderate use of hemp. I have no
such case. That is what I meant by my last
" No " in this answer. Of course, we have cases
of men who have no recorded ganja history, and
yet have admitted that they have smoked ganja or
used one of these drugs. We have not enquired as
to whether that use was moderate or excessive. I
have taken it for granted when the habit was
acknowledged that it was excessive. I do not
think that the use of the drug by persons
suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to
obtain relief has been sufficiently considered, because
the habit has been to accept too readily the state-
ment that any hemp drug specified is the cause of
insanity. I think that there has been no sufficient
effort to ascertain the predisposing cause, and that
therefore it is probable that where men suffering
from brain disease have naturally taken hemp, their
insanity has been attributed to that drug.
My ground for thinking that insane people take
to the use of the drugs is that my experience has
shown me frequent cases of normally insane persons
(i.e., persons insane without use of the drugs) being
habitual and excessive users of the drugs.
Question 46.—I have had no case in my hospital
and general practice of any disease (other than
insanity) being attributed to the use of hemp drugs
except one. That was a case of a man supposed to
have been poisoned by bhang. When it came in,
it seemed like a case of opium poisoning until the an-
tidote (atropine) failed. Then other treatment was
resorted to. When cured, the man stated he had
had bhang only. He was under artificial respira-
tion for seven or eight hours, and had enormous doses
of strychnine. I had no other evidence of its being
bhang except his statement. The case puzzled us
very much. In this case the pupils were very firm-
ly contracted.
In cases sent to me merely as a Civil Surgeon to
be under observation, as a rule no information is
sent. Sometimes information as to cause may be
sent, but I cannot recall any case of insanity
ascribed to hemp drugs in my practice before I took
charge of an asylum. In those cases, i.e., before I
took charge of an asylum, I did not consider my-
self called on in any way to express an opinion as
to the cause. I had only to form a judgment as
to the man's mental state at the time. Of course
I was bound to do what I could to give re ief.
But my treatment would be determined by the type
and the symptoms more than by the cause. The
knowledge of the cause might help a little, but I
do not think it would help much.
Now that I have charge of an asylum, cases
come before me (1) as Civil Surgeon for observa-
tion if local cases, and (2) as Superintendent of the
Asylum on admission.
In the first case, my experience is that as a rule
we get scarcely any information—I should say, in
fact, ordinarily none—when the case is sent for ob-
servation. As to the cause I ordinarily get no in-
formation. I make enquiry as to cause from the
lunatic if he recovers under observation and is to
be discharged. Re ations very rarely come. I very
rarely inquire from any but the lunatic. In cases
where a man is not cured and is to be sent to the
asylum, I do not ordinarily make any enquiry as
to cause. I sometimes ask the Magistrate as to
circumstances of the man's being detained. But
as a rule there is no enquiry as to cause by me
before I give the certificate of insanity.
Then the certificate being given, the order to
have the man received at the asylum is issued, and
he comes with papers to the asyrum. One of these
papers is a form filled up by the Magistrate. I
am not responsible as Civil Surgeon for any entry
in that. Except the medical certificate, I do not
give the Magistrate any information.
I consider the statement of cause in this form
to be of no value. Yet I am bound to accept it
unless I have cause shown to me for rejecting it.
I therefore enter into the register the cause shown
in that form unless such ground for rejecting it is
shown. In rare cases—very rare—relatives come
with the lunatic. Enquiry from them may lead
me to enter a different cause from that entered by
the Magistrate. Otherwise I may by enquiry
from the lunatic at lucid intervals or from his re-
latives when they visit him find ground to alter
the entry made.
vol. v.
T 2