286
in some cases"; but the further enquiry that
was made in the districts from which the insanes
were sent throws doubt on the history sent up
with the lunatics, and on the diagnosis in some
cases.
Taking the cases in the same order as the
Commission:
(1) Salik Patick.
I stated, this is a doubtful case, as there is
insanity in the family. Hemp drugs may have
been the exciting cause. The report of a full
enquiry conducted by Babu Bhawani Prasad Neogi
and the Civil Surgeon of Saran, states "that the wit-
nesses who were examined, including the mother,
uncle and the next-door neighbours of the lunatic,
agree in saying that Salik Patick never consumed
ganja, bhang, alcohol, opium, dhatura, or any
intoxicating drug whatever. They all attribute
the lunacy to fright in a dream."
The Deputy Magistrate supposes, that Lakhu
Dosadh, the chaukidar who brought the lunatic to
the authorities, is responsible for the statement
that the lunacy was due to bhang. He has been
unable to find Lakhu Dosadh and to take his
statement. This is, therefore, a very doubtful
case and depends on the descriptive roll, which
gives bhang as the cause, and the statement of
the lunatic, which gives ganja as the drug he used.
The first entry in the case book is as follows:—
"February 18th. On admission incoherent, rest-
less, sleepless; wanders aimlessly (says he used to
smoke ganja)." The descriptive roll states: "He
was addicted to bhang, which is said to be the
cause of his being insane."
(2) Kali Singh.
I stated this was probably a case of insanity
due to hemp drugs, at least as the exciting cause,
if. not more. A full enquiry on the spot held by
H. Wheeler, Esq., Sub-divisional Officer of
Beguserai, states that "Kali Singh himself, his rela-
tions, and a crowd of villagers testified that he com-
menced ganja smoking fifteen or sixteen years ago.
He learned it on a pilgrimage from the sadhus."
For some time he only took two chillums a
day. About three or four years ago he increased
the number to four, and three or four months
before his detention he raised the quantity sud-
denly to six, seven, and eight chillums. His son
says: "There was no thikana about it; he smoked
as much as he could lay his hands on." For two
or three months before his confinement he was in
the village more or less a lunatic, continuing the
excessive smoking. No other cause of insanity
could be discovered. This seems a good case.
He admitted the use of ganja.
(3) Gajadhar Ahir.
I stated: "This seems in all probability to
have been a toxic case, and the evidence points
specially to ganja as the cause, though the man
indulged in liquor also."
Maulvi
Syed
Nasiruddin, Deputy Magistrate, investigated the
case in consultation with the Civil Surgeon of
Arrah. The report states that "He was of tem-
perate habits and almost a sadhu when he became
insane all of a sudden about six or seven years ago
(first attack of insanity). He had no cause for
grief, jealousy, or misfortune. He had no illness or
injury before the insanity began. He fell in com-
pany of a sadhu fakir and took to smoking ganja.
He smoked for ten or twelve days only (smoking four
or five chillums daily), when all at once he took into
his head to renounce all worldly affairs and turn a
fakir himself. (Note.—He was then mad and was
sent to the asylum. He remained insane for about
five months, and was discharged cured in eight
months.) He took care not to smoke ganja again,
and thus abstained for five years, after the lapse of
which period he could not resist the temptation,
and thought he was out of danger of a relapse.
He again took to smoking ganja. He had
smoked for four or five days only very moderately,
when the relapse came on."
He was admitted to the asylum, and recovered
after seven months. The asylum history does not
agree with this report. The man, no doubt, took
ganja. On his first admission it is stated that he
had taken it for eleven or twelve years, that is,
from boyhood, he being then about 26. The report
says he only smoked it for 10 or 12 days. The
report says he remained sane for 5 years after he
was discharged. He was back in the asylum
within three years and five months of his dis-
charge. I consider this a real case of insanity
produced by ganja.
(4) Siba Thakur.
I thought that this was a case of insanity in
which hemp drugs formed merely the exciting
cause.
The report submitted by the Joint Magistrate
of Darbhanga and the Civil Surgeon stated that
"He took to thieving at the early age of twelve;
was convicted when about 18 years old. He
used to smoke ganja in small quantities; but he
was particularly addicted to women. He never
showed signs of madness before he went to jail
the last time; on the contrary he was a very
cunning thief. He must have become mad in
jail."
This man appears to have always been of a
wandering, dishonest, and lazy habit and to
have lost control of his temper. He was often
under restraint in Bhagalpur and Darbhanga
Jail, and assaulted a warder in the Darbhanga Jail
in November 1891 before his last conviction.
The descriptive roll states that probably he
was insane when formerly in jail.
He is still dangerous, violent, destructive and
filthy after 18 months' treatment. I still doubt
that this case was entirely caused by hemp.
From an early age he seems to have been vicious
and uncontrollable.
(5) Maghan Gir.
I stated that the history of this case points to
temporary insanity from ganja.
The further report on the case by the Magis-
trate of Muzaffarpur, which was received on 11th
January 1894, quite bears out this opinion.
There is no hereditary and no other known cause
of insanity. Maghan Gir is a fakir, but has
abstained from sexual intercourse all his life. He
began to smoke ganja about a month before he
became insane. He tried to commit suicide
by lying down in front of a train, and 7
or 8 days later entered a railway carriage
and broke a pane of glass. For this he
was arrested and, being insane, was sent to the
asylum. Report states: "He consumed about
the same quantity of ganja, i.e., two or three
chillums daily, for about a month. He took bhang
regularly." Maghan Gir himself says he used
to smoke ganja regularly for ten years, some-
times 10 chillums a day, and that he also took
bhang.
The only witness examined is the
lunatic's brother, he, Maghan Gir, being absent
on a pilgrimage.
This appears a case of insanity due to ganja.