276
papers contain an account of all that I have
done in the way of experiment.
Prain, page 65.—I found that dried leaves had
no marked diuretic effect. The diuresis was the
most marked effect of the fresh leaves. This
difference is due to the difference between the
green and dried state. It is possible that it may
be due to the loss of some volatile principle.
I think that the diuretic effect of the fresh leaves
is the reason of their being largely used by
natives in fever. And I believe they are also
on this account largely used for animals in order
to produce diuresis in fever. For such use there
would be necessary a supply of fresh leaves. I
believe the dried leaf is used for other diseases
of cattle.
Prain, page 65.—The infusion referred to in
para. 1 of my notes in Dr. Prain's pamphlet was
not quite a clear infusion. It was filtered
through cloth. Some of the leafy matter passed
through and was in suspension. It was not al-
together clear.
Prain, page 66.—The effect on the pupils in
my experiments was either contraction or fixation.
The period of this varied, and was one of the
principal signs by which I judged of the duration
of the effects. My impression is that contraction
is invariably produced, or fixation in case of
excess. I have not come on any case of dilatation
of the pupil in my experiments. As to outside
life, other substances put in might produce it.
I prefer to trust to the experiments where one
knows precisely what is used. I have read Dr.
Prain's account on pages 63 and 64 on cats where
dilatation resulted.
Conjunctival redness is very common. If
there are mental effects, I think it is exceedingly
common. It follows the use of the drug smoked
as ganja or drunk as bhang. It extends well
beyond the mental symptoms. It extends cer-
tainly to hours, perhaps for days. The mental
effects of a single large dose of bhang may last
twelve hours, of ganja two to three hours. I
do not think this conjunctival redness is confined
to hemp. It would accompany excitement or
intoxication produced by drugs or otherwise.
It is not therefore a diagnostic mark of hemp
drug insanity. It might be found in any con-
dition of mental excitement, however produced.
Prain, page 66.—As to the frenzy produced
by ganja, my statement as to this being the
object in taking the drug by sanyasis is based on
hearsay, on the statements of persons to whom
I accorded credence. By frenzy I mean being
lifted out of the cares and distractions of life,
being "possessed of the deity," as it is sometimes
classically termed. I never saw such frenzy
produced in any of my experiments.
Prain, page 66.—As to insanity being attributed
to ganja, I used the term "attributed" and
"recorded"
advisedly, because I think the
records require further inquiry, The persons
who report on the cause are not specially quali-
fied. A man's hand is examined for a ganja
mark, or some such evidence is got hold of; and
an opinion is given as to cause sometimes rashly
as cause has to be assigned. I distrust the
ultimate source of our information as to history.
Having this feeling I have made in some cases
further inquiry into the causes of insanity of
persons in the Patna Asylum while I was Super-
intendent.
In many cases nothing resulted;
it was extremely difficult to get information.
In some I found a previous want of mental
equilibrium, so that ganja was not the prime
cause. The prime cause was this previous weak-
ness. Others I am satisfied were purely ganja
cases. These further inquiries were made in 1891
and not with reference to the present inquiry.
They were made in Patna and were wholly
beyond the Asylum records. I do not remember
precisely what motive set me to work. I think
it was the large number of cases attributed to
ganja, and the absence of some other causes
which usually produce insanity. My inquiry led
to the elimination of certain cases as clearly not
primarily due to ganja, but to some antecedent
mental feebleness which either with or without
the use of ganja might have eventually resulted
in insanity. There were some also attributed
to domestic troubles or the ordinary troubles with
the money-lender. But I do not wish too much
importance to be attached to the details of my
inquiries, because they were not intended to
elucidate the question of the connection of ganja
and insanity scientifically, but generally to satisfy
my own mind.
I have had cases of both acute and chronic
insanity attributed to hemp drugs. I never
diagnosed the cause. I could not at the time
of admission go beyond the papers. Any fur-
ther information could only come later. Some-
times too subsequent information might be got
from a recovered lunatic or his friends. The
determination of the cause wholly depends on
the history, whether the original history or sup-
plementary information. I could not determine
cause from symptoms. Symptoms would enable
me to diagnose the type of the insanity, but
not to determine its cause: not to determine
whether the insanity was toxic or not. There are
no special symptoms of insanity attributed to
hemp drugs in the acute form, nor in the chronic
stage.
One thing I may say that I believe that cases
due to hemp drugs, or rather cases of toxic in-
sanity generally, are as a rule found to be more
curable than other cases.
APPENDIX.
Note by SURGEON-MAJOR RUSSELL, Civil Surgeon of Gauhati, on Ganja and Bhang.
CANNABIS INDICA.
Indian Hemp.
Bhang,
versus
Ganja,
wild plant.
versus
cultivated plant.
GENERAL NOTES DERIVED OTHERWISE THAN BY EXPERIMENT.
1. Difficulty of comparing relative strength—
Ganja—Consists of the dried flowering tops
(only) of the female plant, i.e., the small leaves
(bracts) near the flowers, the flower, and fruit.
These parts contain a brown resin in which the
active principle seems to reside. The large leaves
and stems are not used.
Bhang.—Both mature plants and the young