333
patient, or as soon after as was convenient. Since
1880 the work has been regularly done by me.
Then this same register contains below these
entries the history of the patient in the asylum.
This history is, as a rule, wholly written by the
Superintendent.
The cause is entered in the register from the
descriptive roll. The cause was not shown sepa-
rately in the details at the top of the page until
1890, when I inserted a heading for the sake of
convenience. Before 1890 it was shown always
clearly in the first entry, copied or abstracted from
the descriptive roll. When the descriptive roll
showed the cause as "not known," but stated
under the heading about intoxicants that the
patient used ganja, the insanity was always shown
in the asylum books as due to ganja.
Dr. French in 1880 gave me an order to do so,
and this has been the procedure ever since. I have
not referred the point to other Superintendents,
but simply followed this procedure.
The only other kind of difference from the de-
scriptive roll that I can recall to mind is when an
entry of cause, which really means nothing (such
as derangement of brain), is put down in the de-
scriptive roll, I refer to the Superintendent as to
what I should enter. He would in almost all cases
tell me to enter "Not known."
These are the only cases in which the register
differs from the descriptive roll as to cause, so far
as I remember. Cause is never entered in the
register from enquiry made after the patient's ad-
mission. I know of no case of this being done. The
entry made at the top of the page would never be
altered. But if any enquiry which I might make
showed cause not hitherto known, this fact would
be entered in the history of the case. I remember
such cases, and I might be able to point them out.
But that entry in the history of the case would
not alter the cause, as shown in Statement VII of
the annual report. That statement is filled up only
from the entries made in the descriptive roll as
copied into our register. I would mention to the
Superintendent that in conversation with the
lunatic I had ascertained that he took ganja, or
that he had asked me for ganja; and the Superin-
tendent would enter that fact in the history of the
case. Not even where the cause is left blank
would any entry ever be made afterwards on that
subject among the entries taken from the descrip-
tive rolls. I know of no use to which the Superin-
tendent would put the information I thus gave
him,beyond the advantage of knowing more of the
case. It would not be used in compiling State-
ment VII. I compile that statement, and have
done so for seventeen years.
I have spoken to the friends of lunatics about
the cause of insanity. But I do not think I have
ever reported to the Superintendent anything told
me by friends.
I have never kept friends for the Superintendent
to see.
132. Evidence of BABU DURGA DASS LAHIRI, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner,
Rangpur.
1. From persons using hemp drugs.
2. Locally known by the name of ganja and
charas as well as bhang and siddhi.
3. Rajshahi, Bogra, Rangpur and Pabna. It
is abundant in Rangpur.
4. Ganja and bhang. Bhang and ganja are of
different species.
5. Not known.
6. Generally dense.
7. No cultivation.
10 to 12. Not known.
13. There is restriction for cultivation of ganja
in this district. The other points of the question
not answered.
14. (a), (b) and (c) No.
15. Not known.
16. People prepare bhang in their houses. It
can be prepared from hemp plant grown anywhere.
Ganja and charas cannot be prepared from the
wild plant grown anywhere.
17. Not known.
18. Ganja, charas, and bhang deteriorate by
keeping. They perfectly lose their effects in time.
Keep good about two years, cause of deterioration
being the destruction of resinous substances. The
deterioration of the drugs can be prevented to
some extent by keeping them hermetically sealed
in some tin-lined boxes.
19. In this district ganja is used for smoking.
Charas is not used here.
20. Generally low classes of people smoke the
ganja here, viz., palki-bearers, coolies, fishermen,
etc.
21. Flat and chur ganja are used here indiscri-
minately for smoking.
22. Charas not used, and hence there is no
import here.
23. No.
24. Bhang is occasionally used as drink by the
people here, especially by the up-country men.
25. The use of ganja is on the decrease owing
to its increased prices.
26. Most of the ganja-smokers here fall under
head (a), habitual moderate consumers.
27. Ganja is generally used by the low classes
of people, who are subject to excessive toils and
exposure.
28. From two to four pice worth ganja being
taken by each individual here among the habitual
moderate smokers.
29. Dried tobacco leaves are generally mixed
with ganja by the ganja-smokers here. Dhatura
is not used. Tobacco is mixed with ganja in
order to remove its pungency, while bhang is
drunk mixed with milk and sugar. Dhatura
seed occasionally mixed with bhang drink. The
preparation of bhang massala is not known here.
30. People generally smoke ganja in solitude.
Its use is chiefly confined to the male sex. It is
not used by the children here.
31. The habit of consuming ganja is easily
formed. It is very difficult to break off the habit,