288
I often ask questions of insane people as to the
ganja habit. When a man admits it, it is gene-
rally true. I have, however, met with lunatics
who accumulate all intoxicants and say they
smoke them all. I have also met with lunatics
who exaggerate the amount they take. I think
the admission of the use may be accepted as true
in respect to the mere fact of the habit, but not
always as to the extent of the habit. As to a
statement made by a lunatic in a lucid interval
that he had gone mad from ganja, it might so far
be accepted, that is, it might be accepted as to the
effect of the drug on himself, putting out of
account anything he would not know about pre-
disposition. If the man were mad when he made
the statement it would be of no value,
If a lunatic said he took the drug in great
quantities it might be accepted. I have not made
a habit of going on to enquire the extent of use.
Of course questions are asked, but satisfactory
statements are not easily got.
A Civil Surgeon or Superintendent of an
Asylum has, as far as my experience goes, very
little opportunity of seeing friends. In the majo-
rity of cases friends never come owing to distance.
If people of the town are brought in, their friends
come to see them sometimes. But I rarely see
them. I am not present when they come. I
have asked friends whom I saw about the habits
of the lunatics, and they give good information.
But as a rule they speak to the overseer, and he
tells me what they have said. Friends' state-
ments as to the cause of insanity are quite un-
reliable. Often they are influenced by superstition.
They assign witchcraft. They are ignorant and
have no idea of any cause that they do not see,
except witchcraft. They give heat as a cause
sometimes. I remember a case where I suspect-
ed ganja. The man was a Government servant.
He and his friends denied ganja, and said that he
had become mad after a feast, but that there was
no intoxicant. They said they did not know the
cause. I suspected some intoxicant, probably
ganja, because, among other reasons, of the speedi-
ness of the recovery. The same symptoms might
have been due to alcohol or opium, as well as
ganja. Ganja is the most usual intoxicant; that
is why I suspected it specially. I do not think
I can differentiate between insanity caused by
alcohol, ganja, or opium. Any intoxicant would
produce, I think, the kind of insanity to which a
man is predisposed.
Besides police reports and the statements of
lunatics and their friends, there are no further
means of information as to cause open to us. It
is impossible for us to go and make enquiries. I
have only once done it in a Patna case.
As a rule the returns as to the causes of in-
sanity are based on the descriptive rolls, without
any further enquiry on my part. The annual
returns as to cause are extracted from the case
book, which, as a rule, contains entries as to cause,
simply, copied from the descriptive rolls. I do
not think that these returns give a satisfactory
basis for a scientific theory of the relation be-
tween hemp drugs and insanity. As I have said,
I think they give an exaggerated view of that
connection. I cannot say how great the exag-
geration is, how high a percentage should be
taken off the figures. It would be mere specula-
tion to try to fix a figure.
47. It is not hereditary, but the habit may be
acquired by imitation. Children do not appear to
be affected.
48. As above.
49. Ganja is used as an aphrodisiac, and I hear
that prostitutes use it in this way. I cannot say
that its use for this purpose is more injurious
than when used as an ordinary narcotic.
I am not aware that it produces impotence,
though the habitual excessive use may produce
this effect as a part of general weakness.
53. In some cases it appears to do so. The
following are found in the asylum books:—
On the 27th of May 1873 Ramdin Gwalla was
admitted for acute mania caused by bhang. On
the 27th of March 1873 he suddenly became
insane and murdered one of his neighbours and
wounded three other persons with a sword.
On 17th September 1893, Paturat Malar was
admitted for toxic insanity caused by ganja. He
suddenly became insane and murdered a child.
On a previous occasion he had attacked a woman
with an axe. Admits smoking ganja.
It must, however, be stated that sudden attacks
of homicidal mania occur without the use of
ganja.
110. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR R. COBB, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent,
Lunatic Asylum, Dacca.
1. I have visited several shops where ganja,
etc., are sold in Dacca and other places in Bengal.
I have treated professionally both in Government
institutions and in private practice, a large num-
ber of persons who have been in the habit of
taking hemp drugs, and I have also met with
many such persons during a service of some
18 years in Lower Bengal, and conversed with
them on the subject of their habit.
2. These definitions may be accepted for this
province. Ganja is known as ganja. Siddhi
and bhang are the names locally used. Charas
is called charas.
3. I have no personal knowledge of the culti-
vation or growth of hemp.
14. I have very little knowledge of the prepa-
ration or manufacture of the hemp drug.
18. I have been informed by shop-keepers that
ganja will deteriorate very quickly if neglected.
It is necessary to keep it dry. In Dacca ganja is
usually wrapped in straw and kept in bags.
19. Ganja and charas are only used for smoking
in Dacca. I am not aware that they are put to
any other uses.
20. The lower classes usually smoke ganja.
The Dacca shop-keepers inform me that about 60
per cent. of their customers are low class Muham-
madans, and 40 per cent. Chamars and other low
caste Hindus.
21. Flat ganja is preferred for smoking.
22. I do not know.
23. No.
24. I do not know.