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23. Brief notes on cases of insanity, attributed to physical causes, are sub-
mitted as follows :—
Ganja-smoking.
(1) Kunji Lal, Bunia, aged 20 years, a sweetmeat seller of Jubbulpore. About
two years previous to his admission to the Asylum, went
on a pilgrimage to Southern India. At Raipur, on his
way back, he became the disciple of a Sadhu, with whom he smoked ganja.
Shortly afterwards, he was found insane in Sitabuldi bazaar and brought to
the Asylum. On admission, on 3rd January 1898, was very mischievous,
destructive, filthy in his habits, incoherent, talkative, wildly excited, and had
to be kept in a cell. In July, he began to improve. Is now quite sane and can
tell all about his pilgrimage up to the date he began to smoke ganja with the
Sadhu. After that, he has no knowledge of what happened to him.
(2) Goman Singh, aged 35, cultivator from Betul district, admitted on 5th
October 1898. Since admission, has been working well and is apparently sane.
Previous to admission, was very noisy, violent, excited and sleepless, filthy
in his habits, abusive and quarrelsome, unable to hold any rational conversation,
and running about naked. Had two similar attacks two years previously, from
which he rapidly recovered. Says his attacks of insanity were most likely due to
his having smoked ganja.
(3) Limba, Syce, aged 40, criminal lunatic, admitted on 7th December 1898.
On the evening of the 2nd December 1897, Limba and his wife and a man called
Mangal, were sitting amicably together, when suddenly Limba began to gesticulate,
sprang upon his wife and tried to throttle her. Mangal intervened, with the
result that Limba sprang upon him and stabbed him with a clasp knife.
Limba then turned on a sweeper who had come up and inflicted several
wounds on him before he was secured. He was charged under Section 302,
I. P. C, and acquitted on the ground of insanity.
On admission to the Asylum, he was very silent and depressed ; lately, has
much improved. Admits having frequently smoked ganja and got intoxicated
from it.
(4) Abinath, aged 38, criminal lunatic, admitted 12th May. Crime-
Murder. Tried and acquitted on the ground of insanity. Wildly excited before
admission to the Asylum; now much improved, quiet, and works well.
Says that he and the man he murdered used to smoke ganja together, and
that in a fit of anger, whilst under its influence, he cut off his head with a sword.
(5) Surawan, Kahar, aged 25, non-criminal, formerly a spinner in the Swa-
deshi Mills, admitted on 26th April 1898, in a wildly excited state, filthy, restless,
quarrelsome and refused all food ; rapidly improved, and on the 21st May was dis-
charged by the official visitors and made over to his friends.
(6) Rajaram, Sonar, aged 30, criminal lunatic, admitted 23rd September
1898, under Section 466, C. P. C. Crime—Stole two bullocks, valued at Rs. 90,
from a cattle-shed, and took them for sale to Tumsar bazaar.
On admission, was sleepless, quarrelsome, alternately laughing and crying,
and tore his clothes. Is now depressed, but very destructive.
Epilepsy.
24. Repeated attacks of epilepsy is the alleged cause of insanity in four
cases, but how far these attacks may have been a cause or
only a symptom of the insanity in each particular case, I am
not prepared to say.
Heredity.
25. The two cases in which hereditary insanity was
the exciting cause, were:—
(a) Theresa, a Native Christian, aged 20 years, a servant in St. Joseph's Con-
vent, who suddenly developed symptoms of insanity.
Her mother was in the Asylum for some years and died insane.