MOYDAPORE LUNATIC ASYLUM.
115
Bhang.
Ganjah.
eye, and increases the powers of conversation. I have not met a single case of insanity that
could be traced to the use of charas. Bhang is made into sobzi or siddhi, by rubbing up the
leaves with melon seeds, spices, sugar, and water. It is used in the hot season only, when it
is considered a cooling and refreshing drink. The piece of the bhang leaves is also mixed with
sugar, milk, and butter, and made into a sort of jelly-like sweetmeat, called majum. This is
not intoxicating. Like the charas users, the bhang eaters or drinkers do not suffer from its use.
Both find this use beneficial rather than the contrary. Their mind is not impaired, nor their sen-
sations dulled; their body does not waste nor is premature old age induced. I have not known
a case of insanity produced by bhang. There are native maxims which show the different
effects of bhang and ganjah more aptly than any statement of mine. They carry a weight,
in the way of proof, which is incontrovertible ; hence my recording them. I need not give the
translation, it is so simple and evident. They are,—
" Siddhe khaële bud he barhé,
Ganjha khaële lúkhe cháré"."
Also,—Ganjha khane se gyan ghate,
Khonkhat khonkhat gará phate
Ar ghat jae kuchh autar ki
Mukh hojae bundar ki."
It is far otherwise with those who smoke the flowering tops of the ganjah plant. I have
witnessed men under its influence, and have never since been surprised at insanity quickly
following its excessive indulgence.
Effects of gan-
jah smoking.
The excitement was terrible. They sprang up, after a few whiffs, wild and giddy,
danced, sang, talked volubly, laughed, and ran about in the utmost excitement; their eyes
brilliant and their muscles quivering.
During the period of depression their eyes retained their brightness, but became blood-
shot. They walked slowly, hung down their heads with brows contracted, and seemed
morose, and unsociable..
Ganjah as a
cause of insanity.
Ganjah causes.—The dissipated use it to excite venery, to drown care and anxiety. I
have already remarked how few ganjah smokers end in criminal lunacy. I have examined the
prisoners in the jail to discover how many of them used it, but even those whom I knew did
so, denied it, as did all the others. I have failed, therefore, to trace ordinary crime to its cause.
Hereditary in-
sanity.
35. Hereditary causes. There has been a large increase in the hereditary causes dis-
covered mainly by careful inquiry from relatives and acquaintances.
Fever, heat, and
brain desease.
36. Other physical causes.—The fever, heat, and affection of the brain causes might, I
believe, have been included under one head. They could not be traced with certainty, and
have been retained as received.
Epilepsy.
37. Epilepsy causes.—The epilepsy causes were unmistakable. Nitrate of silver in 1 to 3
grain doses daily with assafœtida effectually controlled the attacks and quite cured one case.
No other remedy at all approached this, though we diligently persevered with chloral, bromide
of potassium, zinc, and the phosphates.
38.—The number of causes unknown vitiated last year's returns and precludes
comparison with them.
39. Recoveries to causes.—That 95 per cent. of the total treated should have been from
physical causes, and but 15 per cent. from moral should indicate that the recoveries would
be comparatively fewer among the former than among the latter. Accordingly, we find that
one-third of the latter and only one-seventh of the former recovered.
Sickness.
40. TABLE 14. Sickness.—The diseases have been carefully recorded. I have already
referred to the important diseases—paralysis, dysentery, diarrhoea, and epilepsy.