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the cause of insanity. In the majority of cases
therefore the cause is entered as unknown. The
only ground, as far as I can remember, on which
I would enter cause would be the information of
friends or the statement of the insane after he had
recovered his wits. If no other cause of insanity
was given, and the friends told me that the
patient consumed hemp, or he himself admitted
the habit, I should certainly enter hemp as the
cause. I think it is only the excessive use and
not the moderate use of hemp which may, and
often does, cause insanity ; and I have not, as
Superintendent of the Asylum, hitherto distin-
guished between the moderate and excessive use
in these enquiries, because that information has
not been called for, and because for my purposes
as Civil Surgeon I should accept the statement
that the hemp was used as implying the excessive
habit.
In regard to case No. 7 of the asylum cases of
1892, after having read question and answer
No. 4 of the statement of Jatanand, the lunatic's
father, I should still hold to the view that bhang
was the cause of insanity, because I should not
believe that the use was moderate, i.e., to say,
having this evidence only and no other history of
cause, I should be inclined to consider bhang the
cause.
In regard to case No. 6 of the asylum cases of
1892, I see that the evidence collected at the
recent enquiry is clearly to the effect that the in-
sane did not use the drugs; but in view of the
fact that in the asylum the insane showed himself
quite familiar with the mode of preparation of the
drug, and actually smoked it in my presence, I
reject the evidence and accept the insane's state-
ment, though he is still a lunatic and clearly in-
correct in his arithmetic in regard to the quanti-
ties of the drug he used to consume, and attri-
bute the case to hemp drugs.
Hemp-drug insanity is diagnosed from the
cause. There is no type of such insanity. The
hemp drug may be the predisposing or exciting
cause of insanity. I should not be disposed to say
generally whether the predisposing or the excit-
- i n g c a u s e w a s t h e m o r e i m p o r t a n t . H e r e d i t y i s
the most important predisposing cause. If I had
the history of heredity and the evidence of the
hemp-drug habit, I should record it ; and it
would appear in my returns as a hemp-drug case.
Heredity is the predisposing, and hemp drugs the
exciting, cause in such a case, but hemp drugs
only would appear in my returns. If I had a
history of the hemp-drug habit and grief, I should
record it as a case of toxic insanity.
In case No. 11 of the asylum cases of 1892,
regarding which a further enquiry was made, ac-
cepting as true the statement of Ailmal, as record--
ed by me, I should find it difficult to say which of
the two causes, hemp drugs and grief, was to be
regarded as the more potent. I should consider
hemp drugs as the predisposing, and grief as the
exciting, cause. I should record the case as one
of toxic insanity.
When the hemp-drug habit is admitted, I see
no reason to seek for any other cause.
17. Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. A. CORKERY , Civil Surgeon, Sukkur.
1. Since receipt of this report, I have been con-
versing with and interviewing some of the natives
who are addicted to the use of these drugs, and my
evidence is based on what I could gather from them.
2. The definitions of the three plants correspond
with those enumerated in the margin, viz., bhang,
charas, and ganja ; but only one variety of ganja
seems to be known in this town.
19. Ganja and charas are used only for smoking
in this district. At times they are mixed with
tobacco.
23. Bhang is never smoked by Sindhis . Tra-
velling fakirs and banias from Hindustan smoke
it, but very rarely. Travellers also occasionally
chew it and drink water over it. This is done
only occasionally, when the usual pot and mash
stick are not available on a journey.
28.
Charas.—Moderate consumers use about a
pice worth per diem, whilst excessive consumers
about an anna's worth or more.
Ganja.—Moderate consumers use about a pice
worth per diem, while excessive consumers about
an anna's worth or more.
Bhang.—Moderate consumers about one pice
worth. Excessive consumers about an anna's worth
daily, the more habitual ones consuming at
times two annas per diem.
29. The ingredients mixed with bhang some-
times are
Aniseed
Cinnamon
C a r d a m o m
Coriander seed
and
f o r c o o l i n g ;
Sugar in the form of pattassa.
for sweetening.
No preparation known as bhang massala sold in
these parts.
30. Charas and ganja are always indulged in
in company, as a pice worth will sometimes serve
two or more persons.
Bhang is also, as a rule, drunk in company ;
very seldom is it drunk in solitude. Respectable
women sometimes drink bhang, but not charas or
ganja. Prostitutes, besides drinking bhang, smoke
charas. Children do not smoke or drink any of
these drugs.
31. If these drugs are indulged in daily, two or
three weeks are sufficient to form the habit. If
only occasionally used, the habit becomes grafted
in one after three or four months, and, the habit
once formed, is difficult to break off. There is
said to be a tendency for the moderate to develop
into the excessive habit in the use of these drugs
where the consumers can afford to spend the extra
money. In the case of habitual consumers who
are poor the same quantity is said to be consumed
daily, as they cannot afford to increase their daily
outlay.
32. In some Muhammadan marriages bhang is
served up with sweetened water, especially in the
summer months. This practice is not essential,
and the consumption is temperate; neither is this
custom said to be likely to lead to the formation
of the habit. On a few Hindu holidays, such as
the Shiv Ghiri (1 1th of month) and Chatri (begin-
ning of Hindu year), and on Sundays in Hindu
temples, bhang is occasionally indulged in , purely
as a social and not a religious custom, and is in
no way compulsory.