151
I have referred, but they were not verified by
post-mortem examination. I regard that experi-
ence as putting the matter practically beyond
doubt that excessive ganja consumption and such
lesion are connected as cause and effect. In
these cases I have the history of the case to guide
me to the conclusion that the ganja caused the
lesion, as well as the progress of the disease, as
observed by me. During the time the man in
each case was under my observation no Cannabis
indica was given by way of treatment. I got
the cases under my treatment with the history
that the men were excessive ganja smokers.
From the nature of their nervous symptom I was
of opinion that they were due to excessive ganja
smoking ; and during the time these cases were
under my treatment they were never given Can-
nabis indica in any shape. Therefore I conclude
that there were permanent lesions due to the use
of the drug. The nervous symptoms to which
I have referred were similar to sypmtoms which
might have been caused by any of half a dozen
other causes, e. g., (chiefly) syphilis and local tum-
ours. I was able to exclude these causes from
the former history of the cases I have mentioned.
I know of no experiment on the lower animals
leading to the conclusion that lesions are caused by
hemp drugs.
I am not prepared to go into these ten cases at
present ; for I have not brought my notes on them
with me. These notes are not so complete as to
enable me to state in each case whether all pos-
sible causes have been excluded. The notes are
not complete in regard to the questions put by
this Commission : and besides I was not so parti-
cular as to cause as I was in regard to the disease.
I do not think I could give more information than
could be obtained in the asylums.
If a man were brought to me insane, who had
been much under the influence of the sun and of
malaria, and who had suffered from fever a good
deal, and I were told of him that he smoked ganja,
I should say that the exciting cause of the in-
sanity was the fever if that immediately preceded
the attack, but that the predisposing cause was
the use of ganja. In some cases of excess insanity
can be traced direct to ganja ; in other (moderate)
cases the ganja habit may make the operation of
sun or malaria effective in producing insanity.
That is, the man might have escaped otherwise.
Given the habit of ganja smoking with the fact
of insanity, however, I would not attribute the
insanity to the ganja either as the predisposing
or exciting cause in all cases. In some cases the
insanity might be due to some cause unconnected
with ganja. In the case above stated of the man
suffering from sun and malaria and fever and smok-
ing ganja, I should hold the ganja to be connect-
ed as cause with the insanity as above stated, un-
less I could find some cause that excluded it as a
co-operating cause. This is a typical case from
my part of the country owing to the malarious
character of the place and the Tansa Water-works.
And this explains my statement in answer 46 that
" ganja smoking acts more as a predisposing than
as an exciting cause." I would not call it a pre-
disposing cause in cases of heredity and syphilis,
but these are rarer in my experience.
74. Evidence of SURGEON-COLONEL D. E. HUGHES, Principal Medical Officer,
Bombay, Deesa and Aden Districts, Bombay.
1. Fourteen years' service in a Native Regi-
ment ; Superintendent of Lunatic Asylum, Poona ;
private practice among better class natives.
27. Among the patients admitted into the
Poona Lunatic A sylum whose insanity was ascrib-
ed to hemp drugs, by far the greater number
were Hindus who smoked ganja.
31. All habits are difficult to break off.
35. (a) I fear not.
(b) and (d) Yes.
(e) I cannot tell.
(f) Most probably.
43. Apparently so.
45. To the best of my recollection many of the
comparatively young sepoys (sixteen years' service),
who appeared before Invaliding Boards were said
to be addicted to ganja and charas smoking to
which their early break-down was attributed.
I think the smoking of charas causes bronchitis
and asthma, as I well remember cases of these
diseases in the 14th Bombay Infantry which were
ascribed by the Hospital Assistant and the men's
comrades to charas smoking, and which recovered
in hospital quicker than cases due to ordinary
causes.
Smoking ganja induces insanity, generally
mania, and, as far as my recollection goes, tem-
porary in character. The symptoms may be re-
induced by the use of the drug after release from
restraint as shown by readmissions into lunatic
asylums.
Patients when asked whether they were ganja
smokers readily admitted the habit.
47 and 48. Unknown.
49. I think so. Well-to-do and comparatively
young patients, who have consulted me evidently
with a view to obtaining a prescription for an
aphrodisiac tonic, have in the course of examina-
tion volunteered the statement that they smoked
ganja, and appeared to blame that habit for their
sexual weakness.
51. Those I have known as ganja smokers have
generally been dissipated and disreputable-looking
men.
53. Apparently.
54. Cases of the drug being used by criminals
for this purpose are quoted in books of Indian
Medical Jurisprudence.
Oral evidence.
Question 1.—I have had twenty-seven years'
service. For fourteen years I was attached to a
regiment, and was from that time in continuous
civil employ till quite recently. I was in charge
of the Lunatic Asylum, Poona, for broken periods,
amounting in all to nearly three years. I have had
no other exceptional opportunity of gaining
insanity experience. I am now Principal Medical
Officer in Bombay, Deesa and Aden districts.
Question 27.—Since writing this answer I have
had it confirmed by figures furnished by the pre-
sent Superintendent of the Asylum. I arrived at
the conclusion stated by a general recollection of