CH. XII.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 249
delusional, recurrent, and puerperal), the recoveries amounted to 53.2 per cent.:
14 per cent. were relieved, and 20.6 per cent. formed a chronic remainder. Obvi-
ously, however, these figures are not strictly comparable with the statistics of
the hemp drugs and rejected cases with which the Commission have been deal-
ing, because the Indian cases have only been a limited period under observation—
under two years—while the West Riding Asylum statistics refer to periods of
several years.
In considering the "peculiar characters" of hemp drug insanity as alluded
to by Dr. Crombie, the Commission have to recall attention to the erroneous
character of the statistics which form the basis of that officer's conclusions, and also
to point out that generally all the features of the acute form as described by
Dr. Crombie are comparable with the symptoms of transitory mania and the
symptoms of the chronic form with those usually found in cases of mania uncon-
nected with the use of hemp drugs. Indeed, Otto Von Schwatzer's description of
transitory mania in the Dictionary of Psychological Medicine might be read in
lieu of Dr. Crombie's "peculiar character" of the symptoms. "The principal
characteristic of transitory mania is the spontaneous and ungovernable intense
excitement produced by the cerebral irritation and the morbidly exaggerated
motor impulse, which, however, does not consist, as in other and milder forms of
frenzy, of a more or less harmless restlessness, but in a wild paroxysm with
a blind desire of destruction. The excitement extends with great intensity
over the whole of the motor sphere, so that not single muscles, but the whole
muscular system, is under its influence. All the wild motor discharges are with-
out any purpose and object
Every idea is at once expressed
either by words or by inarticulate cries, screams, and shouts
lively
and sparkling eyes, which protrude from the orbits, redness of the conjunctiva,
threatening or staring look
As rapidly and suddenly as the
attack comes, so suddenly it also disappears. Another abnormality of transitory
mania is that its duration may be very much protracted, there being cases in which
the attack lasted several days
Recollection generally reaches as far
as the moment of outbreak, and perhaps includes darkness before the eyes, etc.,
but then completely ceases." The description of some of the symptoms usually
found in cases of mania, as given by W. Bevan Lewis, is also fairly comparable
with Dr. Crombie's account of the special features presented by cases of insanity
produced by the long-continued immoderate use of ganja. "The excitant swell
of feeling and the torrent of disconnected ideas may express themselves in continu-
ous garrulity, in noisy chattering, in threatening and abusive tones, in laughter,
in singing, or loud shouting with corresponding pantomime and almost ceaseless
activity, or the feeling of unusual freedom and energy may find relief in destruc-
tive tendencies, smashing of glass, breaking of furniture, tearing of clothing, or,
perhaps, in violent aggressiveness." In regard to these lunatics being "very
subject to relapses," it may be remarked that this also is recognized as a com-
mon feature in ordinary cases of mania.
Summary of conclusions regard-
ing hemp drug insanity.
536. Summing up the evidence as to the presence of pathognomonic symp-
toms in cases of hemp drug insanity, the Commission
consider that, with the exception perhaps of the
shorter duration of such cases when compared with cases of ordinary mania, there
are no symptoms by which the cause of the mental condition can be determined.
63