FURTHER ENQUIRIES
REGARDING THE ALLEGED HEMP DRUG CASES OF 1892.
155
Hemp
Drug
cases
admitted
during
1892—contd.
Name, race, occupation,
district, age and register
number of lunatic.
Alleged
cause of
insanity
(Statement
VII).
Type of In-
sanity (State-
ment VI).
State of
health on
admission.
Facts ascertained from the papers.
Asylum history and facts ascertained from
Asylum registers and from inquiry from
Superintendent.
Moti Ram.—contd
Ganja
smoking.
Mania
has a dazed look and answers
some questions correctly but then
wanders
off...11th
September
1891: Passed quiet night, crying
this morning; said his father had
died... 12th
September
1891:
Quiet, answers rationally occa-
sionally... 14th September 1891:
Troublesome, talking nonsense.
sleepless. 21st September 1891:
Is quiet, but talks incoherently,
22nd September 1891: Vomited
twice; has to be forced to take
food.
23rd
September
1891,
vomited again,
complains of
thirst. Bowels regular,
more
rational.
25th September 1891,
condition much the same; smiles
when talked to and occasionally
answers correctly..... dated 23rd
October
1891: For
the last
month has been quiet but foolish,
ready to weep or laugh at the
slightest thing. To-day he was
again restless and troublesome,
but for no particular reason...
dated 26th October 1891: Vio-
lent. Got away from attending
men and picked up large stones
in Hospital compound and threa-
tened any one near,............28th
October
1891: Violent again;
ran to bazar. When seen by me
was quiet. Answers questions
sensibly."
Admitted, 1st February 1892.
Discharged improved, 28th Nov-
ember 1892.
4. Damodhar;
Brah-
man;
occupation
unknown;
Kutch;
25; 1.b.—122.
Bhang
drinking.
Toxic in-
sanity.
Good
Form C shows this as a "first
attack, sudden, and due to the
drinking of bhang and of nine
months' duration." The medical
certificate of 21st April 1892
says, "He is constantly talking,
bawling out, uses abusive lan-
guage, tears up his clothes, re-
fuses food, does not sleep.
At
times he gets violent and is quite
unmanageable.
Is
cleanly in
his habits."
Admitted, 21st April 1892.
Discharged cured, 28th
March
1893.
On 7th May 1892, "He is a lit-
tle better, but is still rather ex-
citable and noisy.
Sleeps and
eats well and does not tear his
clothes." On 24th March 1893,
"He seems to have quite re-
covered and seems to be rational
in every way. Discharged. Be-
tween 7th May 1892 and 24th
March 1893,
his
improvement
had been steady. This seems,
in the Superintendent's opinion
to be a case of insanity due to
hemp drugs.
The improvement began soon and
went on steadily.
5. Moti; Hemraj; Hin-
du; Shroff; Bombay;
52; 1-b.—108.
Ganja
smoking.
Toxic in-
sanity.
Good
Form C shows that this is "a first
attack; duration
one month;
came on suddenly; preceded by
fever; due to excessive ganja
smoking. Suicidal, has a desire
to throw himself from a height,
violent at times, rushing at peo-
ple to assault them; cleanly in
habits." The medical certificate
of 14th March 1892, says. "He is
incessantly talking to imaginary
persons, does not reply to ques-
tions put to him, spits at those
around him; does not sleep, when
excited uses abusive language
and is unmanageable.
Admitted, 14th March 1892.
Died, 11th December 1892.
On 29th April 1892. "He is not
improved since admission.
Al-
ways talking to himself and wav-
ing his hands about. Is melan-
choly and dirty in habits.
Died
on 11th December 1892, from
dropsy and old age. There was
no post-mortem.
The
"Toxic
insanity" is diagnosed from the
alleged cause. The absence of
improvement seems against the
purely ganja causation of the
insanity.