FURTHER
ENQUIRIES
REGARDING
THE
ALLEGED
HEMP
DRUG CASES
OF
1892.
101
Hemp
Drug
cases
admitted
in
1892—contd.
Name, race, occupation,
district, age, and register
number of lunatic.
Alleged
cause of
insanity.
(Statement
VII.)
Type of insa-
nity. (State-
ment VI.)
State of
health on
admission.
Facts ascertained from the papers.
Asylum history and facts ascertained
from registers and from inquiry
from Superintendent.
15. Raghunath; Hindu;
Bania; Shopkeeper;
Unao; 40; 13.54.
Ganja.
Recurrent
mania.
Fair
The statement shows a
previous
attack eight years ago and that
the present attack began in Cheyt
(eight months before).
It as-
cribes it to "luh" (hot wind) and
fever, and states that the lunatic
"smokes
ganja
and
tobacco
and
drinks bhang."
"Found
wandering near the railway and
suspected of intention to commit
suicide."
The medical certificate
of 28th November 1892 says:—
"makes inconsequent statements.
Insane manner and appearance.
Throws
off
clothing.
Sleeps
badly.
Runs about aimlessly."
Admitted, 4th November 1892.
The lunatic admits that he smoked
ganja twice daily for four years.
He was very noisy singing at
night, destructive, sleepless, and
dirty when admitted.
He began
to show slow signs of improve-
ment in the beginning of this year,
but is still given to thieving and
destructive. This is probably a
case of recurrent mania, the pre-
sent attack having been excited
by bhang or ganja.
He had a
previous attack eight years before
and the present attack
began
eight months before
admission.
He smiled very cheerily when he
saw ganja, but said he did not
want it now.
He thinks charas
stronger, but never used it.
16. Baldeo Lodhi; Cul-
tivator; Kheri; 25;
13.56.
Ganja.
Toxic
insanity.
Good
The statement says: "(6)
Three
years ago he was once attacked
by insanity.
(8) (a) Had
fever
of serious type and seet (a kind
of illness). (b) Smokes ganja."
"13.
His
maternal
grandfather
was affected with insanity."
"14. He tried twice to drown him-
self in the river."
The medical certificate of 18th Oc-
tober 1892 says: "Baldeo Lodhi
was kept under close observation
during the last few days.
No
signs of insanity were observed
in him. It is possible that
fits
of
temporary
insanity
might
break out.
At present he is quite
in his senses."
Admitted, 15th December 1892.
Discharged, 12th April 1893.
This lunatic has behaved sanely
since admission.
The Superin-
tendent diagnosed this as a case
of toxic insanity from its history.
It seemed something like delirium
tremens.
But there seems also to
have been a hereditary taint.
17. Mullu; Hindu; Car-
penter;
Lucknow;
45; 13.26.
Ganja.
Toxic
Mania.
Fair
In the statement it is said that the
cause is "not known." The man,
however, "prior to illness used
to drink a little bhang very often."
The man is said to be "suicidal."
There is no medical certificate.
Admitted, 2nd June 1892.
Discharged, 20th July 1892.
When he came into the Asylum on
the 2nd June he was in fair condi-
tion, but had clearly been obstre-
perous from his wounds and scars.
He admitted he had been drinking
spirits freely, and a little bhang
very often.
He
was practically
sane from the time of admission;
and he was discharged "cured"
on 20th July.
This was in the
opinion of the Superintendent a
case of toxic mania.
But the "free
drinking of spirits" is as likely to
have been the cause as the "little
bhang."
NOTES.—(1) Statement VII shows 16 admissions as due to hemp drugs and Statement VI shows seven cases of toxic insanity as due to hemp drugs. The seven-
teenth case in the above list seems to have been omitted from both these statements.
(2) The total number of admissions from all causes in 1892 was:—
Criminal
Males
13
Criminal
Females
Non-criminal
Males
55
Non-criminal
Females
21
TOTAL
89
Of these, sixteen cases were attributed in Statement VII to hemp drugs.
30th
August
1893.
26