172
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. [APP.
Hemp Drug cases admitted in 1892—contd.
Name, race, occupation,
district, age and register
cumber 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.
4. Nanachandra Du-
dhan;
Maratha;
Labourer; Thana;
48, No. 154.
Ganja
Toxic
insanity.
Form C shows that the man is " in-
temperate, given to smoking
ganja," and that the cause is
" probably
ganja
smoking."
Otherwise there is nothing known
about the history of the case.
The Thana authorities think that
" he appears to be from Satara."
Form A records, " he is violent,
dangerous, abusive. Went to
the Session Judge's house some
days ago and said he wanted to
murder the Judge. Has delu-
sions. Is dirty in his habits, in-
coherent in speech, sleepless, re-
fuses food, cries and laughs with-
out reason.
Is unmanageable.
Sent by the Chief Constable, Sal-
sette, for being a public nuisance.
Admitted, 25th April 1892. Dis-
charged cured, 13th April 1893.
The entry of cause is merely "gan-
ja" in the case-book. He was
admitted on 25th April, and the
first entry is 19th July 1892. "Is
recovering from the effects of the
toxic agent, which caused his in-
sanity. Talks fairly coherently.
Is not dirty nor troublesome;
works well and is inoffensive."
September 5th, 1892: " Is now
quite rational; but on account
of the cause of his insanity is re-
tained for further observation."
He remained sane, and was dis-
charged on 14th April 1893.
5. Rama Pillai Shin-
du; Maratha; Culti-
vator; Ratnagiri; 30,
No. 159.
Ganja
Toxic
insanity.
Form C is in Marathi. It states
that "he takes liquor when he
can get it. He takes toddy. He
also takes bhang and ganja." It
is his first attack and occurred
" three months ago." It came
slowly. It was preceded by fever,
" in the cold stage of which his
belly and legs swelled." Then
under entry No. 12 regarding
cause, we have " he was ill and
having become exposed to the sun
he became insane; this was the
cause."
No heredity and no
epilepsy. Form A records "He
is disconnected in speech. His
attention wanders. He imagines
he is too ill to work, and has sup-
ported himself by begging. Is
restless at night.
Inclined to
wander and talk to himself a
good deal."
He is reported
mischievous
and troublesome.
Admitted, 3rd September 1892.
Discharged cured, 24th Sept-
ember 1893.
The cause " Ganja and drink"
is filled in by Dr. McCalman's
own hand. The Hospital Assist-
ant says that it was when the
lunatic was admitted on the state-
ment of friends and police.
On 24th February 1893 "slight
improvement in mental condition.
Is quicker; works willingly and
is cleanly in habits."
27th July 1893, "much improved.
Answers rationally; works regu-
larly; is cleanly."
The register of lunatics is written up by the Hospital Assistant Ramchandar Ganpat Rao. It is writlen at the time
that the patient is received in the Asylum. All "the information regarding-the facts and hi-tory of the case previous to admission
and also date of admission are filled up by him at the time of the patient's admission. All the entries prior to the date of
admission are copied from the papers received with the patient. It is a purely clerical piece of work, and would not (the Super-
intendent says) be checked in any way. The entry of "alleged cause" is always made at that time; and the present Super-
intendent says he has never had occasion to alter the cause subsequently to the patient's admission. If two causes were men-
tioned in the papers the general rule is to enter only one, the Hospital Assistant says; but occasionally the second cause is
entered within brackets. If the papers showed " probably ganja," only the word " Ganja" would be entered in the register.
In the case of Sidram bin Rama (No. 142) the papers show cause 'unknown,' but the Hospital Assistant says he
entered 'ganja' because the use of ganja as well as liquor was suggested in the papers under the entry about 'character.'
In the case of Nanachandra Dudhan (No. 154), the papers show
probably ganja smoking' in the cause entry; and
the register shows ' ganja.'
In the case of Rama Pillai Shindu (No. 159), the entry under cause in the papers (in Marathi) is "he was ill, and
having become exposed to the sun became insane." In the register it is 'ganja.' In the case book Dr. McCalman (then
Superintendent) had entered 'ganja and drink' in his own handwriting. The Hospital Assistant says that this was done at the
time of admission as the brother, who accompanied the patient, said he had taken the drugs. Dr. McCalman was the Civil
Surgeon who had the man under examination also as this was a Ratnagiri case.
It may be useful to record that in the case of Ramchandra Krishnashet (No. 140), there is no entry in the papers as to
cause, but there is an entry under character that the man is " addicied to the use of liquor and ganja." The Hospital Assist-
ant says he entered ' spirits (and ganja)' as the cause, " because the entry of cause had been made in the wrong place, and
people who knew the man said he took liquor and ganja."
This register prepared as above is, the Hospital Assistant says, the only source from which the entries as to cause in
statement VII of the annual returns are taken.