FURTHER
ENQUIRIES
REGARDING
THE
ALLEGED
HEMP
DRUG
CASES OF
1892.
113
LAHORE
LUNATIC
ASYLUM.
(SUPERINTENDENT,
DR.
W.
COATES,
ON
PRIVILEGE
LEAVE).
Hemp
Drug
cases
admitted
in
1892.
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
the registers and by inquiry from the
Superintendent, & c.
1. Kadir Baksh; Mus-
salman,
Beggar;
Gujranwala; 25.
Ganja.
Toxic
insanity.
Bad
This is a first attack.
It is of two
months' duration. The cause is
said to be
"religious
ideas;"
not epileptic, not
uicidal.
The
medical officer observes that "he
has a delusion that a woman is
present before him, and he talks
to her, becomes violent and abu-
sive without any cause.
Talk,
incoherent.
Habits filthy. Goes
naked and supposed to set fire to
property and to strike people.
Addicted to ganja."
Admitted, 7th February 1892.
Made over to friends, 14th January
1893.
On admission he was filthy in
habits and incoherent.
He con-
tinued "mad as before" until
6th November 1892, when
he
"speaks more sensibly than be-
fore, sings songs, and has play-
ful habits." On 6th December he
"is getting better, sings songs,
and answers
questions
more
sensibly."
He is made
over
"to his father who is anxious to
take him on security" on 14th
January 1893. He was "improv-
ed," but not quite sane when dis-
charged.
2. Mana Singh; Sikh;
Cultivator;
Amrit-
sar; 32.
Bhang.
Toxic
insanity.
Good
This is a second attack.
"First
attack 12 years
ago, after six
months got all right, and last
attack came on three years ago,
and has continued
with lucid
intervals ever since."
No here-
ditary history.
Not
epileptic;
not suicidal; dangerous to others
The cause is shown as "contract-
ed disease when on service in
Afghanistan
in
1878."
Has
received injury
to
the
head.
"He was stopped by a constable
when attempting to make his way
into the Court of the Sessions
Judge, Amritsar, armed with a
sharp and heavy gandasa with
the deliberate intention of inflict-
ing a serious injury on
that
officer."
The
medical
officer
observes that he "is morose and
melancholic, at times inclined to
be violent. Refuses food for days
together; indifferent to personal
cleanliness; at times dresses fan-
cifully.
Discharged
from
the
army 12 years ago for unsound-
ness of mind."
Admitted, 16th February 1892.
On admission he talked
"pretty
sensibly on simple subjects, but
said that all people will become
Khalsas
and
fight.
Habits
clean."
On
15th
March 1892,
he was "quite quiet," but on
11th April "very mad."
He con-
tinued excitable and subject to
delusions up to
11th
October
1892. He "is of excitable temper;"
cannot be trusted. His type of in-
sarity is
religious.
He
was
previously addicted to
bhang.
The later entries show that
he
thought his deceased father still
alive and inciting the Asylum
authorities to trouble him." On
21st March 1893
he
"speaks
rationally" and continues in that
state until 2Sth July 1893, when
he "speaks in a loud voice." Next
month he is very talkative, and
wishes to have a house built for
him in the Asylum.
In Septem-
ber 1893 he is "better and com-
ing to his senses." This man was
examined by us. He said "Sikhs
do not
smoke.
They
drink
therefore; they take no charas,
ganja, or tobacco. But they take
bhang; took it occasionally, but
never to excess or habitually.
I
have no wound on the head, but
I had sunstroke.
I used to get
bhang at the temples or rest-
houses, as I passed, to relieve
me." This man is now considered
sane and fit to make his defence.
3. Mahtab Din; Mus-
salman; Lahore.
Charas.
Toxic
insanity.
This man was arrested on
his
father's petition and the repre-
sentation of his neighbours as to
his insanity that he was danger-
ous and could not be brought
to
court without
help.
"The
lunatic talks
pretty rationally;
but as he tried to kill a child, as
stated by his father, he must be
kept under observation for medi-
cal opinion. The friends
state
that the man occasionally
gets
excited and dangerous.
Is sub-
ject to fits of violence and uses
bhang and charas."
Admitted, 20th April 1892.
Discharged, 29th idem.
On 25th April 1892 "this man has
a peculiar depressed melancholic
appearance, sits with his head
bent forward, sings songs at the
lop of his voice, and suspects that
other lunatics poke him."
On
the 27th April, he said "that his
habit of drinking
bhang
and
smoking charas is
the
cause
of his present slate.
Has
no
fixed delusions and occasionally
talks to himself of his luck."
He
was discharged on 29th April.
29