FURTHER ENQUIRIES REGARDING THE ALLEGED HEMP DRUG CASES OF 1892. 45
resist the temptation, and thought he was out of danger of a relapse. He
again took to smoking ganja. He had smoked for 4 or 5 days only very
moderately, when the relapse came on."
He was admitted to the asylum, and recovered after 7 months. The asylum
history does not agree with this report. The man, no doubt, took ganja.
On his first admission it is stated that he had taken it for 11 or 12 years
that is, from boy hood, he being then about twenty-six. The report says
he only smoked it for 10 or 12 days. The report says he remained sane for
5 years after he was discharged. He was back in the asylum within three
years and five months of his discharge. I consider this a real case of
insanity produced by ganja.
(4) Siba Thakur.
I thought that this was a case of insanity in which hemp drugs formed merely
the exciting cause.
The report submitted by the Joint Magistrate of Dharbanga and the Civil Sur-
geon stated that "He took to thieving at the early age of twelve; was
convicted when about 18 years old. He used to smoke ganja in small
quantities; but he was particularly addicted to women. He never showed
signs of madness before he went to Jail the last time; on the contrary he
was a very cunning thief. He must have become mad in Jail."
This man appears to have always been of a wandering, dishonest, and lazy
habit and to have lost control of his temper. He was often under re-
straint in Bhagalpur and Darbhanga Jails, and assaulted a warder in the
Darbhanga Jail in November 1891 before his last conviction.
The Descriptive Roll states that probably he was insane when formerly in Jail.
He is still dangerous, violent, destructive, and filthy after 18 months' treatment.
I still doubt that this case was entirely caused by hemp. From an early
age he seems to have been vicious and uncontrollable.
(5) Maghan Gir.
I stated that the history of this case points to temporary insanity from ganja.
The further report on the case by the Magistrate of Muzaffarpur, which was
received on 11th January 1894, quite bears out this opinion. There is no
hereditary and no other known cause of insanity. Maghun Gir is a fakir,
but has abstained from sexual intercourse all his life. He began to smoke
ganja about a month before he became insane. He tried to commit sui-
cide by lying down in front of a train, and 7 or 8 days later entered a rail-
way carriage and broke a pane of glass. For this he was arrested, and,
being insane, was sent to the asylum. Report states: "He consumed
about the same quantity of ganja, i.e., two or three chillums daily for about
a month. He took bhang regularly." Maghan Gir himself says he used
to smoke ganja regularly for ten years, sometimes 10 chillums a day, and
that he also took bhang. The only witness examined is the lunatic's
brother, he, Maghan Gir, being absent on a pilgrimage.
This appears a case of insanity due to ganja.
(6) Bihari
Runiar.
I stated that there was no proof that this case was caused by hemp drugs.
The report conducted by the Joint Magistrate and Civil Surgeon of Dur-
bhanga states that "He was addicted to ganja and to drink, but not in ex-
cessive quantities. He went to the Sonepore Fair in the best of health.
He returned after a stay of 7 to 10 days completely mad, and after staying
a few days at home he disappeared. He was a wrestler." This is most
likely a case of insanity caused by ganja.
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