44
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
[APP.
Extract from the evidence of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Bovill, regarding the Patna
Asylum hemp drug cases for 1892.
Taking the cases in the same order as the Commission:
(1) Salick Patick.
I stated this is a doubtful case, as there is insanity in the family. Hemp drugs
may have been the exciting cause. The report of a full enquiry conducted
by Babu Bhawani Prasad Neogi and the Civil Surgeon of Saran, states
"that the witnesses who were examined, including the mother, uncle, and
the next-door neighbours of the lunatic, agree in saying that Salik Patick
never consumed ganja, bhang, alcohol, opium, dhatura, or any intoxicating
drug whatever. They all attribute the lunacy to fright in a dream."
The Deputy Magistrate supposes that Lakhu Dusadh, the chaukidar who
brought the lunatic to the authorities, is responsible for the statement that
the lunacy was due to bhang. He has been unable to find Lakhu Dusadh
and to take his statement. This is, therefore, a very doubtful case and de-
pends on the Descriptive Roll, which gives bhang as the cause, and the state-
ment of the lunatic, which gives ganja as the drug he used.
The
first entry in the case book is as follows:—"February 18th. On admission
incoherent, restless, sleepless; wanders aimlessly (says he used to smoke
ganja)." The Descriptive Roll states: "He was addicted to bhang, which
is said to be the cause of his being insane."
(2) Kali Singh.
I stated this was probably a case of insanity due to hemp drugs, at least as the
exciting cause, if not more. A full enquiry on the spot held by H
Wheeler, Esq., Sub-Divisional Officer of Biguserai, states that "Kali Singh
himself, his relations, and a crowd of villagers testified that he commenced
ganja smoking 15 or 16 years ago. He learned it on a pilgrimage from
the sadhus."
For some time he only took two chillums a day. About three or four years ago
he increased the number to four, and three or four months before his de-
tention he raised the quantity suddenly to six, seven, and eight chillums.
His son says: "There was no thickana about it; he smoked as much as
he could lay his hands on. For two or three months before his confine-
ment he was in the village more or less a lunatic, continuing the excessive
smoking. No other cause of insanity could be discovered." This seems a
good case. He admitted the use of ganja.
(3) Gajadhar Ahir.
I stated: "This seems in all probability to have been a toxic case, and the
evidence points specially to ganja as the cause, though the man indulged
in liquor also." Moulvie Syed Nasiruddin, Deputy Magistrate, investigat-
ed the case in consultation with the Civil Surgeon of Arrah. The report
states that "He was of temperate habits and almost a sadhu when he be-
came insane all of a sudden about 6 or 7 years ago (first attack of insanity).
He had no cause for grief, jealousy, or misfortune. He had no illness or
injury before the insanity began. He fell in company of a sadhu fakir and
took to smoking ganja. He smoked for 10 or 12 days only (smoking 4 or 5
chillums daily), when all at once he took into his head to renounce all worldly
affairs and turn a fakir himself. (Note.—He was then mad and was sent to
the asylum. He remained insane for about 5 months, and was dis-
charged cured in 8 months.) He took care not to smoke ganja again, and
thus abstained for 5 years, after the lapse of which period he could not