FURTHER ENQUIRIES REGARDING THE ALLEGED HEMP DRUG CASES OF 1892. 193
I was about five months in the Lunatic Asylum. It is about eleven months since I
have been discharged from it. I drink bhang now daily in the evening, about one pice
worth, since my discharge from the Asylum. I have not lost my senses. Before I became
insane, I used to smoke charas occasionally in company with others; sometimes I purchas-
ed charas with my own money, worth one pice (note one twenty-fourth part of a tola), and
smoked alone. But I was not a daily smoker of charas. I also drank bhang (morning
and evening), worth one pice at a time (viz., 3/4ths of a tola). My father and uncle are
dead. I have no relatives in the house excepting my wife. My father used to drink bhang
daily twice (morning and evening), worth one pice at a time. My uncle also drank bhang
twice, worth one pice at a time. None of my family members used ganja or charas. We
work near fire, and therefore some of us to cool ourselves drink bhang. I got into the
habit of smoking charas about six years ago. Before I got mad, I had gone out for fifteen
days, so I had not tasted bhang or smoked charas during the interval. On the day I re-
turned to Hyderabad I drank a cup of bhang, worth one pice, and on the same day I lost
my senses. I was taken to the Lunatic Asylum about four months after I became insane.
This is the first time that I have become mad; so far as I know and hear there was no
insane person in our family.
J. KEITH,
Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad.
THATTUMAL,
Magistrate, Second Class.
The 22nd November 1893.
I state that my name is Butchal, my father's name Mahomed Hussain, my age about
60 years, my religion Mahomedan, my caste Battu, my calling Blacksmith, my residence
Hyderabad town.
I know Baxali, son of Imambux. He is not my relative, but a neighbour. His house
is near mine. I know him from his infancy. His parents are dead. There is no other
relation in his house except his wife. He drinks bhang daily in the evening, worth one
pice (note 1lb of bhang is sold for Re 0-6-6) to cool himself after day's work near fire. I
know he occasionally smoked charas and drank bhang daily. His father was not insane.
He used to drink bhang also both morning and evening, worth one pice at a time. His
father had a brother also. He used to drink bhang too. In fact we all Lohars (Black-
smiths) indulge in a small quantity of bhang daily in the evening to cool oursleves because
we work near fire. Baxali was five months in the Lunatic Asylum. I cannot say why he
became mad; but I think smoking of charas is the cause of it. It is now eleven months
since he has been discharged from the Asylum. He is all right now, and has had no fit of
insanity since then. When he became insane he talked nonsense, and spoke incoherently.
He was not epileptic, but was dangerous to society. People were afraid of him. He was
confined in his house by his brother-in-law. This is the first time that he got mad. There
was no person insane in his family and none smoked charas or ganja.
J. KEITH,
Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad.
THATTUMAL,
Magistrate, Second Class.
The 22nd November 1893.
NOTE.
It appears from local inquiry made, besides the above statements, that before Baxali
became insane he was in the habit of smoking charas and drinking bhang daily in company
49