FURTHER
ENQUIRIES
REGARDING
THE
ALLEGED
HEMP
DRUG CASES OF
1892.
99
Hemp
Drug
cases
admitted
in
1892—contd.
Name, race, occupation,
district, age, and register
number of lunatic.
Alleged
cause of
insanity.
(Statement
VII.)
Type of insa-
nity. (State-
ment VI.)
State of
health on
admission.
Facts ascertained from the papers.
Asylum history and facts ascertained
from registers and from inquiry
from Superintendent.
his own urine and plastering
his fæces about the walls and
his own body.
The previous
history is, he is subject to at-
tacks of lunacy often in the
year for the past 20 years, and
when seized is a violent and
dangerous lunatic, and unless
controlled would cause serious
injury to others.
Durga is a
confirmed ganja smoker and
eats bhang as well.
This last
attack has so frightened his
relations that they will have
nothing further to do with him.
There is now a lucid interval,
but he cannot be trusted out,
as a few days' ganja-smoking
will again bring on an attack."
Admitted, 14th July 1892.
Died of pneumonia, 14th Decem-
ber 1892.
8. Kirhir; Chama; La-
bourer; Sitapur; 26;
13.34.
Ganja
Acquired
imbecili-
ty.
Good
The statement shows —
6. "Insane four years."
7. "Severely attacked since last
October 1891."
8. "The man indulged in 'exces-
sive ganja-smoking.' But the
Civil Surgeon says the cause
of insanity is 'not known to
him'."
He writes: "14.
The man is
imbecile; his habits are dirty.
His manner is extremely childish.
He will not give a coherent an-
swer except very rarely.
He is
constantly smiling in a fatuous
manner, and his manner and ap-
pearance leave no doubt that he
is an idiot, without, however, as
far as has been observed, dan-
gerous tendencies."
Admitted, 21st July 1892.
This is entered as a case of "ac-
quired imbecility due to ganja-
smoking."
He had suffered from
several attacks of insanity, and
drifted into imbecility.
He has
not improved in the least since he
came in. There is no other cause
assigned
for
his
condition.
Therefore it is put down to ganja
as he is said to have smoked.
It
is rather extraordinary that at his
age ganja should have brought
him to his present condition.
9.
Jagmohan
Singh;
Hindu;
Cultivator;
Lucknow; 30; 13.35.
Ganja
Toxic
insanity.
Good
The statement shows that this is a
second attack, that fever pre-
ceded this attack, that the sup-
posed cause was taking ganja
and bhang, and that two mem-
bers of his family are affected
with insanity. The medical cer-
tificate of 20th July 1892 shows
that he "speaks incoherently, is
violent and abusive, and is filthy
in habits."
Admitted, 23rd July 1892.
Discharged cured, 10th April 1893.
Volent, filthy, sleeping badly, throw-
ing off clothing, when admitted
in July.
By the end of 1892 he
showed signs of
improvement.
He kept well for three months,
and was discharged cured. These
were typical symptoms of ganja;
but there must have been an in-
herited tendency, the Superintend-
ent thinks.
10. Parag;
Chamar;
Servant; Partabgarh;
25; 13.36.
Ganja
Dementia
Weak
The statement shows that the insa-
nity was "attributable to ganja
and bhang."
The medical cer-
tificate of 24th July 1892 says that
he "cannot converse or give an
intelligible account of himself,
and sleepless and dirty in habits.
Refuses
food.
Requires
re-
traint."
Admitted, 20th July 1892; made
over to his mother, 17th August
1892.
He came in weak and appeared to
be threatened with general para-
lysis.
He did not improve and
was made over to his mother in a
helpless state. This is a case
about which there must be doubt,
the
Superintendent
says;
but
ganja is the only cause suggest-
ed by the history.
It is strange
that at 25 this should be the re-
sult. There was probably weak
brain from other causes.