54
REPORT
OF THE
INDIAN
HEMP
DRUGS
COMMISSION,
1893-94.
[APP.
BERHAMPORE LUNATIC ASYLUM
(BENGAL).
(SUPERINTENDENT, DR. MEADOWS.)
Hemp
Drug
eases 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
registers and from Inquiry from the
Superintendent, etc.
I. Surat
Chandra
Ghose; Kyasth;
Zemindar,* Khul-
na; 17; No. 146.
* Son of muharrir (further
inquiry).
Ganja
Toxic
insanity.
Indiffer-
ent.
The medical certificate says that
he is violent and dangerous and
has lucid intervals.
The
Descrip-
tive Roll
shows that the insanity
had lasted three months, that the
patient was "addicted to ganja-
smoking formerly and can smoke
now if he gets it," that "ganja-
smoking"
is assigned as
the
cause, and that there is no his-
tory of epilepsy or heredity.
Admitted, 6th January 1892.
Discharged, 31st January 1893.
The case book shows that the luna-
tic says "that the cause of his be-
coming insane was that he took
to religion and counting beads,
and his beads were stolen."
He improves from the time of ad-
mission, and is declared sane on
7th June 1892 and discharged on
31st January 1893.
2. Pitambar
Singh;
Rajput; Cultivator
Bhagalpur; 40;
No. 150.
Ganja
Mania
Bad
The medical certificate shows that
"he never answers any questions
though
he
sometimes
makes
sounds with his lips closed," and
is filthy in his habits.
The Descriptive
Roll shows that he
had been insane since October
1891, that he was "addicted to
ganja-smoking previously," that
the insanity was "possibly due
to ganja-smoking," that there
was no history of heredity, and
that it was not known whether he
had epilepsy.
"It appears that
he became insane and did not
eat properly, and one day after
sunrise, while his wife was seated
in the verandah of the house, he
came from behind and cut her in
the right ear."
He was "melan-
cholic."
Admitted, 17th March 1892.
Died, 16th July 1892.
"Since admission he has been very
filthy.
*
*
Keeps on moaning,
does not sleep at night, eats
badly,
*
*
refuses to answer
any
questions."
He
required
forcible feeding by the nose in
May and had suicidal tendency.
He was admitted to hospital for
diarrhoea on 28th June and died
15th
July.
The
post-mortem
showed death to be due to dy-
sentery with infarctions in the
lungs.
The type is shown as "Mania."
3. Karanu Shaha;
Hin-
du; Shopkeeper;
Rangpur; 21; No.
151.
Ganja.
Toxic
insanity.
Fair
The medical certificate shows that
he "talked excitedly and irrele-
vantly, tore his clothes, threaten-
ed to strike others, dirty in his
habits, voiding solid excreta in his
clothes from 20th to 23rd Feb-
ruary 1892.
Has been quiet, ra-
tional, and even courteous since."
The Descriptive
Roll shows that he
had been mischievous and vio-
lent, that he "is reported to have
been insane for the last four
years," that he was "apparently
not" addicted to any intoxicant,
and that "no cause is assigned
except bayu (vertigo?).
"There
is no history, heredity or epilep-
sy.
His age is
"20 or
21
years."
Admitted, 19th March 1892.
The case book shows that he was
admitted to the Asylum on 4th
September 1889, "aged 17 years."
He had been insane about eight
months, and had been
insane
once before, but cured after
five
or
six months;
"violent
and
dangerous and not addicted to
drugs."
"The medical certificate
says that he is suffering
from
acute mania with perfect inter-
missions of sanity.
On
24th
March 1891 he "appears sane;
says that his sister said he had
been made mad by jadu."
In
June 1891 he was
discharged
sane.
He was re-admitted on 19th March
1892 "in fair health and
phy-
sique, and appearing quiet
and
harmless."
There was no im-
provement until 18th December
1893, when he is considered sane,
but unfit for release.