Cannabis Usage in 19th Century India: Police, Doctors, Magistrates and Lunatic Asylums Create Cannabis-Insanity Myth

Opening Quotes

'We have yet to write the history of that other form of madness, by which men, in an act of sovereign reason, confine their neighbours, and communicate and recognise each other through the merciless language of non-madness;' - Michel Foucault, Madness and Civilization

'Confinement, that massive phenomenon, the signs of which are found all across eighteenth-century Europe, is a "police" matter. Police, in the precise sense that the classical epoch gave to it - that is, the totality of measures which make work possible and necessary for all those who could not live without it; the question Voltaire would formulate, Colbert's contemporaries had already asked: "Since you have established yourselves as a people, have you not yet discovered the secret of forcing all the rich to make all the poor work? Are you still ignorant of the first principles of the police?"'  - Michel Foucault, Madness and Civilization

'The lunatic is on the grass
The lunatic is on the grass
Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs
Got to keep the loonies on the path' - Brain Damage, Pink Floyd

 

"Over and over again the statistics of Indian asylums have been referred to in official documents or scientific treatises not only in this country, but also in other countries where the use of these drugs has demanded attention. Other alleged effects of the drugs have attracted but little attention compared with their alleged connection with insanity."  - Indian Hemp Drugs Commission 1894-95 

Questions on the subject by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission 1894-95

45(f) Does it deaden the intellect or produce insanity? If it produces insanity, then of what type, and is it temporary or permanent? If temporary, may the symptoms be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint? Are there any typical symptoms? Do insanes, who have no recorded ganja history, confess to the use of the drug? (g) In such cases of the alleged connection between insanity and the use of hemp as are known to you, are you of opinion that the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief has been sufficiently considered in explaining that connection? And do you think there is any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect? Give an account under each of these points of any cases with which you are acquainted.

My thoughts on the subject

A brief history of insanity.

Insanity has existed as long as the world existed, from the moment when one became two, and then many. Insanity, in this sense, is when one view point does not match another. Each view point is likely to view only itself as real, and any other as unreal. The world exists in spite of this, with the increasingly varied viewpoints all co-existing side by side, disagreeing, judging, but ultimately, grudgingly accepting that the other has the right to their own point of view. India has always had viewpoints as varied as the people that have lived here over the tens of thousands of years. Viewpoints vary immensely on all aspects of life - spirituality, social customs, economics, etc. Even if one thought the other's way of life insane, nobody ever thought of locking up the other for his or her difference of thought or way of life, at least until the last few hundred years. It was common to see a semi-nude, dread-locked, ash covered hermit walking through the streets of a town, or to see people singing and dancing, without anybody thinking it strange, as it was all a part of the rich fabric from which society had been created over time. The level of insanity that is necessary to confine the other for not being like oneself came from elsewhere. For what was normal for one society to appear strange, the onlooker had to come from elsewhere, whose experiences were far removed from here, to whom things that were normal here appeared strange.

True insanity emerged in Europe in the middle ages. Michel Foucault writes in his book, Madness and Civilization, that Europe in the middle ages went through one wave of insanity when it created sanitariums for lepers outside cities. Eventually leprosy faded away but the numerous sanitariums remained. The insane among society, who formed the ruling and elite classes in Europe, felt the need to put these abandoned leprosy sanitariums to good use. The thinking among the ruling classes was then, and still is today, that everybody must be doing some kind of useful work, useful for the elite and ruling classes that is, and nobody should be seen wandering around, lazing around, or even begging. Persons wandering around, or lazing around, or begging, were typically sections of society that had fallen victim to the upheavals of so-called civilizational progress, whose lands had been usurped, along with their possessions, and ways of life, by the ruling and elite classes, rendered them rootless. For some time, initially, all the strange people were exiled on ships of fools. Then it was decided that they would be locked up in the erstwhile sanitariums, thus creating the world's first lunatic asylums which quickly spread throughout Europe. Here they were forced to work for the state, or kept at a level worse than animals, for public display and entertainment. The insane had successfully managed to finally subjugate and lock up the other.

Ships of fools from Europe eventually landed in India in the 15th and 16th centuries, arriving on the pretext of trade and commerce, but eventually joining forces with the insanes of India, that is, India's ruling and upper classes, to find ways to further suppress and subjugate the other in Indian society. There was plenty of the other in India, those who refused to work for anybody, who lived the lives of mendicants, who believed in the universal nature of existence and the spirituality and divinity of all beings, whose way of life had evolved over many thousands of years of refinement in thinking and living. To the insanes in the ruling and upper classes, consisting of both Indians and Europeans, the idea that so many people were not working to further their wealth and power was untenable. The European model of creating lunatic asylums, to collect and house these nuisances, and make them labor for the state, found resonance with the Indian elite, who had long wished to establish their superiority on the masses. It was found that not only the rebellious members of the labouring and working classes, but also the religious mendicants who enjoyed absolute liberty, could be intimidated, controlled and coerced through these asylums to bend to the will of the ruling and upper classes.

The British eventually set up their administrative structure consisting of law enforcement, armies and medical personnel, with the almost total support of India's own ruling and upper classes. Lunatic asylums were set up in many places - Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Behrampur, Madras, Lahore, Bombay, Pune, Dacca, Hyderabad(Sind), Benaras, Dharwar, Calicut, etc. All the insane and barbaric approaches to the treatment of insanity that the Europeans had devised so far were imported and applied to the Indian population, including confinement and restraint, even as Europe evolved from barbarism to the humane in its approach to treating insanity. Indian medicine's approach to insanity, up to this point, had been based on Ayurveda, where insanity or unmada, was regarded as a imbalance in the body constitution, to be treated with modifications in diet and lifestyle that helped to restore the person to normalcy. The person who felt ill approached a physician for treatment voluntarily. All this was turned upside down with the European approach to insanity. It now became the case that somebody else, rather than the ill person, decided whether someone was insane or not, and what the treatment should be. This taking out of the hands of the individual the right to seek diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and putting the power in the hands of the state to indiscriminately diagnose, confine and treat someone percieved as insane, was fundamental to the oppression of the people in the name of insanity. Now, anybody who thought that somebody else was strange could notify the authorities, and have the strange person confined. Strange looking people, to the ruling and upper classes that is, generally outsiders from other places, or poor mendicants, were arrested and put into asylums. Relatives who wanted troublesome members of the family out of the way notified the authorities who came and took them away. Law enforcement and the army picked up persons who they felt were threats to the state and put them away. Zamindars put away troublesome workers who refused to obey them unconditionally. It was now easy to put away anybody who was perceived as a threat to those in power, and it was the lunatic asylum that now offered a way, rather than the conventional prison which was already feeling the weight of numbers.  

Why link cannabis with insanity?

One thing that was missing was a suitable justification for branding a person insane. Bad behaviour, strange behaviour, family history all were used, but something more tangible was required. That is where cannabis came in. It was perfect. All the troublesome sections of society that caused so much trouble for the ruling and upper classes seemed to have one thing in common and that was that they all seemed to consume cannabis. Cannabis was one of the clearest markers that differentiated the ruling classes from the others. Not only that, cannabis appeared to be for the non-ruling classes a source of their health, vigor, rebelliousness and resilience, which it was. What better approach than to link cannabis with insanity, thus removing both the herb, which stood in the way of western alcohol, opium, medicine and treatment, and religion, and the troublesome people who consumed it?

It is interesting to note that since 1850, annual lunatic asylum statistics showed increasing percentages of insanity for which the cause was attributed to cannabis. By 1873, two decades before the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission was set up, the Indian government had officially linked cannabis with insanity. According to the Army witness number 28 - 'the resolution of the Indian Government, dated the 17th December 1873, declared "that its habitual use does tend to produce insanity " and that "of the cases of insanity produced by the excessive use of drugs and spirits, by far the largest number must be attributed to hemp. Return: East India (consumption of ganja)," 1893, No. 97.'  The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 had already taken place and there were increasing signs of restlessness among the Indian people against the British government. By 1873, the Indian resistance to the ruling government in India had become more organized and threatening.

Going through the Indian Hemp Commission Report of 1894-95, one gets a clearer picture of how the link between cannabis and insanity was created and reinforced to such an extent that large sections of society believed it to be true. The report reveals the role that the police, judiciary, and medical experts played, with active support from the ruling and upper classes.

A closer look at the questions posed by the Hemp Commission regarding cannabis insanity.

Before I go into the methods by which this false link was created, let me examine the questions put forward by the Commission with regard to the subject of cannabis related insanity. The questions, as listed at the start of this article, show the bias that already existed. As is the case in all the other areas that the Hemp Commission investigated with regard to cannabis usage in India, the questions on cannabis related insanity lead the respondent down a particular path, creating the doubt, and then compelling the respondent to answer in the affirmative that yes, cannabis caused insanity. The first part of question 45 (f) asks 'Does it deaden the intellect or produce insanity?' There is no explanation provided in terms of what the phrase 'deaden the intellect' is supposed to mean. To be able to judge if a person's intellect has been deadened, whatever that means, one must have an in-depth knowledge of the intellect in question, including its history and evolution, before one can make a judgement whether the intellect in question has, in fact, become the worse from cannabis usage. To answer the next part of the question - 'If it produces insanity, then of what type, and is it temporary or permanent? If temporary, may the symptoms be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint? Are there any typical symptoms?', one must have knowledge of the types of insanity that exist, and the symptoms associated with each. When it is a known fact that the top medical experts in the world, even today, have constantly changed their opinions on what the types of insanity are, and what the defining symptoms are for each,to ask the layman this question basically opens up the possibility for subjective answers, where anything that the respondent thinks is not normal can be considered as a type of insanity. The answers to this particular question are so varied that almost any behaviour can be considered insanity. Some persons consider talkativeness, mirth, dancing and singing as insanity. Some persons consider a certain gait, a particular expression or bloodshot eyes as insanity. Others consider losing one's temper as insanity. Some consider falling silent or becoming timid as insanity. Some others consider not working for anybody as insanity. Some consider a high self-esteem and refusal to obey orders as insanity. Still others consider depression and emaciated appearances as insanity. Many consider the visible signs of intoxication as insanity. Some consider epilepsy to be insanity. Mind you, most of the respondents are not even in direct contact with the insane person, but have heard only stories from other regarding what constitutes this insane behaviour. The types of insanity that cases were filed under by lunatic asylums were commonly toxic mania, melancholia, depression and dementia. Imagine the number of persons in lunatic asylums today if this classification is applied to the general population. Then there is the question whether the insanity is temporary or permanent. To answer this, one must have studied the insane over a sufficiently long period of time, intimately, from childhood if possible, with knowledge of all the experiences and thinking of the insane in question. The truth, in fact, is that no such knowledge of the insane is available with the person responding to the question, who is basing his response not on direct observation, but on hearsay. Even the medical experts being called upon to respond to the questions are Britishers who have spent only a few years in India, with almost no contact with cannabis consumers, though this does not appear to dampen their enthusiasm for providing their diagnosis. The next part of the question 45 (f) asks - 'Do insanes, who have no recorded ganja history, confess to the use of the drug?' The objective of this appears to be to try and dig up a connection with cannabis even where none appears to exist. It was found that there were a number of persons who confessed to the use of cannabis, even though there was no evidence or recorded history of the same. Why would this be the case? It would be so if one saw that answering this question in the affirmative worked to one's advantage. A person who has committed a heinous crime, such as murder, stands to gain from being diagnosed as insane as that would help one escape the noose, a common strategy among criminals and their legal representatives, even to this day. So yes, if confessing that one has consumed cannabis, and therefore was temporarily insane at the time of committing the crime, helps to reduce one's punishment, then a significant number of persons are likely to try this approach. Not only does this provide a legal loophole, it also reinforces the myth that cannabis causes insanity and crime, a win-win for the criminal, law enforcement and the ruling classes. The next part of the question 45(g) asks - 'In such cases of the alleged connection between insanity and the use of hemp as are known to you, are you of opinion that the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief has been sufficiently considered in explaining that connection?' This is the classical chicken and egg situation, where it is being explored whether cannabis is actually medicine for mental illness or if it is a triggering cause for mental illness. Today, we know from the latest scientific evidence that some of the leading reasons why cannabis is used, in places where cannabis has been legalized, is to combat anxiety, post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), autism, brain cancer,  dementia, epilepsy, sleep disorders,   depression, traumatic brain injury, and so on, all of which are known to be well-known causes of mental illness. If it is being used for these reasons now, then it would surely have been used for the same reasons in the past, i.e. as medicine for mental illnesses, a fact that the medical and modern pharmaceutical industries are wont to admit, as it would threatens the hundreds of billions of dollars that they earn through their synthetic drugs and expensive treatment procedures. As expected, most respondents to the Commission state that they have not come across cases where cannabis is being used as medicine for mental illness, even though large numbers of the working classes and those experiencing harsh working and living conditions use cannabis precisely because they see it as beneficial for their health. To make matters worse, many of the respondents go so far as to claim that cannabis is actually a triggering or exciting cause for mental disorders, rather than medicine, while in the same breath stating also that they have hardly any experience with moderate cannabis users, let alone excessive users. A further attempt is made to strengthen the link between cannabis and insanity through the remaining part of question 45 (g) - 'And do you think there is any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect?' This part serves to ensure that all the bases are covered. So, either you have become insane smoking cannabis, or you have to be insane to smoke cannabis. Catch-22, eh? All these questions are being investigated in a context where it is likely that as much as 30% of the Indian population were cannabis consumers, in at least one of its forms - bhang, ganja or charas, much like the beer drinkers of Europe.

What the individual witness responses reveal.

Along with the chaotic responses to the above questions, we also find the same biases that come across in the responses regarding the consumption rates, immediate, physical and harmful effects of cannabis usage. Some persons say that the usage of bhang is not linked with insanity, but the usage of ganja and charas is, even though all three are the same plant and persons will consume each form to the extent necessary so that the final effect felt is the same i.e. large quantities of bhang, lesser quantities of ganja, and even lesser quantities of charas. Bhang, of course, is the form of cannabis that finds most favor with the ruling and upper classes, so yes, it is perceived and projected as the least harmful by this section of society, who make up almost the entire set of respondents. Then there is the same ambiguity and confusion regarding what constitutes moderate and excessive use. Even the amount of cannabis that constitutes excess use is arbitrary and subjective. As stated elsewhere in the Commission's report, excessive users were a very small percentage of the cannabis users, in the range of something like 5%.  When the respondents had almost no direct contact with even the habitual moderate users, their experience with the habitual excessive users was, many of whom were religious mendicants far removed from society, for all practical purposes, zero. Yet that did not prevent most respondents from stating that, yes, excessive use of cannabis led to insanity, purely on the basis that excessive use of anything must be harmful, because that is what excessive means, isn't it?

The role that abuse of other substances play in causing insanity have not been explored in sufficient detail at the time of the report. In many cases, when the insane individual is likely to have consumed dathura, or was a regular user of alcohol, these confounding factors were ignored, and cannabis was implicated, even if it was used just once. Dathura seeds, highly toxic to the brain, were mixed with cannabis, sold in many places, and consumed by a significant number of individuals. Studies in the 19th century itself, especially Dr. Cunningham's experiments, showed how dathura caused severe damage to the brain, causing brain lesions. Alcohol, which also caused brain lesions, responsible for about 20% of the insanity in Europe at that time, was also conveniently overlooked when cannabis was involved. The role of alcohol in this whole picture appears to be vastly misinterpreted by the British in India, and grossly underestimated by Indian society. To the British, the contribution that alcohol plays to insanity was a well known fact. Europe had witnessed alcohol induced insanity for many centuries by the 19th century, and it was widely recognized as one of the leading causes of insanity it Europe's lunatic asylums. For the British, the tendency was to equate cannabis with alcohol, and to search for similarities in the Indian context, as they tried to comprehend the nature of cannabis, which was largely unknown to them. We see many British medical experts make comparisons with alcohol, assign symptoms of alcohol related insanity to cannabis users, and make the assumption that excess cannabis usage must be as damaging as excessive usage of alcohol, even though they had no first hand experience of excessive cannabis use, with even exposure to moderate use being rare. For the Indians who were just starting to become familiar with alcohol in the way that Europe was, it was common to assign alcohol related intoxication and insanity to cannabis because alcohol was a relatively new phenomenon. Today, the evidence is unmistakable that alcohol is responsible for large numbers of persons suffering from mental illnesses, being also the number one contributor to domestic violence and violent crimes, and one of the leading causes of death world wide. Yet the perception has been maintained globally that cannabis is more harmful to the mind, whereas alcohol is relatively harmless. The entire alcohol bias is, of course fueled and sustained by the rich and the ruling classes, who overwhelmingly favor alcohol to cannabis, the medicine and intoxicant of the poor. I have tried to document my own personal experience of nearly 30 years of cannabis and alcohol usage here.

The role of possible other causes of mental illnesses, such as heavy blows to the head, grief over the loss of a loved one, financial distress, heredity, religious mania (a lot of which we are seeing these days), undernourishment, living in extremely adverse conditions, poverty, other illnesses severely affecting body and mind such as terminal illnesses, etc., were also quite often overlooked when cannabis was part of the picture. It was found that even though a significant number of persons, about 30% in some cases, in lunatic asylums had signs of serious head injury, this as a contributing cause was almost completely ignored. The most likely causes of insanity, that is stress, either from grief induced by personal losses, or from being coerced to do something against one's wishes, appear to have been glossed over when it was found that the person consumed cannabis, and cannabis was listed as the most likely cause of insanity when the most likely reason for cannabis consumption was an attempt by the individual to deal with the stress. To me, someone taking away the medicine that one is using to deal with stress is sufficient reason to go insane. Then there is the stress that a stranger, especially a poor person, feels in a community that he or she is not seen as to be a part of. When the person smokes cannabis, because it is part of his or her way of life, the minds that perceive cannabis as harmful, and the cannabis user as dangerous, are bound to work in such ways as to stress the cannabis user, making him or her appear to behave insane. Religious mania, where a vulnerable person is incited to acts of violence by unscrupulous elements in the name of religion, undernourishment of the body, terminal illnesses, living in extremely adverse conditions and poverty were surely as prevalent in those days as they are now. Discarding all these possible causes of stress and insanity when cannabis was found to be part of the narrative also shows a strong inherent anti-cannabis bias among those involved in creating the cannabis related insanity myth.
 
It surprises me that questions on a subject that requires vast medical experience, such as mental health, were posed to the entire set of respondents. These are questions that should have been posed exclusively to the medical experts, and the most experienced and qualified ones among them at that, i.e the Surgeon Generals, etc. Even today, among medical experts, the persons with expert knowledge of mental health is a small subset of the overall field of medicine, and this knowledge is considered highly specialized and complex. Instead, the questions regarding mental health were posed to all and sundry - zamindars, members of anti-intoxication advocacy clubs, magistrates, police men, district collectors, excise officials, merchants, missionaries, bank clerks, etc. Only a few of these non-medical persons responded saying that they were not qualified to answer the questions regarding mental health. The rest, the vast majority of respondents, all gave their unqualified opinions on the connection between cannabis and mental health. Considering that the entire set of respondents were from the ruling and upper classes, and that most of them had almost little or no knowledge or personal experience of cannabis, and that they vastly benefited from keeping the working classes and mendicants, who were the real consumers of cannabis, under control, these respondents seized the opportunity to scandalize and malign the cannabis plant and its users, much like the mob that participates in a lynching. The Hemp Commission corroborates the unreliability of witness data on insanity when it says - 'It has become apparent in the course of the inquiry that no satisfactory conclusion can be based on the individual cases reported by witnesses. As a rule, it is made manifest at once by cross-examination that the history of the patient has not formed the subject of careful inquiry; that the opinion is based on most inadequate data; and that little or no importance has been attached to the question of causation.' O'Shaugnessy, the eminent British physician, who studied hemp drugs extensively, relative to other British physicians that is, and introduced cannabis as medicine to Europe, only speaks of short term insanity, which to me is, in fact, hemp intoxication, that is about as much insanity as drinking beer causes. As the Commission's report states, with regard to O'Shaugnessy's experience with longer duration cannabis related insanity - 'The curious point, however, in connection with O'Shaughnessy's account of hemp drug insanity is the absence of all information as to cases of longer duration, such as the class of cases now met with in asylums and attributed to hemp drugs. And this omission is all the more striking because O'Shaughnessy had devoted special attention to the subject of hemp drugs, and indeed was the first to draw the attention of European practitioners to the value of the drug as a remedial agent; and it is hardly possible that if in his day any large number of persons insane from the alleged use of the drug had been admitted into asylums, he would have been ignorant of the fact and omitted to notice it in his account of the effects of the drug.'

While, on the whole, the evidence of the senior medical experts, such as the asylum superintendents, give the most clarity and truth on the subject, it is alarming to see the misinformation being spread by junior medical staff, misinformation that their seniors have had to subsequently correct, when appearing for oral evidence before the Commission, besides the misinformation spread by the magistrates, zamindars, etc based on the inaccurate statistics arising from India's lunatic asylums. Many of the views on cannabis, and the evidence provided in support, seem to be driven by a personal dislike for the plant and its users. A good example of such misinformation is the evidence of Assistant Surgeon Hari Mohan Sen, Baidya, Chittagong. He says "Excessive ganja-smoking would occasionally cause temporary insanity, a mania of homicidal character. A man would commit murder under its influence. The habitual excessive use completely ruins a man: his intellect is gone, his moral faculties are dead, and his constitution is a wreck. The effects of bhang-drinking on a man, who never had it before, are horrid. He never forgets them after he had experienced them once.  Question 46. [oral evidence]—The latter part of my answer 46 is based on my own experience. The drug was once administered to me when I was 12 years of age. The effect was bad. On another occasion the drug was administered to me without my knowledge in a cake, and the effects were alluded to in the answer. I did not drink it on the latter occasion. It is not my recollection of the bad effects which has made me avoid the drug. I avoid everything that is unpleasant to me, and I have no attraction for bhang." An example of a magistrate and zamindar, whose views on cannabis insanity was ruled by popular perception among the ruling and upper classes, the very same popular perception that was created by the dubious cases that magistrates accepted unquestioningly where cannabis was put down as cause of insanity by a junior police official, is the evidence of Rai Bahadur Radha Ballav Chowdhuri, Baidya, Honorary Magistrate and Zamindar, Sherpur Town, Mymensingh District, where he states in oral evidence before the Commission that "My statements regarding insanity are based partly on what I have heard and partly on what I have myself seen. I have not studied medicine and am not aware of all the causes which may produce insanity. Some of the insane persons whom I have known were ganja smokers, I have seen men who were sane smoke ganja, and found them afterwards to be insane, and therefore I put down the ganja-smoking as one of the causes. I have known ganja-smokers who did not become insane, and these were the majority. I could not profess to be competent to decide the question whether ganja produces insanity or not. My reason for connecting ganja with insanity, and not, for instance, an innocent thing like rice with insanity, is the general belief that it may cause insanity." An innocent thing like rice can also be fermented to make wine, too much of which is probably more likely to cause insanity than cannabis.

The fact that there was almost no person from the ruling and upper classes in any of the lunatic asylums in India is a reflection of the nature of these institutions, and who benefited from their existence. The persons institutionalized to these asylums consisted mostly of wandering mendicants, labourers of the lower classes, persons without any friends or relatives, strangers, the homeless, etc. As J. Kennedy, Magistrate and Collector of Murshidabad, says in his evidence - "Ganja is the poor man's intoxicant. It is cheap. It is much used by coolies, and this explains the readiness of the police to assign it as a cause of insanity. It is because you get the paupers in the asylums that so large a proportion of cases is attributed to ganja. The well-to-do lunatics do not come, as a rule, to the asylums." There is a very high likelihood that the myth that cannabis causes insanity was used by unscrupulous elements, such as family members wishing to get rid of troublesome person, or a landlord wishing to get back at a workman who showed too much arrogance, or a law enforcement official wishing to settle scores, as a justification to send the victim to a lunatic asylum, purely on the basis that he or she consumed cannabis.

It is said that approximately 30% of the cases in Indian lunatic asylums were attributed to cannabis from the period beginning from 1850. Since lunatic asylum data was generally viewed to be more reliable than the evidence of the individual witnesses, laypersons, such as friends and relatives of the lunatic, members of the public, etc., it was decided by the Indian Hemp Commission to study asylum statistics to obtain a clearer picture. The Commission, however, found that these statistics were also unreliable. The Commission reports, with regard to Indian lunatic asylum statistics - 'The Commission in examining the statistics of the lunatic asylums soon found that they could not be regarded as trustworthy.'

How the cases of cannabis insanity were created.

Considering the way that the diagnosis of insanity, and cannabis as a cause of insanity, was arrived at, it is safe to say that probably not even a single person in the lunatic asylum was insane because of cannabis, if they were even insane that is. Let us examine the processes by which these helpless individuals found themselves in the lunatic asylums, and how their presence created and strengthened the myth that cannabis causes insanity.

Role played by the police and judiciary.

Typically, a person roaming the streets, or a person who appeared suspicious or to be mentally unstable (to the police and upper classes that is), usually a stranger from the lower classes, was picked up by the police and presented before the court as a lunatic. On presenting the  lunatic before the magistrate, it was required that the police also furnish a form, Form C, that stated what the cause of mental instability was. This requirement itself qualifies as insane, because how is a police office supposed to know what the cause of mental instability is, based on such a brief exposure to the lunatic, when it can be very challenging even for a top mental health expert to diagnose this after weeks spent with the lunatic. It requires a lot of time spent with the insane, and a sound knowledge of the insane's past history, before one can even start to suggest what the cause of the person's mental disturbance is. But the police who picked up the so-called insane were expected to, through investigation, find the cause of mental instability and fill the same out in the descriptive rolls of the Form C to be handed over to the magistrate. The form was subsequently sent along with the insane person to the lunatic asylum for admission. It is stated that if a police officer entered the cause of mental illness as 'Unknown', he was severely reprimanded by the magistrate for not doing due diligence to the case. In fear of reproach, the police officer, if he found any mention of cannabis use by the detainee, would promptly enter the cause of mental illness as 'ganja'. The witness statements of various senior officials of the police and excise departments confirms this. MR. J. J. S. Drieberg, Commissioner of Excise and Inspector General of Police and Jails, Bengal, states in his written evidence that "My own opinion is that the connection between the use of ganja and insanity is much exaggerated, and is a good deal due to the fact that the police in the case of a lunatic have to fill up a form and state the supposed cause of insanity and they give the popular reason—use of ganja." He goes on to further elaborate on this in his oral examination by the Commission that "As a rule, a lunatic is sent in (say) by a planter with a letter telling of his violence. The man is put in the jail for observation, and the police are ordered to make enquiry. They do so, and submit information in a prescribed form. The cause is a point they have to inquire into. If a man does not enter cause, I know by experience that the District Superintendent of Police gets a slip telling him to send a more experienced man, or fine this man for carelessness. The man must, therefore, look out for a cause. The readiest is ganja. There is another difficulty here, viz., that many of the lunatics are from other provinces, and nothing is known of them. The safest thing to say is "ganja." The police know that no further enquiry will be made, so they stick it down. I think also that a policeman would naturally tend to think rather of physical causes than of moral causes. If he did not see an injury to the head by a blow or otherwise, he would naturally look for something else that but a man's head wrong. I think that this consideration may also, to a certain extent, explain the popular idea. Ignorant people would look most naturally for physical causes. I think the causes assigned by the police here are generally incorrect (1) because I do not think the police have the ability required to make this enquiry, and (2) because they so seldom see people who are able to give them information. We have similarly unreliable information about vital statistics. There is no popular idea among the Assamese that ganja causes insanity. But among planters and others there is. This is due, I think, to the old official idea, which is due to custom."

Role played by the police or civil surgeon.

Once the magistrate, who himself is as unqualified as the junior police official to make a diagnosis or judgement of cause of insanity, is satisfied with the police description of ganja as cause of insanity in the descriptive rolls of Form C, the lunatic is then sent to a police or civil surgeon for observation, and a medical report, to be subsequently communicated back to the magistrate. A detailed description of how this process unfolds is provided by Surgeon-Major J. B. Gibbons, Superintendent of the Campbell Medical School and Police Surgeon, Calcutta, who states that 'These insanes come into the hospital as brought in by the police, a man being picked up in the streets with a wound on him or sick, or a man is brought by the police who has been found wandering about the streets insane. In the hospital the man (if ill) is kept till he is cured, and I write and inform the police that he is cured and (a) that he is harmless and may be safely made over to his friends, and they so dispose of him; or (b) if he is violent, I certify this and he is removed to the asylum by the police. I fill in the Form No. 2 "certificate of medical officer in the Form A in the Schedule to Act No. XXXVI of 1858." I merely certify to the fact of insanity and to the facts (a) observed by me or (b) communicated by others, on which my opinion as to this fact of insanity is based. I do not certify to cause in that certificate nor anywhere else. With these cases the police bring a descriptive roll which they have filled in. When the man is cured I write across the corner of this descriptive roll, "Please remove A B that he may be made over to his friends" or otherwise, as the case may be (vide supra). We do not keep these descriptive rolls. I make no entry under any heading in the descriptive roll. I have nothing to do with it. It is a police document. This descriptive roll is precisely the same as that supplied to me in the second class of cases with which I now proceed to deal, viz., the cases of criminal lunatics who are sent to me as Police Surgeon. The criminal lunatic is sent to me with a request from the Magistrate in letter form "to examine the accused A B as to the state of his mind and appear before the Magistrate" on a fixed date, to give "evidence as to the result of such examination." I am also directed in this letter to "produce his 'Medical History' Sheet," if I am of opinion that he is of unsound mind. The man is as a rule put in the Presidency Jail and I visit him there. Rarely he is released on surety. I first go to the police and ask for the descriptive roll. They send me Form No. 4. It is of assistance, or ought to be of assistance, to me in examining the man. When I have examined the man and made up my mind about him, I fill in the "Medical History" Sheet. I produce, as an example, the descriptive roll of a lunatic—not a selected case, but the last that I have disposed of. The important point to notice in it is the large number of entries filled in as "unknown." I think that as a rule the police fill in too many entries. Satisfactory information must be very difficult to get. In filling in my medical history I have of course also frequently to use this word "unknown." The only three questions that I deal with are "(4) Physical state," "(6) Type of insanity" and "(12) Is he capable of taking care of himself ?" For all the rest I depend on the "descriptive roll." I make no inquiries myself. I only examine the patient as to the state of his mind. But I make no enquiries as to the entries in the descriptive roll. The only persons I could inquire from are the police, and they have entered all they can. I could not inquire from friends as a rule; for these people very rarely have friends. I have an exceptional case before me now of a man in a prominent position whose friends are affording me information. He is at large on security. But in almost every case I never see friends. I do inquire from the lunatic himself and talk to him, and things may come out. But I would not enter his statements in the history sheet if he were a lunatic; for I would not trust what he said. In my "Medical History" I never enter cause. I have not sufficient information. I never even enter it if the police give it. I do not believe in their entries. If I came across a case where I could satisfy myself that their entry was correct, I should make the entry. But I have never come across such a case. I discredit the police entry. From the mere fact that they so frequently put down ganja as the cause, I discredit them; for I have seen a good number of cases of ganja poisoning. Ganja is the commonest cause they put down. I do not accept ganja as an ascertained cause of lunacy. I am not here speaking of a mere intoxication lasting a few days. And because I am responsible for the entries in the "Medical History," I do not make such an entry. I know of no facts that establish the view that lunacy is caused by ganja. Therefore I do not accept it. If I had particulars from the police of sudden loss of money or of friends, and that there was sudden loss of mind in consequence, I should enter that cause. I should be able to corroborate it from the form of the lunatic's delusions and otherwise. So also if I had evidence of frequent fits of epilepsy I should accept that as a cause of dementia; that is, I should accept as the cause in any case any well ascertained cause of insanity. But I do not accept a drug as the cause because I have no knowledge of well-ascertained facts making the drug an established cause of insanity. As a fact, then, my procedure as a rule is to leave cause blank; and I do this because of my distrust of the information I receive.' Like this witness, numerous medical experts, who perform the role of civil surgeon observing the lunatic, have a marked distrust of the police diagnosis of cause of insanity entered in the descriptive rolls, but refrain from looking at it further, restricting their inputs to the medical certificate.

So the police fill the descriptive roll on cause of insanity whereas the civil or police surgeon prepares the medical history leaving the descriptive rolls untouched since that is a police document. Both these are sent along with the lunatic to the asylum. Even though the civil or police surgeon distrusts the police diagnosis of cause of insanity he does not question or alter it, putting in his thoughts in the medical history report.  As the Commission states - 'The more general practice is therefore also the more correct, to have the descriptive roll formally filled in by the police and signed by a Police officer or Magistrate, as the police supply the information. The inquiry into the history of the case is not an inquiry conducted by a professional man from the persons likely to know most about the lunatic. The information consists often merely of the guesses of police officers as to the history and habits of a friendless and homeless wanderer; and in other cases, where a local inquiry is possible, it is generally made by a subordinate police officer...Sometimes, as at head-quarters, the inquiring police officer may be an Inspector; but, as a rule, he is very subordinate.' This medical diagnosis by the police passes, unaltered, through the civil or police surgeon, magistrate and asylum superintendents to government records, boosting the figures of cannabis related insanity, thus further strengthening, in the minds of everybody, that cannabis is a serious cause of insanity. It is not that the asylum superintendents, like the senior police officials and civil surgeons, are unaware of the problem. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel C. J. W. Meadows, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Berhampur, states that "I do not attach much value to the information we receive as to cause. The police put down anything they hear or think. Some of the descriptive rolls are utterly absurd. Some contain nothing. Some contain absolute absurdity. As to the diagnosis or statements as to cause they are generally quite ridiculous. It is a most difficult thing to ascertain cause. We give cause too often ourselves. It is insisted on, and we are constrained to enter cause before it has been properly ascertained. The information we get and the statements of insane persons give too often no adequate ground for a statement regarding cause. It is just possible that two-thirds of the entries as to cause may be correct. Certainly that would be the outside. At least one-third of the entries are misleading." Similarly, Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel E. Bovill, Officiating Civil Surgeon of Patna and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, states that "I do not think I can differentiate between insanity caused by alcohol, ganja, or opium. Any intoxicant would produce, I think, the kind of insanity to which a man is predisposed. Besides police reports and the statements of lunatics and their friends, there are no further means of information as to cause open to us. It is impossible for us to go and make enquiries. I have only once done it in a Patna case. As a rule the returns as to the causes of insanity are based on the descriptive rolls, without any further enquiry on my part. The annual returns as to cause are extracted from the case  book, which, as a rule, contains entries as to cause, simply, copied from the descriptive rolls. I do not think that these returns give a satisfactory basis for a scientific theory of the relation between hemp drugs and insanity. As I have said, I think they give an exaggerated view of that connection. I cannot say how great the exaggeration is, how high a percentage should be taken off the figures. It would be mere speculation to try to fix a figure."

A statement by Surgeon-Major H. C. Banerji, Civil Surgeon, Sylhet, shows more confidence in the information received from friends and family than the information provided by the police, even though many other senior medical officials regard friends and family as an unreliable source. It also shows a bias towards assigning ganja as cause of insanity, whatever the source. He states that "My experience of insanity is connected largely with cases which have come under my observation as Civil Surgeon. On the average 30 or 35 such cases come before me during the year—some are sent to the asylum and some are made over to their friends. I do not treat them; I merely prevent their doing harm, and sometimes give them a sedative when they are violent. My duty is to ascertain their state of mind, and to forward them to the Deputy Commissioner. I should say about 20 per cent. of these cases are due to pure ganja, and of the rest some are due to ganja with country liquor. The police send a report with the man. This always gives information about cause. Pretty often the man's friends come to jail to enquire about him and get his release. This occurs in about half the cases. I see the friends myself in the majority of the cases in which they do come when I am in the station, and I always ask them about cause. They come to ask me about treatment, and what is to be done with the man, and whether the disease is temporary or likely to be cured. I ask the friends because I do not regard the police reports as good enough. I ask the friends without regard to the fact that the statement of cause is contained in the police report. If it is given in the police report, I ask so as to have it confirmed. If the police reports showed ganja as the cause, I should ask what kind of ganja he smoked and how much, and whether he was in the habit of taking other intoxicants, such as country liquor or opium. In fact, I should go mainly for ganja and not make any detailed enquiry into other causes. That is what I do if they put down ganja. If they do not, I try to find out other causes of insanity, such as grief, shock, etc. If no cause is shown, still I make special enquiries about ganja, country liquor, and opium, as well as other causes, including heredity. The information is better and more satisfactory than that given by the police, because it is more full and I know how to question them. I think that the conclusion thus arrived at as to cause is in many cases different from that reported by the police, that is to say, in nearly half the number of cases. The police make mistakes in about half the cases. When I speak of what I receive from the police I include what I receive from sub-divisional officers. The people from whom I get my information are the same ignorant class with whom the police have to deal, but I can get more out of them owing to my professional knowledge. I prefer my diagnosis to that of the police, and I am fairly satisfied with it because it is assisted by personal observation of the case. There is no special differential diagnosis between insanity caused by ganja and other insanity, but I see that the symptoms do not conflict with the history. As, for example, if I get a history of excessive ganja-smoking and the man is raving mad, I put the case down as "excessive ganja-smoking." If I found the same symptoms without a ganja history, I should try to discover another cause. There must be a history of excess of ganja-smoking to justify this diagnosis; the mere mention of ganja would not be enough. I have always discriminated between moderate and excessive use of ganja, at least ever since I was transferred to the Civil Department. In the regiment I did not. It took me about a year to learn what was to be regarded as excess and what not. I should say that in Assam one to two chittacks a day of the Bengal ganja was excessive use. If the friends admitted the use of half a chittack, I should put the cause down to ganja, but not for less. Many people admit that amount of use, and generally the quantity in chittacks is mentioned, but some say only "bahut pita." In my written answers to question 28 I have entered nine chittacks per mensem as the average allowance of the habitual excessive consumer. This was done after enquiry and is right. I have now stated only what I thought, and I am prepared to alter the quantity to one-third of a chittack. Notwithstanding the discrepancy which has been pointed out to me, I still maintain that in diagnosing the cause, I enquire as to the probable amount in chittacks which the man has been in the habit of consuming and form my opinion accordingly. If the police report mentioned ganja without stating the amount used, and no friend came of whom I could make enquiries, I should reject the police entry and send up the case with cause of insanity unknown. If the police report said "bahut" I should accept ganja as the cause. Then it is the information gathered from the police or the man's friends that I send to the Deputy Commissioner. Having taken such pains to ascertain that the consumption in a ganja case was excessive, I should enter excessive in certificate which goes to the Deputy Commissioner. What I have stated above describes my procedure. I have read the abstract of my reports in the case of Madharam Deo in the memorandum of cases admitted into the Dacca Lunatic Asylum in 1892, and I see that in this case I did not follow this procedure, inasmuch as I appear to have entered "consumption of ganja" without the word "excessive" as the cause upon the information "that the lunatic used to take ganja." I am unable at present to explain why I should have departed from my usual practice. The above procedure relates to cases arising  when I am in the station. I am absent from my station about ten days in each month. In my absence a case would be investigated by my subordinate after my own method, and the papers would be left for my signature on my return, and occasionally I sign them hurriedly."

With regard to the reliability of evidence of friends of the lunatic, the Commission writes that 'On the wider subject of causation generally, Dr. Hack Tuke (Dictionary of Psychological Medicine; article "Statistics of Insanity") says: "As the Lunacy Commissioners adopt a classification of the causes of insanity which is fairly workable, and have collected together a large number of returns from English asylums, it is desirable to give the results here for what they are worth. As is well known, the entries made by the friends of patients in the statutory statement are extremely unreliable, and constantly confound cause and effect. The Commissioners state that they have not relied upon these, but upon statements verified by the medical officers of the asylum."' This was the case not just in England but in India as well.  As the Commission further states with regard to the reliability of information from friends and family, "Often, as in the case of garden coolies in Assam or wandering mendicants all over India, it is the statements of mere casual acquaintances who know little of the lunatic's habits and nothing of his past history or of that of his family. Even when friends are found from whom inquiry can be made, they are generally of the most ignorant and unintelligent type. It is from the classes of such a type that most of the inmates of our asylums are taken. It is very rare indeed to find one of the higher and more intelligent classes. The ignorant and uneducated persons who ascribe a child's epilepsy to his having accidently touched the painted stone that represents the village god while playing under the sacred tree, or a fit of insanity to the attack and possession of a bhút or village ghost, who know nothing of causality, except in the most ordinary affairs of home or agricultural life, beyond the mere association of coincidence, who believe in no cause which they do not see except witchcraft, whose powers of observation are quite unexercised and undeveloped: such persons must form most unpromising material even for the most patient and intelligent enquirers to work on. The information gleaned from them by such agency as has been above described must be of the most incomplete and unsatisfactory character."

Thus, without any knowledge of a person's history, without access to any of the person's friends, acquaintances or relatives, or with access to friends and family whose information is unreliable, often relying on the words of the person in question, the unqualified police and magistrates, with the selective non-involvement of the police or civil surgeon, classified a  person as insane due to cannabis and sent the person to one of India's lunatic asylums.

Let us now see what happened at the lunatic asylum.

Role played by lunatic asylum staff.

At the lunatic asylum, a member of the staff, typically a jemedar or overseer, or a clerk, or a hospital assistant, would copy the content from the descriptive rolls of the form C prepared by the police, as to cause of insanity, into the asylum records for admission purposes. The evidence of one of the clerks at the Dacca Asylum, an asylum whose statistics were used by persons like Dr. Crombie or Dr. Simpson to argue that cannabis caused insanity, gives a detailed picture of what happens at the lunatic asylum, once the lunatic arrives there along with the records from the police, magistrate and police or civil surgeon. Babu Rames Chandra Sib, Overseer, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca, states in is evidence that "I am Overseer of the Dacca Asylum. I have been six years Overseer. I was before that clerk of the asylum for eleven years. I now perform both duties. I have no medical training. There is a Hospital Assistant in subordinate medical charge. The case book is the only register of patients received kept in the asylum. There is first a series of entries giving the name of the patient and certain details, including the disease and the cause. Then there are certain entries giving a history of the case before admission into the asylum. All these details and this abstract are entered by me in the register, except the name of the disease, which is entered by the Superintendent. These entries which I make are copied or abstracted by me from the descriptive rolls received with the patients. I never make any entry differing from what is contained in the descriptive roll. So far as I remember, no alteration of any entry made by me has ever been made by any Superintendent. So far as I know, the Superintendent has always desired simply that my entries should accurately represent what is entered in the descriptive rolls. It is since 1880 that these entries have been made by me. Before that they were made by the Superintendent. But they were made by him in precisely the same way. He copied or abstracted the entries of the descriptive roll received with a patient. He did this on the admission of the patient, or as soon after as was convenient. Since 1880 the work has been regularly done by me. Then this same register contains below these entries the history of the patient in the asylum. This history is, as a rule, wholly written by the Superintendent. The cause is entered in the register from the descriptive roll. The cause was not shown separately in the details at the top of the page until 1890, when I inserted a heading for the sake of convenience. Before 1890 it was shown always clearly in the first entry, copied or abstracted from the descriptive roll. When the descriptive roll showed the cause as "not known," but stated under the heading about intoxicants that the patient used ganja, the insanity was always shown in the asylum books as due to ganja. Dr. French in 1880 gave me an order to do so, and this has been the procedure ever since. I have not referred the point to other Superintendents, but simply followed this procedure. The only other kind of difference from the descriptive roll that I can recall to mind is when an entry of cause, which really means nothing (such as derangement of brain), is put down in the descriptive roll, I refer to the Superintendent as to what I should enter. He would in almost all cases tell me to enter "Not known." These are the only cases in which the register differs from the descriptive roll as to cause, so far as I remember. Cause is never entered in the register from enquiry made after the patient's admission. I know of no case of this being done. The entry made at the top of the page would never be altered. But if any enquiry which I might make showed cause not hitherto known, this fact would be entered in the history of the case. I remember such cases, and I might be able to point them out. But that entry in the history of the case would not alter the cause, as shown in Statement VII of the annual report. That statement is filled up only from the entries made in the descriptive roll as copied into our register. I would mention to the Superintendent that in conversation with the lunatic I had ascertained that he took ganja, or that he had asked me for ganja; and the Superintendent would enter that fact in the history of the case. Not even where the cause is left blank would any entry ever be made afterwards on that subject among the entries taken from the descriptive rolls. I know of no use to which the Superintendent would put the information I thus gave him, beyond the advantage of knowing more of the case. It would not be used in compiling Statement VII. I compile that statement, and have done so for seventeen years. I have spoken to the friends of lunatics about the cause of insanity. But I do not think I have ever reported to the Superintendent anything told me by friends. I have never kept friends for the Superintendent to see."  

Another example of the role played by the staff of a lunatic asylum in perpetrating the cannabis causes insanity myth is the evidence of Hospital Assistant D. Rajendrum, Calicut. He states in his evidence that "When a patient is received into the asylum, my procedure has been first to look into the warrant and papers with him and make entries in the General Register. If I find any omission in the certificate I write to the Magistrate who sent the man or to the Civil Surgeon (as the case may be) bringing it to his notice and asking him to furnish the required information. I mean such omissions as the "cause of insanity" or any other particular in Form C. This is in accordance with the Madras Surgeon General's Circular No. 12, dated. 28th September 1891, which emphasises " the extreme importance of making every endeavour to obtain a full and correct history of each case with special reference to cause and previous occupation." In illustration of this, I put in the papers in the case of Neerati Moosan, in whose case the "cause" was not shown. I therefore wrote to the Civil Surgeon of Tedcherry. He wrote to the Joint Magistrate requesting him "to ask the police to furnish information as to cause of insanity at an early date."The Joint Magistrate sent the papers to the Acting Inspector of Police. He reported. "Sir, I humbly beg to state that Neerati Mayan, the uncle of the lunatic, and others state that religious study brought about the disorderly state of mind of the lunatic. I too find on inquiry the same to be correct." This was sent on to the Asylum Superintendent in original ; and I duly entered "Religion" as the "cause." I only apply in this way to the Civil Surgeon in reference to "cause." In all other matters I apply direct to the Magistrate who sent the lunatic. When a lunatic is received, I immediately fill in all the entries in the "General Register" from the papers in my own hand. Column 10, which shows "cause," is at once filled up if there is any entry as regards cause in the papers. If the cause is shown as "unknown" in the papers, I enter the word "unknown" and make inquiry from the Civil Surgeon. But I would not do this if there were friends with the patient who could tell me the cause. If there are friends, I ask them what was the cause. If they give me a reasonably satisfactory cause, I enter it at once. I put them leading questions,—e.g. Has he suffered from disease? Does he smoke ganja? or take liquor? Has he suffered from grief ?—and such questions. If ganja smoking were mentioned, I would inquire as to the extent and duration of the habit; but if no other cause were shown, I should enter ganja smoking without regard to the question of moderate or excessive use. After such an inquiry as I have indicated I make the entry myself without waiting for sanction; but I show it to the Superintendent for his approval. He comes as often as is necessary, generally twice a week. I do not keep the friends for him to see; but I merely tell him what have done. In such cases I do not write to the certifying Civil Surgeon about "cause." It is enough that I have got it from the friends. I would similarly take the statement of the police escorting the man as to any fact ascertained by them from the man's friends when they took charge of the man. I have been specially careful in thus inquiring into "cause," since the remark in paragraph 5 of the Government Resolution on the Lunatic Asylum Report for 1890 stigmatising this asylum as "the worst" in respect to the average of unknown causes. That resolution was issued in July 1891. There is only one case shown in the register for 1892 as due to hemp drugs. That has been specially treated by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission. There are six cases shown in the register for 1893 as due to hemp drugs. In one of these (Bala Desa Singh, admitted 16th September 1893), the Magistrate's Form C has the entry for "cause " blank; but I entered "ganja smoking," because that is mentioned in the entry regarding "habits or disposition." It was solely on this. He had no friends. He is a wanderer. In the case of Ram Dass (admitted 24th October 1893) the entry in Form C is "probably from smoking ganja." I entered "ganja smoking" accordingly, because it was the only cause assigned. The Case Book has this entry on November 17th: "Asked for ganja. When a cigar was given he was satisfied." There were no friends with this man, In the case of Narayan Nair (admitted 14th December 1893) the entry in Form C is "wandering life and use of ganja." I only entered "ganja smoking," because I do not think a wandering life would make a man insane. These three cases were from other districts, the other three of the six 1893 cases were local Calicut cases. In the case of Ukappan alias Kristian (admitted 29th May), Dr. Carruthers shows the cause in Form C as "abuse of drugs probably." I entered "ganja" after inquiry from his wife who came to visit him. In the case of M. Andikuti (admitted 5th July 1893), Dr. Carruthers shows the case in Form C as "physical, probably induced by abuse of alcohol and drugs." I cannot remember why I entered. "ganja." My first entry was "use of intoxicants." Below that I later on wrote "ganja." I think I must have heard that the man was more addicted to ganja than alcohol; but I do not remember. In the only remaining case, Assistant Surgeon J. J. S. Pillay entered "ganja smoking" as the cause in Form C. He has left the district."

To make things worse, errors were common in the process of copying the information from the descriptive roles to the asylum records, as the evidence of Hospital Assistant D. Rajendrum, Calicut, provided above, shows. The Hemp Commission also cites the example of a record in the Rangoon asylum, where the initial record which states alcohol and opium use as possible causes, ultimately morphs into cannabis as the cause over the years. Whether this was just a case of casual human error, or a deliberate attempt by those in authority to show cannabis in a bad light, while protecting alcohol and opium, is anybody's guess. Remember, Burma, or today's Myanmar was the first British colony to prohibit cannabis use, as the British used the country as a passageway for opium's movement from China to Britain.

Role played by lunatic asylum superintendents.

The complete unquestioning trust of the lunatic asylum superintendent, in both the cause of insanity provided by the police and the transfer of this information by the asylum staff into the asylum records, and its subsequent usage in providing statistical reports, while at the same time questioning its reliability, is shocking, to say the least. Here is the evidence provided by Surgeon Major J. W. U. Macnamara, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Tezpur - "The statements of the annual report are prepared from the general register by the asylum overseer. I have no doubt that the statement [Read to witness] of asylum procedure given by the witness, Betha Ram Surma, asylum overseer, is quite accurate. If the Superintendent tried to keep the register, it would be constantly in arrears when he was out; so the overseer must be held responsible. I certainly do not approve of the procedure described. I think that, whatever is entered in the papers, should be put on the books; and nothing should be altered except by the Superintendent. The thing goes on now as it did. There is no order for change. But if I found out that such alterations were made I should have forbidden it. I have no reason to think that the register entries are at present more in accord with those of the descriptive rolls than they were in 1892, for the two men are the same. I think that the register entries are inaccurate as they stand. The entries of the descriptive rolls should have been copied. It is wrong to enter cause merely from the statement of habits in the descriptive roll. If, on the other hand, the overseer were to alter an entry from enquiry from the lunatic, that would make the entry in the register more accurate if the original entry were "unknown." I think the lunatic's opinion as to what made him insane would be well worth having. If the man admitted the use of ganja it would be nothing; but if he attributed his insanity to ganja it would be of value. I do not think we ever discover the cause of insanity in the asylum, therefore we never alter the heading in the register. The register does not concern me in the very least as far as the point of cause goes. There are no typical symptoms of hemp drug insanity. We never diagnose the cause in the asylum. The diagnosis of cause is wholly based on information received in the descriptive roll. We have nothing to say to it once the man is admitted. I sometimes make enquiries as to cause, such as asking a man about his habits, and so on, for my own satisfaction in regard to the case before me. But I make no record of them at all. I think the "general register" of the asylum very inaccurate, and that any return prepared from it would be very inaccurate. Even if the entries in the register had corresponded with those in the descriptive rolls, I think the returns would not form a sound scientific basis for any theory regarding the connection of hemp drugs with insanity. There is nothing scientific about it. At the very best the information is from miserable units, the police enquiry or the statements of lunatics themselves at the best. The views that I have set forth regarding insanity of a permanent nature resulting from hemp drugs are based solely on my asylum experience and my knowledge of the effects of these drugs. My opinion, based on asylum experience, is that insanity of a permanent type may be produced by ganja. The asylum experience I refer to is my conversation with lunatics every day. Some of the hopeless cases in the asylum are, so far as I can judge or ascertain, truly ganja cases. I base this on the statement of the lunatic alone. This is the sole basis of my opinion as to the cause; and I know one case of permanent insanity where the lunatic says it was due to ganja. There is no other case. In regard to the effects of the drugs, I mean what I have seen in people taking the drugs just as I know the effects of alcohol. I have never seen a man actually take the ganja, although I have tried to get people to do so. I have only had the statement of the man himself as to having taken the drug. This experience is outside the asylum. I have not had the cases for observation for any length of time, not more than half an hour. The result of any observation is that he is like an ordinary drunken man. He yells and shouts and gesticulates wildly, and is often violent to those about him. I have never heard of any of these cases becoming insane. My own personal experience, therefore, does not prove to me that the drug causes insanity. I never saw any man take the drug; and I never had a man sufficiently long under observation to see the development of insanity. I do not think I could distinguish between the intoxication of liquor and ganja from the appearance of the man. Smell of course would show. I think a little touch of dhatura would not be at all unlike ganja intoxication. Dhatura might lead to insanity. I had a case of a man in Sylhet who became insane from dhatura. I do not think that dhatura insanity could be distinguished from ganja insanity. But it would be possible to diagnose dhatura intoxication from hemp drug intoxication. The dhatura case above referred to had gone past the intoxication stage and become chronic. My statement as to there being no case of a female whose insanity is due to ganja is based on a census I caused to be made in the asylum. I told my overseer what I wanted, and sent him round to make it out. I was not aware that there were three females in the returns for 1892. These had all been released before I made my census, and there were none then under my charge." This witness has little faith in the cause of insanity entered in the police descriptive rolls and the process of copying this into the asylum records. He however has faith in the statement of the lunatic himself, which according to other experts is not to be relied on.

Another asylum superintendent, Surgeon-Lietenant-Colonel A.H. Leaping-Well, District Surgeon, Vizagapatam, in his witness statement, also speaks of the complete unreliability of the Form C sent from the magistrate to the asylum along with the lunatic. He states that "I attach specially little weight to the allegation of ganja as a cause in Form C, because there is a popular idea that ganja causes insanity, and if the Magistrate heard of ganja he would probably enter it at once. I should myself have put down ganja as the cause of insanity in any case where I examined the friends, if they merely said the man used ganja and I could get no other cause, as I did not discriminate between the excessive and moderate use. I should go much more carefully into the matter now, since I have, in the course of the present inquiry, learned so much more about the use of the drugs."

A third asylum superintendent, Surgeon-Major H. ST. C. Carruthers, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Calicut, goes on record stating that - "I am simply keeper, and incidentally medical attendant, and not responsible for any statements and certificates received with the patient as long as they are in order. The cause of insanity is a fact worth knowing for the treatment of the insane. I therefore keep it in view. But I make no alteration of the cause in the asylum register, which, by established practice, is derived from the certificate, Form C, which comes with the patient, and is written up by the Hospital Assistant as described above. The entry in annual statement VII is founded on the entries in the General Register, and may therefore be said to be based on the Magistrate's enquiries. I do not consider myself responsible for it. Whatever my opinion may be, I am not entitled to alter a statement based on fact with which I am not acquainted."

A further statement with regard to the process prior to arrival of the lunatic at the asylum is provided by Surgeon-Major-General P. S. Turnbull, Surgeon-General with the Government of Bombay, who states that "There is no actual rule that the Superintendent must accept the Magistrate's record as to cause; but practically he must do so, unless he has information to the contrary. The diagnosis of course therefore rests with the Magistrate except in those cases in which the Superintendent may have an opportunity of investigating the cause himself. I do not think it possible for a lay person to ascertain accurately the cause of insanity. There is too much tendency to jump to conclusions. A joint enquiry by the Magistrate and the Civil Surgeon, if feasible, would be the best possible; but it would be difficult to arrange such procedure."

Asylum superintendent, Surgeon-Major H. W. B. Boyd, Superintendent, Colaba Lunatic Asylum, Bombay, states in his evidence that "I think that the hemp drugs have been unfairly charged with causing insanity; the information is largely inaccurate. And when we have no accurate information, we have to accept anything that may seem to be a possible cause. Where a coincidence of ganja-smoking exists, the insanity is generally attributed to it, though in my opinion often very unfairly."

The superintendents of the lunatic asylum, typically Britishers with no exposure to cannabis, ultimately readily accepted the information as to cause of insanity provided by the police in the descriptive rolls, whatever their thoughts on its reliability, thus adding one more to the number of cannabis related insanes housed in India's mental asylums. Regarding the ignorance and carelessness of asylum superintendents in determining cause of insanity when a person was sent by the police and magistrates to the asylum, the Commission states that - "As already stated, many Superintendents have recognized these papers as practically the only material they had for determining cause. They have not had adequate opportunities for making enquiries themselves. They have had a general impression that the information supplied by Magistrates or police was as good as the Government required for statistical purposes, and they have accepted it accordingly. As a rule they have regarded this question of cause as one of little or no practical importance. The Government prescribed Statement VII, and pressed to have the columns filled up; and as a rule the orders were carried out in this somewhat mechanical way." The Commission further states in this regard that "It is clear then that the medical officers in charge of asylums have not felt that they have been in any way responsible for the accuracy of the figures contained in annual Statement VII regarding causation of insanity; and that these figures derive no value from the fact that the statement bears the signature of a medical man; for their value practically depends entirely on the character of the inquiry in which the information contained in the descriptive roll was in each case collected." The Commission states that "This demand for much information where little information is available, and this insistence on ascribing a cause where reasonable presumption as to cause is so rarely possible, have had a powerful influence in rendering the statistics untrustworthy."

The multiple roles that asylum superintendents have to play, including sometimes the role of civil surgeon, appears to have an impact in terms of their functioning. The readiness to enter information provided by police and magistrates as to cause of insanity, their general lack of oversight in terms of what the asylum staff enter in a lunatic's records on admission, their large reliance on hearsay, and their acceptance of the narrative that the final statistics from the lunatic asylums create, specifically to cannabis as cause of insanity as diagnosed by the police, etc. point to the lack of due diligence to a cause of insanity that was so readily and widely reported as the leading cause of insanity in Indian society at that time, and also point to their lack of medical expertise on the subject. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel  W. McConaghy, Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Poona, who thinks that it is the responsibility of the magistrate, a person who is as medically qualified as the police man, to determine the cause of insanity, not that of the civil surgeon or the lunatic asylum superintendent. His evidence give a clear picture of the overall process, the numerous inherent flaws in it, and the cluelessness of asylum superintendents when it comes to cannabis. He states - "When a case comes to the asylum, it is accompanied by a certificate in Form A, a statement in form C, and an order from the Magistrate. I fill up the asylum register from Form C immediately on its receipt. It contains details, from which the different headings in the register are filled up. The register is filled up by the assistant at the time of the lunatic's admission. According to my idea of asylum practice, the entries must be in accordance with Form C. If the cause is entered as unknown, it must be so entered in the register. An alteration probably would be made if information of a reliable character could be obtained, but this is not often done. The alteration would not be made without the permission of the Magistrate. Form C ought to be filled up by the Magistrate. That has been my experience in four other stations. The Civil Surgeon has not the same facilities as the Magistrate for collecting the required information as to history and cause. The case comes to the Civil Surgeon for observation only. As Superintendent of the Asylum, I should not alter the register, of which the entries have been derived from Form C, without reporting the matter to the Magistrate. Any alteration of the kind would have a record in the shape of an erasure and a reference to the Magistrate. The Magistrate has the facility of making enquiry that is supplied by the attendance of the relations in some cases. I don't know the procedure followed by the police. In the case of Guljar Shah the entry in the asylum register is ganja-smoking. That does not agree with head 12 in Form C, where the entry is "The above mentioned ganja smoking and religious and isolated habits," and the assistant admitted to me that a mistake had been made in not copying the whole entry which appears in Form C. In the case of Rangnath Trimbak, the cause entered in the asylum register is " Drinks bhang," while the entry against head 12 of Form C is " Unknown." It is probable that the entry in the register was taken from the entry against head 6 of Form C, which is apparently copied verbatim. This was not in my time, but I think that if an entry in Form C shows that the lunatic drinks bhang it would be a mistake to put cause unknown against head 12 of the form, even though bhang may not have been the only cause. In the case of Trimbak Vinayak, the entry against head 12 of Form C is "Ganja-smoking and abstinence from food," and in the register the cause is put down as " Ganja-smoking." This occurred before my time. The Superintendent may not have considered that abstinence from food was an existing cause, but I think he was wrong in making the entry he did. In the case of Laxman Nandram, the entry "Ganja and liquor" reverses the order in which the drug appears in head 6 of Form C, and is contrary to head 12 of Form C, where the entry is " Unknown." I can't explain why this was done. In the case of Hari Trimbak, the entry against head 12 of Form C is " Unknown beyond the habit of smoking ganja," and in the register " Ganja-smoking." In the case of Parasram there is no entry of cause in Form C, but against heads 11 and 12 appears : " He had an illness seven years ago, but does not give a clear account." The register shows " Ganja-smoking." In these six cases the register entry does not agree with the Civil Surgeon's certificate, and there ought to be something on the record to explain the difference. I cannot explain the procedure of that time, for Dr. Hughes was in charge and the assistant is dead. It is from this register that the annual returns are compiled which show these six cases as the only hemp drug admissions of 1892...The asylum records show that during the last five years there have been 31 admissions from ganja, 1 from bhang, and 10 from country liquor, and I therefore regard liquor as a more prolific cause of insanity than bhang....There are no typical symptoms that I am aware of to enable you to diagnose hemp drug insanity. Ganja cases generally recover rapidly. Cases arising from mental shock are of longer duration. To diagnose by this symptom, therefore, the patient must be under continuous observation. It is nevertheless the practice to enter the cause immediately on the admission of a case to the asylum. But it is supposed that the Civil Surgeon has had the man under observation for a week or ten days more or less, and has diagnosed the cause. Insanes are rarely cured by the time they reach the asylum. The Civil Surgeon only keeps the man long enough to satisfy himself that he is insane. As a rule the Civil Surgeon's diagnosis is accepted, but if the Superintendent has reason to think the diagnosis is wrong, he ought to change it. As a fact, I have not known of any case of such change since I have been at Poona...I have been observing cases of hemp drug insanity for seven or eight years. I have not observed the effects of the hemp drugs apart from insanity. I have spoken to many people who have told me they were moderate smokers, but seen no effects among such persons. I do not know any excessive consumer, nor have I had to do with any such persons, except in the way of treatment for mental disease. My impression of the connection between hemp drugs and insanity is therefore not based on any knowledge of the general consumption and effects of the drug among the people."

An elitist and ruling class mindset, an almost evangelical zeal against cannabis and its users (accompanied by an equally evangelical zeal in the love for alcohol), a complete reliance on data that he should surely know is inaccurate, and hatred for certain sections of society are exhibited by some of these asylum superintendents, who also played the role of civil surgeons working closely with the upper class magistrates, tilted fate against the poor soul accused of cannabis insanity. Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. Keith, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad, Sind, appears to have an open hatred for ganja-smokers, and the mendicant classes in general, calling them "mawalis" whom he would rather see working for the ruling and upper classes. He states that "Mental anxiety or brain disease (the latter being a rather vague term) is never treated in Sind by resort to bhang, ganja and charas; it is usually liquor, either Native or European, which is resorted to as the Hindustani and Persian quotations show :— Shirab shouk pinese hama dookh dard jati hain. Labalab bekun dam bedam nosh kun. 46. In cases before the Commission, it [ganja] has formed, as a rule, the exciting cause. In the history of the admissions into the asylum for the year 1892, it will be seen that the excessive indulgence in the use of hemp drugs formed the exciting causes, for no hereditary insanity could be traced in any of the cases which Mr. Thattumal and I examined. The type may be generally classified as mania, and as characterised by an exaltation or liveliness of manner, and a restlessness as would be seen in one in a state of semi-intoxication, accompanied by incoherence, want of the power of co-ordination of the relations of the ideas of space or time, or of the relations of the various memories developed by the visual, tactual and acoustic sensations; impairment or the complete loss of the sense of shame (a good indicator of the moral state) manifested by walking about naked; defalcating and micturating whenever and wherever nature prompts them ; and talking to some imaginary individual or muttering to themselves, and having a quiet laugh or chuckle when alone. This is a summary of the general features of the type of the cases admitted in 1892, and from observing mawalis going through the various stages of intoxication till unconsciousness and sleep supervene, I could not, somehow, help thinking that in cases produced by the excessive use of hemp drugs, the type of insanity and its modifications simulated or were to a certain extent identical with the latter stages of intoxication in the mawali. The cluster of symptoms accompanying the various stages of intoxication are not to be traced as co-existing permanently in the same individual, although they may appear during the time insanity lasts, but in a number of lunatics. A short analysis of the cases before the Commission will show the grounds on which this parallelism has been traced. As a preamble, it may be remarked that the co-ordination of the ideational centres—visual, tactual, acoustic—and the intelligent expression of ideas in articulate language form the highest effort which a human being is capable of. During the period of intoxication, when the ganja is circulating amongst a circle of mawalis, one would think that all their wits were leaving them, crowded out as it were by over-stimulation ; and it is astonishing how infectious this hilarity and outflow of wit and nonsense become to the calm observer. But as intoxication proceeds, or when the equilibrium between waste and repair is suspended by the slow poisoning of the blood circulating round the grey matter of the convolutions of the brain ; when semiptosis and partial congestion of the conjunctiva take place, co-ordination of the ideas begins to fail with articulate language. The month seems drier, more effort is required to keep up the excitement; the voice becomes huskier; more lung pressure is necessary ; the period of co-ordination is past ; a sort of amnesia supervenes ; language becomes automatic ribaldry and slang. When the charas begins to circulate, they do not any longer all speak together, some are silent and have had enough, and more than they are able to carry ; others continue till ultimately silence and sleep supervene ; their state is temporarily similar to an animal with its hemispheres removed. Sarandas Anandas may be taken as an example of the exalted incoherent period. When he was last admitted into the asylum, he went on during his examination in the most extraordinary way, until the veins of his neck were swollen, his face blue, and his mouth dry from the pressure on his lungs, uttering a perfect Babel of automatic phrases in the shape of prayers, denunciations, and threats ; frowning, laughing, crying, and going through all the varied gesticulations, and intonations almost in the same breath in a perfect whirlwind of incoherence and inco-ordination of ideas. Now he is quite sane. Soba, No. 5, may be taken as an example of the other extreme of the period of aphasia, or perhaps a better diagnosis would be amnesia. When he was admitted into the asylum, he could not speak a word of any known language. On the 1st October 1893, on his examination, it was found that he could now speak Hindustani. But he had no ideas of space or time. With difficulty he said he came from Madanpur, and he knew how to prepare ganja and smoke it; but beyond a few automatic answers to every-day questions, his mind is a complete blank. Perfect destruction of brain tissue could not have more effectually removed all traces of the education, ideas and language constructed by a life-time of human intercourse. He may be said to be in the permanent position of the mawali who has figuratively fallen " beside his chair." It need scarcely be mentioned that between these two extremes there is every gradation depending upon the age, the physical, mental and moral characteristics of the individual, and the length of time and extent of indulgence in the habit. This parallelism kept for some time possession of my mind until Makka, wife of Fazul, a young woman about 18, was admitted on the 12th June 1893. The police took her husband away from her, charged him with theft, and he was imprisoned for 12 months. This so preyed upon her mind that she lost her reason; and she was sent to the lunatic asylum. On her admission she behaved exactly like those suffering from insanity from the excessive use of hemp drugs. No absolute diagnostic feature could be shown from the most careful examination of her symptoms as indicating a difference between the two types of insanity but the history of the cause. But it may also assume the morose melancholic type as in Metho, No. 6. The indulgence in hemp drugs may be said to be both temporary or permanent. Jehangir alias Parashram may be cited as an example of the permanent effect of the drug on the brain. Mattadin, No. 8, and Bux Ali, No. 10, may be shown as having suffered from its temporary effects. The symptoms may be re-induced after liberation from restraint, as in the case of Metho, No. 6, or Sarandas Anandas, who has been four times in the asylum suffering from the effects of hemp drugs. There are no typical symptoms. Although I have tried to draw a parellel between intoxication in the sane and insanity produced by hemp drugs, I do not think there is a great difference between intoxication produced by the latter and wine or spirituous liquors drunk to excess. Moreover, anything which would injuriously affect the grey matter of the convolutions of the brain in a similar way (such as grief, loss of honour or property, or fear; or ureemia, sapticeemia, etc.) would, â priori, produce like results. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug if they know what they are talking about. Persons deficient in self-control through weakened intellect, no matter from what cause, especially if they have no friends to keep them straight, as a rule, gravitate towards the company of the idle and vicious, viz., the mawalis.  Question 45. [oral evidence]— The insanes are brought to the hospital by their relations like other patients. I, as Civil Surgeon, have to collect all information necessary for the admission of the lunatic to the asylum, and I not only fill up the certificate, but the whole of the form printed on the back of the certificate. I get the information from the relations and friends. Some insanes are brought by the police without any relations. In that case the information is got from the police. When the police pick up an insane in the bazar, they cannot know any thing about him, unless they can discover his relations in the neighbourhood. Sometimes bairagis and people of that class are brought up without any information having been gathered about them. In all other cases the relations come to the hospital voluntarily with the insane or are brought by the police. I think that in the majority of cases I get no information as to cause of insanity. The mendicants form the great majority of cases, and it is difficult to get any information about them. The insanes in the asylum may be ranged under two classes, the majority about whom no information can be got, and the minority about whom I have made enquiry from their friends. In the case of any insane man about whom there is no history, it is impossible to state toms most resemble, and it is the best way I can the cause of insanity. In the majority of cases therefore the cause is entered as unknown. The only ground, as far as I can remember, on which I would enter cause would be the information of friends or the statement of the insane after he had recovered his wits. If no other cause of insanity was given, and the friends told me that the patient consumed hemp, or he himself admitted the habit, I should certainly enter hemp as the cause. I think it is only the excessive use and not the moderate use of hemp which may, and often does, cause insanity ; and I have not, as Superintendent of the Asylum, hitherto distinguished between the moderate and excessive use in these enquiries, because that information has not been called for, and because for my purposes as Civil Surgeon I should accept the statement that the hemp was used as implying the excessive habit." This witness is so convinced that cannabis causes insanity that he does not stop to think that what he has described as the similarities of cannabis intoxication and insanity also applies to alcohol, and the scene he describes of cannabis intoxication could as easily fit a pub in Europe where beer is consumed instead of alcohol. He has complete faith in the cause assigned when it is present, cannot add any value to the diagnosis of cause in a majority of the cases, readily assigns cannabis as cause purely on the basis that the person consumes cannabis, cannot differentiate between excess and moderate use, or differentiate between the symptoms of cannabis induced insanity and other types of insanity. His missionary anti-cannabis zeal is toned down in his oral evidence before the Commission. This is an example of the profile of the civil surgeon who works closely with the magistrate, also from the ruling classes, and also plays the role of asylum superintendent.

Shockingly, nearly all asylum superintendents justified this casual and reckless attitude towards untrustworthy information on cannabis related insanity by stating reasons, such as that they did not know that the information had been filled in by an unqualified junior police officer, or that they were too busy with other tasks to review the information, or that they were hard pressed to supply information, any information, or that they had very little direct experience with regard to hemp drugs and so relied on hearsay. It is stated that in the preceding years to the Commission's detailed study of cannabis related insanity, the number of cases attributed to cannabis found in lunatic asylums in India was in the range of 30% to 50%. This number appears to be, in reality, the percent of persons in lunatic asylums who had ever used ganja, rather than persons actually insane from cannabis usage. Surgeon-Captain J. H. Tull Walsh, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylums, Calcutta, says "I have stated in my paper that the Statement VII shows the number of ganja smokers in the asylum rather than the number insane from the use of ganja. By this I certainly do not mean that ganja may not cause insanity; but that practically all the information I get from the descriptive roll is that the man used the drug. This statement that a man is addicted to the drug is not itself wholly trustworthy."

Regarding the symptoms of the alleged cannabis insanity, no medical authority was able to list symptoms that were specific to cannabis insanity. All symptoms listed were common to other forms of insanity, or even just plain intoxication, raising serious doubts on the role that cannabis plays in all this. As the Hemp Commission report states - "The evidence obtained by the Commission appears to indicate that in the cases of alleged hemp drug insanity which find their way into asylums, there are no typical features in the premonitory symptoms and no pathognomonic symptoms in the insane condition on which to base a determination of causation. The mode of incidence, the premonitory symptoms, and the symptoms of the insane state are practically the same in cases in which these drugs have never been used as in instances in which the mental equipoise has been accepted as being disturbed by their employment." Then there is the almost universal concurrence among the medical community at the time that cannabis insanity is temporary, with the patient quickly recovering in a few hours in many cases. The fact that the extent of cannabis usage was largely invisible to the ruling and upper classes makes it clear that the cannabis user was a seamless part of the fabric of Indian society. There appears to me, in many instances, classic examples of mixing the symptoms of intoxication with the symptoms of insanity. Regarding the ability of the medical community at the time to distinguish between cannabis insanity and ordinary insanity, the Hemp Commission writes - 'With practically no modern literature on the subject, with no special knowledge apart from the popular idea, with a very slight or no clinical experience of insanity in England, with the experience derived from perhaps having had half a dozen insanes in the course of two years under observation as Civil Surgeons, officers have been placed in charge of asylums, and have had to differentiate between cases of hemp drug insanity and ordinary mania. The careful inquiry which has been made by the Commission into all the alleged hemp drugs cases admitted in one year into asylums in British India demonstrates conclusively that the usual mode of differentiating between hemp drug insanity and ordinary mania was in the highest degree uncertain, and therefore fallacious." The Commission, however, still appears to cling on to the attempt to connect cannabis with insanity by classifying it as a cerebral stimulant, which can excite the brain and cause insanity to those predisposed to it. Going by this argument, anything that stimulates the brain, be it tea, coffee, sex or the internet, can be treated as triggering causes of insanity. The confusion over what is intoxication and what is insanity is evident when the Commission states - "The impression left on the minds of the Commission by the perusal of a large number of records in criminal cases and by the examination of some asylum cases is that there is occasionally seen a tendency to confound intoxication and insanity in connection with hemp drugs. The result is that in some cases men who should have been simply punished for being intoxicated have been sent to the asylum, and, though sane when they reached that institution, have been detained there...The main reason for the confusion that has existed is probably the ignorance that has prevailed regarding hemp drugs. When they are recognised as a common intoxicant, it is to be hoped that the practice of the Courts will be freed from the occasional blemishes above indicated."

The best treatment then, and even now, for cannabis over-intoxication, which I personally believe to be impossible, except for the novice user or when used in addition to other intoxicants, by leading medical experts is mostly a break from its consumption. The common treatment these days, however, when a person is picked up by the police, for cannabis usage, let alone intoxication, is for the magistrate to offer imprisonment or drug rehabilitation. If drug rehabilitation is chosen, as it is in most cases involving the rich who wish to escape prison, the person is subjected to dangerous synthetic drugs that permanently, and dangerously, alter the mind, besides causing the person to be addicted to these synthetic medications. It is also not uncommon for the person, often a first time consumer, to be housed in inhuman conditions, or with persons with serious mental illnesses that could have a traumatic effect on the person.  The poor, who cannot afford the drug rehabilitation center, have no choice but prison where they meet no less challenging environments.

So essentially, the diagnosis as to cause of insanity, entered by the unqualified junior police official in the descriptive rolls, untouched by the magistrate and police or civil surgeon, made its way into the asylum records, either copied mechanically and faithfully without modifications by the asylum staff in most instances, or more alarmingly, modified ad hoc at the staff's discretion, to form the basis of Statement VII that provided the overall statistics as to percentage of cases where cannabis was cause of insanity, the same overall statistics cited year on year, by experts, as proof that cannabis caused insanity, and hence must be prohibited. Thus, the police, the judiciary and the medical community, through their ineptitude, callousness, lack of scruples, selfish interests, and insanity, helped to create the 'cannabis causes insanity'. Finally, the myth became self sustaining, as more and more medical experts, law enforcement and the upper classes started quoting these cannabis related numbers of insanes in lunatic asylums as evidence that cannabis causes insanity, and the larger community started believing this to be true. The song Who killed Davy Moore by Bob Dylan comes to mind. When the crime of implicating cannabis is investigated, each entity passes the blame as to who is responsible for this false implication to somebody else, while all the time perpetrating the myth that cannabis is guilty. Who are the real insane here - the police, magistrates, civil surgeons, lunatic asylum staff, and the people who perpetrate and believe all this tripe or the poor vagabond who got picked up for sitting and staring at the sunset, or clapping his hands and singing a song on the streets? When a mob lynches an innocent man then who are the insane and the guilty?

For the upper classes, administration, police, judiciary and medical community, it was easy to implicate ganja used by the lower classes, religious mendicants, indigenous communities, minorities, free thinkers and trouble makers. The ruling classes preferred bhang, and made it clear that it was not a source of insanity. To many in the upper classes, ganja and its users represented a world that they could not relate to, a world that they could easily consider insane since they did not belong to it, but only had fleeting contact with. When the question of whether ganja should be controlled and prohibited was raised, many of the respondents from the upper classes explicitly stated that this should be easy since ganja users were, after all, a peaceful community, without sufficient clout to oppose the ruling classes. For the persons afflicted with insanity from many years, due to heredity, it was easy to blame ganja as the cause, since it more or less protected the reputations of other members of the family if questions of heredity arose. For the ones who committed violent acts in sudden fits of mania, it was easy to blame ganja as the cause, since it allowed them to escape with relatively softer punishments. In the case of persons who were harmless and innocent, or strangers, it was sufficient to get them to answer in the affirmative that they used ganja to put it down as the cause of insanity, considering that not much else was known about them. To top it all, many cases, where the cause of insanity was put down initially as 'Unknown', were modified without any stated reason, sometimes at the behest of the asylum superintendent, and sometimes purely impulsively it appears, after a few years to read 'ganja', as were cases where initially the cause was put down as 'alcohol' or 'opium' or 'dathura'. This habit of making 'ganja' the fall guy for all the unscrupulous and manipulative forces of society, was something that helped spread the myth among the general public that cannabis caused insanity.  Today, all these behaviours are still commonly visible, with 'ganja' continuing to take the rap for all kinds of things.

Spreading the misinformation

To spread misinformation, we need at least two parts - the ones who create the misinformation, knowingly or unknowingly, and the ones who then propagate this misinformation as if it is the gospel truth. The police, magistrates, civil surgeons, hospital assistants, and asylum superintendents created the false cases of cannabis insanity through laxity, or for unscrupulous reasons, and thus provided the false statistics that formed the Statement VII numbers of India's lunatic asylums for many years between, at least, 1850 and 1892. In the form of the proponents of this false information, we had the zamindars, dubious Indian physicians, missionaries, and so called anti-cannabis advocacy groups with their own private agendas, similar to SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) in the US today, that regularly cited the false statistics from the asylums to spread the myth of cannabis insanity and convince the public. One such anti-cannabis advocacy group, and there were a few around, was the Band of Hope, Faridpur, whose secretary Babu Purna Chunder Maitra, gave the following evidence to the Commission, using the false statistics with expert skills in his argument. The note by the Commission at the end of his evidence shows what the Commission thought of his evidence's reliability. He states 'Statement VII, of the reports of the lunatic asylums in Bengal for the years 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892, shew that of the total admissions, 26.72 per cent. in 1889, 25.38 per cent. in 1890, 24.88 per cent. in 1891, and 23.49 per cent. in 1892, are attributed to Indian hemp. So in the opinion of Surgeon-Colonel J. G. Pilcher, F.R.C.S., Officiating Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals in Bengal "the use of ganja or other preparation of Indian hemp is by far the most fruitful cause of admissions throughout India. The next potent cause is spirit drinking, .... while the use of opium seems to give rise to comparatively little insanity in the community. . . ." (paragraph 19, Lunatic Asylums' Report, 1889),—vide also paragraph 14, paragraph 15, paragraph 12 of the Lunatic Asylums' Report for 1890, 1891, 1892, respectively. Mr. C. J. O'Donnell, Superintendent of Census Operations in Bengal, 1891, thus observes in respect of the use of ganja in his census report, Volume III, page 240: "Although it is possible that there may be a racial strain towards insanity in Northern and Eastern Bengal, it is very probable that the greater preference evinced by the people for toxic drugs, such as ganja or Indian hemp, must be taken into account. The intoxicants in use in Behar and Chota Nagpore, a dilute form of spirit obtained from the flower of the mohua tree, the fermented juice of the Palmyra palm and rice beer are all comparatively weak liquors and never known to induce mental disorder. Ganja, on the other hand, is unquestionably very deleterious, being recognized throughout Bengal as a brain excitant of a very dangerous kind." Benjamin Ward Richardson, M.A., F.R.S., thus observes: "We have, however, sufficient evidence of bad effect to be certain that the peculiar intoxication induced by the narcotic (hemp drug) is certainly destructive to sound mental life " (Abkari, January 1892, page 10). Brigade-Surgeon R. Pringle, M.D., in his note on ganja says: "the action of ganja on the system, when taken alone and without any controlling power, is very remarkable, and but little known on account of its rare occurrence, and appears to resemble that of no other drug in the absence of all narcotism, but yet combined with strange temporary loss of will power and that of memory, with inability to concentrate thought." Statement VII of the Lunatic Asylums' Report shows also the amount of crimes committed under ganja influence. A full and complete return on that head is not available. In Rajshahi (specially in Puthia and Nator) and Hughli districts most of the pilferings are imputed to the ganja and opium smokers. At the Faridpur Sessions during the current year two cases* of brutal murder (one of murdering a wife and child and the other of murdering a lame boy) have been tried, and the criminals declared to be insane, the cause of insanity being attributed to ganja smoking." All these and the criminal propensities of the ganja smokers lead to the irresistible conclusion that ganja is a real evil, not to speak of an annual drain of about 22 lakhs of rupees on the poverty stricken and half-famished people of Bengal. [Oral evidence before the Commission] As regards the two cases quoted in paragraph 7, in which brutal murder is alleged to have been attributed to ganja-smoking, which brought on insanity in the criminals, there was evidence in the records of the cases that ganja had caused the insanity. In saying this I act upon information. I have no personal knowledge. I told the Association about these cases. When I submitted my draft I explained these cases. So far as I recollect, the Sessions clerk, who is a member of the Band of Hope, was my informant. I had heard rumours of these cases, and that led me to enquire about them. I do not know whether the Sessions clerk was aware, at the time I made enquiries of him, that his information was to be used * See note appended to witness's evidence in the Association's letter. I could not have taken any further steps to ascertain the facts of the cases. I did not attempt to see the records, because I believed it would be useless for an outsider to apply. I wanted simply to give the Commission a clue that they might find out the truth. I did not, however, recommend that the Commission should send for the records. I simply stated the cases as facts. When I found that the Commission was going to hear evidence, and not merely act upon the written statements, I attached less weight to written statements. I have, however, no accurate information now to give about these two cases.' The Note by the Commission appended to the evidence of Babu Purna Chunder Maitra states that '(1) Madhab Nagarchi. Madhab Nagarchi was tried by the Sessions Judge, Faridpur, for murdering his wife and child and was acquitted on the ground of insanity on 10th July 1893. The only mention of ganja in the record is in the evidence of Mohan Nagarchi, uncle of the accused, who stated that " Madhab smokes ganja." This was before the Committing Magistrate. It was not repeated in his evidence before the Sessions Judge. This Mohan Nagarchi was alleged by the accused to have had an intrigue with the murdered woman, on account of which the accused took her life. Mohan Nagarchi and two other witnesses stated that the accused had been mad several years before and had then injured his mother; and six witnesses (including the above) stated that he had been mad for a day or two before the murder. He had also had a quarrel with his wife the day before. The Committing Magistrate attributed the crime to jealousy; but the Judge, to insanity. Neither mentions ganja. The Asylum papers show that "the lunatic's father had tendency to insanity; and that the probable cause of Madhab's own insanity was "natural tendency possibly made worse by smoking ganja." (2) Dhopai Khan. Dhopai Khan, apparently without motive, murdered a cripple boy on 20th October 1889. He was insane and not fit to be tried until 1893. The Sessions Judge acquitted him on the ground of insanity on 9th May 1893. There is no mention of ganja in the record, but the Judge states a letter from the Jail Superintendent in 1889 had given the "probable cause of insanity as ganja smoking:" the grounds for this statement which appears to have been made by an Assistant Surgeon are not apparent. The papers received at the Asylum from the Magistrate of Faridpur in 1890 show that the lunatic was not addicted to ganja or other intoxicants and that no cause could be assigned for his insanity. The Asylum Superintendent stated that the cause of insanity was unknown, and that the man was subject to relapses.'

If the imbecility and ineptitude of the police, magistrates, civil surgeons, asylum assistants, and asylum superintendents were not enough, we had inept Indian physicians, holding pompous designations, contributing their insanity to the whole narrative, moulding public perception. Here is an example. Durga Nath Chakravarti, Brahmin, in charge of Tangail Dispensary, Mymensingh, states that "I have seen some 20 persons who became insane under excessive ganja smoking. Some of them are raving mad. The madness is permanent. They get temporary excitements. Somewhere these excitements were due to the temporary abstinence of the drug and somewhere to their excessive use. In the neighbourhood of my residence a woman of middle class died from dysentery and was a hard ganja smoker. Her one son, a hard ganja smoker, became stark mad, and another son, a very good intelligent man, a few years since has become insane. They keep up intelligence and reasoning power except during excitement, but are incapable to conduct business and to manage their own affairs and cannot be in any way trusted. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I have in one case seen that the moderate use produced insanity of a permanent type. The insane I refer to is still living. His father and mother were both ganja smokers and sane, though they were irritable, excitable, and hot tempered. As far as I could tell, they were quite sane and their excitability was not like insanity. They are a family of zamindar's amlas. It was six years ago that the man was found to be insane, but for three years before that, he had been eccentric. He is now 58 or 59 years old. I cannot say when he began to smoke ganja, but I know he is a ganja smoker for I know the whole household and the persons who used to bring him his ganja. He was a very reliable man of business up to the time he left the zamindar's service about ten years ago. He now smokes in excess. When he began to be insane we discovered that he was smoking to excess. From enquiry, I learned that he smoked moderately before that. I enquired when he became insane what amount he was in the habit of smoking, and his servants and other amlas of the zamindar told me that he was smoking moderately. I did not enquire what actual quantity he used to smoke. He smoked two or three times a day. I never saw him smoke. Ganja is taken privately. I never attended him professionally, nor do I know that he was ever attended by any medical man. His father died sixteen to eighteen years ago when I was a student in Calcutta. His mother died two or three years after his father before I left college. I remember that she was of an excitable and irritable temper and that all the people of the village used to fear both father and mother. If there had been any other cause for insanity, I should have learnt it for he was my neighbour. I made enquiry in his house about cause to ascertain whether the insanity was from ganja or anything else. The people in the house said it was ganja. I enquired for family troubles, but discovered none. I recollect now that he used to take liquor. I made no further enquiries because his house adjoined mine, and I knew all about him. His caste is Baidya. His brother who is dead was stark mad. My belief is that he went mad from ganja also. Question 46.[oral evidence]—The persons mentioned in this answer were not all of them under my treatment. Two of them only were so. None of these 20 persons went into a lunatic asylum. They belong to different villages, only three, i.e., one besides the two mentioned above, to mine. Of some I only heard that they were insane from ganja smoking. I know the facts personally about five of them, i.e., two besides those in my own village. I have seen more than 60 or 70 insane persons in my profession and ordinary life. Of the three in my village, two are the brothers of whom I have already spoken. The other two insanes lived in villages at a little distance. One of the latter, a boy living in a village two miles off began smoking ganja at 8 years old. He has been mad nearly four years and he is now 16 years old. He was a bad boy, no doubt. He is still mad and still smokes. I know his family intimately. I cannot say whether there was any hereditary taint or not. The other man of my village is now 50 years old. He has been mad ever since I can remember. In the village it was stated by all that he had gone mad from ganja, and he still smokes. I cannot say if there was any insanity in his family. I am not very intimately acquainted with the family. I do not know what his habits were before he became insane. The fifth case is now sane. He lives in a different village. He was mad for six months. I know his family well, and there was no hereditary taint. He did not take liquor. His father and brothers had occupation in my village, so I know all about him. It was fourteen years or so ago that he became mad for six months. I am in charge of a private dispensary at Tangail. One of the two cases which were under my treatment was that of the lad of 16. He was an outdoor patient. He had syphilitic ulcers in the arms. That indicates unnatural offences. The other man who was under my treatment was the man of 50, who has been mad ever since I can remember. I treated him for asthma. In neither of these cases did I treat the patients for insanity. In fact, I have never treated any case of insanity due to ganja." How can the words of such people be trusted? This person appears to be making up stories out of thin air, starting with stories about his neighbours and gravitating to persons from surrounding areas based on hearsay while he himself has been away most of the time, contradicting himself repeatedly, and thinks that a person must work for the zamindar and not remain idle.
 
At the time that the Indian Hemp Commission was conducting its work, Burma was the only place where cannabis insanity had been stated as the justification for cannabis prohibition, based on the statistics from the Dacca Asylum. These statistics were produced and quoted by the asylum superintendent, Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Crombie, in numerous instances, including before the Opium Commission, to emphasize that cannabis was most deleterious. It is interesting to note that Burma was a vital conduit for opium trade between China and Britain, and that there were more than a few Chinese and British who viewed cannabis as a threat. The Commission states that "Although these statistics have been discussed seriously from year to year, they have not been much used as the basis of measures of ganja administration except in the case of Burma. In this case the Commission found that the measures taken in Burma were ostensibly based on the lunatic asylum returns which were quoted by more than one Chief Commissioner, special reference being made to the figures for the Dacca Asylum. This special reference to this asylum and the fact that it is situated in the most important ganja-consuming tract in India were among the reasons why the Commission summoned Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Crombie (Bengal witness No. 104) as a witness; for he had been seven years Superintendent of that asylum. Before the Opium Commission also, and in an interesting discussion on opium published as a Supplement to the Indian Medical Gazette of July 1892, Dr. Crombie had incidentally spoken strongly of the evil effects of hemp drugs as seen in his asylum experience. The Commission hoped therefore that Dr. Crombie might be found to have devoted special attention to his asylum work, and to be able to speak with exceptional authority. He informed the Commission in his written evidence that "nearly thirty per cent. of the inmates of lunatic asylums in Bengal are persons who have been ganja smokers, and in a very large proportion of these I believe ganja to be the actual and immediate cause of their insanity." On oral examination by the Commission of Dr. Crombie, who used the Dacca asylum statistics to justify cannabis as a cause for insanity, it was found that 9 of the 14 cases attributed to cannabis insanity were inaccurate, and the remaining 5 appeared doubtful. Even if one considered the 5 cases, it only constituted 9% of the total cases and not the 30% that Dr. Crombie stated in his written evidence to the Commission.

The Hemp Commission's review and significance of findings

It is all the discrepancies in the lunatic asylum statistics, and the evident flaws in the process, that led the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission to study the year 1892, in detail, with regard to cannabis related insanity, to try and get a truer, clearer picture. They found that "Out of 1,344 admissions to the asylums of British India during 1892, there are shown to be only 98 cases (or 7.3 per cent.) in which the use of hemp drugs may be reasonably regarded as a factor in causing the insanity. If the "mixed" cases in which the hemp drugs have only been accepted as one of several possible causes are omitted, the percentage falls to 4.5." 'Mixed' cases, are cases in which other likely causes of insanity, such as heredity, dathura, or alcohol, are at play. If the mixed cases are taken into consideration, we find that leaves us with 61 cases. Of these nearly 28 cases consist of persons without any known relatives or acquaintances, or persons from other places, while the remaining consist largely of persons addicted to many vices, of which cannabis is just one, and persons from the poor labouring classes who found it difficult to communicate effectively with the insane ruling classes and their administration. The Commission also states that "in ten cases the patients had recovered prior to admission, and did not exhibit symptoms of mental aberration while in the asylum. The Commission think it well to point out that although in these instances symptoms of insanity were never observed by the Asylum Superintendents, yet the cases were returned in the annual reports as cases of toxic insanity, and thus helped to augment the annual returns (Statement VI)—a fact which very strikingly exemplifies the purely mechanical manner in which these returns have hitherto been compiled." That effectively leaves almost nobody that one can convincingly state was insane as a sole result of cannabis. But the Commission chose to retain the number of 98 cases, or 7.3 percent as the acceptable figure, possibly so as to not completely embarrass the administration that had sponsored and initiated the Hemp Commission. Considering that in a country of hundreds of millions, with cannabis users ranging easily in the tens of millions, the number of cases that could be attributed to cannabis insanity numbered a few dozens, all of which were doubtful cases, one sees that the ground reality, in terms of cannabis as a cause of insanity, was far removed from popular perception and the official narrative of the ruling and upper classes.

Nothing that was found in the entire exercise seem like strong enough reasons to globally prohibit a medicinal herb, and safe proven non-addictive intoxicant, while alcohol, tobacco, and dangerous synthetic drugs, including legal pharma drugs, run rampant in society.

Despite all the confounding factors, and with no real evidence to show that cannabis causes insanity, the Hemp Commission still managed to say what its sponsors in British India wanted to hear, by summarizing its report as follows - "In respect to the alleged mental effects of the drugs, the Commission have come to the conclusion that the moderate use of hemp drugs produces no injurious effects on the mind...It appears that the excessive use of hemp drugs may, especially in cases where there is any weakness or hereditary predisposition, induce insanity. It has been shown that the effect of hemp drugs in this respect has hitherto been greatly exaggerated, but that they do sometimes produce insanity seems beyond question." When it has been widely recognized that heredity and stress are found to be more than sufficient causes for insanity, the Commission cannot resist the temptation of adding cannabis usage in the excessive user as a compounding factor in the individual. Any evidence to support this - none. Any criteria that establishes what is moderate and what is excessive use - none. What about the other more clear compounding factors, such as alcohol and dathura?

The significance of this gross human error, deliberate or otherwise, must not be lost on anyone. The statistics of cannabis related insanity in Indian lunatic asylums were quoted by the British Empire in its colonies in Greece, Trinidad, Burma, or today's Myanmar, Egypt, and other places as justification for cannabis prohibition, and eventually by all governments across the world as evidence for global cannabis prohibition. Mind you, cannabis was the most important medicine, and favorite intoxicant, besides being a source of nutrition and fiber, for large numbers of India's working and labouring classes, its religious mendicants, indigenous communities, and the poorest people. As the Hemp Commssion states in its report - "Over and over again the statistics of Indian asylums have been referred to in official documents or scientific treatises not only in this country, but also in other countries where the use of these drugs has demanded attention. Other alleged effects of the drugs have attracted but little attention compared with their alleged connection with insanity."

I am not convinced that all this was done purely through ignorance and carelessness. Cannabis was a threat to the businesses of western alcohol, opium and western medicine. Cannabis made the Indian working classes, its indigenous communities and the fiercely independent religious mendicants almost uncontrollable by the state. Cannabis was integral to the Indian social and religious ways of life that the British and Indian upper classes wished to change and bring in line with their own ways of life. Linking cannabis with insanity, and taking it out of the hands of the people vastly benefited the ruling and upper classes, including the medical community, and the institutions through which they controlled the people - the police, judiciary and army.

In today's world, we can still widely see the same insane behaviour of law enforcement and the medical community with regard to cannabis. It is common world wide for cannabis usage to be treated as conclusive evidence by law enforcement that a person has committed a crime. Even though the number of cases of persons being sent to lunatic asylums for cannabis usage may have come down since the 19th century, the lunatic asylums today have been replaced by drug rehabilitation centers. The poor and vulnerable end up boosting the prison population, and adding to the prison labour force and industry, while the well-to-do pay huge sums of money to get dosed with dangerous synthetic pharmaceutical drugs that have been scientifically proven to cause various mental illnesses, and even suicidal tendencies.

The names of mental illnesses have increased from what they were called in the 19th century, such as mania, dementia, melancholia, to now also include various more recently discovered forms of insanity. The mental health industry is burgeoning. In western countries, especially the US, there is a rampant prevalence of a plethora of dangerous synthetic pharmaceutical drugs used for the treatment of a whole range of mental illnesses. There are still large sections of society world wide, including the medical community, who believe that cannabis is linked to various modern day diseases like schizophrenia, bipolar diseases, various neuroses, and manic depression, and the police and judiciary, who think that cannabis causes toxic mania and homicidal frenzy. These sections of society, consisting almost entirely of the ruling and upper classes everywhere, whom I would broadly classify as insane, believe in the efficacy of these modern techniques of medical treatment, and the accompanying dangerous synthetic pharmaceutical medicine. To make things worse for the mentally ill among the well-to-do, they have free access to both the legal and illegal drugs market for prescription drugs, novel psychoactive substances (NPS), synthetic cannabis, methamphetamine, opioids, alcohol,  cocaine, benzodiazepines, sedatives, cathinones, etc. For the vast majority of the world however - the poor, the religious mendicants, the working and labouring classes, the indigenous communities, the minorities, etc., cannabis is medicine that works - relieving pain, anxiety and stress, removing depression, increasing sleep, reducing fatigue, increasing appetite and focus, functioning as an entheogenic and an intoxicant that rejuvenates, enabling the individual to live a contented life of health and vigor. Surgeon-Captain D. Prain, Curator of the Herbarium, and Librarian, Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, whose definition of cannabis forms the basis of all international and national laws prohibiting cannabis, states in his evidence that "I have not met with any case of insanity in my own experience, which appeared to be due to the use of bhang or ganja. In the cases of insanity with a ganja history that have been considered by me, I have never been able to find out whether ganja or bhang was accused, and have been of opinion that the use of the drug by people whose minds were troubled, or perhaps even diseased, or whose minds were naturally deficient, has not been sufficiently considered."

Unfortunately, the cannabis plant is prohibited globally, with access to it so risky that just trying to procure it may result in one ending up in prison or the lunatic asylum or the drug rehabilitation center or, in some places, with the death penalty. The insane ruling and upper classes globally try and coerce the world's majority, why even nature, to become like them by prohibiting the plant, and keeping it prohibited for nearly a century now (with regard to India, it is 150 years).  It is one thing to consider another person insane, but entirely another thing to try and make the other person like you, especially considering that your sanity could well be in doubt. The best medicine for insanity is nature, the deprivation of which makes one rootless. Cannabis is nature. MS Valiathan, in his book The Legacy of Caraka, writes "Above all, the worship of Siva, the lord of the universe, overcomes the fear of insanity. The return to normalcy in insanity is marked by the restoration of clear perception, clarity of intellect, presence of mind and the normal functions of constituents." Cannabis is Siva. The creation of heaven or hell within one's body and mind is entirely within one's power. Recognizing that the eternal spirit pervades in its multiple forms, as everything and void, as nature, Siva, cannabis, and oneself, helps to establish the kingdom of heaven within and without. That is sanity.

'Cancel my subscription to the resurrection, send my credentials to the house of detention, I have some friends inside.' - When the music's over, The Doors.


'It wasn't all the pastoral delights that were making Arthur feel so cheery, though. He had just had a wonderful idea about how to cope with the terrible lonely isolation, the nightmares, the failure of all his attempts at horticulture, and the sheer futurelessness and futility of his life here on prehistoric Earth, which was that he would go mad.
    He beamed again and took a bite out of a rabbit leg left over from his supper. He chewed happily for a few moments and then decided formally to announce his decision.
    He stood up straight and looked the world squarely in the fields and hills. To add weight to his words he stuck the rabbit bone in his hair. He spread his arms wide.
    "I will go mad!" he announced.' 

 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Complete Trilogy of Five, Douglas Adams

Summary findings of the Hemp Commission regarding cannabis as a cause of insanity.

The Indian Hemp Commission's summary findings on the role of cannabis in causing insanity were as follows:

491. O'Shaughnessy also refers to insanity occasioned by continued hemp inebriation as follows: "Before quitting this subject, it is desirable to notice the singular form of insanity which the incautious use of hemp preparations often occasions, especially among young men who try it for the first time. Several such cases have presented themselves to our notice. They are as peculiar as the 'delirium tremens' which succeeds the prolonged abuse of spirituous liquors, but are quite distinct from any other species of madness with which we are acquainted. The state is at once recognized by the strange balancing gait of the patient, a constant rubbing of the hands, perpetual giggling, and a propensity to caress and chafe the feet of all bystanders of whatever rank. The eyes wear an expression of cunning and merriment which can scarcely be mistaken. In a few cases the patients are violent; in many highly aphrodisiac; in all that we have seen voraciously hungry. There is no increased heat or frequency of circulation or any appearance of inflammation or congestion, and the skin and general functions are in a natural state. A blister to the nape of the neck, leeches to the temples, and nauseating doses of tartar emetic with saline purgatives have rapidly dispelled the symptoms in all the cases we have met with, and have restored the patients to perfect health." This description of what O'Shaughnessy considered hemp drug insanity is of considerable interest. It is clear from his account that the symptoms were of short duration, almost typical, and that under treatment recovery was rapid. Such cases as those described by O'Shaughnessy are probably similar to the class of cases which have occasionally come before the Commission as having occurred while under observation of the certifying medical officer, and which on reaching the asylum were sane. They were probably more of the character of intoxication than of insanity. The curious point, however, in connection with O'Shaughnessy's account of hemp drug insanity is the absence of all information as to cases of longer duration, such as the class of cases now met with in asylums and attributed to hemp drugs. And this omission is all the more striking because O'Shaughnessy had devoted special attention to the subject of hemp drugs, and indeed was the first to draw the attention of European practitioners to the value of the drug as a remedial agent; and it is hardly possible that if in his day any large number of persons insane from the alleged use of the drug had been admitted into asylums, he would have been ignorant of the fact and omitted to notice it in his account of the effects of the drug.

492. The action taken in Turkey, Egypt, Greece, and Trinidad in the direction of the prohibition of the use of hemp drugs will be noticed later (vide Chapter XIV.) The Commission have not before them material to enable them to judge of the statements regarding the effects of the drugs in these countries which formed the basis of the action taken. The note drawn up in 1890 by the Sanitary Board of Greece, on which the action in that country was based, contains a statement of the effects of the drugs as alleged to have been ascertained (a) by scientific inquiry in India and other "warm countries" by experts, among whom O'Shaughnessy is specially mentioned, and (b) from statistics of the Indian (and especially the Bengal) lunatic asylums. But there is nothing given in original of the views of any of the experts named. The views of O'Shaughnessy and the Indian asylum statistics are already before the Commission. They have therefore no new material in this note. They are compelled therefore to set it aside. For the same reason they find themselves unable to arrive at any opinion in regard to the recent controversy between Dr. Ireland and "Pyramid" in the British Medical Journal regarding the effects of the drugs in Trinidad and Egypt. They pass on, therefore, to the evidence available in this country.

512. The Commission have attached considerable importance to the inquiry regarding the connection between insanity and hemp drugs because this is the part of the subject of which most has been heard in the past. There has been undoubtedly a popular impression that hemp drugs do cause insanity. There are not a few witnesses who deny this,—who say that they have never seen a consumer of the drugs insane, and do not believe that the drugs ever produce insanity. But the much more common impression is that, at all events if used to excess, the hemp drugs may, and often do, produce insanity. Some few witnesses, generalising from a most limited experience, go so far as to say that insanity is the inevitable result of the use of the drugs. There exists undoubtedly a popular impression which has come down from many generations that there is some connection between hemp drugs and insanity. Besides this popular impression, there has been great prominence given to asylum statistics as affording some tangible ground for judging of the effects of hemp drugs. Over and over again the statistics of Indian asylums have been referred to in official documents or scientific treatises not only in this country, but also in other countries where the use of these drugs has demanded attention. Other alleged effects of the drugs have attracted but little attention compared with their alleged connection with insanity.

Popular impression.
513. The popular impression on the subject is capable of very simple explanation. It is undoubtedly a very difficult matter to decide as to the cause of insanity in any case. And it cannot be expected that the popular view of the cause in any particular case should be accepted as accurate. There may be good ground for the popular opinion that insanity is caused by hemp drugs. That question may be deferred for the present. But there can be no doubt that in any particular case this view of causation must be accepted with caution. To ascertain the true cause requires a thorough knowledge of the history of the patient and a scientific capacity for judging of that history. The unscientific or popular mind rushes at conclusions, and naturally seizes on that fact of the case that lies most on the surface. Any exciting cause is more easily apparent to the casual and unscientific observer than a predisposing cause could be. The former is nearer to the effect in point of time, and is naturally more readily associated with it. Similarly, any physical cause is more easily apparent to such an observer than a moral cause would be. The former lies nearer the surface, and any physical fact that seems a possible cause is naturally accepted. Again, an intoxicant would naturally be more readily accepted than other physical causes, because some of its effects as seen in ordinary life are very similar to the symptoms of insanity. This is, perhaps, specially the case with ganja: an excessive dose produces intoxication. Its first effect is the "disequilibration of the intellect," and the mental symptoms of hemp drug intoxication are very similar to those of insanity. Such physical symptoms as the casual observer would note are less marked perhaps in the case of ganja than with alcohol, while the mental condition is often that strange mixture of apparent clearness with manifest derangement of thought which is found in insanity, but not usually in alcoholic intoxication. It is only natural that drugs the intoxication of which is seen to produce such symptoms should be readily accepted by the popular mind as a cause of insanity.

This popular idea has been greatly strengthened by the attitude taken up by Asylum Superintendents. They have known nothing of the effects of the drugs at all, though the consumption is so extensive, except that cases of insanity have been brought to them attributed with apparent authority to hemp drugs. They have generalised from this limited and one-sided experience. They have concluded that hemp drugs produce insanity in every case, or in the great majority of the cases, of consumption. They have had no idea that in the vast majority of cases this result does not follow the use. They have accordingly without sufficient inquiry assisted by the statistics they have supplied and by the opinions they have expressed in stereotyping the popular opinion and giving it authority and permanence. All this mass of popular and medical opinion demanded careful examination. The Commission have set themselves to take evidence from lay witnesses and to sift as far as possible the cases mentioned so as to ascertain the basis of the popular view. They have also examined medical men of all classes as to cases of the alleged connection between hemp drugs and insanity which have come before them in their practice, and have cross-examined them carefully in regard to these cases so as to see whether the grounds for the opinion formed in each case are adequate. Finally, they have very carefully considered the asylum statistics, and specially enquired into a large number of asylum cases. It has become apparent in the course of the inquiry that no satisfactory conclusion can be based on the individual cases reported by witnesses. As a rule, it is made manifest at once by cross-examination that the history of the patient has not formed the subject of careful inquiry; that the opinion is based on most inadequate data; and that little or no importance has been attached to the question of causation. The Commission have therefore been compelled to fall back on the asylums. This course seems clearly expedient on two grounds— firstly, that the asylum statistics and asylum experience have formed the principal basis of the opinion which calls for examination; and, secondly, that the asylum cases must form the best material for arriving at a conclusion. In its general effects the evidence of witnesses should not be ignored; but it is impossible to say precisely what weight ought to be attached to it in regard to particular facts; and the main basis of any final conclusion must be the material supplied by the asylums which the Commission now go on to consider.

Difficulty of getting accurate information.
514. The facilities which exist in England for acquiring something like accurate knowledge of the cause of insanity in any particular case may be confidently regarded as much greater than those in India. Yet every work on insanity contains comments on the difficulty of arriving at the truth and the unsatisfactory nature of many of the statements recorded. The most important subject of inquiry in this connection is the history of the lunatic's family, so as to discover what (if any) hereditary predisposition to insanity there may exist. Regarding this, Dr. Blandford says ("Insanity and its Treatment"): "Statistics on this subject are valueless. One author attributes 10 per cent. of cases to this cause; another no less than 90. This arises from lack of information on the part of some friends and the wilful concealment of others, and also because some statisticians seek for insanity only, taking no account of other neuroses, such as epilepsy or paralysis. If we make the attempt, we shall soon find how difficult it is to get an accurate account of the health of the father or mother and grandfather and grandmother of any one patient." On the wider subject of causation generally, Dr. Hack Tuke (Dictionary of Psychological Medicine; article "Statistics of Insanity") says: "As the Lunacy Commissioners adopt a classification of the causes of insanity which is fairly workable, and have collected together a large number of returns from English asylums, it is desirable to give the results here for what they are worth. As is well known, the entries made by the friends of patients in the statutory statement are extremely unreliable, and constantly confound cause and effect. The Commissioners state that they have not relied upon these, but upon statements verified by the medical officers of the asylum."

Asylum statistics.
515. If this be the case in England, how much more is it necessary in India to exercise caution in receiving statistics as to the causes of insanity, to examine carefully the source from which they come, and to rely only on those which have been carefully tested. The Commission in examining the statistics of the lunatic asylums soon found that they could not be regarded as trustworthy. They first of all enquired into a number of cases in the Dullunda Asylum (Calcutta), and ascertained generally the practice in regard to recording the cause in the asylum registers, and the character of the inquiry on which that record was based. What they learned there led them to distrust the asylum statistics. They determined to make a careful inquiry into all cases attributed to hemp drugs in one year, and to endeavour thus to ascertain how far the statistics were reasonably correct, and, if possible, also to arrive at some conclusion as to whether hemp drugs have any real connection with insanity. They fixed on the year 1892. They considered it for obvious reasons expedient to take the same year all over India; and this was the last year for which complete statistics existed when they began their inquiry. At the same time these statistics had been completed and printed before the proposal to have any inquiry into the effects of ganja had been made. The Commission decided to take up each of these cases of 1892 separately, and to inquire as fully as possible into its history. Hitherto any opinion regarding the connection between hemp drugs and insanity which has professed to have any solid basis at all, or to be more than a vague impression, has been based on the figures contained in the annual Statement No. VII appended to the Asylum Reports. It is necessary to consider how far these figures supply any reasonable basis for a scientific opinion on the question. The figures contained in that statement are compiled from the entries as to cause made in the asylum registers. The great majority of the Superintendents of Asylums have clearly stated that these entries are based on the descriptive rolls sent with the lunatics. They have not considered it necessary to enquire how far the descriptive rolls are likely to give trustworthy information regarding cause, how or by what agency that information is collected, or by whom it is supplied. It has been sufficient that it is sent to them officially, and that they have no opportunities of testing it. They have therefore accepted it. If the papers have been manifestly incomplete, they have been sent back to the Magistrate for completion. The practically universal rule has been to accept the cause entered in the descriptive roll, and only to make enquiries in the asylum when no cause had been entered. It cannot be said that even this practice has been carefully and accurately observed. The copying of the entries is left to subordinates who sometimes use their own discretion. Thus Dr. McConaghy, Superintendent of the Poona Asylum, says: "The register is filled up by the assistant at the time of the lunatic's admission. According to my idea of asylum practice, the entries must be in accordance with Form C. If the cause is entered as unknown, it must be so shown in the register. No alteration would be made without the permission of the Magistrate." Yet of the six cases ascribed to hemp drugs in 1892, there was not one in respect to which the entry in the register corresponded with that of the descriptive roll as to cause, and there was nothing on record to explain the discrepancy in any case. Similarly, Dr. Macnamara, Superintendent of the Tezpur Asylum, says: "The cause is entered in the general register from the police statement, i.e., from the descriptive roll. We have nothing whatever to do with it. It is entered by the Overseer in charge of the Asylum, and ought to correspond with the entry of the descriptive roll." As a matter of fact, eleven of the thirteen cases for 1892 showed entries regarding cause which did not correspond with the descriptive rolls; and of these 11, no less than 10 were made, not by the Overseer, but by his subordinate, the jemadar. Besides such errors as these, there are errors arising from carelessness in the mere copying of the register entries from year to year. These derive their importance from the fact that they must have been discovered had any attention been really given in the asylums to this matter of causation. A striking example may be given from among the old cases in the Rangoon Asylum. Moung Min Thay was admitted on 25th June 1871. There has been no improvement in his mental state. There are no papers in his case except an order from the Magistrate to receive the man "supposed to be insane." The original entry in the case book shows cause as "predisposing disease of the brain, exciting drinks, and smokes opium;" and it shows the duration as "probably from birth." It also shows that the man was epileptic. There is no mention of ganja. The register for 1885 (the first to show causation) shows "alleged duration" as "congenital," and "alleged cause" as "drink and opium smoking." The entry "congenital" is continued until 1892, when it is replaced by a "Do." under the "Not given" of a previous case. In 1886 the "cause" similarly undergoes undesigned alteration. The word "drink" is replaced by "ganja;" and in 1888 the reference to "opium" is finally dropped. The case thus became a ganja case, and has been shown as such ever since. These all may be instances of exceptional carelessness, but as a general rule it cannot be said that these entries have been made with care. Superintendents have not attached much importance to them. It has been left to subordinates to do this work; and that work as a rule has not been carefully supervised. Speaking generally, however, Superintendents have desired that the entries in the register regarding cause should correspond with those in the descriptive rolls; and they have believed that their subordinates were making the entries on this principle. Some few Superintendents have professed a different method, and have assumed some responsibility for the entries as to the cause of insanity in their registers. There are, however, only three Superintendents who held this office in 1892 who profess to have been to any appreciable extent independent of the police statements or descriptive rolls. The first of these is Brigade-SurgeonLieutenant-Colonel Hooper, who says that his "practice has not been to enter the cause at once, but to wait until a diagnosis of the case has been made. Then, if the supposed cause, as shown in the Magistrate's statement, is not inconsistent with the diagnosis of the insanity, or with the information received from friends who may have come, or with statements made by the man himself if he recovers sufficiently, that cause is entered in the register." The part played by diagnosis in the determination of cause is, however, somewhat visionary; for Dr. Hooper says that there are no symptoms peculiar to hemp drug insanity except perhaps more speedy recovery, and that an accurate history is "absolutely essential; it is the only means by which you can arrive at a diagnosis." As to the statements of friends, Dr. Hooper seems to think that friends visit patients in the majority of cases. If this is so in Lucknow, his experience differs from that of Superintendents elsewhere. It is possible, however, that he may be mistaken, for it appears that enquiries from friends are "not ordinarily" made by him, but by the Deputy Superintendent. The statements of lunatics also appear from his evidence rarely to affect the entries. There is one point on which Dr. Hooper specially insists, viz., that any fact established regarding heredity would exclude the ganja theory. Turning to the cases for 1892, it is found that there was one case in which the lunatic's brother was insane, and another where a direct ancestor was insane; but no notice was taken of these facts in determining cause, and the cases were entered as due to hemp drugs. It also appears that in 14 out of the 17 cases shown as due to hemp drugs, this cause is entered in accordance either with the entry in the papers regarding cause, or with that regarding the lunatic's habits. Of the remaining three cases, there is in one an alleged statement by the lunatic's brother (afterwards denied). In another the lunatic "recognizes bhang and makes contradictory statements as to its use." In the third, there is the statement of the lunatic himself while still insane. The second Superintendent who states that he adopts exceptional practice is Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Keith of Hyderabad (Sind), who says that "the only ground, so far as I can remember, on which I would enter cause would be information of friends or the statement of the insane after he had recovered his wits." It is striking that of the 13 cases set down to hemp drugs in 1892, the cause as entered in the register corresponds in 10 cases with that entered in the papers sent with the lunatic. In the other three cases no basis for the entry of cause is given at all. In one case the Superintendent told the members of the Commission who visited the asylum that the entry was based on a statement made by the father; this the father now denies. In the other two cases, no such explanation was given by Dr. Keith to the members of the Commission; but that officer now says (probably on the authority of some subordinate) that these two lunatics used to ask for the drug in the asylum. No record of any such fact was found in the register. The Commission are unable in view of all that has been ascertained of these cases to attach much weight to these statements. The third exceptional case is that of Surgeon-Major Dobie of Madras. In his letter of 20th October 1893 (vide Vol. II Appendices) Dr. Dobie said: "I am responsible for the entry of the cause as ganja in the first 14 cases [of 1892]. In no case have I entered it as a cause without such evidence as led me to a reasonable belief that it was so." But in his evidence before the Commission on 22nd January 1894, this officer stated: "My reasonable belief as to cause was based on reading the papers and seeing whether they showed a probable cause of insanity, and on enquiry from the lunatic.............I feel very little confidence in the diagnosis I have made ascribing these cases to hemp drugs."

Statistics are based on the descriptive rolls.
516. There is clearly no valid ground in the practice of these three Superintendents for modifying the general statement based on the frank admission of the great majority of the Superintendents that the entries regarding cause in the registers, and therefore the figures in annual Statement No. VII, have been based wholly on the descriptive rolls or similar papers received with the lunatics. This practice has, no doubt, become established owing to the following considerations. As already stated, many Superintendents have recognized these papers as practically the only material they had for determining cause. They have not had adequate opportunities for making enquiries themselves. They have had a general impression that the information supplied by Magistrates or police was as good as the Government required for statistical purposes, and they have accepted it accordingly. As a rule they have regarded this question of cause as one of little or no practical importance. The Government prescribed Statement VII, and pressed to have the columns filled up; and as a rule the orders were carried out in this somewhat mechanical way. Surgeon-Major Carruthers, Superintendent at Calicut, perhaps puts this view in the strongest terms when he says: "My position as Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum requires me to take charge of insanes when they are sent in, and retain them until they are fit for discharge. I am simply keeper and incidentally medical attendant, and not responsible for any statements and certificates received with the patient so long as they are in order." The same view is, however, as clearly expressed by Brigade-SurgeonLieutenant-Colonel Hooper when he says: "I do not consider that the question of cause is one which affects the treatment of cases. My inquiries therefore into cause are of a statistical, not a practical, character. The result will not affect my treatment of the case." Even to an officer who sees that the knowledge of the cause may help him in the treatment of the case, responsibility for the accuracy of the returns is a very minor matter. Surgeon-LieutenantColonel Leapingwell (Vizagapatam), for example, says: "The point, of course, is chiefly one of personal interest to me in the treatment of the case. An entry was made (in the particular case under discussion) on the papers. I omitted to alter the register." It is clear then that the medical officers in charge of asylums have not felt that they have been in any way responsible for the accuracy of the figures contained in annual Statement VII regarding causation of insanity; and that these figures derive no value from the fact that the statement bears the signature of a medical man; for their value practically depends entirely on the character of the inquiry in which the information contained in the descriptive roll was in each case collected.

Untrustworthiness of descriptive rolls.
517. This inquiry is very unequal in its character. The lunatic, before being sent to the asylum, is for a time under the observation of the Civil Surgeon. The latter has to certify to the man's insanity and to the facts which have led to that conclusion. Sometimes the Civil Surgeon fills up the descriptive roll as well as the medical certificate. But the more general practice is that he confines his attention to the medical certificate, leaving the descriptive roll, which contains all that is known of the lunatic's history, to be filled up by the Magistrate or the police. Where it is the practice for the Civil Surgeon to fill up the descriptive roll, the entry regarding cause is made by him or under his orders. Even in that case, however, he is generally compelled to accept the statements of the police. The majority of the lunatics sent up are wanderers who have no friends. Friends, even when there are any, are averse to appear lest they should be called on to contribute to the support of the lunatic. The following statements may be taken as typical of the usual experience of Civil Surgeons in this respect: "As Civil Surgeon, I got the information from friends or from the police. Very often I had cases where no friends came. In such cases I trusted to the police or wherever I could get my information" (Surgeon-Major Boyd, Colaba). "The information I give in Form C is generally very incomplete, as I have only the lunatic to get it from" (Surgeon-Major Burke, Poona). "The friends very rarely attend. As a rule, then, I am left entirely to the statement or form received and to the police" (Surgeon-Major Emerson, Bareilly). Thus, even where the Civil Surgeon signs the descriptive roll, he bases his entries therein as a rule on information supplied by the police. The more general practice is therefore also the more correct, to have the descriptive roll formally filled in by the police and signed by a Police officer or Magistrate, as the police supply the information. The inquiry into the history of the case is not an inquiry conducted by a professional man from the persons likely to know most about the lunatic. The information consists often merely of the guesses of police officers as to the history and habits of a friendless and homeless wanderer; and in other cases, where a local inquiry is possible, it is generally made by a subordinate police officer. "I am aware," says the Surgeon-General of the Bombay Presidency, "that inquiries in these cases are generally conducted by a subordinate officer of police." Surgeon-Captain Walsh, of the Calcutta Asylum, says: "The descriptive rolls are filled up as a rule by a Native Police Inspector on the information of a native policeman." Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Bovill, of Patna, goes further. He says: "The statements in the descriptive rolls regarding cause are as a rule not very reliable. I cannot say what grade of police records them. But I think the information is often in small villages brought by chaukidars." Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Crombie, Superintendent, General Hospital, Calcutta, says: "The inquiry is made by the police. I have myself seen an inquiry going on in which a constable was filling in the papers from the statements of the lunatic himself, the man being at the time insane. This may be exceptional, but I have seen it. In any case I distrust this descriptive roll." These are some typical statements regarding the agency which, as a rule, collects the information on which the asylum statistics as to cause are based. Sometimes, as at head-quarters, the inquiring police officer may be an Inspector; but, as a rule, he is very subordinate. It is impossible to share the cheerful optimism of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel O'Brien, of Benares, who says that "when ganja is assigned, the man was probably a notorious ganja smoker. The inquiry may be conducted by a chaprassi, yet he might be right in that." It would be absurd to accept without great distrust the statements, especially as to the cause of insanity, compiled by such an agency as has been described. This distrust of the descriptive roll is intensified when the source of the information is considered. If the police think it worth while, or find it possible and convenient, to make anything of the nature of an inquiry, they find that they have to be satisfied with the very poorest material. Sometimes, as shown above, it is the statement of the lunatic himself while still insane that is recorded, not only as to history and habits, but also even as to the cause of his insanity. Often, as in the case of garden coolies in Assam or wandering mendicants all over India, it is the statements of mere casual acquaintances who know little of the lunatic's habits and nothing of his past history or of that of his family. Even when friends are found from whom inquiry can be made, they are generally of the most ignorant and unintelligent type. It is from the classes of such a type that most of the inmates of our asylums are taken. It is very rare indeed to find one of the higher and more intelligent classes. The ignorant and uneducated persons who ascribe a child's epilepsy to his having accidently touched the painted stone that represents the village god while playing under the sacred tree, or a fit of insanity to the attack and possession of a bhút or village ghost, who know nothing of causality, except in the most ordinary affairs of home or agricultural life, beyond the mere association of coincidence, who believe in no cause which they do not see except witchcraft, whose powers of observation are quite unexercised and undeveloped: such persons must form most unpromising material even for the most patient and intelligent enquirers to work on. The information gleaned from them by such agency as has been above described must be of the most incomplete and unsatisfactory character. It is not surprising that moral causes of insanity, being much less palpable than physical causes, should sometimes be overlooked. A much more surprising fact is the ignoring of many physical causes. Dr. Wise, then Superintendent of the Dacca Asylum, gave a remarkable illustration of this in his report for 1872: "It is a curious circumstance that in Bengal insanity is never traced to blows on the head, which in Europe is a not infrequent cause. This is the more surprising, as there are few races, I believe, who so commonly have marks of blows on their heads as Bengalis. Out of 190 males in the asylum on 1st January last, 57 (or 30 per cent.) had more or less extensive scars or cuts or contusions on the head. In a considerable proportion the blow must have been so severe as to have caused violent concussion of the brain. Yet in the records of this asylum there is no instance of insanity attributed to this cause." Finally, the distrust of the descriptive roll must be further intensified by the consideration of the pressure brought to bear on subordinates to supply information as to cause. An illustration of this may be found as early as 1863 in the Resolution of the Government of Bengal on the Asylum Reports for 1862. And a striking illustration of the effect of this pressure is found in the Dullunda Asylum returns for the following year (1863), in which the cause in several cases dating from the year 1857 and onwards was altered from "unknown" to "ganja smoking." The same pressure is still brought to bear on those responsible for the entries of cause. Surgeon-Major-General Turnbull, the head of the Medical Department in Bombay, says: "There is a column in Statement VII headed "Unknown" which is intended for the entry of cases in which the cause has not been ascertained with reasonable accuracy. If this column was largely used, I should think it would be a matter of censure on the person on whom the responsibility for inquiry rests." This demand for much information where little information is available, and this insistence on ascribing a cause where reasonable presumption as to cause is so rarely possible, have had a powerful influence in rendering the statistics untrustworthy. The same tendency is seen at work in other provinces. In Madras the effect of the remark in paragraph 5 of the Government Resolution on the Lunatic Asylum Report for 1890 stigmatizing the Calicut Asylum as "the worst " in respect to the average of unknown causes and of the Surgeon-General's Circular No. 12, dated 28th September 1891 (issued in consequence), is clearly in evidence. In Bengal, Surgeon-LieutenantColonel Meadows, of Berhampur, says: "We assign cause too often ourselves: it is insisted on; and we are constrained to enter cause before it has been properly ascertained." Surgeon-Major Baker, of Rangoon, says: "I think that officers are under the impression that it looks as if they were not zealous if they do not find a cause." Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Gaffney, of Jubbulpore, says: "I think that there is a tendency to assign causes too readily;" and he intimates his concurrence in a strong protest made by Surgeon-Major-General Rice when Civil Surgeon of Jubbulpore in 1880 against this tendency. In Assam, Mr. Driberg, Commissioner of Excise, says: "If a man (policeman) does not enter cause, I know by experience that the District Superintendent of Police gets a slip telling him to send a more experienced man, or fine this man for carelessness." The remarks made in 1880 by Dr. Rice, now Surgeon-General with the Government of India, in reference to an unfavourable comment in the Chief Commissioner's review of the report for 1879, may be quoted: "I think it is of doubtful value," he said, "to set down everything told in this way as if it were reasonably true. If these returns are ever to be made use of, it would be better to assign only such alleged causes as have some pretensions to being correct, omitting altogether those which are nothing more than mere conjectures. Even if a great number go unclassified, it is better so than that doubtful causes should be assigned."

Asylum statistics quite untrustworthy.
518. There is one class of cases which seems at first sight to differ from the rest, the cases in which lunatics charged with crime have been acquitted on the ground of insanity. Surgeon-Major McKay, of Nagpur, says: "In criminal cases the cause is generally taken from the judgment of the Court." This statement is apparently too strong. The Commission have had to examine the records and papers in the cases of many  criminal lunatics. In the majority of cases the Judge is found to be content with the evidence of the Civil Surgeon as to the fact of insanity, and to consider it unnecessary to make any inquiry as to cause. In such cases the information sent to the asylum authorities is precisely of the same character as that furnished in non-criminal cases. It is very rare indeed that any evidence as to cause appears in the evidence tendered in Court, and still more rare for the Judge to discuss the cause. For all practical purposes, the remarks above made regarding the untrustworthy character of the information supplied to the Superintendents, and of the asylum statistics as to cause based thereon, apply to all classes of cases.
 
Dacca Asylum no exception.
519. Although these statistics have been discussed seriously from year to year, they have not been much used as the basis of measures of ganja administration except in the case of Burma. In this case the Commission found that the measures taken in Burma were ostensibly based on the lunatic asylum returns which were quoted by more than one Chief Commissioner, special reference being made to the figures for the Dacca Asylum. This special reference to this asylum and the fact that it is situated in the most important ganja-consuming tract in India were among the reasons why the Commission summoned SurgeonLieutenant-Colonel Crombie (Bengal witness No. 104) as a witness; for he had been seven years Superintendent of that asylum. Before the Opium Commission also, and in an interesting discussion on opium published as a Supplement to the Indian Medical Gazette of July 1892, Dr. Crombie had incidentally spoken strongly of the evil effects of hemp drugs as seen in his asylum experience. The Commission hoped therefore that Dr. Crombie might be found to have devoted special attention to his asylum work, and to be able to speak with exceptional authority. He informed the Commission in his written evidence that "nearly thirty per cent. of the inmates of lunatic asylums in Bengal are persons who have been ganja smokers, and in a very large proportion of these I believe ganja to be the actual and immediate cause of their insanity. But though I am not prepared to say that the moderate use of ganja is never the cause of insanity, it is most frequently the result of long excessive use, and especially of occasional debauches with the drug. It has the same relationship to insanity in India that alcohol has in Europe, and may be the cause of fierce maniacal excitement of short duration (as in delirium tremens) or of a chronic cheerful mania which is the characteristic insanity of Indian asylums. It has not the same tendency to lead to dementia, the result of tissue changes in the brain, as alcohol has. Like alcohol, it will especially lead to insanity in persons of deficient self-control who take to the drug as a relief from mental trouble. Both forms of ganja insanity, the acute and chronic, are distinguishable by the symptoms. (See separate memorandum.)" These views, which are stated in greater detail in a separate memorandum, are based entirely on his experience as Superintendent of the Dacca Asylum and as visitor to other asylums; for Dr. Crombie says: "In my practice outside of lunatic asylums my experience is confined to very few cases, only two or three in the whole course of my service, of ganja intoxication brought to hospital." The Commission were anxious to ascertain how far these views might be regarded as having authority. They accordingly examined the registers and case books of the Dacca Asylum for all the years during which Dr. Crombie had been Superintendent, and perused his reports. They were unable to find in these records any ground for thinking that Dr. Crombie's practice differed from that of other Asylum Superintendents, or gave him special opportunities of knowledge. They took the registers for these years and also the papers for all the hemp drug cases of 1887 (Dr. Crombie's last year at Dacca) to Calcutta to discuss them with Dr. Crombie. That discussion is contained in the record of his oral evidence. First, as to procedure, Dr. Crombie told the Commission that the descriptive roll is "by no means trustworthy," but that "subsequent discoveries" were made in the asylum by examination of friends or of the lunatic on recovery and by other means, and that the entries in the asylum books would be altered accordingly. "This," he said, "was my practice." The Commission had found no trace of this practice in the asylum records; and they showed Dr. Crombie the registers and asked him to point out any such alterations. He then withdrew his statement, and accepted as accurate the statement of Rames Chandra Sib, Overseer of the Dacca Asylum, who has made the entries in the registers and compiled Statement No. VII ever since 1880. His statement is: "The cause is entered in the register from the descriptive roll..................... Cause is never entered in the register from enquiry made after the patient's admission. I know of no case of this being done. The entry made at the top of the page would never be altered. But if any enquiry which I might make showed cause not hitherto known, this fact would be entered in the history of the case. I remember such cases, and I might be able to point them out. But that entry in the history of the case would not alter the cause as shown in Statement VII of the annual report. That statement is filled up only from the entries made in the descriptive roll as copied into our register." Dr. Crombie's procedure then differed in no respect from the most mechanical and unintelligent record of causation in any asylum in India, for it was left entirely as clerical work to a subordinate. And the only statistics on which Dr. Crombie bases his views regarding insanity rest on the descriptive rolls, of which he strongly declares his distrust. Secondly, in regard to Dr. Crombie's attention to the special matter of causation of insanity, it appears that "there was no discussion of cause in any annual report written by him from Dacca, nor any formal discussion in writing." Like other Superintendents, he seems not to have felt that his duty required special attention to this subject. Thirdly, the Commission discussed with Dr. Crombie the cases of 1887, and the results of this discussion of them are recorded in his oral examination. They afford clear proof of the fact that even a careful examination of the papers received with the lunatics on their admission would have prevented five out of the fourteen cases being recorded as hemp drug cases (viz., the first, fourth, tenth, thirteenth, and probably also the twelfth), and would have led to two more being recorded as mixed or doubtful cases (viz., the second and fourteenth). The history in the asylum should have prevented the fifth case being retained as a ganja case; for the true cause (peripheral irritation) was clearly established, and insanity was cured on removal of that cause. It should also have led to the rejection of the eighth case, or at least to its being recorded as a mixed case. Thus nine out of the fourteen hemp drug cases of 1887 at Dacca are found to have been erroneously entered as such. There remain only five true hemp drug cases. Dr. Crombie says: "Taking my whole asylum experience, I think that this may probably be accepted as fairly representative of the real state of the case." The total admissions in 1887 to the Dacca Asylum were 55. Of these Dr. Crombie now accepts only 5 (or 9 per cent.) as due to hemp drugs. And he states that this may be accepted as fairly representative of the real state of the case, so far as his experience enables him to judge. Fourthly, as to Dr. Crombie's conclusions. As there were fifty-five admissions into the asylum in 1887, the number of cases (five) which may reasonably be attributed to ganja turns out to be only nine per cent. As Dr. Crombie says that the "chronic cheerful mania" which he describes is only found in a portion (or, as his separate memorandum shows, in a minority) of the admissions, and as he admits that it "may be due in part to difference of character" and not to the drug, there does not seem to be much, if any, ground for associating this chairomania with hemp. And in view of the small proportion of true hemp drug cases and the large proportion (nearly 2 to 1) of error in the cases accepted and recorded as hemp drug cases in Dr. Crombie's time too much weight should not be attached to his views regarding the clinical features of hemp drug insanity. The results of a careful analysis and examination of his cases corresponds on the whole pretty accurately with the examination of the cases of 1892 for all India made by the Commission. Looking back at his work in Dacca from his present point of view, Dr. Crombie seems to have thought that he had had some experience of special value, but the impression appears on examination to be due to a mistake of memory. There is practically nothing that differentiates his experience or the practice of the Dacca Asylum from that of other Superintendents and other asylums in India.

Explanation of the use of these worthless statistics.
520. It may well seem extraordinary that statistics based on such absolutely untrustworthy material should have been submitted year after year in the asylum reports. It is extraordinary, and cannot certainly be fully justified. The following considerations serve to a certain extent to explain this extraordinary fact. In the first place, as is pointed out by several Superintendents, these officers did not know what grade of police or what kind of agency was employed in the inquiry. They believed that they were bound to accept, and justified in accepting, without question what came to them with an appearance of official authority. In the second place, all the Superintendents, except those in the towns of Madras and Bombay, have their asylum work in addition to other medical duties. They have found themselves unable to devote that amount of time and care to their asylum work which would enable them to speak as experts or to supply information of any real value. Some of the best of them have stated to the members of the Commission who visited the asylums that they constantly found themselves subordinating the asylum work to duties which appeared more pressing and more important. In the third place, as already pointed out, they have been so pressed to give statistical information that they have often done so without considering whether it could be regarded as scientifically or even reasonably accurate. In the fourth place, most of the Superintendents, though they had long practised medicine in this country, had never seen any of the effects of hemp drugs except their alleged effects in producing insanity in the cases attributed in the papers to the drugs. Several Superintendents speak clearly of this ignorance of the effects of the drugs. The remarks of three may be quoted as being specially interesting. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Leapingwell (Vizagapatam) says: "I should myself have put down ganja as the cause of insanity in any case where I examined the friends if they merely said the man used ganja and I could get no other cause, as I did not discriminate between the excessive and moderate use. I should go much more carefully into the matter now, since I have in the course of the present inquiry learned so much more about the use of the drugs." Surgeon-Major Cobb, of Dacca, says: "As to the effects of ganja generally, I should say that until I began to study the question with a view to give evidence before the Commission, although I had a vague notion that ganja smoking was prevalent among the lower classes in Bengal, I had no idea that the practice was as common as I have since found it to be." Surgeon-Major Willcocks, of Agra, says: "Ordinarily it has been the practice to enter hemp drugs as the cause of insanity where it has been shown that the patient used these drugs. I cannot say precisely why this is the practice. It has come down as the traditional practice. As a matter of fact, until recently I looked on these drugs as very poisonous. As I have already said, my ordinary medical practice did not bring me into contact with them at all. I only came into contact with them in the asylum. I had no idea that they were used so extensively as I find on enquiry to be the case. I have made enquiry in connection with the attention drawn to the matter recently." These are some of the explanations which may be offered for the submission by Superintendents of such statistics year by year. Further, though such evidence as that of Surgeon-Major-General DeFabeck of Madras shows most clearly how little knowledge some heads of the Medical Department have had of the untrustworthy character of the statistics, it does not show this more clearly than does the mere fact that year after year these statistics have been seriously discussed alike by these officers and by the Governments under whom they serve.

Further inquiries made by the Commission.
521. The Commission were forced to the conclusion that there was no trustworthy basis for a satisfactory and reasonably accurate opinion on the connection between hemp drugs and insanity in the asylum statistics appended to the annual reports. They felt that they must conduct for themselves as full and searching an inquiry as was possible within the time at their disposal into the history of a considerable number of cases. As already stated, they selected as the subject of their inquiry all the cases admitted into all the asylums in India in 1892 and ascribed to hemp drugs. They took up each of these cases separately in the asylum, and ascertained what information was obtainable in regard to it from perusal of the original papers and the asylum registers, and also by enquiry from the Superintendent and Asylum officials. Having recorded all such information, they asked the Superintendent of each asylum to conduct further inquiry into each case and report finally on it, and they requested Local Governments to direct the Magistrates and Civil Surgeons of districts to which the patients belong to give the Superintendent all necessary assistance. The Commission added: "In view of the importance of this branch of the inquiry, it is suggested that, wherever this is possible, a careful local inquiry should be conducted by a trustworthy and experienced Magistrate, in consultation with the Civil Surgeon, to ascertain the past personal and family history of the patient, and any circumstances likely to throw light on the cause of his insanity. The record of this inquiry should in each case be submitted to the Commission through the Superintendent of the asylum in which the patient was treated to enable him to submit the report above mentioned." All this information, both that collected in the asylums and that collected in these further inquiries, is recorded in Vol. II Appendices. Only the final report of the Superintendent is printed, unless it is inaccurate or incomplete, or unless there is anything of interest in the records which he has not noticed. In these cases notes containing the points omitted or inaccurately stated, or extracts from the records, are appended to his report. Prefixed to these papers is a statement of the decision of the Commission on all of the cases, showing very briefly for each why it has been accepted or rejected. In a few cases the results of the inquiries are unsatisfactory; for it has been impossible occasionally to get any further information; and occasionally the inquiry, even though feasible, has not been conducted with sufficient care and intelligence. On the whole, however, the result is the collection of a body of information about these selected cases far superior to anything heretofore available. The result of the examination of all the cases attributed to hemp drugs in 1892 may be thus shown:—




Out of 1,344 admissions to the asylums of British India during 1892, there are shown to be only 98 cases (or 7.3 per cent.) in which the use of hemp drugs may be reasonably regarded as a factor in causing the insanity. If the "mixed" cases in which the hemp drugs have only been accepted as one of several possible causes are omitted, the percentage falls to 4.5. It must be borne in mind, however, that there were 42 per cent. of the admissions for 1892 in which the cause of insanity was shown as "unknown." Among these "unknown" cases there may, no doubt, have been some in which hemp drugs may, as in the accepted cases, have played some part in causing insanity. If it had been possible to ascertain the history of these "unknown" cases, it might have been found that there was in a considerable number of them a history of the use of hemp drugs, and perhaps that in some of them these drugs had played some part at least in causing the insanity. It might appear at first sight to be more correct to take the percentage, not on the total admissions into the asylums, but on the "known" cases among these admissions. The total number of "known" cases (i. e., cases in which the cause was supposed to be known) among the admissions for 1892 was 775. This would give a percentage of hemp drug cases at 12.6. But the Commission do not see their way to accept this method of calculation as accurate. For they consider that both experience and the whole history of this inquiry have shown that there is little difficulty in ascertaining the existence of the ganja habit among persons such as are sent to the asylums, and also that there is no hesitation in ascribing insanity to that habit. They are therefore of opinion that it is safe to presume that in the great majority of the "unknown" cases no ganja habit did exist, and that they would be further from the truth in taking the percentage at 12.6 than at 7.3.

Mixed cases.
522. On the other hand, it would be far from accurate to say that it has been ascertained that the insanity was in all these 98 cases due solely to hemp drugs. In the first place, there are 37 of them (or nearly 38 per cent.) in which there is a clear history of some other cause. The causes which are shown thus to have possibly co-operated with hemp drugs in inducing insanity (with the number of causes for each) are as follow:—

523. Only a few remarks need be made regarding these "mixed" cases. So far as the inquiries have established the real facts regarding these cases, there are seven into which heredity enters as a predisposing fa ctor. The number of cases attributed to heredity throughout India in 1892 was 51, or 3.8 per cent. of the admissions (1,344). These seven cases may perhaps be added to this number, giving a total of 58, or 4.3 per cent. In England the percentage of cases attributed to heredity is 19.0 for males and 22.1 for females. These percentages are based on statistics for ten years, dealing with 136,478 patients (vide Hack Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological Medicine; article "Statistics of Insanity"). The author of this article points out that "the reluctance of the relatives of patients to give information on this painful point leaves the proportion undoubtedly far too low." In view of this, it cannot be denied that the influence of heredity is in India practically neglected. The importance of giving due weight to this factor becomes the more manifest when it is considered that a cause which in a normally healthy brain would produce no effect is sufficient to overthrow the mental equilibrium of a person with hereditary predisposition.

Alcohol.
524. There are eighteen of these mixed cases in which alcohol has been ascertained to be a possible factor. In view of the connection between alcohol and insanity as established in Europe, and in view of the clear evidence that brain lesions are directly caused by alcohol, there seems certainly not less reason for ascribing these cases to alcohol than to hemp drugs. The English statistics show percentages of 19.8 and 7.2 of cases as due to alcohol for males and females respectively. The Commission are of opinion that such high percentages cannot be expected in India; for, although the action of alcohol is more injurious in the tropics, the people of this country are generally much more abstemious. The percentage of cases attributed to alcohol in each province in 1892 is given below, and for purposes of comparison the percentage of the accepted hemp drug cases (including the "mixed" cases) is also shown:—

The figures in regard to alcohol cannot be accepted as quite satisfactory, because they have not been tested. But the tendency of the figures as they stand is to show that in the provinces where hemp drugs are the less used, alcohol is the more frequently assigned as the cause of insanity, and vice versá. It is possible either that the figures to a certain extent reflect the facts, or merely that those who have to account for insanity turn most easily to intoxicants, and came that intoxicant which most readily occurs to them.

Dhatura.
525. There are three "mixed" cases in which dhatura has been-ascertained to be a possible cause of insanity. In view of the facts that dhatura is a more potent intoxicant than the hemp drugs and produces furious delirium, and that Dr. Cunningham's experiments appear to indicate clearly that grave cerebral lesions are very early produced by dhatura and are not produced by ganja, it would probably be safer to accept these cases as due to dhatura and not to hemp drugs. The Commission have, however, accepted them as "mixed" cases. It is unnecessary to make any special remarks on the "mixed" cases in which causes other than heredity, alcohol, and dhatura appear to contribute to the insanity.

Cases due to hemp drugs.
526. Even in regard to the remaining 61 cases, it must be borne in mind that it is impossible to say that the use of hemp drugs was in all the sole cause of insanity, or indeed any part of the cause. The following considerations combine to demand caution and reserve in pronouncing an opinion on this point. Firstly, there are twelve cases in which it has been found impossible to obtain any further information by local inquiry. In these cases we are thrown back on the original papers and the asylum history. Besides these, there are ten more cases in which the patients are beggars and foreign labourers about whose past history no satisfactory information is obtainable. Thus there remain only 39 of these 61 cases about which anything like a satisfactory inquiry has been possible. Further, a great majority of these cases come from the lower orders of cultivators and labourers, from whom information of any value is very difficult to obtain as to other than the most apparent causes. The fact of the existence of the hemp habit is easy enough to ascertain, but that it is the cause, or one of the causes of the insanity, or that it even preceded the insanity, is much more difficult to establish. Secondly, the method of inquiry has not been satisfactory in regard to all the cases referred for local inquiry. In regard to the great majority, the instructions issued by the Commission as to the agency by which this further inquiry should be conducted have been carried out. But in some, it will be observed, even this further inquiry has been left to the police. Then again there are cases, such as those of the Hyderabad (Sind) Asylum, in which the Superintendent has necessarily been the principal agent in the inquiry, and has, perhaps, not unnaturally, but certainly unfortunately, evinced a strong tendency to defend the old asylum entries regarding cause. The series of questions framed by the Civil Surgeon of Delhi for use in the further inquiry also illustrates a tendency to assume that the cases were hemp drug cases, and thus to limit the scope of the inquiry. Thirdly, it may be noted that excess in the use of hemp drugs is very frequently only one of several vices in which a dissipated man indulges. Further inquiry has proved this in several cases. There is strong probability that had information been complete, it would have been established in many more cases. It is impossible in such cases to say definitely to what form of excess insanity may be mainly due. Further, it is an accepted and established fact that intemperance of any kind may sometimes be not the cause of insanity, but an early manifestation of mental instability. Dr. Conolly Norman (Hack Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological Medicine; article "Mania") says: "The patient also indulges in intoxicants with very undue or unwonted freedom, and thereby precipitates the course and aggravates the symptoms of his disease." One or two cases have been rejected by the Commission on the ground that the evidence merely showed that the habit of use of hemp began at the same time as the mental aberration, or even later. There may have been other cases in which this would have been shown had the information been complete. It is possible therefore that more complete information might have shown in some cases, not only that other causes contributed to the insanity, but also that hemp drugs had nothing whatever to do with inducing it. These and similar considerations already indicated demand caution in the expression of any judgment as to the causation of insanity in this country. If in England opinion, based on inquiries such as are there possible, has to be stated with caution, this is much more necessary here. In many of the cases in which the hemp drug habit has been established, it is impossible to feel certain in view of the defective character of the information that the drugs have been the sole cause, or perhaps indeed a cause at all, of the insanity. The Commission have, however, felt themselves justified in accepting these 98 cases of the year 1892 as reasonably attributable, in whole or in part, to the use of hemp drugs. These are the best cases they have been able within the time at their disposal to obtain. Of these 98 cases, 97 were males and one female, 82 being Hindus and 16 Muhammadans.

Classification and types of accepted cases.
527. In the asylum returns these cases were classified according to the following "types":—Toxic insanity, 39; mania, 42; melancholia, 3; dementia, 4; while in ten cases the patients had recovered prior to admission, and did not exhibit symptoms of mental aberration while in the asylum. The Commission think it well to point out that although in these instances symptoms of insanity were never observed by the Asylum Superintendents, yet the cases were returned in the annual reports as cases of toxic insanity, and thus helped to augment the annual returns (Statement VI)—a fact which very strikingly exemplifies the purely mechanical manner in which these returns have hitherto been compiled.

Occupation.
528. The occupations, etc., of these 98 cases may be tabulated as follows. They have been abstracted from the "descriptive rolls" or from information supplied on subsequent inquiries at the instance of the Commission. The Commission cannot, however, vouch for the accuracy of these returns. In one instance an insane of the lower classes, described as a "zamindar," proved to be a school-boy, the son of a muharir in a munsiff's court.

529. The following table shows the relative liability to insanity at different ages in the hemp drugs cases. This information has been compiled solely from the "descriptive rolls," and in very many instances the ages entered are doubtless only rough guesses. At all times it is difficult to ascertain the true age of a native of the lower classes, and in the case of wandering insanes, beggars, etc., the determination of age must necessarily be inexact and a mere approximation:—

530. The data for ascertaining the duration of insanity are either unreliable or not procurable in all cases for the periods during which the insanes were at large, and it is only with the duration of residence in asylums that the Commission can give any accurate details. The duration of the insanity before admission into the asylum for the 53 cases for which information is recorded is shown in the following table:—

Out of the 98 accepted cases, 10 were not insane on admission into asylums, 29 were not cured, and 9 died during residence. Regarding the cases described as "not cured," it is necessary to explain that the expression is to be taken only relatively for the period during which the patients were under observation by the Commission, and which as a general rule would be under two years. The duration of residence in asylums of the 50 patients discharged during the period mentioned may be tabulated as follows:—

These figures would appear to indicate that the largest number of discharges, 38 per cent., occurred after a residence not exceeding six months in the asylums, and of the rejected cases 19 per cent. were discharged after a similar residence. After a residence of over six and not exceeding twelve months, 16 per cent. of the accepted cases (making a total of 54 per cent. for the whole year) were discharged, and 10 per cent. (a total of 29) of the rejected. Dr. Walsh (Bengal witness No. 112), in a supplement to his written evidence, remarks: "The average period under treatment in the asylum at Dullunda of 55 cases discharged cured during five years (1888-92) varied from 3 to 10 months, and many of these were kept under observation for some time after they had been pronounced sane. Of the 108 cases admitted, more than half recovered very quickly, and this points to some cause easily removable." For the purpose of comparison, the duration of residence in asylums of the rejected cases of 1892 is given in the following table. This table contains only 121 cases, because of the 124 rejected cases, two were not cases of 1892 at all, and one was rejected because it has been entered a second time on the statement:—

531. The proportion of recoveries calculated on the 98 accepted cases would amount to 61.2 per cent., or, deducting from both sides the 10 patients who were not insane on admission, to 56.8 per cent. Calculated in the same manner, the percentage of recoveries of the rejected cases would be 34.7 and 32.4.

Mortality.
532. Calculated on the accepted cases, the mortality amounted to 9.1 per cent. In no single case, however, was the death due directly to the mental condition. The mortality in the rejected cases amounted to 12.3 per cent. on the total admissions. There is one fact which vitiates the figures in connection with mortality in asylums— that is, the practice which exists at all events in the Tezpur Asylum, Assam, of transferring dying patients to the "Moribund Ward" of the Charitable Dispensary for medical treatment.

Symptomatology.
533. The Commission would premise the analysis of the symptoms presented by the accepted cases by remarking that the information available is extremely meagre. As a rule the asylum records fail to afford a full clinical history of the condition of the patients on first admission, and the subsequent entries in the asylum case books are also frequently lacking in useful information. In one asylum no case book appeared to have been kept up in 1892. The medical certificates on which the patients are admitted into the asylums usually contain only sufficient evidence of the mental state to support an opinion as to the mere fact of insanity. The descriptive rolls are the only source in the vast majority of cases from which the mode of incidence and duration of attack, the habits, and the personal and family history of the patients can be ascertained. The value to be placed on certain entries in the descriptive roll has already been fully discussed. They have been shown to be untrustworthy, and there is no reason to suppose that other entries are more accurate or reliable. In 17 out of 98 cases only is information recorded as to the nature of the onset of the symptoms; in eight it may be described "sudden;" in six as "gradual" or "slow"; and in three as "insidious." As a rule no detailed information is ascertainable regarding the nature of the premonitory symptoms or their duration. "Headache" has been mentioned, but beyond that there are no clinical symptoms. Sometimes alteration in habit is alluded to, but more frequently attention has first been drawn to the mental condition by some insane, violent, or destructive act which has led to the individual being sent to a medical officer for observation. Regarding the state of the general bodily health on admission into asylums, in 35 cases it is described as "good," in 20 "fair," in 8 "indifferent," in 6 "bad," in 3 "weak" or "very weak," and in the remaining cases no information is recorded. As a rule no records are kept of the form or measurements of the head, general physical features are not recorded, and thermometrical observations do not usually appear to be made. The facial expression is as a rule not described, and in three instances only is it referred to as "vacant." The appearance of a "ganja wart" on the palm is mentioned by one Superintendent. The gait is as a rule not described. Abnormalities or signs of disease of the sexual organs are not usually mentioned. The condition of the circulatory and respiratory systems are not as a rule recorded. Under the digestive system it may be mentioned that in fifteen cases food was refused, necessitating forcible feeding. No information as a rule is available regarding the glandular system, state of the skin, or character of the urine. Under the muscular system "tremor" has been referred to and "muscular twitchings like chorea." But such features as power of "grasp" of hands or reaction to electric stimulus are not mentioned. Under the nervous system—sight, hearing, taste, and smell—no systematic observations appear to be recorded; in only one asylum was there any record regarding the state of the pupils; in one asylum redness of the conjunctiva was mentioned; and in one asylum the eyes are described as "red." The conditions of nervous sensibility, hyperæsthesia and anæsthesia, do not appear to have received attention; and in one asylum only are reflex phenomena mentioned.

Regarding mental symptoms.
In fifty-six cases incoherence of language is mentioned, in seven uncommunicativeness, in seven silentness, in nine talkativeness, in twelve muttering, and in twenty-two abusiveness or obscenity of language; in four cases the patients were "excited," in three roaring, in twenty-four noisy, in twelve restless, and in thirty-one sleepless. In seven cases there were symptoms of "exaltation," in thirteen quarrelsomeness, in twenty-nine destructiveness, twenty-five were homicidal, twelve suicidal—frequently the same case exhibited both tendencies—and thirty-six violent. In twelve cases there was laughter, in two dancing, in one absurd postures, and fourteen were either sad, crying, or moaning. Forty-six were dirty or filthy in their habits, twenty-one were indecent, in twenty-four there were delusions, and in four cases the patients are described as "childish." The alteration in symptoms in the asylum was in some cases very rapid, so rapid in some instances as to be almost immediate. In others the progress towards sanity was slower; in some there were relapses, with occasional outbursts of violence; while others from being violent and abusive became melancholic or quiet and silly, or drifted into a condition of dementia.

Post-mortem examinations.
534. The cause of death in the nine fatal cases was as follows: One general debility, one cholera, two dysentery, one leprosy, one heart disease, one diarrhœa, one dropsy and old age, and one no cause assigned. In five of these cases no post-mortem examination appears to have been made; in the four in which it was conducted, the condition of the brain is not specially noted in three, while in one case—death from cholera—the following note is made: "Weight 43 oz.; both membranes and substance of brain congested, and lateral ventricles contained a very small quantity of fluid. Brain substance firm." As to the results of post mortem examinations in alleged ganja cases, therefore, the evidence is purely negative as to any even coarse brain changes being present. It may be remarked, however, that as a rule when autopsies have been conducted in asylums, it has been solely with the object of ascertaining the cause of death and not for purposes of pathological research. In most cases the brain does not appear to have been examined, and, when it has been examined, the information recorded is so meagre and superficial as to be valueless.

Diagnosis of hemp drug insanity.
535. Reviewing the mode of incidence so far as it can be ascertained, the type, general symptoms, and duration of cases in which the mental balance has been alleged to have been overthrown by the use of hemp drugs, the question arises are there any symptoms pathognomonic of the condition generally known as hemp drug insanity, and on what does the evidence rest that the use of these drugs may induce mental aberration ? The evidence obtained by the Commission appears to indicate that in the cases of alleged hemp drug insanity which find their way into asylums, there are no typical features in the premonitory symptoms and no pathognomonic symptoms in the insane condition on which to base a determination of causation. The mode of incidence, the premonitory symptoms, and the symptoms of the insane state are practically the same in cases in which these drugs have never been used as in instances in which the mental equipoise has been accepted as being disturbed by their employment. The type of hemp drug insanity is mania, though in the subsequent history of a few cases there appears to be divergence from the type. The mania may be acute or chronic. The majority of medical witnesses who have studied the subject are clearly of opinion that there is nothing typical in the symptomatology of hemp drug mania to distinguish it from mania due to other causes. But at the same time several express an opinion that the symptoms are of shorter duration in hemp drug mania than in mania due to other causes. Besides this pretty generally accepted view that short duration is a diagnostic mark of hemp drug insanity, one or two witnesses are inclined to think that there are other characteristic symptoms. Dr. Cobb (Bengal witness No. 110) in his oral evidence states: "There is nothing very typical in the symptoms, but still ganja insanity has points of distinction from other kinds of insanity. It is very temporary. Confinement of the patient with removal of the exciting cause generally brings about rapid cure. Delirium is a prominent feature. There are other general features which it is difficult to put into words, and which experience alone can teach One recognizes ganja insanity intuitively. All the symptoms I have described may be present in other kinds of insanity, but one judges by the combination of them." Dr. Crombie (Bengal witness No. 104) in the appendix to his written evidence states: "I refer to the peculiar characters of this form of toxic insanity by which it can be recognized just, or nearly as readily, as those of delirium tremens distinguish alcoholic intoxication. To enable me to do so clearly, it is necessary to distinguish between acute ganja intoxication due to a single debauch or to continuous excessive use of it in what might be called a bout of ganja drunkenness, and the effects of its continued immoderate use over a lengthened period of time. Acute ganja intoxication is marked by the extreme vehemence of the mania. In its mental, moral, and muscular manifestations, it bears no resemblance to alcoholic intoxication whatever. The maniac is excited in every fibre. His aspect is infuriated, his eye glares and is tense and glistening, while at the same time the conjunctiva is red and injected. He shouts, vociferates, sings, walks quickly up and down or round his cell, and shakes the door out of its fastenings. If at liberty, he is violent and aggressive, and may run amok. In other cases the mental disturbance is less marked, but the demeanour is excited, and he suddenly seizes some weapon, and slays one or more of the people in his neighbourhood without apparent reason. The attack is of short duration, being limited to a few days. Then there is perfect recovery, and the patient is oblivious of things which took place during the period of intoxication............The insanity produced by the long-continued immoderate use of ganja has also features of its own. The patients are hilarious, attitudinise, and are full of the sense of wellbeing; they are as a rule good-natured and trustworthy, and recover in a large proportion of cases under confinement and deprivation of the drug. These cases characterize Indian asylums by the large number of happy amusing lunatics they contain. They are, however, very subject to relapses even after lengthened periods of freedom from symptoms." The alleged shorter duration of hemp drug cases is to some extent borne out by the statistics obtained by comparing the accepted and rejected cases for 1892. In the accepted cases (98), after deducting the ten patients who were not insane on admission, the percentage of recoveries has amounted to 56.8 per cent. of the total admissions, while of the rejected cases only 32.4 per cent. of the admissions have recovered. The Commission consider, however, that too much stress should not be placed upon rapidity of recovery as a diagnostic sign in attempting to differentiate between hemp drug and ordinary mania. It is well recognized that as a rule ordinary uncomplicated cases of mania rapidly recover. Moreover, bearing in mind that hitherto hemp drug cases have been accepted as such as a rule on untrustworthy evidence, and that consequently many of the cases on which Superintendents of Asylums have based an opinion as to the relative rapidity of cure of hemp drug and ordinary mania were not actually toxic cases, "rapidity of recovery" can only be accepted tentatively as a means of discrimination. It is scarcely necessary to observe that this so called "diagnostic mark" has not been used in diagnosing hemp drug insanity in the asylums, as it has been shown that diagnosis was made on the admission of the patient and not after his recovery. In connection with the alleged greater recoverability of cases of hemp drug mania, it may be of interest to quote statistics of cases in an English asylum. In the West Riding Asylum the percentage of recoveries in acute and simple mania were respectively 65.5 and 61 per cent., while 8.4 and 11.9 per cent. were relieved and 11.9 and 16 per cent. formed a chronic residue. Taking all maniacal forms in the same asylum (including the simple, acute, hysteric, chronic, delusional, recurrent, and puerperal), the recoveries amounted to 53.2 per cent.: 14 per cent. were relieved, and 20.6 per cent. formed a chronic remainder. Obviously, however, these figures are not strictly comparable with the statistics of the hemp drugs and rejected cases with which the Commission have been dealing, because the Indian cases have only been a limited period under observation— under two years—while the West Riding Asylum statistics refer to periods of several years. In considering the "peculiar characters" of hemp drug insanity as alluded to by Dr. Crombie, the Commission have to recall attention to the erroneous character of the statistics which form the basis of that officer's conclusions, and also to point out that generally all the features of the acute form as described by Dr. Crombie are comparable with the symptoms of transitory mania and the symptoms of the chronic form with those usually found in cases of mania unconnected with the use of hemp drugs. Indeed, Otto Von Schwatzer's description of transitory mania in the Dictionary of Psychological Medicine might be read in lieu of Dr. Crombie's "peculiar character" of the symptoms. "The principal characteristic of transitory mania is the spontaneous and ungovernable intense excitement produced by the cerebral irritation and the morbidly exaggerated motor impulse, which, however, does not consist, as in other and milder forms of frenzy, of a more or less harmless restlessness, but in a wild paroxysm with a blind desire of destruction. The excitement extends with great intensity over the whole of the motor sphere, so that not single muscles, but the whole muscular system, is under its influence. All the wild motor discharges are without any purpose and object. Every idea is at once expressed either by words or by inarticulate cries, screams, and shouts lively and sparkling eyes, which protrude from the orbits, redness of the conjunctiva, threatening or staring look. As rapidly and suddenly as the attack comes, so suddenly it also disappears. Another abnormality of transitory mania is that its duration may be very much protracted, there being cases in which the attack lasted several days. Recollection generally reaches as far as the moment of outbreak, and perhaps includes darkness before the eyes, etc., but then completely ceases." The description of some of the symptoms usually found in cases of mania, as given by W. Bevan Lewis, is also fairly comparable with Dr. Crombie's account of the special features presented by cases of insanity produced by the long-continued immoderate use of ganja. "The excitant swell of feeling and the torrent of disconnected ideas may express themselves in continuous garrulity, in noisy chattering, in threatening and abusive tones, in laughter, in singing, or loud shouting with corresponding pantomime and almost ceaseless activity, or the feeling of unusual freedom and energy may find relief in destructive tendencies, smashing of glass, breaking of furniture, tearing of clothing, or, perhaps, in violent aggressiveness." In regard to these lunatics being "very subject to relapses," it may be remarked that this also is recognized as a common feature in ordinary cases of mania.

Summary of conclusions regarding hemp drug insanity.
536. Summing up the evidence as to the presence of pathognomonic symptoms in cases of hemp drug insanity, the Commission consider that, with the exception perhaps of the shorter duration of such cases when compared with cases of ordinary mania, there are no symptoms by which the cause of the mental condition can be determined. The determination of cause depends wholly upon history. The Commission also consider it not improbable that there are no typical brain lesions peculiar to hemp drug insanity, though definite lesions are doubtless present in chronic cases, as they are in cases due to other causes. In answering the question, therefore, on what the evidence rests that hemp drugs may induce mental aberration, the Commission would offer the following remarks: The evidence may be considered under two heads—(a) popular; (b) scientific. The popular idea that the use of hemp drugs may induce insanity can be traced back for many centuries, and the present day views on the subject are no doubt the outcome of old popular ideas which have been handed down and become concrete. With non-medical witnesses the mere use of the drug along with the fact of insanity, as the evidence shows, has as a rule been accepted as cause and effect. Of the large number of medical witnesses who have given evidence before the Commission, probably not a single one has ever observed the inception of the habit and the use giving rise to mental aberration, and been in a position to gauge the value of other contributory causes if present. With practically no modern literature on the subject, with no special knowledge apart from the popular idea, with a very slight or no clinical experience of insanity in England, with the experience derived from perhaps having had half a dozen insanes in the course of two years under observation as Civil Surgeons, officers have been placed in charge of asylums, and have had to differentiate between cases of hemp drug insanity and ordinary mania. The careful inquiry which has been made by the Commission into all the alleged hemp drugs cases admitted in one year into asylums in British India demonstrates conclusively that the usual mode of differentiating between hemp drug insanity and ordinary mania was in the highest degree uncertain, and therefore fallacious. Even after the inquiry which has been conducted, it cannot be denied that in some of the cases at least the connection between hemp drugs and insanity has not been conclusively established. But taking these accepted cases as a whole, we have a number of instances where the hemp drug habit has been so established in relation to the insanity that, admitting (as we must admit) that hemp drugs as intoxicants cause more or less of cerebral stimulation, it may be accepted as reasonably proved, in the absence of evidence of other cause, that hemp drugs do cause insanity. The action of hemp resin, the active principle of all forms of the drug, when taken internally, has formed the subject of accurate experimental observations, and the physiological action of the drug on the human subject and animals is fairly well known. When, however, the products of the destructive distillation of the resin are inhaled, as in ganja smoking, the precise physiological effects induced have not hitherto been, so far as the Commission are aware, as fully studied. Dr. Russell's experiments (Bengal witness No. 105) already quoted are, the Commission understand, the only ones instituted on man with any pretensions to scientific accuracy. On the other hand, Assistant Surgeon Bocarro (Sind witness No. 20) and others refer from careful actual observations to the general physiological effects induced by smoking ganja and charas. With the object of elucidating the physiological effects of the products of the destructive distillation of hemp resin, Dr. D. D. Cunningham, F.R.S., Professor of Physiology, Medical College, Calcutta, at the request of the Commission, kindly undertook a series of experiments on monkeys. A full account of the experiment with ganja is given in paragraph 483. Dr. Cunningham reports on naked-eye inspection that "the cerebro-spinal nervous centres were all apparently perfectly healthy." The results of the histological examination are not before the Commission, but it is hoped that they will be received in time to be included in the appendix. So far as the information from all sources before the Commission is concerned, there is no evidence of any brain lesions being directly caused by hemp drugs, as they have been found to be caused by alcohol and dhatura; and there is evidence that the coarse brain lesions produced by alcohol and dhatura are not produced by hemp drugs.

Cerebral stimulants.
537. The precise physiological effects induced by the inhalation of the products of the destructive distillation of hemp resin and those arising from the exhibition of the resin by the stomach are probably not identical, but in both cases there is ample evidence that the use of the drug in either form may first cause cerebral stimulation, and then depress the functional activity of the brain. François Franck and Pitre's experiments (Arch. de Physiol., 1883), quoted by Lauder Brunton, indicate that in the case of dogs the excitability of the brain is increased by the administration of Cannabis, a purified form of hemp resin, so that the tendency to epileptic convulsions is greatly increased, and may be induced by very much slighter stimuli than usual. Alcohol is a typical cerebral stimulant, and any drug which, like alcohol, increases the functional activity of the brain, may, like alcohol, give rise to what is technically known as "an intoxication." The effect of alcohol may result in three principal sets of symptoms, which are admirably set forth by Legrain (Dictionary of Psychological Medicine).(a) Taken in large amounts, in a short time it produces acute symptoms, which are immediate, but temporary—intoxication or drunkenness. (b) Alcohol if taken often and in great quantities, or if the drunkenness is nearly continuous, or if the individuals are not very strong in brain, accumulates in the organism without being at any time completely eliminated, and gives rise to acute symptoms of longer duration than mere intoxication—delirium tremens. (c) Alcohol regularly or irregularly introduced into the system for a long time in doses even short of producing immediate symptoms is known to produce general disorders and progressive lesions, characterized by weakening of the faculties and premature dementia, the ensemble of the symptoms constituting chronic alcoholism. The analogues of these chief effects of alcohol may also be traced in the symptoms induced by hemp drugs, in which we have— (a) The condition of more or less delirium with hallucinations and merriment as occurring in a person who has taken what is to him a large dose of the drug, the symptoms being only temporary— hemp drug intoxication. (b) The condition of wild frenzy, with symptoms of transitory mania occurring in a person who has systematically indulged largely in the drugs—hemp drug delirium. (c) Cases in which the drug has been used for a considerable period, and then given rise to mania of shorter or longer duration, or cases in which the symptoms of hemp drug delirium do not completely subside, but pass on into a state of mania usually curable, and thus indicating the probable absence of anatomical lesions— hemp drug mania. The evidence, though by no means clear and decisive, is perhaps sufficient to justify the presumption of an analogy such as is above indicated; and cases which have come before the Commission have seemed to divide themselves into these three classes. At the same time it must be pointed out that the sharp line of demarcation in symptoms which separates alcoholic intoxication from delirium tremens does not separate the intoxication and delirium produced by hemp drugs. Further, in regard to what has been said about hemp drug mania, it may be noted that it is not improbable, though it has not been established by evidence, that prolonged abuse of the drugs may give rise in some cases to definite brain lesions resulting in a progressive weakening of all the faculties leading to dementia.

Legrain's description of poisons of the mind.
538. Hemp drugs have been classed among the "poisons of the mind," and it may be of interest, as throwing a good deal of light on the whole subject and explaining the different modes in which "intoxications" may give rise to altered mental states, to allude briefly to the manner in which mental poisons are presumed to act. M. Legrain, in Hack Tuke's Dictionary of Psychological Medicine, defines mental poisons as including all substances, whatever may be their origin and nature, which are capable of exercising a marked action on the intellectual processes, either by disordering them or by suspending them completely for a moment or longer. He then goes on to describe their action at length in a passage which may be summarized as follows. Poisons of the mind act primarily to a greater or less extent on the cerebral cells. Almost all substances introduced into the organism modify the cerebral processes, this being due to the delicacy of the organization of the nervous system, which, like all complicated mechanism, is extremely vulnerable. The brain as the terminus of all sensations, and as the regulator of even the most minute cellular functions, has to bear the brunt of attacks, even the slightest, directed against the vital equilibrium, and has also to re-act in order to re-establish this equilibrium. In every intoxication, in addition to the cerebral re-action due to the effect of the poison itself, there are other re-actions requiring as many reflexes for the defence of the body, and closely connected with the impressions which the sensorium receives, of modifications of nutrition, or of changes which take place in other organs under the influence of the poison. These reactions are the symptoms common to every intoxication. The cerebral re-actions which take place under the more direct influence of the toxic substance are of two kinds—they may be diffused, general, and undefined, and expressed by vague symptoms, indicating a lesion of the brain as a whole; or they are well-defined, clear, and localized, indicating that the poison affects one special centre of the brain to the exclusion of all others. Special derangements may also occur in addition to those of the brain. In spite of the great dissimilarity of the substances which are capable of producing cerebral intoxication, there are nevertheless certain clinical features common to all. We might even say that there are no intellectual disorders more pathognomonic of one poison than of another. The artificial insanity produced by toxic substances is nothing but the re-action of the cerebrum, which is arrested in its full and regular function, and the coming into play of the cellular elements under the influence of an external and abnormal excitation which is different from the usual stimulation. As already pointed out, this excitation may affect one part of the brain more than another; hence the apparent difference in the symptoms, which may also vary in different individuals, although they are under the influence of the same poison. The toxic substance does not add any new element to those which the normal brain possesses, and herein lies the great difference between the superadded insanity and the insanity which the brain produces itself between toxic derangement and psychosis. All or nearly all slight intoxications, from whatever cause, are characterised by certain general symptoms—(1) excitation of the organ of thought; (2) intoxication; and (3) incoherence of ideas and actions. In organic derangement there is a qualitative ideational alteration; in toxic derangement there is only a functional disturbance, and a quantitative modification of psychical expression. The special symptoms are of infinite variety, and this variation of the special phenomena depends upon two factors—(a) the localization of the toxic effects in a special cell group in the brain; and (b) on individual re-action. Nervous and predisposed persons appear to be more easily affected than normal subjects. Certain toxic substances, such as alcohol and morphia, etc., do not produce the same effects on all individuals, male or female, under all latitudes. A large number of substances produce cerebral effects, but rarely in consequence of certain individual dispositions. Among labourers who handle carbon disulphide or aniline, some only present mental disorders. The individual factor with its idiosyncrasies plays here, as everywhere, a very important part. There are other factors, too, which have to be considered, the degree of education, reason, locality, dosage, and mode of preparation of the drug, all of which may modify the symptoms. Thus the hallucinations of the Western people under the influence of hashish are not identical with the voluptuous dreams of the Orientals. The simple intellectual disorders produced by various poisons are of two kinds—(1) the condition of excitement, and (2) the condition of depression; but these two conditions do not exclude each other. Thus in the case of hemp drugs, depression or narcosis usually follows the initial excitement. In addition to the intoxication and general disturbance of the mind, mental poisons produce also insane conditions or mental disorder. But these conditions are intimately connected with the general disturbance of the mind. The individual variations are here very numerous, the same poison producing different effects in two individuals. The insane conditions have been classed into several groups—(1) maniacal or incoherent type is the most frequent, the derangement being absolutely general; (2) alcoholic type, a maniacal condition of a depressive, painful, and frightful form; (3) maniacal type of expansive form, ambitious, mystic, and erotic ideas,  idea of self-satisfaction and of exaggeration of personality—this form is considered as representative of hashish, etc.; (4) melancholic type; (5) mixed forms in which depression may alternate with excitement; and (6) vesaniæ conditions, i.e., attacks of insanity, which, although excited by poisons, do not derive their special colour or character from the drug, but arise in persons strongly predisposed to insanity. Most poisons produce nothing but temporary disorders, which disappear without leaving any trace behind: their effect is limited to a slight excitement on depression of the faculties, to a short intoxication, or to a more or less profound narcosis; afterwards perfect order is reestablished. Other poisons cause more serious symptoms. The duration of symptoms varies according to the individual disposition and the dose absorbed; but, generally speaking, the acute stage, if recovery should follow, does not last more than a few days or weeks. In chronic voluntary intoxication the cause of the symptoms depends necessarily on the habits of the patient and the individual re-action. The chronic period does not generally establish itself from the first. There are first the acute phenomena, which may reproduce themselves a number of times, without, however, preventing chronicity from establishing itself: these acute symptoms are nothing but epiphenomena, which appear again and again in the course of this period: the two essential kinds of symptoms, however, are the irresistible appetite for the poison, with periodical return of the acute and sub-acute symptoms, and the progressive decay of the mental faculties. The acute symptoms correspond to the temporary saturation of the body with the poison, while the chronic symptoms are the expression of definite anatomical lesions in the brain gradually developed under toxic influence. The prolonged use of mind poisons thus gives rise to progressive weakening of all the faculties passing over into dementia. Acute toxic insanity is a secondary insanity: it is polymorphous; all forms of insanity may be observed, not only in two different intoxications, but even in the course of one and the same intoxication. It is temporary, nothing but a momentary acute effervescence terminating with the elimination of the poison.

Intoxication and insanity.
539. Before leaving the subject of insanity, there is one point to which it seems desirable briefly to allude. The impression left on the minds of the Commission by the perusal of a large number of records in criminal cases and by the examination of some asylum cases is that there is occasionally seen a tendency to confound intoxication and insanity in connection with hemp drugs. The result is that in some cases men who should have been simply punished for being intoxicated have been sent to the asylum, and, though sane when they reached that institution, have been detained there. These cases are, however, much rarer than they used to be, if one may judge from the old asylum reports. A more serious result of this confusion is that there are cases in which men who have committed offences, especially crimes of violence, under the influence of hemp drugs have been acquitted on the ground of insanity, although the circumstances have been such that had the intoxicant been alcohol, they would have been convicted. It is undoubtedly more difficult in the case of ganja than in the case of alcohol to recognize the line drawn for social and legal purposes between intoxication and insanity. But the difficulty is not insuperable. The main reason for the confusion that has existed is probably the ignorance that has prevailed regarding hemp drugs. When they are recognised as a common intoxicant, it is to be hoped that the practice of the Courts will be freed from the occasional blemishes above indicated. It is not expedient, nor is it just, that intoxication from hemp drugs should secure immunity from punishment which is not allowed to alcohol; and, on the other hand, the Commission cannot concur with Dr. Walsh (Bengal witness No. 112) when he says: "It is not my opinion from experience that it is either dreadful in itself or possibly disastrous to a man's mind to have to herd for years with lunatics, though sane."


552. In respect to the alleged mental effects of the drugs, the Commission have come to the conclusion that the moderate use of hemp drugs produces no injurious effects on the mind. It may indeed be accepted that in the case of specially marked neurotic diathesis, even the moderate use may produce mental injury. For the slightest mental stimulation or excitement may have that effect in such cases. But putting aside these quite exceptional cases, the moderate use of these drugs produces no mental injury. It is otherwise with the excessive use. Excessive use indicates and intensifies mental instability. It tends to weaken the mind. It may even lead to insanity. It has been said by Dr. Blanford that "two factors only are necessary for the causation of insanity, which are complementary, heredity, and stress. Both enter into every case: the stronger the influence of one factor, the less of the other factor is requisite to produce the result. Insanity, therefore, needs for its production a certain instability of nerve tissue and the incidence of a certain disturbance." It appears that the excessive use of hemp drugs may, especially in cases where there is any weakness or hereditary predisposition, induce insanity. It has been shown that the effect of hemp drugs in this respect has hitherto been greatly exaggerated, but that they do sometimes produce insanity seems beyond question.


FINDINGS OF THE COMMISSION ON EXAMINATION OF THE ALLEGED HEMP DRUG CASES OF 1892.
(1) Dallunda. (p. 22-39.)
I.—Bengal.—Taking the information collected in the asylums, supplemented by that collected in the further inquiries, it will be well to consider for each asylum how many cases there are in which hemp drugs in any form may be reasonably accepted as the sole cause, or at least a contributing cause, of the insanity. We take first the asylums of Bengal. In the returns of 1892 for the Dallunda Asylum, i.e., the Calcutta Native Asylum, there were eighteen cases attributed to hemp drugs in 1892; of these ten cases must be rejected. These may be first considered. Case No. 1—(Matabadai Goala).—In this case the Superintendent is of opinion that the man "was always of weak mind and probably of melancholic habit." There is no evidence that the man began to use the drug before he was insane. The history shows that he began to use the drug at the same time as he showed signs of insanity. This fact, though noted in the history, has been overlooked by the Superintendent. Case No. 2— (Rudra N. Bhattacharjee).—We have here a history of progressive mental deterioration, beginning before he began to use ganja and continued steadily in his history both before admission to the asylum and since. The Superintendent accordingly rejects this case. Case No. 3—(Uttam Singh).—The Superintendent says, "I do not think that this was a case of ganja insanity, but one of recurrent mania: cause unknown." There is no evidence that hemp drugs had anything to do with causing the first attack in May 1892; and that drug had certainly nothing to do with the similar attack in August. Case No. 5—(Ramlall Goala).—The Superintendent says, "I consider this to be a case of recurrent mania which has now become continuous and chronic. I do not think that ganja had anything to do with this man's mental disease." The man had apparently no friends, and the asylum papers indicate that the entry in the descriptive roll regarding the alleged ganja habit was based on the fact that the lunatic said "he took ganja." Nothing further has been learned about him; but the Superintendent merely quotes the old opinion regarding his habits in explanation of the entry of ganja as the cause in the asylum registers. This opinion, as already pointed out, was based on a statement made by the man while yet insane. Case No. 10—(Lallji Das).—The further inquiry shows that this was practically a readmission. The man had previously been admitted into the asylum on three occasions before 1892. The evidence regarding the connection between hemp drugs and this particular outbreak of insanity is conflicting and unsatisfactory. It is not the evidence of any one who knew the man well. On the other hand, there are at least two outbreaks with which these drugs could have had no connection. It does not appear why Lallji (if now sane) was not examined as to his own history. Case No. 12—(Balak Chutar).—There is nothing to connect this case with ganja except an entry in the descriptive roll. The man is still demented. The Superintendent says, "I cannot think that this man's insanity was in any way caused by hemp drugs. It appears to me to be the result of imperfect development." No further information could be obtained about him. His relatives cannot be traced. Case No. 15—(Chotu alias Motee).—There is no evidence that this man ever indulged in hemp drugs, but clear evidence to the contrary. The Superintendent, who had formerly accepted the police view, rejects it now on further inquiry. Case No. 16—(Nizamuddin).—There is no evidence of any one at all that this man ever took a single dose of hemp, and he himself denies it. The Commission cannot accept the Superintendent's view as to probability for which no ground is assigned. Case No. 17—(Poran Patro).—The evidence collected in the further inquiry shows that this man was "not a ganja smoker." His father was a lunatic, so that there was hereditary predisposition. "Sudden grief," which is now assigned as the exciting cause, would be quite an adequate cause in such a case. The Superintendent's suggestion of the possibility of the man's having "taken to ganja or other stimulant to assuage his grief" is unsupported by any evidence. Case No. 18—(Mahadeo Chamar).—This man was arrested on 22nd December 1892. He was sane when admitted to the asylum on the 26th idem. The papers disclose no sign of insanity after an act of violence on the 23rd idem. There is therefore no proof of mental alienation lasting over 24 hours. The Superintendent's view that this was a case of intoxication, and not insanity, is therefore accepted. There are three cases in which the abuse of hemp drugs, though one of the possible causes, is not the sole cause of insanity. These cases may be taken as "mixed" cases— Case No. 7—(Mihir Lal Dey).—This man was addicted to liquor as well as ganja. The Superintendent's opinion is that "this man's insanity was due more to excess of alcohol than anything else." Case No. 8—(Nafir Chandra Dey).—In this case we have an indication of heredity in the fact that his "younger sister and cousin are insane." We have also clear proof of the liquor habit and of sexual excess as well as of the abuse of ganja. Case No. 14—(Hari Mohan Chatterji).—The father of this young man stated that he "is constantly smoking ganja and drinking wine, brandy and bhang." There remain five cases which may be accepted as being, so far as is known, due to hemp drugs alone— Case No. 4—(Shama Charan Kar).—This man was not insane when admitted into the asylum. But further inquiry into his previous history affords sufficient ground for attributing this attack, as well as a previous attack, of temporary insanity to the abuse of ganja. Case No. 6—(Guru Parshad).—This man was quite sane in the asylum. There can be no doubt that he habitually used ganja; and as there is no other apparent cause, this has been accepted as the cause of his temporary insanity on this as well as on a previous occasion. Case No. 9—(Ramkissen Panda).—The statement of the descriptive roll that the man was addicted to ganja and siddhi is corroborated by his own statement after he recovered his reason. This is a reasonably probable cause of his temporary insanity. Case No. 11—(Mongla alias Mahomed Syad).—In this case we have a history of opium (not in the form of "chandu" as stated by the Superintendent) and ganja, and no other apparent cause for the insanity. Ill-health may have rendered the man more susceptible to the effects of ganja. Case No. 13—(Fatteh Ram Singh).—In this case there is a clear history of ganja and no other established cause. Thus in the Dallunda Asylum out of the eighteen cases shown as hemp drug cases in 1892, we have ten which are rejected, three that are "mixed" cases, and five that seem due to hemp. These conclusions are based on a consideration of the information collected in the asylum and in the further enquiry and of Dr. Walsh's evidence before the Commission.

(2) Patna. (p. 40.46.) 

In the Patna asylum returns for 1892 eight cases were attributed to hemp drugs. Of these five must be rejected— Case No. 1—(Salik Patick).—Here we have in the further inquiry clear evidence of relatives and neighbours to the effect that the lunatic did not use ganja. There is insanity in the family; and the man's insanity is attributed "to fright in a dream." In this case we have an illustration of an entry of cause being based on information given by a village chaukidar. Case No. 4—(Siba Thakur).—The further inquiry in this case shows that the use of ganja was in small quantities; that the man first became mad in jail where he had no ganja; and that he was addicted to excessive sexual indulgence. Case No. 5—(Maghan Gir).—This is not an 1892 case. It belongs to 1891. It was a merely formal readmission in 1892. It is excluded merely as not belonging to that year. Case No. 7—(Ram Sarup Das).—The further inquiry proves conclusively that ganja had nothing to do with the insanity, as the man did not use hemp at all. The probable causes were fever and reverses in fortune. The Magistrate and Civil Surgeon declare the entry regarding ganja in the descriptive roll to be inexplicable. Case No. 8—(Adit Misr).—This man's insanity was ascribed to ganja, because he is said to have admitted ganja smoking when received into the asylum. He now denies having used the drug, and the descriptive roll distinctly says that he did not use it. This is an illustration of the impropriety of basing an opinion on statements made by insane persons. There is one case which may be regarded as a "mixed" case, namely— Case No. 6—(Bihari Runiar).—This man was addicted to drink as well as ganja; but the circumstances seem to indicate that the latter may have had most to do with the insanity. There are two cases which seem due to ganja alone:— Case No. 2—(Kali Singh).—Further inquiry proves that this man was clearly an excessive smoker. Case No. 3—(Gajadhar Ahir).—The further inquiry shows that this man's former attack, as well as the present, may reasonably be attributed to ganja smoking. These conclusions are based on the paper submitted by Dr. Bovill to the Commission, in which he carefully and accurately summarizes the result of the further inquiries conducted in these cases.

(3) Dacca. (P. 47-53.)
In the Dacca Asylum returns for 1892 fifteen cases were ascribed to hemp drugs: of these ten must be rejected— Case No. 1—(Charan Das).—The only ground for attributing the insanity to ganja in this case is an entry in the register for 1864, that the man "is addicted to ganja." He had then been nine years insane. Dr. Cobb very reasonably rejects this case. Case No. 4—(Uzir Ali Sha).—The alleged connection of the insanity with ganja is disproved in the further inquiry. It is found that this man was never known to have used ganja, and certainly had not used it for years before he became insane. Case No. 5—(Swarup Kaibarta).—The further inquiry shows that the insanity was due to "emotional" excitement, not to ganja. The man is reported to have occasionally smoked ganja without noticeable effect. But his insanity is distinctly connected with a "violent scene" arising from his improper intimacy with a married woman. Case No. 6—(Sheikh Waris).—The further inquiry shows that the insanity was due to "grief and anxiety," not to ganja. The previous papers had shown "not a particle of evidence" to connect the alleged insanity with hemp drugs, as Dr. Cobb says; and the further inquiry has fully accounted for it on quite other grounds. Case No. 7—(Durga C. Chunga).—The ganja habit is disproved in the further inquiry. The further inquiry fully confirms Dr. Cobb's previous opinion. Case No. 8—(Madhavram Dev).—Ruin from business losses led to mental aberration. There is nothing to show that the man used ganja before this mental aberration began. The habit was not known till afterwards.


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 depends on the Descriptive Roll, which gives bhang as the cause, and the statement 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 detention 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 confinement 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, investigated 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 became 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 discharged 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 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 Surgeon 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 restraint 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 suicide by lying down in front of a train, and 7 or 8 days later entered a railway 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 Durbhanga states that "He was addicted to ganja and to drink, but not in excessive 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. He, being already a ganja smoker, probably indulged in the vice to-excess while at the fair. I hear that wrestlers often take ganja and bhang. (7) Ram Sarup Das alias Ramcheriter Thakur. An enquiry was held by Deputy Magistrate, Moulvi Syed Karim, in consultation with the Civil Surgeon of Champaran. I thought that the insanity was due to ganja, because it is said that the man took ganja and because the symptoms disappeared rapidly. I had no evidence that the man took ganja except the Descriptive Roll. The report states that there is no family history of insanity, and that "he was not addicted to ganja-smoking before or during the time that he was insane or to any other intoxicants, such as alcohol, opium, etc. Owing to certain reverses of fortune, he fell into great pecuniary difficulties and was obliged to sell his trees and mortgage his lands." "These difficulties exercised a very injurious influence on his mind, and he became seriously ill with fever a year before he turned insane. It is difficult to say why the insanity in the above case was ascribed to ganja-smoking, the result of the enquiries conclusively proving that it had no connection whatever with the use of that drug." This case appears to have been due to misfortune. (8) Adit Misr. I stated that insanity may have been caused by ganja-smoking, but there is no proof whatever that this is the case. He was recorded to have admitted ganja-smoking, and he was a religious beggar. The report made by the same officers as in the last case (No. 6) states that "None of the relatives of Adit Misr could be traced, and consequently no further enquiries could be made in the case." The result of the more careful enquiry, therefore, is that the cases of Salik Patick and Siba Thakur are very doubtful; that of Ram Sarup Das is altogether contradicted. The cases of Kali Singh, Gajadhur Ahir, Bihari Runiar, and Maghan Gir appear to be really due to hemp drugs; and that of Adit Misr has no further light thrown on it by the enquiry, and stands on his own admission and the fact of his being a religious beggar or devotee.

Reports for the year 1892 from the Lunatic Asylums in India

Reports from Dacca Lunatic Asylum.

NOTE ON CASES OF INSANITY ATTRIBUTED TO THE USE OF HEMP DRUGS ADMITTED INTO  THE DACCA LUNATIC ASYLUM DURING 1892.
(Submitted by Surgeon-Major Cobb to the Commission when orally examined.) 1. Charan Dass.—There is no reason to suppose that ganja was the cause of this man's insanity, except the entry in his Descriptive Roll, in which it is stated that he was addicted to ganja, and a remark by Dr. Wise in 1872 that "he is a stupid fellow, who brightens up when ganja is mentioned." The history of his case is not that of a ganja maniac, and the post-mortem appearances suggest chronic degenerative changes in the central nervous system. 2. Dayal Dass Bairagi.—I have no doubt that this was a case of temporary insanity induced by smoking ganja. He is example No. 1. in the evidence which I have already given. The history of the gradual supervention of his insanity under the increasing doses of ganja and his rapid recovery when confined are instructive. The fact that his father was a ganja smoker is worthy of notice. These facts I discovered in careful personal examination of the man. 3. Baishmar Chandra Saha.—There is no evidence of his being a ganja smoker  beyond the entry in his Descriptive Roll that he was addicted to ganja and spirits. The case was evidently one of simple mania. 4. Uzir Ali Sha.—The evidence of ganja-smoking in this case is very untrustworthy. It is vaguely stated in his Descriptive Roll that he was formerly addicted to ganja. The case was probably one of simple mania. 5. Swarup Kaibarta.—There is not the slightest reason for supposing ganja-smoking to have been the cause of this man's insanity other than the entry in his Descriptive Roll. On the contrary, the case presents all the characteristics of simple melancholia. 6. Sheikh Waris.—This man was found to be quite sane on admission to the Asylum. There is not a particle of evidence to support the view that ganja caused his insanity, if he ever was insane. 7. Durga Churn Chunga.—This is undoubtedly a case of recurrent mania. Beyond a vague reference of ganja-smoking in his Descriptive Roll, there is no reason to attribute his insanity to a toxic cause. 8. Madhavram Dev.—This patient's insanity is definitely attributed to the use of ganja in his Descriptive Roll, but I think it is entirely doubtful if the drug had anything to do with it. 9. Gagan Chunder Chathati.—This is a doubtful toxic case. It is stated in the Descriptive Roll that he was addicted to ganja and spirits. 10. Garua.—There is no evidence of ganja being the cause of insanity except the fact stated in the Descriptive Roll that he was addicted to ganja. 11. Narayan Das.—This man is an up-country fakir, and was known to be an excessive ganja smoker, and he does not deny the fact. The whole history of his case leads me to the conclusion that ganja was the exciting cause of his insanity. 12. Manohar Mahanta.—The entry in the Descriptive Roll and the medical certificate that the "lunatic is addicted to ganja" are the only reasons for supposing this to be a case of toxic insanity. In view of the fact as shown by the papers that this man's relatives were not known and nothing else was known of his case, the above entries are of less weight than they would otherwise have been. 13. Narayan Nawa.—This appears to be a case of insanity induced by the use of ganja. I base my opinion on the opinion of the Civil Surgeon of Cachar and on my own observation of the case. 14. Padai Ram.—This case also appears to be one of toxic insanity. I cannot at present give reasons for this view.
 
Report of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Russell, Superintendent of the Dacca Lunatic Asylum, submitting further information regarding the Hemp Drug cases of 1892. 

1. Charan Das.—Report not received. 2. Dayal Dass.—In this case no further information can be gathered by the Magistrate. I have nothing to add to the facts already recorded and no means of testing the diagnosis. Nothing has been heard regarding any recurrence of insanity since his release. 3. Baishmar Chandra Saha.—Had been addicted to ganja-smoking from his youth. Had heavy business losses. A year after this was obviously insane. Not ascertainable if consumption of ganja became excessive after these troubles. His father and mother are reported to have been of weak mind. Of two sisters, one suffers from mild idiocy. This case might be diagnosed as due to "heredity," and perhaps accelerated by use of ganja. 4. Uzir Ali Sha.—The Magistrate (Backerganj) reports, that it is not known that this man ever had used ganja. It is known that he did not use it for the last three or four years immediately before he became insane. Diagnosis suggested—"disease mania, cause unknown." 5. Swarup Kaibarta.—No history of heredity. Reported to have occasionally smoked ganja without any noticeable effect. He had an improper intimacy with a neighbour's wife. This coming to the husband's ears, a violent scene occurred. Mental unsoundness was noticed for the first time in Swarup Kaibarta immediately after this scene. Case might probably be more correctly diagnosed as "emotional excitement." 6. Sheikh Waris.—This case seems to have been recorded as due to ganja on evidence of a very slight character. The history of the case shows that the man lost his house, land, and means of living; great depression followed. About this time he drew on himself the curse of a fakir of great repute for sanctity. These troubles preyed on his mind; he became peculiar and eventually insane. I should diagnose this case as due to "grief and anxiety." It is questionable whether ganja comes in as even a remote cause. No history of heredity. 7. Durga Churn Chunga.—The Magistrate (Dacca) reports (24th May 1894): "He does not appear to be in the habit of smoking ganja, and the real cause of his insanity cannot be ascertained." "Anxiety regarding his want of means may have turned him mad." The actual ascertained facts seem to justify a diagnosis—"Mania, cause not known," rather than "toxic insanity, cause ganja." 8. Madhavram Dev.—Incurred business losses which swallowed up the small economics of many years and ruined him; became morose and reckless; took to using ganja in large quantities; became gradually insane. Report says: "It was after Madhavram betrayed signs of mental aberration that his people came to know of his bad habit." That he used ganja before his troubles is not certain. Suggested diagnosis—Mania: causes (1) grief, leading to (2) excessive use of ganja. 9. Gagan Chunder Chathati.—The Magistrate (Dacca, 24th May 1894) reports; "This man was never in the habit of taking ganja." He was a school-master. A book he wrote as a text-book was rejected by the Committee. He was then unsuccessful in examination for a mukhtiarship. Depression ensued; he took to drink, and eventually became insane. No history of heredity. The facts as now recorded seem to warrant a diagnosis of toxic insanity, cause alcohol. 10. Garua alias Goberdhan.—No further information has been elicited. 11. Narayan Das.—No further information has been elicited. The case is the same as that below.—See No. 15. 12. Manohar Mahanta.—No further information obtainable. 13. Narayan Nawa.—Report not received. 14. Padai Ram.— No further information obtainable. 15. Narayan Das.—This case is the same as No. 11. E. G. RUSSELL, M.B., B.Sc., Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca.

Reports from Berhampore Lunatic Asylum.

 

CASE NO. 7. Copy of a letter No. 208 Crl., dated Nawadah, the 21st May 1894, from the SubDivisional Officer, Nawadah, to the Magistrate of Gya. WITH reference to your Memo. No. 1051, dated the 4th May 1894, directing an enquiry to be made in regard to the cause of insanity of one Hari Das, lunatic, I have the honour to submit the following result of my enquiry about the matter. 1. Sardari Koiri, aged 35 years. 2. Somer Koiri, aged 40 years. 3. Gango Sonar, aged 45 years. 2. I had sent for the relatives of the alleged lunatic at first, but it was reported that there were none alive among them in the village, so I had to send for a few of his next-door neighbours who appeared before me to-day and gave the following accounts of his habits. Their names are noted in the margin. They appear to be intelligent and reliable. 3. They say that the lunatic Hari Das was formerly called Dhamri Dhanook and was by caste a Dhanook. His parents had died long before he became insane. He first became insane about 15 years ago and was sent to the lunatic asylum by name of Damri. He returned from the asylum on his recovery after two years' confinement, and lived at his native village for about 7 years in sound health and mind. During these seven years he passed for a sadhu and designated himself as Hari Das. It is also alleged that when residing at his village during this period of seven years, he once committed theft and was imprisoned for two years. On his return from the jail he returned to his house and again passed for a sadhu and lived on begging. It is about six years that they saw that he went with his younger son, Sheo Charn, to Sahibganj, Kajrote, in Bhagalpur, where the latter was married and that they heard nothing of him since then. 4. They state further that before Hari Das went mad, he used to smoke ganja only once a day, but on his return from the lunatic asylum he began to smoke twice a day, and that he never used bhang. They further state that the alleged lunatic Hari Das was not insane in reality, but that he pretended to be so in order to cover his misdoings. According to them, the use of hemp drugs was not the real cause of his insanity as he used them very moderately, neither was he subjected to any sad affliction, which might have been the cause of his insanity. 5. As stated above, his father died some 25 years ago; his mother died two years later, and his wife died some ten years ago; his first son, named Shankar Dhanook, was punished for theft, and it is not known where he is at present. It appears that Hari Das has been confined in the Lunatic Asylum for a second time and was sent there by the Magistrate of Bhagalpur. 6. The form annexed with your letter under reply is returned herewith. Case No. 11. The record in the Sessions case, Empress vs. Purna Chandra Rishi, has been perused. Seven witnesses speak to the madness of the prisoner since Asar; but not one mentions ganja or bhang. The prisoner's mother (whom he had wounded) said: "Purna's two sons had died before the occurrence. He also lost his son-in-law. Since Asar Purna had become like a mad man." His cousin (son of the woman he killed) said: "I cannot say why he became mad. He had two sons, one of whom died. He never had any son-in-law." No other witness was asked about the cause of insanity, and the Judge does not refer to it. The Civil Surgeon of Jessore said: "I had the prisoner under observation for some time, and observed his mental condition during the time, and I came to the conclusion that he was a weak-minded and somewhat demented individual. He seemed perfectly harmless. But on hearing that he had committed such great crimes, I am of opinion that he is not harmless, and that he has probably temporary fits of mania." He said nothing about the cause of insanity.  

Reports from Cuttack Lunatic Asylum

Reports from Tezpur Lunatic Asylum.

Telegram, dated 20th May 1894.
From—Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Tezpur,
To—Secretary, Hemp Drugs Commission.
So far all District Magistrates declare inability to get information throwing light on thirteen ganja cases, 1892. I have nothing, therefore, to base opinion on.
 

Extract from the oral evidence of Surgeon-Major J. Mullane (Civil Surgeon, Dibrugarh) regarding some of the 1892 admissions to the Tezpur Asylum.
I cannot say what was the cause of insanity in the case of the woman Kitni, No. 13, sent up in 1892. I had not seen the descriptive roll before I dealt with the case. But now I see from it that nothing was known of the woman. I remember the case of Akhilananda (No. 2) (1892) very well. It was suspected at the time that it was ganja. I heard about ganja at the time. But I had no positive evidence at the time as to whether he took ganja. He was a man difficult to get anything out of. He remained silent and morose. From this I rather disbelieved the account I got that he took ganja. In my opinion, the symptoms were inconsistent with ganja. On that account I disbelieved the statement made to me. I do not remember the case of Chadi (No. 8) (1892). The noisy and violent character is consistent with ganja. I cannot now say whether the symptoms were typical. I do not remember the case of Khadu (No. 6) (1892). But my certificate shows symptoms which are inconsistent with the ganja theory. I remember the case of Jaganath (No. 5) (1892). I learned afterwards that the man suffered from epilepsy; and his case is one of that variety of insanity which is associated with epilepsy. I ascertained that he had had epilepsy in the Jail. I remember I had heard that he used to take ganja; but I had rejected that in certifying to his case. I did not think his symptoms consistent with the ganja theory. Besides, he had a curiously malformed head, and I associated his insanity with that. It is possible that the adjectives and expressions used in a brief certificate might be the same while expressing what would appear to the observer different symptoms. Thus, "noisy" and "delusions" might be used. But the character of the noise and of the delusions in ganja insanity are peculiar in themselves. All I had to certify was enough to show the man insane, so I did not go into detailed distinctions. All that is required is to leave no doubt in the Magistrate's mind that the man is insane. You would, of course, in such cases omit any doubtful matter. I remember the case of Saheb Ram (No. 4) (1892). I knew the garden well, and got a full account of the case. It was a case of religious mania only, and there was no suspicion of ganja in the case. The symptoms were not consistent with ganja insanity. I do not think so. I remember the case of Bapu Ram (No. 9) very distinctly. It had a very tragic ending. The man was discharged cured from this asylum, and cut off his wife's head a fortnight after. He was sent back. He was suffering from phthisis at the time, and whether he is alive or not I cannot say. I do not think ganja had anything whatever to do with his case. He had been a Head Constable in Sibsagar, and had been discharged for insanity many years ago. I formed no opinion as to the cause. He had a remarkably small brain development, and a curiously smiling expression constantly on the face.

Reports from Benares Lunatic Asylum

Report by Surgeon-Major Sweeney, Superintendent, Benares Asylum on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892. 

I have the honour now to enclose the result of the local enquiries held by the Magistrates and Civil Surgeons into the cases of the six lunatics selected from the asylum for enquiry, and whose insanity was attributed to the use of Indian hemp in one or other of its forms. Of the six no trace could be found of Nos. 1 and 2, by name Bhawanidin and Ram Das, and consequently no enquiries could be made regarding them; but the remaining four cases have been duly enquired into and the results are forwarded herewith. As regards No. 3, by name Bhasrwoti Pershad. In this case there is no reason to doubt that ganja and bhang are responsible for the insanity. The evidence of the uncle, Madho Pershad, and of Josodanund, showed that Bhagwoti Pershad was addicted to the excessive use of ganja and bhang, and in the absence of all trace of heredity or of any other probable exciting cause, it is reasonable to assume that his malady was caused as stated. No. 4, by name Ramlal.—The evidence in this case shows that Ramlal, although not using either ganja or charas, was in the habit of consuming a considerable amount of bhang. I am informed that half a tola of bhang is, except in the case of habitual excessive consumers, a large quantity and capable of producing decided intoxication. In this case also no heredity can be shown, and no probable exciting cause of insanity, excepting the regular drinking of bhang. No.5, Hinganlal.—This case bears witness unmistakeably to the effects of bhang. Commencing at the age of 10 years to take one tola of bhang twice daily, which is a very considerable amount, its consumption culminated on two occasions in insanity, which got cured on the stoppage of the drug and recurred on its resumption. Here also no heredity or predisposing cause can be found, and the natural conclusion comes to us that bhang was the exciting cause. No. 6, Ram Smair.—In this case the chain of connection is not as strong as in the others, though the evidence shows that he used to drink bhang occasionally, and the witness No. 3 named Birchu shows that Ram Smair was very intoxicated the day before he disappeared, and that the intoxication was such as would have been caused by bhang. In this case one should remember the great reluctance of any native, especially when any formal enquiry is on foot, to admit consuming anything to excess owing to fear of possible ulterior punishment. It is quite possible that in the case of a student, as this man was, even a single overdose following on even moderate use of the drug, might have produced mental disturbance. I have on innumerable occasions had men sent for observation and report who were in a state of violent maniacal excitement, which lasted from 8 to 12 days from what they described to be a single indulgence in the use of the drug. In returning the series of questions circulated to witnesses, I have the honour to point out that I have only just taken over charge of the Asylum, and am not thoroughly conversant with the subject. I therefore only answer such questions as have come within my knowledge as Civil Surgeon in the North-West Provinces.
 
From—The Joint Magistrate, Benares, To—The District Magistrate, Benares. 

I have the honour to forward the result of my inquiry in accordance with your orders of 24th November last. The report has been delayed as, being in charge of the city, I was unable to leave head-quarters. Of the three persons whose insanity is said to have been caused by the use of drugs, only one can be found. Ramdas Thakur is a wandering mendicant with no family and fixed abode. I have not been able to find any trace either of him or of any of his relatives. Bhawanidin is also not to be found. His mother states that he was kidnapped by a recruiter of emigrants. She denies that he ever consumed drugs at all, and I cannot find out on what ground the Magistrate stated that insanity was caused by ganja-smoking. Perhaps the Superintendent of the Asylum can obtain some information on this point. 3. Local enquiry as to the cause of insanity of Bhagwoti Pershad. Madhopershad, son of Sunder Lal, caste Kayast, present resident of Welleslyganj, occupation service, aged 28 years, on oath, states that Bhagwoti Pershad, the insane, is my nephew. Since he attained the age of 14 or 15 years he used to smoke 4 or 5 pice worth ganja every day, and often he was also in the habit of taking bhang and black pepper. It is about two years past he has turned insane. No member of our family or anybody in the family of Bhagwoti Pershad's mother's side had ever insanity. I know not how Bhagwoti Pershad turned insane. When he was attacked with the malady I was not with him, and so I can't say what signs of insanity he had then. Jasodanand, son of Daljit Pershad, caste Kayast, at present residing at Welleslyganj former resident of Akorhi, occupation service, aged about 45 years, on oath, states that, Bhagwoti Pershad is my son. It is over two years Bhagwoti Pershad has turned insane; he was in the habit of smoking ganja 5 or 6 chilams, 4 or 5 pice worth, daily, and used often bhang as well. Since he attained the age of 14 or 15 years he used to smoke ganja. Some four or five months prior to his insanity his mind was not well, his appetite and memory was also becoming loose gradually, and then all of a sudden he turned mad. Now he is in the Benares Lunatic Asylum. I hear that he is recovering. None of my or my father-in-law's family had insanity. It appears that, owing to his excessive use of ganja and bhang, his memory turned unsound, and there is no other reason of his insanity. Shadi Lal, chowkidar, son of Bipat, caste Pasi, inhabitant of Mouza Akorhi, occupation service, aged about 32 years, on oath, states that it is over two years Bhagwoti Pershad turned insane. I do not know the cause of his insanity, but I know that he was addicted to ganja and used often bhang as well. None in the family of Bhagwoti Pershad had ever insanity. Bhagwoti Pershad was not in the habit of taking liquor. OPINION. Bhagwoti Pershad is in the Lunatic Asylum. I sent Madho Pershad, his uncle, to the Assistant Surgeon in charge of Sadar, and both of us had a consultation regarding the cause of insanity of Bhagwoti Pershad. After that I proceeded on to the spot and had a local enquiry in the matter. Depositions of a few witnesses who are acquainted with the matter recorded, which are herewith submitted. From the enquiry I am of opinion that the cause of Bhagwoti Pershad's insanity is owing to his excessive use of ganja and bhang. The opinion of the Assistant Surgeon is also herewith annexed.

CAMP AKORHI; GANGA NARAIN, Dated the 20th November 1893. Deputy Magistrate, Mirzapur.
Statement made by Lalla Madho Ram, late Girdawal of His Highness the Maharajah of Benares at Kachowa.
Name.—Bhagwoti Pershad. Father's name.—Jasodanundun. Caste.—Kayast. Residence.—Welleslyganj, Mirzapur. Age.—25. Lalla Madho Ram is the uncle of the insane Bhagwoti Pershad. He remembers that his nephew was addicted to the habit of smoking ganja since he was a boy of 14 or 15 years old. He has seen him often to drink the mixture of bhang leaves and black-pepper. Although his nephew was using regularly different preparations of Indian hemp, still he continued to remain in good health till he had the attack of insanity. He was not with his nephew when he was insane, so he cannot give the full particulars and symptoms of his nephew's illness. His nephew has been sent to the Lunatic Asylum at Benares about 18 months ago and where he is still at present. He has been told that his nephew is almost cured now, and he will soon go to Benares to get his release from the Asylum. He cannot remember that any other member of his family had the same or allied disease before or at present. Remarks.—This case also proves that owing to the continuous use of ganja and bhang, Bhagwoti Pershad became insane. He is still at the Benares Lunatic Asylum; and as he is reported to be well now, he will be able to furnish his own history of his illness if enquired there. MANMATHA NATH BASU, Assistant Surgeon. 4. Local enquiry as to the cause of insanity of Ramlal. Ramlal, son of Sheo Narain, caste Bhouja, of Ahrora, aged 22 years, occupation Bhouja, on oath, states that I became insane some 23 months ago and was in unconscious state for a period of two or three months. I do not know the cause of my insanity. I never smoked ganja or charas, but that two years previous to my becoming insane I used to take one tola, worth 1/2 pice, bhang once every day in the evening time. I am not aware whether my grandfather was ever insane, but that my father was never afflicted with this malady or my mother or maternal grandparents. That when I became insane neither had the second stage of my matrimonial ceremony been performed, nor had I ever visited my wife. I was admitted into the Benares Lunatic Asylum. I am neither insane nor do I take bhang now. Since I have come out of the Asylum I am all right, and since then I have never been reattacked with the malady. I used to smoke tobacco also. My memory and appetite began to fail me four or five months previous to my insanity, and I became confounded. GANGA NARAIN. Chhedi, son of Sheo Narain, caste Bhouja, of Ahrora, aged 26 years, occupation Bhouja, on oath, states that Ramlal is my brother. I do not know the cause of Ramlal's insanity. It was 23 or 24 months ago that he become insane. His mind seemed to have been in disorder some two or four months before he became absolutely insane, and his appetite also began to fail him. He was not in the habit of smoking ganja or charas, but he used to take one tola bhang once every evening. I have never seen my grandfather, and so I am not in a position to say if he was ever insane. My father, Sheo Narain, died some three years ago and had never been afflicted with insanity. He used to take a little liquor, but never took bhang. I myself never took bhang, but used tobacco; neither my mother nor her parents had ever insanity. GANGA NARAIN. Fakiran, son of Bandhu, caste Sheik, of Mohalla Bazargunj, aged 86 years, occupation service, on oath, states that I am the Karunda of Nil Hasan, Bandi Bibi zemindar, and live at Ahrora since nearly 40 years, where Ramlal lives also. Ramlal is a ryot of my master I know not how Ramlal became insane. Ramlal used to take bhang every day worth half a pice. He turned himself insane all of a sudden. His father, Sheo Narain, never used bhang, but was in the habit of taking a little liquor. GANGA NARAIN. Mathura, son of Gouri, caste Bhouja, of Ahrora, aged 25 years, occupation Bhouja, on oath, states that Ramlal is the son of my father's sister. I do not know the cause of his insanity. His mother, Mussammat Dokhni, was never insane, nor Chakori, my paternal grandfather and Ramlal's maternal grandfather. I do not know whether Chakori ever took liquor or bhang. My father died before him. Ramlal used to take a little bhang since last two or three years. GANGA NARAIN. Bharos, son of Ram Dihal, caste Chamar, of Ahrora, age 27 years, occupation service, on oath, states that Ramlal lives in my beat. I do not know how Ramlal became insane. All of a sudden he turned insane. Ramlal did not smoke ganja or charas, but used to take one tola bhang every day in the evening time. I saw his father, Sheo Narain, who never used to take bhang or turned insane. GANGA NARAIN. OPINION. I sent Ramtal to the Civil Surgeon and had a consultation with him as well regarding the cause of insanity of Ramlal. After that I proceeded on to the spot and had a local enquiry in the matter. Depositions of Ramlal and a few witnesses acquainted with the cause of insanity of Ramlal recorded, which are also herewith submitted. From the enquiry I am of opinion that cause of Ramlal's insanity is owing to his excessive use of bhang. The opinion of the Civil Surgeon is herewith annexed. CAMP AHRORA; GANGA NARAIN, The 16th January 1894. Deputy Magistrate, Mirzapur. Ramlal, aged 22. Father's name.—Shibi Narain. Caste.—Bhouja. Residence.—Ahrora. Two years previous to his admission to the Lunatic Asylum he had been in the habit of daily taking bhang once in evening time in cold infusion 1/2 tola daily. Four months previous to his being insane his memory began to fail—also his appetite—evidently the habit is taken to prevent hunger. The body, as in opium-eaters, emaciates usually. This man's insanity was undoubtedly directly attributable to the excessive and habitual use of bhang. Since his recovery and return home the man has never taken to its use and has never had another attack and is in fair health, and, as he says, his health now is infinitely better than when he was addicted to the habit. I have had several cases during my residence here under me sent to the cells as raving lunatics which I have recognized as toxic insanity due to bhang and have never sent to a Lunatic Asylum. They have all recovered and been released. Their history has always been carefully enquired into by me. H. E. DRAKE-BROCKMAN, F.R.C.S., Civil Surgeon. 5. Local enquiry as to the cause of insanity of Hinganlal. Hinganlal, son of Summi, caste Brahman Panda, inhabitant of Bindhiachal, occupation Pandai, aged about 25 years, on oath, states that it is about 16 or 17 months past I turned insane; for four months I was not in my sense then. I do not know the cause of my insanity. I used to take bhang worth half a pice and 1/4th pice worth of black pepper twice a day, since I attained the age of 10 or 11 years. At the age of 14 or 15 years once more I turned insane for five or six months. I do not know the cause of my insanity, how I was recovered from the malady, or by whom treated. Then, when I recovered, for nearly four or five months I did not use bhang. After that again I began to use the similar quantity of bhang and black pepper and turned again insane. Before I turned insane last time I lost my memory and appetite, and could not sleep soundly and did not feel well in the mind. For four months I was in the Lunatic Asylum. I have not been married as yet. Since I have come out of the Asylum I do not take bhang or any other intoxicating drugs, but scarcely when my associates press me of course then I take a little bhang. Since a month previous to my becoming insane the last time I did not feel well. None of my family of either sides had ever this malady. I never used ganja and charas. GANGA NARAIN. Summi, son of Madho Ram, caste Brahman Panda, inhabitant of Bindhiachal, occupation Pandai, aged 85 years, on oath, states that Hingan is my son: nearly 16, 17, or 18 months past he turned insane and continued in that state for four months. He became insane in the month of Bhador of the last year, and was in the Benares Lunatic Asylum. When Hingan was 10 years old he used to take one tola bhang and 1/4 pice worth black pepper twice daily. When he became 14 years old for four or five months he turned insane, and recovered from the malady through the treatment of country physicians. I too used to take bhang about one kori in measure every day for 40 years, and have discontinued now. Neither I myself, anybody in my family, nor any member in my father-in-law's family ever turned insane. When in the last time Hingan turned insane, he was also then in the habit of using bhang. One or one and a half months previous to his insanity his mind was not well. I do not know how Hingan turned insane. GANGA NARAIN. Abdul Majid Khan, son of Shukulla Khan, caste Pathan, of Bindhiachal, aged 28 years, occupation service (municipal chowkidar), on oath, states that I do not know how Hinganlal became insane. He turned insane all of a sudden. Hinganlal was in the habit of taking one tola bhang daily. Neither Hingan's father nor any of his relatives ever had insanity. GANGA NARAIN. OPINION. I sent Hinganlal to the Assistant Surgeon in charge of the Sadar to find out the cause of his insanity, and had also a consultation with him. After that I proceeded on to the spot and had a local enquiry in the matter. Depositions of Hinganlal and a few witnesses who are acquainted with the cause of his insanity recorded, which are also herewith submitted. From the enquiry I am of opinion that the cause of Hingan's insanity is owing to his excessive use of bhang. The opinion of the Assistant Surgeon is also herewith enclosed. CAMP BINDIACHAL; GANGA NARAIN, The 15th November 1893. Deputy Magistrate, Mirzapur.
Statement of Hingan, Brahman, a discharge inmate of Benares Lunatic Asylum. Name.—Hingan. Father's name.—Bindun. Caste.—Brahman, Hindu. Residence.—Bindiachal, Mirzapur. Age.—25. Since he was a boy of 10 years old he was in the habit of taking once daily a mixture containing half pice worth of bhang leaves (pounded or made into a paste at first) and quarter pice worth of black pepper. This he continued to take without any apparent illheath. At his fourteenth year somehow or other he had a fit of insanity, but he cannot state at present how he became insane at that time and how long he suffered from disorder of mind. He thinks he was insane for six months, but he does not remember whether he was treated in any Asylum or he was treated in his own house. He remembers at present that after he was thoroughly well at that time, he did not use bhang for at least four months, and after that period he again regularly took bhang till he had a second attack of the disease. Last year in the Hindustani month of Chait he had a relapse. He cannot state at present what led to this second attack. He remembers that he could not sleep for days, had no appetite, and his mind was very much excited before he had the recurrence of insanity. He cannot at present recall to his mind what he did and what occurred to him during the period he was insane. He says that when he was cured he found that he was confined in a place which he afterwards came to learn to be the Lunatic Asylum of Benares. No other member of his family had this disease. He has left off the habit of regularly taking bhang since his discharge from the Asylum, but now and then he takes bhang mixture when compelled by his friends. He seems to be thoroughly sane at present. REMARKS. This case conclusively proves that hemp leaves which Hingan Brahman used to take regularly was the cause of the two attacks of insanity of which he was a victim. If Hingan again contracts his old vice, then it is probable that he might again get relapse of insanity. MANMATHA NATH BASU, Assistant Surgeon. 6. Ram Samair. Ram Smair I succeeded in finding. He is now in his right senses. I append statements made by him and also by other persons likely to have an intimate knowledge of him. From these statements it appears that Ram Smair never indulged in ganja, but that he occasionally took bhang in moderate quantities. It does not appear that this was really the cause of his becoming insane, though possibly insanity may have been hastened by an overdose of the drug. Ram Smair states:—I am all right now. I remained for two months in the Asylum and then got well. I left the Asylum 6 1/2 months ago, and since then I have had no return of insanity. I was a consumer of bhang before I went into the Asylum. I consumed bhang for five or six months. I did not consume it every day, perhaps once in 7 or 8 days. I did not consume it to excess, but just as any one else does. I have no recollection of how I came to commit theft. I was quite out of my senses for two months. I had not indulged in bhang to any excessive extent before I lost my senses. It was not owing to the bhang that I lost my senses. I was affected by a disease which is known as "thai." It was this that made me insane. I was affected this way once before. It was about the time of the Dasehra that I first began to lose my senses. I did not indulge in bhang to any excessive extent in the Dasehra. I have never smoked ganja. Ram Das Misser.—Ram Smair is my brother; he is younger than I am. He only drank bhang occasionally. He was not a daily or a habitual consumer. Numbers of people drink bhang, and Ram Smair drank it just as other people do. I never drink bhang myself. Ram Smair is engaged in the ceremonies at the Ram Lila. Ram Smair did not engage in any excessive consumption at the time of the Ram Lila. The first time he became insane was about a year ago. He got well in a month or two. When Ram Smair was arrested for theft he went to Benares to read; he was alright; he was arrested there. I don't know the circumstances as I was not there. Ram Smair read with Sama Churn and Mahabir. Sama Churn lives in Nai Basti. It was owing to illness that Ram Smair became insane. He took very little bhang: that was not the reason of his insanity. He never smoked ganja; he is a Brahman, and is not allowed by the rules of his caste to smoke ganja. Raj Narain, Kayast.—I am zamindar of the village in which Ram Smair lives. I have known him for a long time; he is one of my tenants. He is an exceedingly respectable man, and belongs to a most respectable family. Ram Smair used to take bhang now and then in an ordinary way, just as other people take it. He never consumed it to excess. That was not the cause of his madness. He became insane from illness. In Benares all the Pandas and Brahmans and Mahajans are consumers of bhang. There is no popular feeling against taking it. Just as other respectable men take bhang so Ram Smair used to take it. Ram Smair was reading with Mahabir at Benares when he went mad; he ran away from there; he wandered about for many days; he threw away his sacred thread, and committed many other acts of madness. I don't know how he came to be arrested. I have never heard of any one going mad from the use of bhang. It is considered like tobacco; but excessive use produces intoxication; it never produces permanent insanity. Berchi, Brahman.—I know Ram Smair. I read with him at Benares. One day Ram Smair did not appear for the reading, and then I learnt that he had gone mad. I learnt it one or two months afterwards. He disappeared for one or two months, and then it came to my knowledge that he had gone mad and had been sent to the madhouse. When Ram Smair was reading with me, I saw him every day. Occasionally he used to take a little bhang. I can't say whether he was an excessive consumer or not. He never took enough to make him quite senseless, though he was intoxicated. I can't say what was the cause of his madness—whether it was bhang or some other cause. The day before he disappeared he appeared to be intoxicated. He was very intoxicated. The intoxication was like the intoxication produced by bhang. Mahabir.—I know Ram Smair; he used sometimes to read with me. I was not in Benares when he was arrested. I was at Jaunpur, and when I came back I heard that he had gone mad. I can't say why he went mad. I don't know whether he consumed any intoxicating drug or not.

Reports from Agra Lunatic Asylum

(1) Personal and family history of Ram Lall, lunatic. Letter No. 1347, dated the 10th May 1894, from the Collector of Etah. IN continuation of this office No. 1273, dated 2nd instant, has the honour to forward the statements of three* witnesses, with the remark that it seems generally believed in the village that the madness was brought on by charas-smoking. Ram Lall himself thinks so, and adds that he has now given up the drug. 2. It is difficult to elicit from these people the exact quantity that was habitually smoked and the period over which the smoking continued. 3. They seem afraid to speak the truth. In any case, since his discharge the man has never suffered, and that is two years ago. EDGAR GALBRAITH, Collector of Etah. (2) Case of Motilal. In accordance with the District Magistrate's orders I held an enquiry into Motilal's insanity. I do not know why Motilal's insanity has been attributed to the excessive use of bhang and dhatura. Perhaps no proper enquiry has hitherto been made as to the cause of insanity. He was only in the habit of taking bhang in moderate quantities, which could not have deranged his brain. He is said to have never taken dhatura at all. Motilal's mother had attacks of insanity at different times. His maternal grandfather is also subject to periodical attacks of insanity. Motilal had an elder brother who managed all the family business. After his death this all devolved on Motilal, the father being incapacitated from old age. The strain was too much for Motilal, who had no knowledge of business, and who incurred heavy losses. This preyed on his mind and led to his losing his reason. He had also the taint of hereditary insanity. B. D. MISRA, Magistrate, 1st class. Note by Civil Surgeon on case of Motilal, lunatic. The investigation into past family history of Motilal shows clearly that his insanity was probably hereditary. His mother and his mother's father are both known to have suffered from insanity. The deaths of his father and brother together with money losses probably acted on an already weak intellect and produced insanity on himself. There is no history of Motilal having been excessively addicted to bhang or to dhatura at all, and there is nothing to show that his insanity was due to these drugs. The 2nd March 1894. W. A. D. FASKEN, Civil Surgeon. In accordance with your order of the 11th February we have made a joint enquiry into the circumstances attending the insanity of the two lunatics, Gopal and Tulsi who were admitted into the Asylum at Agra, and whose insanity was attributed to indulgence in hemp drugs, and have the honour to report as follows— (3) Case of Gopal. The lunatic Gopal, Brahman, of Jhansi, had apparently indulged in drugs for some ten years previous to his admission into the Asylum. As he had at the time of his admission been mad some five years, he must have been in the habit of consuming drugs for some five years previous to his first outbreak. The evidence as to the amount of drugs consumed is vague; but it is evident that he indulged in them to excess, for his eldest brother says he used to smoke and drink them whenever he got a chance. He appears to have indulged in ganja, bhang, and charas impartially. There is no evidence to show that he partook of any other drugs, and the family state that he never drank spirits. The insanity in this case appears to have been a very sudden case, the family not having any suspicion as to his condition until he suddenly commenced tearing up his clothing and anything else he could lay hands on. His father had died previous to his attack, but some little while before; and that does not seem to have had anything to do with the attack, as he was appointed to his father's job and worked in it up to the time of the attack. One of the brothers says that the neighbours were angry at his appointment, and that there had been some ill-feeling about the matter. This may possibly have tended to upset the balance of his mind. No trace has been discovered of any actual madness among the other members of the family, but it is quite evident that the intellectual development of the family is poor. Gopal was the eldest son. His brothers all show distinctly weak intellectual types, but improve as their ages diminish. The brother next to Gopal in age is distinctly the worst of them. His appearance would certainly go to show that it would not require much to throw his mind out of balance. (14) The case of Tulsi Bania of Jhansi. The insanity in this case appears to have come on gradually. It had lasted about three years previous to his admission into hospital. It commenced with absent-mindedness and wandering, and eventually developed into a more dangerous type with homicidal and suicidal tendencies. The family in this case is a small one and consists chiefly of women who did not appear before us. There does not appear to have been any hereditary tendency to insanity; at any rate the father is not aware of any other relatives having displayed any such symptoms. The impression that his insanity was due to indulgence in hemp drugs appears to have rested mainly on his own statements to the Civil Surgeon. From the statements now made before us this appears to have been a hallucination on his part. His father declares that to his knowledge he never indulged in them at all. H. O. W. ROBARTS, Joint Magistrate, Jhansi. G. M. NIXON, M.B., Civil Surgeon.
 
REPORT ON FOUR AGRA LUNATICS. (4) Case of Jugla, Brahman. The family of the lunatic is poor. He has never suffered any shock, nor has he suffered from any severe illness. No other member of the family has ever been mad, nor is any trace of hereditary weakness or disease to be found. The lunatic has for many years been addicted to the excessive use of charas. He has remained in the Bareilly Asylum once, and is now again a lunatic. He still smokes charas. [Note.—Three brothers and a cousin of the lunatic state that "Jugla is again mad. No other member of our family, male or female, ever went mad. He always smokes charas very heavily. He has never suffered any great loss nor received any shock to cause his madness."] (10) Case of Murli Singh. The inquiry shows that the lunatic was never addicted to smoking charas, but that he was addicted to drink. His property was sold up, but the debt was contracted by his father. No other member of the family has ever been lunatic. No trace of any hereditary weakness or disease can be discovered. The lunatic is said to have attended a patwari's wedding and having consumed too much alcohol to have gone mad. The lunacy has wrongly been atributed to "charas." (12) Case of Kundan Lall. This man went mad two years ago. Since his release from the asylum he has kept well until a few days ago when he again became violent and is now once more under observation. His lunacy was formerly ascribed to "bhang," but his relatives entirely deny that he has ever used or consumed any intoxicant. The family is a poor one. No other member of it ever became lunatic. The lunatic contracted syphilis, but there is no trace of hereditary weakness or disease in the family. The lunatic has not the appearance of a charas-smoker, and his lunacy has been wrongly ascribed to "drugs." (16) Case of Kishan Lall. The lunacy is ascribed by the relative to the excessive consumption of drugs and opium. The lunatic contracted syphilis, but no trace of insanity or hereditary disease is to be discovered in any other member of the family. The lunatic's father and brother are both Pandits, but the lunatic himself appears to have always neglected the hereditary occupation and to have taken to evil courses when a young man. He has suffered no great loss, nor any severe shock. He has one son, who is well and perfectly sane. [Note.—Kishan Lall's brother says: "He has been lunatic for some three years. It was through the consumption of bhang, charas, and opium that he became so. He is thirty-two years of age. In his youthful days he contracted syphilis, and then he took to drugs. * * He eats very little, but consumes intoxicants to any extent, limited only by his ability to obtain them."] The above information has been obtained by questioning the near relatives of each lunatic who live either with him or near him. A copy of the information extracted from them in each case is attached. Two of these cases clearly arise from consumption of drugs while two have been wrongly attributed to them. I fear that police-officers are only too prone to put down every case of insanity to the consumption of drugs, in order to save themselves the trouble of making a proper inquiry. The 29th March 1894. W. TUDBALL, I.C.S., Joint Magistrate. There is nothing for me to add to Mr. Tudball's remarks, save that throughout the enquiry the point aimed at was to distinguish between immediate and ultimate causes inducing lunacy in each case, and, so far as such nice distinctions were possible, between the ultimate exciting, and the determining cause. That is to say, very briefly, that the fact of the lunatic having taken some form of hemp, at some time, in greater or less quantity, habitually or occasionally or rarely was of course noted, and then the bearing of that fact upon his general condition, physical and mental, was elucidated, e.g., were the charas-smoking and the "lunacy" both results of an antecedent ultimate cause, the charas being merely an exciting or determining cause ? The appeal to hemp might indicate a want of mental control suggesting some antecedent mental disease or instability. In the two cases here set down to hemp we think it fairly established that the hemp was a true "cause," ultimate and exciting. I only add this note to show that we were aware of the less direct terms of the problem. ERNEST ROBERTS, M.B., The 29th March 1894. Civil Surgeon, Aligarh. 5. Deoki Das.—No report received. 6. Krishna Parshad.—The lunatic cannot be traced. 7. Gulab, Mussalman.—The lunatic cannot be traced. (8) Notes of an enquiry held in consultation with the Civil Surgeon into the personal and family history of Narain Khatri, once a lunatic. 1. Narain came back from Agra very thin and weak, but is now looking fairly well: does money-changing for his father. 2. Family history.—Ram Charan, his father, says he himself was never mad, nor was his father or his mother. His brothers were all healthy and long-lived. His sister's husband is insane; has been so 30 years with lucid intervals; this man took to ganja and charas since he was mad; his wife, Ram Charan's sister, once had an attack of insanity of three weeks' duration. Her daughter died mad. Ram Charan says he never himself indulged in hemp drugs. The women, his sister and niece, did not indulge in hemp drugs. Ram Charan's wife and her relations are sane. The family, now fallen into decay, was once one of prosperous traders. 3. Personal history.—Narain first became mad 10 years ago. He began with bad attacks of fever. In two months he became violent. He was then 21. Up to that time he had, like all Hindus, taken a little bhang on holidays, but no ganja or charas. After he became mad he used to smoke ganja up to 4 annas worth and sometimes 8 annas worth in a day. Then his father chained him up. He demanded ganja, and his father used to give him about 3/100ths of a tola of ganja daily. After about seven years of this he became very violent, and his father sent him to the Lunatic Asylum. He did not begin to take ganja for two years after his madness began; then he used to break his bonds and get ganja in the bazaar. He was never subject to epilepsy. He was well conducted up to his madness. Since he became mad, has been in the habit of constant masturbation. Before he became mad used to eat, drink, sleep, and work well. Ganja had a bad effect on him. Ram Charan has seven sons and three daughters. All are healthy and sane, except Gokal, two and a half years younger than Narain. Gokal went mad about the same time as Narain, and has been mad ever since. He too was violent, and up to eight months ago was chained up. After being mad for two years he began to indulge in ganja: after two months of this his father tied him up and has not given him ganja since. Ram Charan appears to be telling the truth as far as he knows. 4. Narain himself denies having indulged in hemp drugs before he became "ill," denies having been immoral. His statements are not worth much. 5. I have also conversed about Narain with a respectable merchant of Cawnpore, who knows the family well and is distantly related to it. He corroborated what Narain's father told me. Both these men appeared to me to be speaking the truth, and I was unable to find out anything more than they had disclosed. H. WARBURTON, The 16th February 1894. Joint Magistrate. 9. Nemur Passi.—This man cannot be traced. 10. Murli Singh.—Vide Report No. 4. 11. Bhowani Teli.—This man cannot be traced. 12. Kundan Lall.—Vide Report No. 4. (13) Case of Jhalka. Dhanju.—Jhalka is my own brother—elder brother. He is now at his home in Bilayan. He and I live separately. When he came from Agra last Asar he was in good health. He is now all right in his mind, but has become very weak. He has to remain lying down and can't do any work. If any one gives him any roti he eats it. He has a wife and two children. They and I support him. Formerly he was a labourer. He has always lived in Bilayan. I don't know how it was he became paghal. He did not take any noxious drug. He used not to take any ganja. I never take ganja. He had not been paghal before the occasion on which he went to Agra. I can't tell how it was he became paghal. Report. I have been unable to find out anything very definite about Jhalka. His brother, Dhanju, seems to be the only person who knows anything about the case and his statement is forwarded. Dr. Leopold, the present Civil Surgeon, did not treat Jhalka as he was not then in this district, so he knows nothing about the case. I have not thought fit to drag in Jhalka himself from Bilayan as he is now sick. ORAI; C. STEEL, The 13th March 1894. Magistrate of Jalaun. (15) Ralla Singh. Copy of a letter No. 201, dated the 14th April 1894, from the Civil Surgeon, Jullunder, to the Deputy Commissioner, Jullunder. With reference to your No. 341 of 26th ultimo, I have the honour to state that with Pundit Hari Kishen, Extra Assistant Commissioner, I questioned the father of the man, Ralla Singh, alleged to have been insane. As, however, the alleged insanity supervened when Ralla Singh was serving with the 45th Sikhs in Jhansi, we elicited nothing which could throw any light on the cause of the condition. The father, Nathu, is a very healthy man, and says there is no disease, mental or other hereditary, in his family, The perusal of the papers has suggested to me that possibly the man was not really insane and that on that account the Superintendent and visitors discharged him a few days after his admission. The statement of Nathu and the report of the Extra Assistant Commissioner are enclosed. Copy of report made by Pundit Hari Kishen, Extra Assistant Commissioner, dated the 14th April 1894, to the Civil Surgeon, Jullunder. With reference to correspondence in regard to Ralla Singh, Sepoy, I have the honour to report that after issuing verbal orders to the police as to whereabouts of the man, it was found from the report of the Police Deputy Inspector at Adampur that Ralla Singh originally belonged to Mauza Chukhiara in the Jullunder Tahsil, and was now in Meerut in the Police Department. His father, Nathu, was then sent for from his village and examined by me in your presence. I beg to submit his statement for your perusal. This statement, or rather Ralla Singh's past family history, does not throw any light on the cause of his insanity. It will, however, be observed from the statement that Ralla Singh, while in the 45th Infantry at Jhansi, was subject to insanity and sent to the Agra Lunatic Asylum. Under these circumstances an enquiry into the personal character of the man during his employment in the Jhansi 45th Infantry might be of some use, if made through the medical officer in charge of the Infantry. Statement of Nathu, son of Charat Singh, caste Mahton, age 50 years, of Mauza Chukhiara, in the Jullunder District. Ralla Singh, Sepoy, is my son. He is now employed as bugler in the Meerut Police. He is of strong constitution and healthy; is now of about 22 years of age. I have always enjoyed a good health. I have never taken any liquor, bhang, charas, poppy-heads or opium during the whole of my life, nor has my wife (mother of Ralla Singh) ever used these articles. My father even did not use these articles, nor was he or myself ever subject to insanity. My son, Ralla Singh, to the best of my knowledge, did not take any bhang, charas, or any other intoxicating drug or liquor. He was employed as bugler in the 45th Infantry at Jhansi for four years. He came on 3 1/2 months' leave about the Bysakhi time two years ago (this corresponds with April 1892), and worked with me as an agriculturist in good health and returned to his Infantry after the expiry of his leave. After two months I heard that he became lunatic, and was sent from Jhansi to the Agra Lunatic Asylum. After a month or so he was discharged from the Asylum and came to me at my village and lived with me in good health for two months and then proceeded to Meerut, where he is now employed in the Police Department as a bugler. I don't know what was the cause of his insanity at Jhansi. JULLUNDER; PUNDIT HARI KISHEN, The 10th April 1894. Magistrate, 1st class. (17) Notes on the previous history of Ganga Lohar, of Agra, age 26, No. 220 in the Asylum register. Ganga, lunatic, is quite insane and can give no information about himself. The following notes have been gathered from his mother and brother. His father died when Ganga was only a few years old. The only history of madness in the family is that his father's elder brother once became insane for a few days. He dug up the floor of his house, was violent, and talked nonsense. They took him away to a neighbouring village in a cart, where some religious ceremony was performed, and he completely recovered and lived well for five years afterwards. None of the members of his family were ever addicted to the use of hemp drugs. Ganga began the habit when he was about 15 years old, and took bhang regularly every day and also charas and ganja whenever he could get them. He acquired the habit through bad associates, with whom he used to smoke at his shop, which was some little distance from his house. Three years ago, at the time of the Dewali, his wife, to whom he had been married four years, developed symptoms of madness, and after 2 1/2 months "transferred her madness to her husband, and has ever since been sane herself." His mother and wife kept him at home for nearly two years, during the whole of which time he continued the use of the hemp drugs whenever he could get them, and the two women had very little power of restraint over him. He improved slightly now and again, but never had any real lucid interval. The symptoms of his madness were the following, vis., he talked nonsense, was very destructive, threw away his clothes and tools, and refused to do any work. The fact that his uncle was once insane (his father having died while Ganga was yet an infant) admits the possibility of heredity being factor in the causation of his insanity. The exciting and immediate cause was probably the abuse of hemp in all its forms. AGRA; A. J. WILLCOCKS, M.D., The 14th February 1894. Civil Surgeon. The above inquiry was made in my presence, and I quite agree with the Civil Surgeon as regards his opinion as to the cause of insanity. No. 18. Hari Kishor.—No further information obtainable. W. CLARKE, The 14th February 1894. Deputy Magistrate.

Reports from Bareilly Lunatic Asylum

Report of the Superintendent, Bareilly Asylum, on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892. 

No. 1.—Nathu, Hindu.—The history shows Nathu began using charas after he became insane. The evidence is to the effect that "he was never seen to take any such things before he became an insane; but subsequently, when he lost his senses, he used to haunt about the shops of charas and wine; and people had seen him sometimes taking charas." No. 2.—Fakeray, Hindu.—We have gone into this case very carefully and examined not only the man himself, but also his mother and two of his friends who were with him when he became insane. All the witnesses deny that he ever used charas, and in the face of such strong evidence I think the case should be expunged from the hemp drugs list. His symptoms on admission were such as might have been brought about by the use of intoxicants, and charas-smoking was the cause given in his papers. These documents are however, very carelessly filled, and it seems probable that a mistake was made in this instance. No. 3.—Moti, Hindu.—The evidence in this case is now very clear and throws additional light on the cause of his insanity. It appears that he was the adopted son of one Makan Singh, to whom he was "much attached." The latter was a charas-smoker, and Moti contracted the habit as a boy. He enjoyed good health until the time of his adopted father's death, a few days after which he became insane. The immediate cause of insanity was therefore grief. Whether the shock above referred to would have had this effect had he not been a charas-smoker it is impossible to say. He became quite sane after his admission to the asylum in June 1891 and was discharged cured. On going out, however, he at once took to charas and was re-admitted in April 1892. He is still an inmate of the Asylum, and although fairly well I have little doubt that if discharged he would soon be brought back. In view of the additional facts brought to light, I should describe the case as one of acute mania due to grief. I am, however, of opinion that charas-smoking was a predisposing cause. No. 4.—Jamna, Hindu.—The thanadar, Philkhua police station, reports "that Jamna left his home about 22 years ago, and that during this period he visited his house once only about twelve years ago. Since then he was living with his brother in Mussoorrie Hills, and there he got insane and was sent to Bareilly Lunatic Asylum, where he died. The villagers can give no further information about his illness, as he was absent from his home about 22 years." No. 5.—Dariao Singh.—Was admitted to the asylum in a miserable state of health on 12th September 1892. Further investigation shows that there is a history of hereditary insanity, and although there is evidence of his having taken charas and bhang, his illness cannot be said to be due to the use of these drugs. He died about three weeks after admission from ozœna and general debility. Post-mortem examination.—Body thin and emaciated: three holes in upper part of nose: soft palate perforated, and mucous membrane lining the nose ulcerated. Internal organs generally anæmic. The further inquiry showed that "Puland Singh, father of Dariao Singh, had also been a lunatic, and that Punai Singh and Buddhi Singh, sons of the said Dariao Singh, are lunatics as well." The evidence as to the use of drugs by Dariao Singh was conflicting. The following passage from the Tahsildar's report is interesting:—"Dariao Singh's insanity is considered hereditary, merely on the ground that the disease is passing down his family from one member to another. This conclusion may perhaps be regarded as contradictory with reference to the European system of medical jurisprudence. But besides those mentioned above no other particular cause of insanity has been found in the above named village." No. 6.—Mahangu Singh.—This man is now residing at Arrah. There are none of his relatives here and no additional information can be obtained regarding him. The case is recorded as one of toxic insanity due to over-indulgence in bhang. Any further information required may be obtained through the Government of Bengal. [Inquiry was accordingly made regarding the past, personal, and family history of Mahangu Singh in the Arrah district. The result is as follows:— 1. Is there any history of insanity in any near relation of the lunatic ? No, according to his statement. 2. Is there any other cause (misfortune, jealousy, grief, fear, illness, injury, etc.) to which the insanity might be ascribed ? Apparently not. 3. Was the lunatic a moderate or excessive consumer of bhang ? Was he an habitual or occasional consumer? He was a moderate consumer for about a year and experienced no ill-effects. He was about six months at Rampur and during that period consumed it to excess: the madness came on suddenly. He has not consumed any bhang since then. 4. Had he consumed an unusual quantity of bhang about the time he became insane, and did he continue to consume it after becoming insane ? He was a moderate consumer for about a year and experienced no ill-effects. He was about six months at Rampur and during that period consumed it to excess: the madness came on suddenly. He has not consumed any bhang since then. 5. Why do his friends or those who filled up the descriptive roll think that bhang caused his insanity? Because there was no other known cause. 6. Was he addicted to any other intoxicant, such as opium, alcohol, dhatura, etc. ? No, according to his statement. From our enquiry the insanity appears to have been caused solely by the excessive use of bhang. It will be noticed that while he was a moderate consumer he experienced no illeffects, but, on the other hand, was in excellent health. When he commenced immoderate consumption he lost his appetite and could not eat his full rations. J. H. GARRETT, Joint Magistrate, Shahabad. W. FLOOD MURRAY, Surgeon-Lieut.-Colonel, The 2nd January 1894. Civil Surgeon. No. 7.—Bhowani Singh.—The evidence in this case shows that insanity (toxic) was brought about by charas-smoking. The case is very similar to that of Niadar, reported on below, and confirms the fact that insanity may be produced by a single indulgence in the drug. Bhowani Singh became insane after smoking charas at the time of Holi festival. He recovered soon after his admission to the Asylum and has remained well since. He is quite candid as regards the cause, and I see no reason to doubt his statement, which is confirmed by his mother and brother. The Assistant Collector's report after further enquiry was as follows:— "The civil officer who conducted the further inquiry 'in consultation with the Civil Surgeon' reported as follows: 'With much difficulty Bhowani Singh was found; and I have recorded the statements of his brother and mother. The only reason they are able to suggest for his going mad is that he smoked some charas at the Holi festival. He never smoked before or since, or used any intoxicant'". No. 8.—Devi, Hindu.—Every effort has been made to find this man, but without success. The case is recorded in the Asylum books as one of toxic insanity due to the use of ganja and alcohol. It cannot fairly be attributed to hemp drugs entirely, as the alcohol was, no doubt, an important element in the case. No. 9.—Shamsher Bahadur.—There is only one relative of this man in the Bareilly district, viz., his uncle, Mangli Lal. He states that Shamsher Bahadur was a charassmoker, and there is no other cause assigned for his insanity. He was admitted to this Asylum with symptoms such as would be produced by excessive use of intoxicants, such as charas. He was, however, also addicted to the use of country liquor, which it may be presumed was a factor in the case. In my opinion this was a case of toxic insanity produced by over-indulgence in charas and liquor. There is no history of insanity in his family. If any further information is required about this case it might be obtained from the authorities at Malwa, where the man now resides. No. 10.—Balak Ram.—The evidence collected in this case clearly proves that it was one of hereditary insanity and was not due to bhang. No. 11.—Niadar, Chamar.—There is no doubt that this man's insanity was brought about by charas-smoking. From the history it appears that he only indulged in one chillum. This, if true, is an interesting fact as showing how quickly insanity may be brought about by a very small quantity of the drug. Niadar was admitted to the asylum on 8th April 1892. On 8th June he was reported as improving, and was discharged cured in September 1892. He is now well, and has not indulged in charas-smoking since his discharge. This is probably due to the fact that he was never a confirmed smoker. There is no history of insanity in his family. The report after the further inquiry is that "he was quite well until one day, in the village of Mullakpur, some one gave him a chillum of charas. He does not know how much charas there was in the chillum. Nor does he know whether any other drug was mixed with the ch aras. He had never smoked charas before. * * He was for about a month at home from the time he smoked the charas until he was removed to Bareilly Asylum. During that time he ran about wild. He was quite insane." He was aged 18 years. J. ANDERSON, M.B.

Reports from Lucknow Lunatic Asylum.

11.—Case of Bindeshwari. To the Deputy Commissioner. Enclosed is the evidence recorded by me. Unfortunately the Civil Surgeon was unable to come and assist in the inquiry. To me the evidence seems to show that the main causes of Bindeshwari's madness were a long illness, though not a very serious one, and his father's death. The latter event happened when he had been ill and probably in bad spirits for some time, and seems to have finished the upsetting of his mental equilibrium. He is now quite a sensible man and gives rational answers, and is evidently much better informed than the average of villagers in these parts. The evidence shows that there is no madness in the family, those who survived their childhood having lived to a good age and kept their wits all the time. The man took bhang and takes it still. He took ganja for a while before he was mad. This may have been a contributory cause to his madness, but not, I think, the main one. Dated 11th January 1894. A. SABONADIÉRE. Will the Civil Surgeon kindly go through these statements, and after recording any remarks he may wish to make, return them to me for transmission to Superintendent of the Asylum ? I can find no trace of Prag's case. H. W. REYNOLDS, Dated 12th January 1894. Deputy Commissioner. I have read carefully, and am of opinion that mental anxiety, family troubles, and abstinence from food contribute to indulgence in bhang and ganja. These sedatives help to bring about derangement of brain. Prag's case is nowhere to be found either in jail or hospital. W. SAND, Dated 17th January 1894. Civil Surgeon. [Note.—A brother and three friends speak to the very moderate use of bhang by Bindeshwari. He was in the Calcutta Police, broke down in health, and was seven months in hospital from boils. He returned home in bad health. Five months after this his father died, and Bindeshwari went mad. All the witnesses ascribe his madness to grief. So does Bindeshwari. He alone mentions the use of ganja. He says his bhang cost him "an anna a month."] Copy of report in case No. 13 (Ramanand). No. 121, dated Sultanpur, the 3rd February 1894. From—The Deputy Commissioner, Sultanpur, To—The Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Lucknow. With reference to your No.L .A./588,d ated 23rd November last, and to G. O. No. 257, dated 8th idem, I have the honour to report the result of the enquiries instituted regarding the past personal and family history of Ramanand lunatic. 2. Ramanand first showed symptoms of madness in July 1888 and then got gradually worse. In July 1889 he was sent to the Lunatic Asylum at Lucknow, where, after treatment for 10 months, he apparently got cured and was released as sane. He was only about 19 years old when the symptoms of insanity first appeared. As a boy his intellectual powers were average, but he received no education. Previous to the commencement of the symptoms he had not been suffering from any disease. The residents of the village where he used to reside, while attributing the cause of insanity to a sunstroke, declare that he was not a consumer of hemp drugs or any other intoxicant, nor had he any domestic trouble, grief, or fright, to which his insanity might be attributed. His mother is in good health. His father, who is dead, was a man of less than avarage intelligence and of very silent and retiring disposition, and died of some internal disease. No former member of the family is said to have been affected with insanity in any shape or way. He belongs to the Sarwaria clan of Brahmans, which is, no doubt, partial to the use of "bhang," but there is nothing to show that he was in the habit of using it, or even an occasional consumer. In cases of this nature I have never found the villagers backward in attributing lunacy to drugs if caused by them. Not long ago I came across a case seemingly similar to this, due, I was told, to a sunstroke. There is every reason to believe that this was the real cause in Ramanand's case, though, as the Superintendent of the Asylum has noted, it is perfectly possible that the use of bhang may have been the immediate predisposing factor.

Reports from Delhi Lunatic Asylum

Report of the Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Delhi, on the hemp drug cases of 1892. 

In reply to your No. 149, dated 16th October last, forwarding a copy of your No. 148, dated 16th October, to the Revenue Secretary to the Punjab Government, together with two copies of its enclosures, I have the honour to inform you that I have instituted very careful enquiries into the past and present history of each of the ten patients admitted into this asylum during the year 1892, whose insanity was attributed to hemp drugs, and I beg to give herewith the result of my enquiries. For facility of reference I am returning one copy of the list of patients forwarded with your letter under reply. Full and satisfactory information has been obtained in cases 1, 9, and 10, and a copy of the reports in each of these cases is herewith forwarded for your information. I think there can be no doubt from a perusal of these reports that these three patients were typical and unmistakeable cases of toxic insanity due to the use of hemp drugs. Case No. 1 used to drink bhang in addition to smoking charas, while cases 9 and 10 only smoked charas. The last man, viz., Nand Lall, was sent to me by the Deputy Commissioner for examination in November last, i.e., about 5 months after his second discharge from the Asylum, and I had, therefore, the opportunity of cross-examining him very carefully myself. He was in the full possession all his faculties and was, in fact, a man of more than usual intelligence for a villager. His evidence, therefore, is particularly interesting. I remember this man very well on his first admission, to the Asylum. He was extremely noisy and abusive, absolutely incoherent in his speech, and could not be made to speak a single word of sense, tore up his clothes and insisted on going about absolutely naked, would not sleep, and was incessantly on the move. This was, as far as I am able to form an opinion, a typical case of toxic insanity due to charas-smoking and all the cases I have seen of insanity due to charas have been very similar to this one, though I cannot say that there are any symptoms peculiar to this form of toxic insanity. The man became rapidly better daily after his admission into the Asylum and was released 21 days afterwards apparently perfectly sane. He returned to his usual avocation of grazing cattle and again fell in with the fakir, who, in the first place, induced him to smoke charas. He again took to smoking charas, and within a month was as insane as ever and was brought back to the Asylum. On his second admission his recovery to his senses was not quite so rapid, but he was practically sane again 10 weeks afterwards, but as his too early release on the first occasion was attended with such disastrous consequences it was thought advisable to detain him in the Asylum for some months. On his second release I particulary warned him against having anything to do with the fakir and he promised me he would never smoke charas again, and the result has been that the man has remained perfectly sane ever since. Cases Nos. 1 and 9 were both, as far as one can say, undoubtedly types of toxic insanity due to hemp drugs. Their symptoms were very similar to those of Nand Lall and they were both discharged quite cured from the Asylum, but from the enquiries made by the District Magistrates of Mozuffarnagar and Karnal, it appears that they have both taken to smoking charas again since their discharge and both were apparently more or less of unsound mind when last seen. The chances are that both these men, if they continue to smoke charas, will sooner or later become insane again, their mental condition depending, I fancy, a good deal on the quantity of charas they can afford to smoke daily. Case No. 2, 'Nath,' died in the Asylum of mitral disease of the heart 19 months after his admission. This man's previous history has been very carefully enquired into by the Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar, and from the information obtainable, there seems to be no doubt that he was a confirmed smoker of both charas and ganja. He had been insane for 4 months on a previous occasion and was admitted into the Jalandhar Civil Hospital, where he was treated and cured. Six months afterwards he again became insane and was sent to this Asylum. The man's symptoms on first admission here were very like those of toxic insanity, but latterly the case became more like dementia. He used to sit apart from the other lunatics, seldom spoke and then only incoherently, had lost all sense
of decency and for many months before his death his health was failing steadily as a result of heart disease. I think this was undoubtedly in the first place a case of toxic insanity due to charas and ganja-smoking, but, as is not uncommon in such cases, the man latterly became demented and had none of his original symptoms of toxic insanity. Case No. 3, 'Hari Ram,' who was sent to the Asylum by the Deputy Commissioner of Karnal, cannot now be found anywhere, nor can any of his relations be traced either in Karnal or in Patiala State, where he was supposed to reside. Case No. 4, 'Narain Singh,' who was a police constable, and was sent to the Asylum by the Deputy Commissioner, Delhi, was really a resident of Ludhiana. The Deputy Commissioner of the latter district, after careful enquiries, ascertained that the man, when at home, had never been in the habit of using hemp drugs in any form, and had never before been insane. This man, whom I remember well, was undoubtedly suffering from acute mania, and there was never any suspicion that the case was one of toxic insanity, but in the register the alleged cause was entered as 'bhang' by the Deputy Superintendent, for reasons I cannot explain. Case No. 5, 'Charata,' has been seen and cross-examined since his discharge from the Asylum by the Assistant Commissioner of Rupar, and it has been ascertained both from him and from his brother-in-law that he had never used hemp in any form. It was, therefore, correctly entered in the register of this Asylum as 'Mania,' though in the column of alleged cause bhang was entered by the Deputy Superintendent, because this was said to be the cause in the papers sent with the man to the Asylum. Case No. 6 has been enquired into by the Deputy Commissioner of Hissar, who has ascertained that this man, 'Sheri,' had never used hemp or intoxicating drugs of any kind, and that the cause of insanity entered in his papers by the Hissar Police was an error. Ganja was entered in the register as the alleged cause, but the case was correctly entered after diagnosis as 'Mania.' Case No. 7, 'Joseph Lalchand,' was, I think, undoubtedly one of toxic insanity due to the use of charas, and the entry made by the Deputy Superintendent of 'Mania' in the register was wrong. This man not only admitted having regularly smoked charas, but there was corroborative evidence of the fact from some Baptist Missionaries who knew the man well. The symptoms too were those of toxic insanity. I regret to say no trace of this man can now be found. Case No. 8 is still in the Asylum, but as he is unable to answer questions rationally, there is no use in cross-examining him. The Deputy Commissioner of Karnal has been trying to gather information about him from his relations, but up to date nothing has been ascertained. This case, I think, was correctly entered in the Asylum register as one of mania, and the case was erroneously included in Statement VI as toxic insanity. His symptoms are not those of toxic insanity, and the fact of the man having made no improvement whatever since he came into the Asylum more than a year ago is strong evidence against hemp having anything to do with his insanity. Cases Nos. 9 and 10 have already been referred to. It is as well for me to explain here that the Hemp Drug Commissioners, when they visited my Asylum in the hot weather during my absence on privilege leave were misinformed when they reported that no histories were kept up of any of the lunatics in this Asylum. It so happened that during the year 1892 several changes had taken place among the Deputy Superintendents of this Asylum and the man who took over charge from Mr. Bernard, the late Deputy Superintendent, had not been keeping up the histories properly and had also made several foolish mistakes in regard to the diagnosis of the cases by filling them up himself instead of consulting the Superintendent first. It was during this man's short tenure of office that all the mistakes and discrepancies found by the Commissioners occurred, but since his transfer the histories, &c.; are all kept up properly as they are done in other Asylums. It is most unfortunate, of course, that these mistakes should have occurred in those particular few cases about which the Commissioners were enquiring, and I am extremely sorry that they were overlooked by me till they were brought to my notice by the Commissioners. This Deputy Superintendent had been in the habit of returning the papers of all lunatics who were discharged or who died to the Magistrates who ordered their detention in the Asylum, hence the reason of there being no papers forthcoming in regard to several of the cases about which the Commissioners wanted information. Case No. I.—LUNATIC DAYA LALL. 1. What evidence is there to show that the patient was addicted to the use of hemp drugs? 1. The evidence of Daya Lall's relatives as well as of his neighhours proves that he was addicted to the use of bhang and charas before his becoming insane. 2. In what form was the drug used, and how partaken of ? 2. In the beginning patient used only the pounded bhang moderately, but bye-andbye he used it excessively pounded and mixed with dhatura and also smoked charas. 3. How long had the man been given to using the drug and how long after first commencing the habit did he become insane? 3. The patient commenced the use of bhang in the 15th or 16th year of his age; and after using it and charas for about 15 or 16 years he became insane. 4. How many times had he been insane previous to the occasion of his admission into the Asylum ? 4. He had not been insane previous to the occasion of his admission into the Asylum. 5. What form did his mania assume before admission in the Asylum ? 5. In the beginning his mania assumed the form of a mild character; the patient had left his house and was strolling about and sometimes it grew stronger and again resumed its former form, but did no injury to any body. In the end he became insane and was sent to the Asylum. 6. Has the patient used hemp in any form since his discharge from the Asylum, and has he shown any signs of mania again ? 6. Yes; he has used drugs (bhang and charas) since his discharge from Asylum, sometimes moderately and sometimes excessively according to his means earned by begging. He is again not in his proper senses. Mania appears to have commenced, but in a very mild form at present. 7. What is the mental and physical condition of the patient at this moment ? 7. At this moment the physical condition is not in proper order, for sometimes he acts and speaks like a sensible man, at others he talks foolishly, but does no injury to others. 8. Had the patient ever shown any signs of insanity or mental weakness before using hemp in some form? 8. No; patient had never shown any sign of insanity or mental weakness before using hemp. 9. With what object did the patient first commence to use the drug, for the pleasure of it or for the medicinal effects produced? If the latter, for what ailment was the drug used? 9. The patient first commenced to use the drug only for its pleasure and not with any motive or for medicinal effect. 10 Did the patient find the moderate use of the drug act as an aphrodisiac or the reverse? Does he consider the habitual use of hemp tends to cause impotency? 10. Owing to the patient not being in his proper senses, he is unable to give any reply to this question. Case No.9 .—LUNATIC ADHAN. 1. What evidence is there to show that the patient was addicted to the use of hemp drugs? 1. Two persons named Ajudhia and Sahai of Karnal, neighbours of Adhan, depose that the patient was addicted to the use of charas. a. In what form was the drug used and how partaken of? 2. Used to smoke charas in a chilam twice or thrice a day. 3. How long had the man been given to using the drug, and how long after first commencing the habit did he become insane? 3. For five or six years. He first became insane after one year's use; was treated and cured, but took to the habit again. Four years after he again became insane, and was then sent to the Delhi Asylum, where he was treated and cured. 4. How many times had he been insane previous to the occasion of his admission into the asylum? 4. Once before for five months. 5. What form did his mania assume before admission in the Asylum? 5. Before his admission into the Asylum he was entirely insane, was in the habit of running about naked and using abusive language, and had to be tied up in order to keep him in one place. 6. Has the patient used hemp in any form since his discharge from the Asylum and has he shown any signs of mania again? 6. Was discharged from the Asylum about eight months ago; uses charas occasionally, which, though heating to the brain, has not yet produced any signs of insanity. 7. What is the mental and physical condition of the patient at this moment? 7. Is emaciated in body and weak in brain.
8. Had the patient ever shown any signs of insanity or mental weakness before using hemp in some form? 8. Showed no signs of insanity before using charas, and was in good bodily condition. 9. With what object did the patient first commence to use the drug, for the pleasure of it or for the medicinal effects 9. For pleasure and not for any medicinal effects. produced? If the latter, for what ailment was the drug used? 10.Did the patient find the moderate use of the drug act as an aphrodisiac or the reverse? Does he consider the habitual use of hemp tends to cause impotency? 10. The use of charas was at first pleasing to the patient, but its habitual use is stated to have led to impotency. Case No. 10.—LUNATIC NAND LALL. 1. What evidence is there to show that the patient was addicted to use of hemp drug? 1. He states that about five years prior to his becoming insane he had been in the habit of smoking charas mixed with tobacco twice a day. 2. In what form was the drug used and how partaken of. 2. He says he used to put a piece of charas, the size of a grain of gram, in a chillum and smoked it in turns with his companions. 3. How long had the man been given to using the drug and how long after first commencing the habit did he become insane? 3. See above. 4. How many times had he been insane previous to the occasion of his admission into the Asylum? 4. States that he had never been insane before taking to using charas. 5. What form did his mania assume before admission in the Asylum. 5. He was in a state of acute violent mania when admitted into the Asylum, was very noisy and abusive, refused to wear any clothing, and destroyed it when given to him, and it was impossible to get any rational answers out of him on any subject. He was twice admitted into the Asylum. On first occasion he was only about a month in the Asylum and was then released cured. 6. Has the patient used hemp in any form since his discharge from the Asylum, and has he shown any signs of mania again? 6. He says he returned to his usual avocation of grazing cattle and began smoking charas again, and in 20 days he was brought back with acute mania. He says there was a fakir whom he used to meet at a tank, where he was in the habit of watering his cattle, and it was this fakir who first persuaded him to smoke charas. On his release the first time he again met this fakir and was persuaded by him to resume the habit. The second time he came into the Asylum he was equally violent and remained more or less insane for about 10 weeks. It was not thought advisable, however, to release him for some time after he had regained his senses, so he was kept in the Asylum for 10 months and then discharged quite cured. 7. What is the mental and physical condition of the patient at this moment? 7. On appearing before me to-day (November 25th, 1893, having been sent by the Deputy Commissioner) he is perfectly rational and as sane as a man can be, and gives a full account of himself without hesitation. He is in good bodily health and is a well-made powerful man. Since the second release he has never been near the fakir again and has never smoked charas. He met the fakir once and told him of the injury he had done him by inducing him to smoke charas, and the fakir advised him to keep away from him in future, which he has done. He has given up his former occupation of grazing cattle, and now follows the plough. 8. Had the patient ever shown any signs of insanity or mental weakness before using hemp in some form? 8. No. 9. With what object did the patient first commence to use the drug, for the pleasure of it or for the medicinal effects produced? If the latter, for what ailment was the drug used? 9. He says he only took to smoking charas, because the fakir and others did so, i.e., for society's sake and not because of any pleasurable effects it produced. 10. Did the patient find the moderate use of the drug act as an aphrodisiac or the reverse? Does he consider the habitual use of hemp tends to cause impotency? 10. He found the use of charas act as an aphrodisiac, and when he was using it he became almost impotent. His sexual passions have now fully returned.

Reports from Lahore Lunatic Asylum.

Report of the Superintendent, Lahore Lunatic Asylum, on the hemp drug cases of 1892. 

I have the honour to forward copy of the inquiries made by the Magistrates, etc., into the previous history of each of the patients admitted to the Lahore Lunatic Asylum in 1892, whose insanity was ascribed to hemp drugs, with my brief notes thereupon, as called for in your No. 149 of 16th October 1893. 1.—-Kadir Baksh. Kadir Baksh, a man of 25, is said to have been a user of hemp in the forms of bhang and charas, and some of his fellow-villagers say he used opium also. There is no other cause of his lunacy even hinted at by any of the persons who inquired into his case. He was eleven months in the Asylum, and was discharged improved. He has remained well since his discharge on the 14th January 1893. It appears to be a case in which the use of hemp drugs really caused insanity in a man not predisposed to it. The case was one of toxic mania. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., The 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. In the case of Kadir Baksh, son of Makhna-Merasi, resident of Jalalpur Batthian, the history is as follows:— This man admits having been used to bhang, but denies ever having smoked charas; his statement is not to be relied on. There is no doubt that he was insane and that the insanity was due to the use of hemp drugs of one sort or another, more likely to be charas than bhang. He denies having ever taken opium or smoking it. The man was discharged from the Asylum at Lahore on 17th January 1893. He is now perfectly sane. The father, when examined, upheld the son's statement that he used bhang, but not charas. The father is not addicted to any intoxicating drugs. Enclosures to your letter under reply are returned. GUJRANWALA; R. CROSSLEY, The 16th January 1894. Civil Surgeon. Tahsildar's report on the previous history and cause of insanity of the (late) lunatic Kadir Baksh, son of Makhna, of Jalalpur Batthian, Tahsil Hafizabad. I examined the late lunatic Kadir Baksh, his father Makhna, as well as Lambardars of Jalalpur Batthian. Kadir Baksh, who is at present perfectly sane, stated that he was addicted to the use of bhang, but denied having ever used charas or opium; his father, Makhna, upheld his statement, and further stated that none of his relatives ever used intoxicating drugs. But the Lambardars of the village, who had no concern whatever, asserted that Kadir Baksh was in the habit of taking opium and smoking charas in addition to the use of bhang, and that they ascribed his lunacy as the result of these drugs. I am also of opinion that the mere indulgence in these drugs is proved to be the cause of Kadir Baksh's insanity. He says Kadir Baksh and his father, through fear or somehow or other, have not disclosed the truth. 2.-Mana Singh. In the case of Mana Singh the cause of insanity seems to be indulgence in bhang drinking. From Dr. Mulroney's report, however, it is seen that his mind and temper were in youth uncertain and unstable, so that it may be that the use of bhang was only the exciting  cause and acted on a brain already predisposed to disease. The man is still in the Asylum, and his case is one of mania pure and simple. I regard him as a patient that is most unlikely to recover. I am inclined to call the case one of heredity. LAHORE; W. COATES, M,D., The 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. From enquiries the following facts relating to past history of Mana Singh, son of Golab Singh, of village Dhotian, Thana Sirhali, were obtained from Sunder Singh, son of Khuta Singh, and Lal Singh, son of Buta Singh, and Sarup Singh, son of Ram Singh. Lal Singh's father and Mana Singh's father were cousins from the father's side, and Sarup Singh is head Lambardar of Mana Singh's village. The latter also is distantly related to Mana Singh and has known Mana Singh from infancy. Sunder Singh's father was brother to Mana Singh's father, and his mother was sister to Mana Singh's mother. He and the others affirm that none of his relatives, as far as his recollection carries him back, were ever of unsound mind or touched in the head in any way. He and the others affirm that they were children together with Mana Singh, and grew up together to manhood in the same village. They did not notice any peculiarity in Mana Singh's manner during boyhood, nor was he excitable or given to outbursts of temper. He was noticed particularly to be of a mild quiet and timid disposition. His mind up to enlisting in the 29th Punjab Infantry, 15 years ago, was perfectly sound. His father was Subadar in the 29th Punjab Infantry. He went with his regiment under his father to the Afghan War in 1878 and returned to Agra in 1880. While in service he became insane and was treated regimentally. A short while after he recovered his sanity and continued well till his return to Agra, when he obtained leave for three months. A few days after his return to his home he became raving mad, for which he was treated by a hakim. Three weeks after he broke loose from confinemnt and joined a fakir's establishment at Tallagung. It seems his regiment was stationed at Tallagung before going on service in 1878, where Mana Singh became acquainted with this fakir, and at that time his father, who was a Subadar in the regiment, noticed that Mana Singh was going to the bad, and had taken to bhang drinking at the fakir's place. The father always ascribed his son's altered manner and attacks of temporary unsoundness of mind to indulgence in bhang drinking. He was two years in service, where he could not indulge so freely or so often in bhang, and only suffered once from unsoundness of mind. On his return to India in 1880 he took to bhang drinking again, and on his return to his village on leave in 1880 he indulged in it pretty freely, and was a constant visitor at the different fakir's houses in his own village and in the villages round about, where he freely indulged in bhang drinking. A month after his return home he became insane, and has remained so ever since. Neither his father nor any of his relatives have ever indulged in Cannabis indica (bhang). BHUGWAN DAS, Magistrate, 1st class, Amritsar District. T. R. MULRONEY, Surgeon-Major, Civil Surgeon, Amritsar. 3.-Mahtab Din. It appears from the statement of the only relative of this man that could be found that his lunacy was caused by indulgence in both alcohol and hemp (bhang), and that these were only used two or three months before the attack of lunacy came on. The information is indefinite, and it is impossible to say what share in the production of insanity should be attributed to each drug. There is no history of madness in the man's family. The attack was a short one; he was only days in the Asylum, but ever since his discharge he has been seen from time to time and is decidedly melancholic. The history, cause, and duration of the case are all very indefinite, and I think no deductions can be drawn from it for the purposes of this inquiry. The form of insanity remains doubtful. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Abdus Suttar, a relative of Mahtab Din, who has been an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum in 1892, states that the man used to take sharab and charas two or three months before the attack of lunacy. One day he took a large quantity of sharab and also smoked charas more than usual. The charas affected his brain, and he became lunatic. He used force in order to go out. He liked solitude. His father or mother never had an attack of lunacy. His parents had to put him in chains for one day. He did no injury to anybody nor abused any one; occasionally used to talk at random: never committed nor attempted to commit incendiarism. He liked to remain silent. Deponent cannot say whether he had a melancholic temper; never refused eating and drinking. Never remained naked nor ever been subject to epilepsy; never received any injury to his head; only once had an attack of lunacy; never had it afterwards. He is now in the habit of keeping his head and eyes downward; has given up the habit of inhaling charas. He performs his household work as usual. His father never took opium or any kind of intoxicating things. The man (lunatic) still keeps his eyes fixed downward, and he does not lift his eyes until required to do so specially. LAHORE; F. S. JAMALDIN, KHAN BAHADUR, 18th December 1893. Magistrate, 1st class, Lahore District. 4.—Maula Dad, 25 years. This man was admitted to the Lunatic Asylum apparently in the last stage of exhaustion from mania and diarrhœa and died a week after admission. The only witness that was found to tell anything of his history stated that he was not a consumer of bhang, charas, or opium. There is no proof that he was, and it is impossible to say what grounds there were for attributing his insanity to bhang. I cannot even guess what form of insanity was present. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Report of Tahsildar, Wazirabad, regarding the late lunatic Maula Dad. Khawajdin, Lambardar of Nalerke, stated that Maula Dad was never a lunatic; three years ago he left his village and provided a home for himself with his father-in-law in Pipli, a village in Tahsil Daska, District Sialkote. Maula Dad and his father, Mubarik, were in the habit of smoking tobacco, but they never used bhang or charas or opium. They never suffered from tobacco. The Lambardar stated that no other person bearing such a name and parentage than this was a resident of his village. 5.-Somirgir. No information could be got about this case by the Magistrate deputed to inquire. From the information supplied when he was first sent to the Asylum and some gleaned otherwise it seems that he was a religious mendicant and smoked charas largely. He was admitted in August 1892 and discharged cured in March 1893—eight months' detention. He has remained sane ever since and is said to be at Hardwar at present. His lunacy may have been due to hemp, but this is by no means certain; religious excitement may have produced it, partly at all events. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Somirgir is stated to have left Lahore some time ago and his whereabouts are not known. LAHORE; F. S. JAMALDIN, KHAN BAHADUR, 18th December 1893. Magistrate, 1st class, Lahore District. 6.—Mohna, Hindu, aged 28. Was discharged cured from the Lunatic Asylum in May 1893; he himself gives a very clear account of his illness and attributes it entirely to charas smoking. There is no family history of insanity and it seems clear that the charas was the cause of the illness. The man is now said to be quite sane. A case of toxic insanity. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Mohna, son of Narain Singh, Arora, late a lunatic in the Lahore Lunatic Asylum. This man is now perfectly sane. He states that in 1886 he went to Rindli, in the Quetta district. While there, in consequence of the intense cold and watering of the eyes, he first began to take opium. He never exceeded half a pice worth, or 6 grains daily. He returned to his home in Wazirabad in 1891 and remained there for a few months, when he went to Lahore. He suffered no inconvenience from taking opium. While at Lahore, where he remained for two and a half months engaged in selling milk, curd, etc., he got into the habit of smoking charas, on which he spent half anna a day. Under the influence of charas he quite lost his senses and was admitted a lunatic in the Lahore Asylum on the 25th August 1892, and remained there until the 25th May 1893, when he was discharged cured. He has not taken to the drug again, neither does he take opium now. His father being a Sikh did not smoke charas; neither was he addicted to any other kind of drug. His maternal uncle used bhang for 10 or 12 years, but did not suffer any inconvenience from its use; he died from cholera in 1892 on his way to or from Hardwar. Tahsildar, of Wazirabad in the Gujranwala District. R. CROSSLEY, 16th January 1894. Civil Surgeon, Gujranwala. 7.-Tehl Shah, Suthra Fakir. His insanity seems to be distinctly traceable to indulgence in narcotic drugs—opium and hemp both as bhang and charas; he also had syphilis when he was about 25 years of age; he is now about 35. His insanity began probably three years ago. Though hemp was probably the exciting cause of his insanity, it is impossible to say that other probable causes were absent, and so the case is not of much use for the purposes of the Commission's inquiry. The man has remained sane since his discharge in May 1893: probably a case of toxic insanity, the poisons being opium and Indian hemp. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Narain Das, a resident of Khem Karan, states that Tehl Shah, a resident of Phagwara, Jullunder district, came to Khem Karan some time ago, and used to drink bhang and smoke charas profusely. He became subject to a boil on leg and was admitted in the hospital at Kasur, where he became insane and was sent to the Lunatic Asylum; that ever since his return from Lahore he is all right in every respect. Tehl Shah himself admits that he used to drink bhang, smoke charas, and take opium profusely, and one and a half years ago he became insane, as an effect of these, and that ever since his return from the Asylum he is in perfect senses. None of his parents had ever had an attack of insanity. F. S. JAMALDIN, 18th December 1893. Magistrate, 1st class, Lahore District. 8.—Mussamat Mooran, aged 40. Said to be a prostitute and addicted to bhang; was admitted to the Lunatic Asylum in September 1892 and discharged cured in May 1893. There are other possible causes for her insanity, viz., grief and a hard life, but on the whole the evidence seems to point to the use of hemp as the real cause of the insanity. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Dated Shujabad, the 26th November 1893. From—TIKRAN LAL, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Magistrate, 1st class, TO—A. MEREDITH, Esq., Deputy Commissioner, Mooltan. IN accordance with your order of the 17th instant, I went to Shujabad on the 25th instant, and made a local enquiry into the case of a lunatic called Mussamat Mooran. 2. From the statements of several persons who appeared before me and gave evidence, I find that Mussamat Mooran is originally a resident of village Giddarwala, Tahsil Allahabad, in the Bhawalpur State, and came and settled in Shujabad about 22 years ago. She was then in her sound health; she lived at Shujabad as a prostitute for about five or six years and was addicted to drinking bhang and sometimes liquor. She gave birth to a male child during her residence at Shujabad, which died when it was six months old. Six months after the death of her child she left Shujabad, and nobody knows where she went, but she was seen by Muhammad Hayat, witness, at Mooltan one year after her departure from Shujabad. Muhammad Hayat says that even then she seemed to be of sound mind. After two or three years' absence from Shujabad she returned there as a lunatic. Nobody can precisely say from his personal knowledge that how and where she became insane. However, it is clear from the evidence that she was subject to fits of irritation while under the influence of bhang before her leaving Shujabad. I think that the evidence of Kadir Baksh is most reliable, because he was on most intimate terms with Mussamat Mooran and was with her for days and nights together, and consequently in a better position to observe her state of mind very closely. He also says that while under the influence of bhang she was sometimes very irritable and used to pick up quarrels for nothing and break her household utensils, but when without bhang she was never irritable. From the evidence it is clear that opium is not the drug to which she was addicted, but the excessive use of bhang has, in my opinion, based upon the evidence before me, a great deal to do with the present malady, unless of course something is found out to trace this disease to some hereditary causes. Nobody here knows anything about her past family history or even her past personal history before she came to Shujabad, as she does not originally belong to this place. In my opinion it is necessary to ascertain her past family history from the place to which she originally belongs. Originally this could have been done through some official of the Bahawalpur State; but as from the facts disclosed it appears that she belongs to Dadpotra race, it is possible that the people of that place may consider it as a disgrace even to own her as a resident of that place, so I think the enquiry might be best made through the Tahsildar of Shujabad, who could quietly make it in a couple of days. 3. I saw the woman; she talks incoherently. All that I could elicit from her was that her mother's name was Rahmat Khatun, her father's name was Kaim Khan, and her parents were landed proprietors in Mouza Giddarwala, in the Bahawalpur State, which is 2 or 3 miles from Allahabad, and that she was enticed away by one Sabban Jhakhar and brought to Adamwahan by him when Adamwahan bridge was under construction, and from thence she came to Shujabad. Her ancestors were sane and lived in prosperity. She says that two daughters and one son were born to her when she was in her husband's house, and one son was born here. All of them died. Most of the above replies were rational and are corroborated by other evidence. 9.—Ida, a wandering pedlar. The only relation of this man that was produced says he did not drink, nor, as far as she knew, use hemp in any form. It appears that the only ground for the statement that he did smoke charas and drink bhang was his own confession. His brother is said by his mother to have been an epileptic and died in a Lunatic Asylum. From this it appears that while it is by no means certain that the man used hemp, it is certain that there was a family tendency to unsoundness of mind. The man's own statement that he used hemp drugs I regard as of no value. A lunatic often answers a leading question in the affirmative without much regard to the facts of the case, and when asking a patient about his case the questions put are almost always leading questions. The form of insanity is doubtful. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. The mother of Ida, late lunatic, named Mussamat Bhagan, states that about two years ago Ida was found, contrary to his habits, laughing exceedingly and fearing also. She took him to a native physician, who told her that Ida had become subject to melancholia on account of heat (garmi) and dryness (khuski), and that cooling medicines should be administered to him. Blood was also taken from his arm. He never drank sharab nor inhaled charas. His brother was subject to epilepsy, who had died in the Lunatic Asylum. None of the family of Ida had ever been subject to lunacy. Ida had become very timid, and used to talk at random while subject to the fit of lunacy. Ida was being tied with his turban whenever he became more violent. He never committed incendiarism nor would he sing or dance. The deponent cannot say whether he used to take bhang or not. LAHORE; F. S. JAMALDIN, 18th December 1893. Magistrate, 1st class. 10.—Subhan. Suhban, Mussalman, aged 40, a wandering beggar, was admitted in September 1892 and discharged in February 1893 cured. His brother gave evidence about him, and says he did not use hemp in any form while at home with him: however, but little trust can be put in his evidence, for the patient had been made over to him when discharged, and it is likely he would have considered himself culpable if he had allowed him to use bhang or charas. There is no family history of insanity. I do not think there is evidence enough to show what the cause of this case was. LAHORE; W.COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. Statement of Gufara Kashmiri.—I live in Kila Teja, in Batala Tahsil. My brother's name is Subhan. I don't know if he is alive. He is older than I am—about 40 years of age. He was entrusted to me from the Lahore Lunatic Asylum last Cheyet. He was well then. He has been mad before; it was by God's will he became mad. He did not use bhang or charas while he was at home; he became mad then. I don't know why. I am the youngest of four brothers—Sultan Baksh, Juma, Subhan, and Gufara, all sons of Jamal. Sultan Baksh and Juma are dead. I don't know where Subhan is now. He remained with me for about a month, then he went to see a sister at Batala, who was ill; then he didn't return. He was all right when he went there. None of our family uses bhang or charas. Attested. J. R. MACONACHIE, 16th December 1893. Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur. 11.—Dullo, a man of 25. From the evidence or rather from the deductions drawn from it by the Civil Surgeon, Gujranwala, it appears that this man was vicious and addicted to the use of hemp drugs from his childhood. There is no family history of insanity, so it is fair to attribute his to the use of the drugs. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. In case of Dullo, son of Mya Das, Khatri, resident of Wazirabad, the following history is disclosed. Dullo while still a child got into the habit of smoking charas and madak. He led a wandering mendicant's life, stealing his mother's jewels and selling them for purpose of obtaining drugs, to which be became accustomed. After stripping his mother of all her property he took to begging and never set himself to honest work. The mother says she did not accustom her son to opium by giving him any when an infant. Dullo's father was in the habit of taking small quantities of opium, which, however, did him no harm; he was not addicted to charas or bhang. Dullo was sent to the Lunatic Asylum in October 1892, and was discharged in May last. He is still silly though not insane. He is now a prisoner in the Gujranwala Jail and is quiet and well behaved, but he cannot resist grinning when spoken to and doing silly things at times. ————Tahsildar, of Wazirabad in the Gujranwala District. 16th January 1894. R. CROSSLEY, Civil Surgeon, Gujranwala. 12.—Jinda Shah. Jinda Shah, 25 years, a Mussalman beggar, admitted to Lunatic Asylum in November 1892; died of diarrhœa in November 1893. His brother gives a very clear history of the case, from which it appears that Jinda Shah was a confirmed user of Indian hemp in the forms of charas and bhang since he was 18 years of age, i.e., six or seven years. There is no family history of any such habit nor of any nervous disease. The case is one in which the insanity is clearly traced to the use of hemp. LAHORE; W. COATES, M.D., 31st January 1894. Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum. In the Court of Rai Banarsi Das, Magistrate, 1st class, Dera Ismail Khan District. Enquiry into the cause of insanity of one Jinda Shah, deceased. Statement of Imam Shah, brother of Jinda Shah, deceased, on solemn affirmation. Jinda Shah, deceased, was my own brother. We were three brothers, Jinda Shah being the youngest. Our elder brother, father, and mother died long ago, so there is no other near relative of Jinda Shah now living. My father, mother, myself, and my elder brother never took any intoxicating drugs. We did not even smoke tobacco. Jinda Shah too up to the age of 18 years was not in the habit of taking any intoxicating drugs. He then associated himself with a fakir called Nur Shah, who was in the habit of using hemp drugs (bhang and charas), and who had been once sent to the Lunatic asylum at Lahore as a lunatic, but had been brought back by his brother after giving security for taking care of him. This Nur Shah is still alive, but is not in a fit state to answer any questions. We used to prevent Jinda Shah from going to Nur Shah, but he disobeyed us and went to him. After some time Jinda Shah fell into the habit of drinking the infusion of bhang as well as of smoking tobacco with Nur Shah. Soon after he left drinking the infusion of bhang and began to eat up the dregs of the bhang thrown away by men after taking out the infusion. He used to go about the streets, and wherever he found such dregs or refuse lying he used to take them up and to eat them without any regard to their quantity. After passing about 16 months in this state with Nur Shah, Jinda Shah became mad, and went about the streets naked, sometimes also assaulting people. He used to keep a wooden sword in his hand. In 1892 he assaulted a constable and was sent up before the Magistrate for trial. Then as he was found to be a lunatic he was sent to the Lunatic Asylum, Lahore. Before going to Nur Shah, Jinda Shah was perfectly sane, and we therefore infer that his insanity was caused by eating up the dregs of the bhang in large quantities. Neither our father nor our mother nor any one else in our family was ever a lunatic. IMAM SHAH. Examined by me. BANARSI DAS, Dated 21st November 1893. Magistrate, 1st class. Statement of Ghulam Hyder, lambardar of the Mohalla, on solemn affirmation. I live in the same street in which the house of Jinda Shah, lunatic, and of his family is situated. My statement is the same as that of Imam Shah, brother of the deceased lunatic. GHULAM HYDER, Witness. Examined by me. BANARSI DAS, The 21st November 1893. Magistrate, 1st class, Dera Ismail Khan. Copy of a letter No. 435 of 24th November 1893, from the Civil Surgeon, Dera Ismail Khan, to Rai Banarsi Das, Magistrate, 1st class, at Dera Ismail Khan. I beg to return you original letter No. 1652 with enclosures. It appears to me to be clear that Jinda Shah, lunatic, became insane from the excessive use of bhang and charas. I do not desire to further examine the witnesses Imam Shah and Ghulam Hyder, not expecting to elicit any further information.

Reports from Jubbulpore Lunatic Asylum.

Review of the further enquiries by Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-ColonelJ .B . Gaffney, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum Jubbulpore, dated 22nd March 1894.
Case No. 1.—Rathi Ram Singh, Hindu, Cultivator, age 20. This case has been investigated by Mr. Bose, 1st class Magistrate, who examined four witnesses at Saronda in the Sehora Tahsil, Jubbulpore. All that has been ascertained is that Rathi Ram Singh was born and lived at Saronda till he was about 17 years old. He was never known to have smoked ganja, but having left his village for three years, nothing was known of him till he came to Jubbulpore shortly before his admission to the Asylum on the 28th January 1892. On 19th December 1891 he was passed as candidate for police service as a constable, but on 14th January 1892 he was found wandering about the cantonment in an insane state. The only evidence of his having smoked ganja was his own statement to that effect whilst in the Asylum. His recovery having taken place within about three weeks of his admission to the Asylum would show that the disturbing cause was of but temporary duration, and so dispose to the conclusion that his statement that he smoked ganja was probably correct. [NOTE.—The man has never been found since his escape.]
Case No. 2.—Dalthaman Singh, age 32, caste Chattri, occupation Police Constable, residence Busti, North-Western Provinces. Report of District Superintendent of Police, Busti, is attached. No light is thrown on the case. Three of his brothers are sane. It is not said if they use ganja. Dalthaman Singh denied having smoked ganja or bhang, and had no recollection* of having admitted the habit when he was in the Asylum. His recovery, like the last case, commenced in about three weeks. * NOTE.—"He states that he does not remember doing so; and he may have done so while he was insane." Case No. 3.—Umrao, caste Gond, age 32, occupation Cultivator, residence Chhindwara. In this case the report of an Inspector of Police shows that on enquiry he learned that Umrao was given to the use of both liquor and ganja, which he indulged in daily; also that the uncle of Umrao was insane and had been a ganja-smoker. The proceedings of the trial of Umrao are attached. The Civil Surgeon, Chhindwara, gives it as his opinion that "the cause of his reason having become affected was intemperance and the use of alcohol and ganja."* Heredity may have been the primary cause, and the use of alcohol and drugs only secondary. The man was admitted to the Asylum in March 1892, and now (March 1894) is in no way improved. He has not spoken a word since admission. * NOTE.—The Civil Surgeon said, "I should conclude from the history of the case given me by others that the cause of his reason having become affected was intemperance and the use of alcohol and ganja. His people say that the insanity came on after an attack of measles. It does happen sometimes that measles are followed by insanity. Possibly insanity was coming on gradually and measles accelerated it. It may be hereditary as his grandfather was insane." Case No. 4.—Udai Ram, age 50, caste, Hindu, occupation Jamadar, residence Nimar district, Central Provinces. Attached is a report of the Civil Surgeon of Khandwa. No local enquiry seems to have been held. The report states that "there is no hereditary history of insanity or nervous disease. The most important point elicited was that the man had been a ganjasmoker for many years, and latterly to excess. He was also addicted to bhang-drinking and majum-eating." There is also history of syphilis. This man died of general paralysis of the insane on September 7th, 1893. [NOTE.—A full account of this casei sg iven in the following extract.] From the evidence of Surgeon-Major Quayle (C.P. witness No. 37). "Udai Ram, age 47, Tahsil Jamadar, Burhanpur, in which place he has lived for 20 years; caste, Chhipa. History.—He was brought to Khandwa in February 1891 suffering from simple mania. His first symptoms were an increased excitability and irritability, he becoming very angry about trivial matters, abusing people without reason in the bazaars and interfering with their property, neglect of his duties. He commenced riding about the country on a pony, which he eventually lost. He was foolishly extravagant, purchasing useless articles at high prices. At Khandwa he was excitable and indignant at being kept under restraint and not allowed to go home. He was constantly in motion, walking round the station two or three times a day with his attendant, and at other times performing rather ludicrous gymnastic exercises. He was loquacious, talking to every one he met, sometimes incoherently, but at other times sensibly enough. One of his delusions was that he had been appointed "diwan" to a certain raja, and that he had boundless wealth at his disposal. The man was transferred to the Jabalpur Lunatic Asylum at the end of March 1892. The Civil Surgeon writes that he died there on the 7th September 1893 of general paralysis of the brain, but that no post-mortem examination was made. In this case there is no hereditary history of insanity or nervous disease. The most important point elicited was that the man had been a ganja-smoker for many years, and latterly to excess. He was also addicted to "bhang" drinking and "majun" eating, and of the latter substance about half a seer was found in his house. This majum he usually obtained from Ujjain. The two causes, singly or combined, that are chiefly said to produce general paralysis of the brain among Europeans are sexual excesses and intemperance, especially if impure and bad alcoholic drinks are used; and there is no reason to suppose that Indian hemp consumed in excess might not play the part of alcohol in the production of the disease among the natives of India. Case No. 5.—Gulbia, age 45, caste Hindu, Labourer, Nimar district, Central Provinces. The Civil Surgeon of Khandwa made inquiries into this case. Gulbia's brother-inlaw states that Gulbia, who worked with him as kotwar in the village, was accustomed to drink liquor whenever he could obtain it, but that previous to his becoming insane he did not smoke ganja or use Indian hemp in any form. He further states that even now he often remains days without smoking ganja. He is still insane. It seems unlikely that he should have contracted the habit of ganja-smoking after leaving the Asylum, had he not been accustomed to the use of ganja before his admission. The man being now insane and using ganja,* after being discharged from the Asylum would go to show that the use of ganja was the cause of his insanity in the first instance, and the return of insanity on his resuming ganja-smoking. * [NOTE.—Superintendent ignores liquor. The brother-in-law said: "Even now he often remains days without smoking ganja. His usual dose is two chillums per diem. Mohwa liquor he also drinks whenever obtainable."] Case No. 6.—Hari, age 32, caste Bania, residence Saugor District, occupation Shopkeeper. In this case no local enquiry could be made as stated by the Deputy Commisssioner of Saugor, as the man is a resident of Tikamghur State, where he now resides. The Civil Surgeon of Saugor reports that there was no history of ganja-smoking whilst he was under observation in the Jail. He remembers the case well. He adds that "evidence as to ganja-smoking, &c., is always sought for by me" when lunacy cases are brought for observation to the Jail. There is in this case no history whatever of the use of ganja or hemp drugs except the statement of the man himself. The man was discharged cured from the lunatic Asylum on the 29th November 1893.

Reports from Nagpur Lunatic Asylum

Report of the Superintendent, Nagpur Asylum, on the hemp drug cases of 1892.
IN reply to your No. 2236 of 9th instant asking me for an expression of my own views with regard to the history of the cases of insanty admitted into the Asylum during the year 1892, and in which cases the alleged cause of the insanity was the immoderate use of ganja or other preparation of Indian hemp, I may be permitted to draw your attention to the concluding paragraph of my letter No. 21 of 27th January 1894, in which I expressly stated that I had not been able at the time of writing to formulate any decided opinion as to the mental condition and causation of the insanity of the cases admitted during 1892-93. 2. Since writing the above I have endeavoured to study the mental condition of the six insanes admitted during 1892 and still in the Asylum, in which the cause of the insanity is alleged to have been the excessive use of ganja taken in some form or other. I beg to submit a few brief notes and comments on these cases. 3. I may note that, although acute ganja intoxication and its detection, symptoms, &c., &c., are abundantly treated of in various medical works, I am not myself acquainted with any recent medical work which specifically treats of types of insanity which are especially attributable to the habitual use of ganja or any of the various preparations of Cannabis indica or sativa and the differentiation of the symptoms of these cases from other cases of toxic insanity (alcoholic, opium, &c.), and, therefore, when discussing the causation of the mental aberration in any given case in which a history, which may be true or may be exaggerated, of having taken some preparation of Cannabis at some previous period of their lives is obtainable or suspected, it is necessary to avoid being led away by the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy—I mean that, although it is, no doubt, exceedingly common to meet with cases of chronic insanity associated with the frequent or habitual use of ganja, it is not therefore sufficient to assume from this alone without the very clearest proof (which proof must exclude every other probable cause) that the man or woman is insane because he or she has taken ganja or bhang at some time in his life. As a writer has pointed out, a list of the number of cases in an Asylum in which a history of ganja-smoking is alleged as a cause of the insanity in the papers sent with the lunatics often simply shows the number of lunatics in the Asylum who have used ganja at some period of their lives, moderately or immoderately, as the case may be, and the causal connection between the use of the intoxicant and the insanity is not readily demonstrable. 1. Atmaram, Soonar.—This man tells me that he has taken ganja since his father died, that is, about 9 or 10 years ago. He says that his father occasionally took ganja. His mother did not take ganja, but both his parents were in the habit of drinking "daru" or country spirit freely and habitually. An uncle (mother's brother) also was a heavy drinker. He himself cannot say why he commenced the habit of ganja-smoking, but his usual allowance was 2 chillums daily. In addition to the ganja-smoking he used to drink 1/2 bottle of "dobara" (or the 2nd distillation) daily. The average cost was 16 pice, and he says he drank it because he felt tired after his day's work. In the hot months he also used to drink bhang mixed with sugar, 1 pice worth of each, and by his own account he drank this concoction 3 times in 5 months. He has been in Jail for theft. The papers that were sent with him when he was admitted into Asylum state that his insanity dates from the time he went to Jail, and the supposed cause is "perhaps the use of ganja." Dajiba, a distant relative (cousin) of Atmaram, told the Magistrate who was deputed to make a special enquiry into the antecedents of these cases, that from an early age Atmaram was "given up to vicious habits" and that "he used to smoke ganja." As a rule his behaviour in the Asylum has been good. Once (in August 1892) he was excited and destroyed a coat, and once again (in August 1893) he is said to have become very excited and abusive. Excepting on these two occasions he has not shown any violent or maniacal excitement. His main delusion throughout has been that he is a successful Railway Engineer and has performed wonderful engineering feats (building railways and digging tunnels, &c.). Makes his own silver from "gitti" by heating it. Says that his pay was Rs. 1,006 per mensem and that he now has over Rs. 18,000 saved up. Calculates 32 days to the month and 15 months in the year. His physical health is fairly, good; he usually is contented and cheerful. Patellar reflexy completely absent. Pupils somewhat contracted, and respond sluggishly to the stimulus of light and for purposes of accommodation; no marked tremor of tongue on protrusion; no distinct paralysis, but he is inclined to totter when he stands with his eyes shut and walks backwards very slowly. His left hand shows a central thickening and discoloration of the palmar surface, somewhat towards the inner side, but no corn or callosity. Here we have an instance of a condition of mental unsoundness owning, in my opinion, a very complex causality. Assuming that the facts of the family history and personal history obtained are trustworthy, we note first a history of alcoholic indulgence in both parents and in one uncle and a further history of ganja indulgence on the part of the father: and taking into consideration these facts, we are not surprised that his relative Dajiba states that Atmaram was given up to vicious habits from an early age. It has been frequently observed that the offsprings of alcoholic parents show sooner or later some signs of mental instability, with not uncommonly some indications of a liking for narcotics and stimulants and the excitement they produce. We have evidence that early in his life Atmaram was a ganja-smoker, a wine-bibber, and a thief. There is no history of sexual excess and he himself denies it; but as ganja is a supposed aphrodisiac, his denial may be taken for what it is worth. With this history I think it not improbable that the habit of ganja-smoking was not only not the sole or chief cause of his mental aberration, but more probably one of its remoter consequences. In the same way his drinking propensities may probably be attributable to the same cause. Setting aside heredity for the moment and seeking for another cause, I can find nothing either in his mental condition and behaviour during his past life in the Asylum or in his present symptoms to justify the expression as to causation in the certificate—"perhaps the use of ganja." Why not "perhaps the use of alchohol"? His condition in some respects, mental and physical, resembles an early condition of general paralysis of the insane. As a rule there is general condition of bien être. He has exaggerated ideas of grandeur, wealth, powers, and capabilities; his patellar reflexes are absent; pupil reflex is sluggish. In some cases excessive indulgence in stimulants and narcotics have been not uncommonly noticed as amongst the prodromata of general paralysis. In this particular case the man freely admits to having used both ganja and bhang; but I am not on this account prepared, for the reasons stated above, to conclude that his insanity is solely attributable either to ganja or to the bhang which he has taken. I am, however, quite ready to admit that a mentally weak-fibred individual with an unstable brain will always be further mentally enfeebled, whatever the narcotic or stimulants he indulges in. 2. Tajodin.—This man admitted to me that he used to take ganja two or three times daily and described how he prepared it. He said he rubbed it to powder in the palm of his hand, and washed it 7 times in water and then smoked it. The intoxicating effect used to come on at once. Says that he also drank "daru" and other kinds of alcohol daily. (His conversation was very incoherent, and it was very difficult and scarcely possible to keep him to the point.) He says that he was discharged from the 8th Madras Native Infantry at Saugor. The medical history states that "I am informed that he is a confirmed ganja-smoker." Nothing is given in support of this information, or whether the informant was a trustworthy person and one whose testimony was worthy of credence. The special enquiry reports that his wife's brother states that he has been made for five years, that he has never shown signs of violence, that he has never drunk liquor or has been addicted to any intoxicant. The supposed cause of insanity was disappointment in some love affair. He was in love with some chamar woman, whose husband is supposed to have given Tajodin some drug to smoke, and after smoking this he became insane. He has never been violent since his admission. Incoherence of speech has been constantly present. He often refuses his food, and is mostly in a melancholic state. He became excited in January 1893. Is of a very suspicious disposition. Knee-jerks completely absent; pupil reflex doubtful; no marked tremor of tongue, or signs of parlaysis of any part; is generally depressed and melancholic; has no sense of decency or cleanliness; rambles off incoherently when spoken to, and cannot keep to the point; there is a thickening of the skin of the inner side of the left palm. In this case the history is contradictory and gives us very little help in coming to a distinct conclusion as to the cause of the mental aberration. There is a history of ganja-smoking. " " " " " alcohol-drinking. " " " " " disappointment in love. He says himself that he took both ganja and alcohol: his relative says that he was not in the habit of taking either alcohol or any narcotic drug. Obviously both statements cannot be true and in the absence of other confirmatory evidence, which is to be believed ? This raises the whole question as to how much is to be believed in accepting the statements of a supposed ganja-consumer and how much rejected. Some lunatics are exceedingly cunning and will readily respond to, and if the expression be excused "play up to" any leading question. Others, on the contrary, are so suspicious that they will answer nothing, nor the simplest and most direct question, always suspecting a trap. The absolute disregard for veracity shown by dipso-maniacs and morphino-maniacs is notorious, and I am inclined to believe that the same disregard for facts and reliance on imagination is also to be met with in the subjects of what Dr. Hutchinson, the late Superintendent of the Patna Asylum, calls "Cannabism." Did his ganja-smoking propensities develope subsequent to the disappointment in love ? I should feel inclined to look upon the case as an ordinary case of melancholia, which will probably go on to dementia in the course of time, and although disappointment in love, alcoholism, and persistent ganja-smoking may each and all have helped to bring about his present condition, yet I cannot, with the doubtful history given, disassociate one exciting cause from the other two, and say definitely that this is a case of insanity traceable to ganja. 3. Itwargir, Gosain.—Convicted on 14th October 1891 for theft in a building and sentenced to one year's rigorous imprisonment. The Superintendent of the Nagpur Central Jail in October 1891 reported that he was violent, noisy, filthy in his habits, abusive and incoherent, also that his history is that of a ganja-smoker, that he has torn his clothes repeatedly, and that he suffered from insomnia. The man told the Ganja Commission that he was in the habit of taking ganja regularly. It was food to him and he could work on it. Never took opium or liquor. In the Asylum he was frequently crying and was depressed, dull, and apathetic; told me in January 1892 that he took ganja. Was destructive and noisy at night. At times was excitable, and assaulted a lunatic on the 3rd April 1892. Continued to be troublesome and chiefly of very destructive propensities until April 1893, when he showed signs of mental improvement. The magisterial special enquiry states, on the testimony of one Heragir, a cultivator, who had known Itwargir for several years, that Itwargir was made a gosain when he was 10 or 12 years old, and that "from his youth he was wild." He used to smoke ganja and go about begging, was turned out of Hamadpur for being a bad character; "he was a terrible smoker of ganja." Another religious mendicant or gosain, by name Harigir, also testified to the fact that Itwargir was a habitual ganja-smoker and that his moral character was bad, &c., &c. In this case there are no details of the family history to help us, and we are driven to frame an hypothesis as to the supposed sequence of events which led up to the insanity. We have not improbably an instance of wild, dissipated, and misspent youth, coupled with a highly excitable temperament, and an ill-balanced mind, rendered more so by religious excitement, and the life of a gosain. Assuming the probable truth of this history, and the existence of this excitable temperament, it is not difficult to further conjecture that the free and habitual use of ganja completed the mental unrest, and was sufficient to overthrow the scanty remains of reason, and set up a condition of melancholia with excitement (the active melancholia of Dr. Savage). Although in the absence of any particulars about his family history I am not prepared to state positively that the insanity in this case is clearly traceable to ganja-smoking and nothing else, neverthless I think that ganja materially aided, if it did not actually set up, the mental disease. Subsequent to my return he became daily quieter and showed signs of mental improvement, and on the 20th April 1894 was sufficiently recovered to be released by order of the official visitors of the Asylum. If he returns to his ganja-smoking propensities it is not unlikely that we shall have him back in the Asylum before long. 4. Akbar Khan.—From the statement which accompanied him on admission to the Lunatic Asylum, it would appear that he has been a wandering lunatic for six or seven months. The supposed cause is "ganja-smoking, &c." His Asylum history shows that he was noisy, abusive, and incoherent, alos at times destructive. He himself ascribed his insanity to an illness for which he was blistered behind the ear. Says he took ganja, also "daru." Told me that he had used ganja and majum and also alcohol, brandy, &c. He was very incoherent and could not be kept to the point. He is always abusive and uses indecent language. Is quarrelsome and at times violent and given to assaulting the others. The magisterial special enquiry gives the evidence of two of Akbar Khan's acquaintances, who testify that he was a confirmed ganja-smoker and spent all his money in intoxicants, but both say that he also used to drink "tari" pretty considerably. One witness states positively that the ganja caused his insanity, and the other states that his madness was subsequent to an attack of "fever" (acute mania?). In this case the man is a confirmed lunatic, but whether the insanity in the first instance was induced by excess either of ganja or alcohol I think it would be difficult, if not impossible, to positively determine. Little is known of his family history, and although one of his acquaintances says that none of Akbar Khan's relatives were insane, I should like more convincing evidence of this before I could altogether exclude heredity as a factor in the causation of his insanity. 5. Rudraya.—His papers say that he was a wandering lunatic and was found sitting by the police on the banks of the Andhari River, was very violent, and required three men to restrain him, &c. Was violent whilst in Jail, and then lapsed into silence. Subsequent to his admission to the Asylum he was at first depressed, and then very violent with impulses to strike every other person near him, and then he became depressed. He would not talk to the members of the Ganja Commission. The special magisterial enquiry states that no relatives can be found. He told me that he had never taken any narcotic or stimulant (alcohol, ganja, or tobacco). He was disinclined to answer any questions, or to pay much attention to what was said to him. Alleged cause of insanity ganja, but no definite or trustworthy evidence on this point. N.B.—The Asylum clerk says that he recollects that when Rudraya was admitted to the Asylum he admitted to having taken ganja, but there is nothing recorded of any admission of this nature. He also says that the police who brought him said that Rudraya had been some days on the river bank and that the malguzar and people of the vicinity, considering him to be a sadhu, had brought him from time to time milk and ganja. This may account for his violence at Chanda and when first admitted into the Asylum. In my opinion all that we are justified in conjecturing from the history and present mental state of Rudraya is that he is a weak-minded creature, given to wandering habits, suffering from melancholia, with occasional periods of excitement and with a craving at these times for stimulant narcotics as ganja, and further that the gratification of this craving probably aggravates the mental excitement. 6. Kalekhan.—Supposed duration of disease, 9 months. The medical certificate says:—"The patient is a ganja-smoker." He had been in the 1st Regiment of Infantry, Hyderabad Contingent. Had been discharged for insanity, was found wandering at Anjangaon, and when in the regiment had a habit of straying away towards the hills. He is under the impression that he is a great man, and that others should pay him every respect. Remains motionless for half an hour at a time, and then begins to laugh, &c. &c. The Asylum history shows nothing special beyond that he was excited in July 1892, again in August 1892, and again in January 1893. Depressed since May 1893. Nothing coherent could be got out of him by the members of the Ganja Commission. The special magisterial enquiry notes the evidence of one Mahomed Khan, who says he is a distant relative of Kalekhan (though Kalekhan denies this); says he was steady in early life, but after employment showed vicious tendencies. It was suspected that he drank liquor privately, but not in public. He was attached to a prostitute and quarrelled with her, whereupon she left him and he became insane. It is said that something was given him to smoke with tobacco, and from this he became insane. None of his relatives are insane. I questioned him at some length as to his past history, habits, &c., but beyond the fact that the above Mahomed Khan was no relation of his, he refused to reply to any question. Is generally depressed and silent. Knee-jerks present. In my mind this is another instance of a man of weak intellect with wandering tendencies. I can find no positive evidence to support the ganja hypothesis. He was suspected of secret drinking, and there is a history of disappointment in love. Weighing these three possible causes of his insanity, I cannot find any grounds for assuming that one cause was more active than either of the other two in causing the insanity. 7. Lachman, Gond.—This man was discharged from the Asylum previous to my assuming charge of it, and his whereabouts are unknown. As I did not see him or examine into his mental condition, I prefer not to offer any criticism on the supposed cause of his insanity being ganja. In conclusion, I find that in many of the cases there is a history of ganja-somking combined with alcoholism, and in two cases a further complication of disappointment in connection with some love intrigue. How much, if any, of the insanity was produced by the ganja I cannot say. Only in the case of Rudraya does it appear to me that ganja was probably the main cause of the insanity. I regret the delay in submitting the report on these cases, but I did not thoroughly understand that a report was called from me after having had the cases such a short time under observation. Extract from the evidence of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel McKay (Superintendent, Nagpur Asylum, 1892). (1) Atmaram.—This man states that he now and then smoked ganja. He has apparently been insane for 7 years. There is no history of violence or very unusual excitement, and I very much doubt if ganja-smoking has had anything to do with his present condition. It is very doubtful if he even ever smoked ganja, for it is utterly impossible to believe what he says. He appears to have been sane until he went to Jail at the age of 20 and became insane in the Jail and has remained so ever since. Supposed cause "perhaps ganja." There is no history of the man ever having smoked ganja and his symptoms would not lead me to suspect it. (2) Tajodin.—There was no history sent with this man, and very little that is reliable can be obtained from him. The Magistrate says that the cause of insanity was unknown. The medical officer of the dispensary, Kamtpee, says that he is supposed to be a great ganja-smoker. The man has occasional fits of excitement followed by depression, and he has lately become very suspicious, shies at everything he passes. Here again the ganja-smoking is doubtful. He has apparently been known to have been insane for 5 years and during that time there is his history of violence. Here again the symptoms would not lead me to suspect ganja. There is not that sudden violent excitement which one associates with the use of the drug. (3) Itwargir.—No history was sent with this man. He is a beggar. He was admitted into the Asylum violent, noisy, and filthy, abusive and incoherent. Beyond the man's own statement it is not certain that he ever smoked the drug. He admits having been a ganja-smoker and perhaps this case might be put down to the drug, but it is not a characteristic case. (4) Akbar Khan.—This man was also a beggar; used to sit at a certain spot in the city and had been doing so for years. He is supposed to be a ganja-smoker, but there is no evidence beyond his own word that he ever smoked the drug. He is a great talker, very abusive, but is never violent. This man has been a lunatic for years and will admit anything, but I cannot include this case. (5) Rudraya.—This man is also a beggar and has no friends or relatives. The supposed cause is excessive ganja-smoking. He certainly when admitted showed signs of violent mania, which may have been caused by smoking-ganja, but there is little known about him before he was found sitting on the banks of the river. This man has apparently been insane for years. I do not think his symptoms would lead me to say that ganja was the cause. (6) Kalekhan.—There is here a history of ganja-smoking; but can we put down the ganja as the predisposing or the exciting cause? He was very depressed with occasional fits of excitement the first few days of admission and these fits of excitement continue but with longer intervals. He says he has smoked ganja, but the symptoms do not lead me to suspect that ganja has had anything do with the insanity.

Reports from Madras Lunatic Asylum

 



Report by Surgeon-Major F. W Evans, Acting Superintendent, Government Lunatic Asylum, Madras, on the Hemp Drugs cases of 1892 (No. 343, dated 8th May 1894).
I have the honour, in reply to your letter No. 264, dated 21st January 1894, to forward herewith the further information obtained and the papers sent by the various Magistrates. 2. Out of 17 cases replies have been received in 12 up to date. 3. Of these 12, as regards cases Nos. 5, 8, 9, 10, 14, and 15 no further information could be obtained as relatives could not be found or aquaintances who could speak to the men's habits. Cases 3, 11, 12, and 13 seem to have been men who used ganja. Cases 6 and 7 appear to have been entered as caused by ganja without much enquiry, and evidence collected points strongly against their insanity having been caused by ganja. 4. I regret the delay, but one of the cases was only received yesterday, and in all the others there has been much delay. Report of the further inquiry in the Madras Asylum cases of 1892. 1. Kamal Sahib.—This man cannot be traced. The Gooty Deputy Magistrate, who sent him to the Asylum, cannot say where he came from. 2. Mustan Saheb.—No further information available. 3. Tanikachellum.—This man's brother, a clerk in the High Court at Madras, states he was not addicted to ganja, but may have smoked it with friends. The police report from other relatives corroborates the above statement. [Note.—The papers being perused show that the brothers of this lunatic were examined by Sub-Inspector Ryan, who reports that they stated that "there has never been anything like insanity in the family before. That Tanikachellum is a very steady man, and that they never knew him to take ganja. He was not even to their knowledge in the habit of taking liquors or smoking. They say that he became very morose owing to his not getting an appointment; and to this preying on his mind they attribute his becoming insane. They can attribute no other cause. He has been living with them since his release on 20th June 1893, and has been all right since his return. He is not given to the use of ganja even now**. They do not think that ganja had anything to do with his insanity." The elder brother's statement, referred to by the Superintendent, was separately recorded. He said: "My younger brother went with friends to Trivellore, and returned out of his mind. He was not addicted to ganja or drink. He may have indulged with his friends and exposed himself to the sun and weather, and hence his condition**. When he went to Trivellore he had a large quantity of hair on his head and face as he had made a vow. While in Trivellore he had himself cleanly shaved, and perhaps exposed himself to the sun and led a dissipated life. As far as I know he was not a ganja-smoker."] 4. Sheikh Hussain.— The Acting Head Assistant Magistrate, Penukonda (Anantapur), reports. I have examined the wife of this individual as well as her brother as to his previous history, and the following persons as to the question whether he was addicted to smoking ganja:— 1. Allagappa Modaliar, with whom the lunatic was for a year as Minor Irrigation Lascar. 2. (a) Peddabi, present Duffadar of the Head Assistant Collector's office. (b) Peru Saib, attender: who were in the same office when the lunatic was taluk peon and afterwards the Head Assistant Collector's peon. The result of my enquiry is as follows:— Previous history of the case (general and family).—Sheikh Hussain, Musalman, of the Sheikh sect, lived with a brother at Bangalore from his twelfth year. Enlisted in 1879 as a sepoy, served in Afghanistan, obtained a medal for that service, and took his discharge (voluntarily) in 1883. By the order of discharge he was then about 24 years of age. Subsequently he married the sister of a Jagirdar, who bore him four children, one of whom has died by an accident; the rest are alive and well. I have seen two of them, and they seem to be in perfect health. Sheikh Hussain's brother, father, and mother are all dead, so that unfortunately there is no possibility of ascertaining his early habits. Nor is it practicable to find out what sort of habits he formed during his three or four years' service as a sepoy. According to his wife and her brother, Sheikh Hussain was quiet and well-behaved; not known to be addicted to smoking ganja; at times drank toddy, which, however, did not make him noisy and quarrelsome; he was never known to go out of his mind, or be strange in his manner until about a month before he went to Anantapur (that is, 1890, when he killed the man). Just before going to Anantapur his conduct became queer; he gave away his things to strangers (goshais); did not sleep well; and finally went off to Anantapur (with the Head Assistant Collector) without change of clothes, &c. The duffadar and the acting attender of this office both speak to Sheikh Hussain being addicted to smoking ganja. The former states that he only knew of this habit from the time Sheikh Hussain became peon of this office, but fancied that he had taken it previously. The same witness says that for a month or so before the journey to Anantapur, Sheikh Hussain took ganja very heavily indeed, and the attender's evidence, while not going quite so far, shows that at Anantapur Sheikh Hussain seemed to live on ganja and raw Bengal gram rather than on proper meals. The acting attender also adds that Sheikh Hussain had contracted the habit of taking ganja, a year or so before he became peon, from goshais (the people to whom he gave away things according to his wife and the duffadar) and from a dhobie of Penukonda. The duffadar remembers that four months or so before Sheikh Hussain went to Anantapur, he (Sheikh Hussain) in a fit of (perhaps) mental alienation gave away vessels, etc., to goshais. The Irrigation Overseer (now pensioned), with whom Sheikh Hussain worked for about a year as lascar, states that he did not observe Sheikh Hussain taking ganja at any time while they were together. Sheikh Hussain seems to have been with the Overseer most of the day (up to 6 or 7 P.M.), and to have gone away to his own lodgings in the evening. 5. Moorthy Veeraswami.—No information obtainable. 6. Madula Sooryanarain.—No evidence of ganja beyond the statement of the late Civil Surgeon, Coconada. The man is now well and denies ever having used ganja. He and his relatives attribute the insanity to Beri-Beri. [Note.—The papers show that no one can explain how Dr. Patch (late Civil Surgeon Coconada) came to enter the words "said to be addicted to ganja smoking." The evidence recorded by the Magistrate is clear that the man never took ganja. The Acting Civil Surgeon also says: "The man appeared before me; and when examined denied smoking ganja or eating opium. He attributed the lunacy he suffered from to the serious illness (evidently Beri-Beri from his description) in Burma. His cousin, who accompanied him, confirmed his statement."] 7. Pappa.—Godaveri Magistrate reports that there is no evidence of ganja beyond the cause of insanity entered by the Civil Surgeon, Coconada, who stated that he smoked ganja and drank bhang. The Jail warders, however, do not know on what authority the statement was made. [Note.—The following letter (No. 124, dated Coconada, 29th March 1894) from the Deputy Magistrate, to the District Magistrate, Godaveri, gives full details of this case.] As directed in your reference No. 100, Magisterial, dated 9th February 1894, I have held an enquiry into the case of the lunatic Pappa, and arrived at the conclusion that his insanity has no connection whatever with hemp drugs. The important living relatives of the lunatic have been examined by me in the presence of Surgeon-Captain W. C. Wickers, the present Civil Surgeon of Coconada, and not one of them says he ever used ganja; the warders of the Jail in which he was detained, as also a constable who was on duty at the Jail, were examined, and they too deny that Pappa has ever even asked for ganja; of course the use of the same during his detention in the Jail was out of the question as being against the rules; the depositions given by these witnesses, nine in number, are enclosed. It seems to me that the only ground for classing his insanity as "toxic" is the entry by Dr. Patch of the following sentence against item No. 8 in Appendix II relating to Pappa's case:— "He is reported to smoke ganja and eat bhang." It is not clear how and wherefrom Dr. Patch got this information; none of the persons examined by me and the Civil Surgeon, who were mostly the same as those whom Dr. Patch examined, appears to have given Dr. Patch this information; a copy of the said Appendix II is enclosed. The notes made by Dr. Patch in the visiting book kept at the Sub-Jail do not also show that Dr. Patch had any reason to suspect that the lunatic Pappa consumed any hemp drug; a copy of these notes is also enclosed. The past family history of the lunatic has been ascertained, and nobody either on his father's side or on his mother's side ever used ganja or exhibited insanity ever so little. His father was a peon in the Pittapur Deputy Tahsildar's office for nearly forty years and died of natural causes at the good old age of seventy years; his paternal grandfather was a peon in the Tanuku Taluq office and died at a good old age. His mother is alive still and is hale and healthy, though she is now sixty years old. His maternal grand father was a peon in the Coconada Deputy Tahsildar's office and died at an old age. Three of his sisters are now alive, and they have never exhibited any symptoms of insanity. He had no brothers, but he lost a sister about ten years ago; she fell a victim to some disease consequent on child-birth. Thus there has been no insanity in his family, and his insanity is unquestionably not a hereditary one. *This letter gives an interesting account of an atrocious murder of a Head Constable by this lunatic while in the Sub-Jail. With regard to his personal history, the deposition given by his mother contains a lot of information. It would appear therefrom that up to his twenty-third year or so he was quite sane, and that his insanity first appeared three years after his marriage. The first symptom observed was to talk incoherently, to complain of biliousness, to refuse to eat, and to run out into the fields. For two years after the appearance of this symptom, he was out of sorts, complaining of his system being heated and eating and drinking all those things which are calculated to cool his system. He was a gymnast, and used to eat mutton and other nutritious food in large quantities. On one occasion he ate a seer of chillies and quaffed a pint of gingelly oil, and jumped into the well in his house; this appears to be the first time when he behaved in a manner dangerous to himself. It would appear that his mother and others fettered him for about six months after this event, and then sent him on to Rajahmundry for treatment, where, however, the Doctor who kept him under observation found that he was not insane and procured his discharge. This was in 1890. It may be noted that by the time he got out of the Jail he was not as fat as before. In about a year afterwards, he again grew as fat as ever and became mad again, when he was handed over to the Deputy Tahsildar of Pittapur. What took place afterwards is to be found in the letter No. 5,* dated 9th January 1892, of my predecessor's, of which a copy is enclosed. The man's insanity is certainly not toxic; it would seem to be due to over-eating and over-bloodedness in the system, which always made him court fight and behave as though he was the strongest man in the world and had no equal to him in strength on the face of the earth; he was the winner in two to three very famous wrestling matches arranged by the late Raja of Pittapur, whose samstanum wrestler he was for some years. It is a pity that Dr. Patch did not say where from he got his information about his being a ganja smoker and bhang eater, but, from what I have been able to gather in regard to this man, it seems to me that Dr. Patch was misinformed and misled.] 8. Ramaswami.—No information obtainable. 9. Nabi Saheb.—No additional information obtained. 10. Hari Mohanti.—No additional information obtained. 11. Kunji Kalappen.—The Tahsildar Magistrate of Charikal reports that Kunji Kalappen indulged largely in strong liquors, and in the early part of 1892 took ganja freely. [Note.—The Tahsildar's report is as follows: "Kunji Kalappen is said to have been indulging too much in strong liquors, and he was also very licentious. In the early part of 1892 a certain Embrandiri Brahman went to his house and initiated him in the secret of some mantroms. He also advised him to use ganja, which would, he said, facilitate concentration of thought in practising the mantrom. Kunji Kalappen took up his advice and indulged freely in the use of ganja, which, together with the other two vices alluded to, rendered him insane **. The Civil Surgeon of Cannanore informs me that the above vices are sufficient to cause insanity."] 12. Mahadil Saheb.—The Assistant Surgeon, Bellary, states that he (Mahadil Saheb) had a craving for ganja. The younger brother also apparently states that the patient used ganja, although the statement is not clearly given as regards him, but more clearly as regards their father, who was also addicted to ganja. The Magistrate is, however, of opinion that the man was not addicted to ganja but liquor. * This word "also" is erased by a line run through it; but it has apparently led to the Superintendent's remark. [Note.—The statement of the younger brother, referred to by the Superintendent of the Asylum, is thus recorded: "Their father was also* addicted to ganja-smoking for several years**. Mahadil Saheb never indulged in ganja smoking any time." The Magistrate's report contains an accurate summary of the evidence. It is as follows:— In reply to your proceedings No. 224, dated 16th February 1894, I beg to report as follows, after consultation with the District Surgeon, regarding the past personal and family history of the lunatic Mahadil Saheb of Canel Bazar. 2. On the 25th of February 1894 three of the relatives of the lunatic, viz., I, Jarrudin, brother of Mahadil Saheb; 2, Sherifma, mother; 3, Katuma, his wife, were examined. 3. It would appear from their statements that the lunatic's father was addicted to the use of ganja, and that he lived till he was 90 years old. The lunatic's mother is now about 80 years old, and says that neither her parents nor the parents of her husband were insane at any time during their lives. Mahadil's father, though used to ganja-smoking, was never insane. It would appear that the lunatic Mahadil Saheb had three sisters and three brothers. Of the sisters, one, that died eight years ago, aged about 45, had suffered from symptoms of either hysteria or insanity, which came on after her delivery. This lasted about three months, after which she was all right. Neither this woman nor his other sisters and brothers were ganja smokers; none of them were confirmed lunatics. 4. It would appear from the copies of the certificates which accompanied him to the Lunatic Asylum that the probable cause of his lunacy was stated to be the use of bhang. But from the evidence collected it would appear that Mahadil Saheb was not addicted to the use of ganja or bhang. It is stated by the lunatic's wife that he was occasionally using liquor. 5. On the 27th February 1894 Ramatanie Pillay, Abkari Contractor, who knew the lunatic for the last 15 years, was examined. He states that in his opinion the cause of Mahadil's lunacy is his misfortune and contracted circumstances rather than to ganja smoking, as he was not addicted to that habit to the best of his knowledge and belief. 6. Gopala Tunei Nayudu, Head Clerk of the District Jail, speaks to an admission made by the lunatic when he was in Jail to the effect that he used ganja freely, and says that he learnt from his neighbours at Canel Bazar that he was addicted to that drug. His evidence is hearsay, and the lunatic's admission cannot be relied upon as it is supposed to have been made when he was an insane in the Jail. 7. Five more persons who personally knew the lunatic were examined by me at Canel Bazar, whose evidence goes for the most part in corroboration of that recorded from the relatives of the lunatic. It seems to be clear that Mahadil Saheb was not addicted to ganja smoking and that the cause of his insanity has not been clearly established.] 13. Coopen.—His nephew says he lived by begging, and about two or three years ago he began smoking ganja and eating majum. He also stated that "he also used to drink toddy and arrack." The police report corroborates the above, but his brother states it was some four or five years ago that he took to ganja. [Note.—The brother's statement is as follows: "It is only two or three years ago Coopen became mad. He got into the habit of smoking-ganja and eating majum. He also used to drink toddy and arrack. His first symptoms of madness were fits **. When he got these fits he used to fall down, and he used to foam at the mouth. The fits used to last only for a very short time. Afterwards he used to become violent. In this state he would continue for four or five days and then he would recover; and the same sort of fits and madness used to repeat itself on almost every new-moon day."] 14. Tadiya.—No additional information obtained. Supposed to be a man down from the Central Provinces. 15. Dona Papada.—No additional information obtained. 16. & 17.—Reply not received. (Sd.) J. W. EVANS, Surgeon-Major, Acting Superintendent, Government Lunatic Asylum. OOTACAMUND; October 6th, 1893. DEAR DOCTOR WARDEN, I think it better to wait till I reach Madras (October 10th) before sending in remarks on your list of hemp drugs cases in the Madras Lunatic Asylum. * Of insanity. To begin with, I must assure myself that the cause * has been entered in my own handwriting. The statements of medical officers, medical subordinates, and magistrates as to cause are usually untrustworthy, and are generally second-hand, from relations, who will say, for example, that the new moon is a cause—I believe the Western belief is the full moon. My own experience in the Asylum was that I had to discard as much as possible the cause assigned in the admission papers, and to try and find out for myself, and to put down the cause only when I felt I had reasonable cause for so doing. Even commissioned medical officers, not to mention apothecaries and medical subordinates, who send many cases, know little of insanity, and seldom realize how often mere privation is a cause. As to Toxic insanity, my view, founded on a good deal of practical experience at home and in Madras, is that you might just as well talk of Financial or of Hungry insanity. A man or woman has mania, melancholia (a form of mania), or dementia, the result of the puerperal state, pecuniary losses, fright, alcohol, ganja, epilepsy, privation, etc. I don't mean that chronic dementia is the direct result; mania or melancholia as a rule intervening between the cause and the demand state. I presume that the idea is that toxic insanity has features peculiar to itself, just as puerperal mania has, in perverted affection, homicidal or suicidal tendency and obscenity. But, after all, even this latter (puerperal mania) is not sufficiently different from ordinary mania to deserve a separate place. It may be somewhat curable; so are lots of cases of acute mania. It may recur with the puerperal state; so do lots of cases of mania on recurrence of the cause. As for the symptoms, perverted affection, suicidal and homicidal tendencies are common enough in cases of mania; and the obscenity, common enough in mania in both sexes, is only remarkable as often occurring in the case of refined or religious women, who then use language one can hardly believe they have ever heard. Yours sincerely, S. L. DOBIE. 6. Madula Sooryanarain did not die of cholera, but was discharged cured, July 21st, 1893. S. L. DOBIE. Dated Camp, Madras, 20th October 1893. From—S. L. DOBIE, Esq., Principal Medical Storekeeper, To—THE HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION. In returning a list of hemp drug cases admitted into the Madras Lunatic Asylum in 1892, I have the honour to state that I am responsible for the entry of the cause—as ganja—in the first fourteen cases. In no case have I entered it as a cause without such evidence as led me to a reasonable belief that it was so. I have not accepted the mere statements of ganja being a cause as entered in the admission papers any more than I have accepted the statements made by relations to the effect that the new moon is a cause of insanity. Cases 15, 16, 17 were admitted after I left the Asylum. The only case which calls for comment is that of Kunji Kalappen, as I found yesterday, in reading his case, that his servant finally acknowledged that he took ganja during three months before his admission, and that after taking it he often laughed strangely, and that he had none for one or two or three days before admission. The two following are more important cases: Kunnaye Pillai (criminal), admitted 31st May 1886, cause unknown, who has often been discovered in possession of ganja in the Asylum and Jail. In association with these discoveries the man has been noisy and excited on a sufficient number of occasions to make it reasonable to believe that the ganja was a cause of the excitement; and the same may be said of Ragaven (criminal), admitted 8th May 1889. In conclusion, I have the honour to state that I have communicated to Dr. Warden my reasons for not returning cases of insanity due to ganja under the heading of "Toxic insanity."

Reports from Vizagapatnam Lunatic Asylum.

Report of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Leapingwell, Superintendent, Vizagapatam Lunatic  Asylum,  on  the  case  ascribed  to  hemp   drugs   in   1892  (No. 83,  dated  5th  May 1894).
In reply to your letter No. 264, dated 21st January 1894, I have the honour to report that I have not been able to obtain any further information regarding the lad Pasapaleti Narasinham from the Joint Magistrate, Godavari, or the Civil Surgeon, Rajahmundry, as will be seen from the letters herewith forwarded (not printed). I have, however, succeeded in tracing the lad and find that he is now employed on . the East Coast Railway as a peon. He came to me yesterday with his mother, and from them I learn as follows. The attack of insanity for which he was treated here was the first. He had been smoking and eating ganja occasionally for six months prior to admission. He could not tell me how much he smoked at a time, as he said he never bought any, but smoked what was given him by his companion, whom he joined in smoking. He did not smoke every day, but about once a week. The effects produced were "giddiness" and "laziness." He also drank arrack, and appears to have led a somewhat loose life generally. His mother says that it was not the lad's grandfather, but her grandfather, who was insane, and that she knows of no other relations who were insane. When admitted into the Rajahmundry Jail he was suffering from insanity with excitement, and his mental disorder was consequently described as "mania." After admission into this Asylum he was never at any time excited, but greatly depressed, crying and refusing food, so that it was necessary for the first two months to frequently feed him with the stomach tube. His condition then could only be classed as "melancholia." His weight on admission was 75 lbs. and he gained 18 lbs. in weight while under treatment. His mental condition at once improved when he began to gain weight, or, in other words, as soon as his general health improved. With reference to the last paragraph of your letter, in which I am required to give a clear opinion as to the type of insanity and the cause, I can only say that in this case we have an instance of a lad with a history of insanity in the family whose health from some cause completely broke down, and, as a result, insanity supervened, at first with excitement and subsequently with depression, and that as soon as his physical condition improved his insanity disappeared. Such cases are seen every day in Asylums. To what extent the smoking of ganja may have contributed to his debilitated condition, which in my opinion was the immediate cause of his mental disorder, I am unable to say, and I do not think it is possible for any one to give a more definite opinion in this case.

Reports from Calicut Lunatic Asylum.

REPORT OF SURGEON-MAJOT H. ST. C. CARRUTHERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CALICUT ASY---, ON THE CASE ATTRIBUTED TO HEMP DRUGS IN 1892 (NO. 114, DATED 12TH MAY 1894).
With reference to your letter No. 264 of 21st January 1894, forwarding to me, for further enquiry and report, the case of deceased insane Jacob, I have the honour to enclose herein, in original, a report from the Police Inspector of Kottayam about the past personal and family history of the man submitted through the Joint Magistrate of Malabar. 2. The only source of information to me of the lunatics in general is the certificate Form C, forwarded with the warrant in each case, and in this particular instance the cause of insanity was attributed to "intoxicating drugs, probably ganja," which was duly entered in the Admission Register. But, as you will see from the enclosed report, Jacob's insanity is now asserted to be due to hard drinking, and not to the use of ganja or other drugs. Case of deceased insane Jacob. Kali, alias Ipeca, wife of Jacob, stated : "Jacob was my husband. In 1891 I with the above Jacob and four children converted to Christianity, and changed residence from Anjerakandy to Illikumm. Jacob was wholly given up to drinking of toddy and arrack when in Anjerakandy. He was not taking ganja or other hemp drugs. He once showed signs of insanity when in Anjerakandy some 4 1/2 years back. Insanity is not hereditary in his family. He was all right after he came to Illikumm. He was not drinking toddy also after he came to Illikumm. On local enquiry made with the comrades and others of Jacob in Nither, I find that he was not given up to the use of hemp drugs at all, and that the insanity is due, in my opinion, to the after-effects of drinking toddy and arrack.

Reports from Colaba Lunatic Asylum.

Report of the Superintendent, Colaba Lunatic Asylum, Bombay, on the Hemp Drug Cases of 1892.
With reference to letter No. 149, dated 16th October 1893, paragraph 2, from the Secretary, Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, andG .R ./G.D .N o. 4107 of the 16th November 1893, I have the honour to submit a further report on the 13 cases admitted during the year 1892 as follows:—
CASE NO. 1.—NAMA ANANTA. The Commissioner of Police, Bombay, in his letter No. 7849—3, dated 4th December 1893, states that no information can be obtained, as neither he nor his relations can be traced. This is a case in my opinion of acute ephemeral mania due to hemp drugs. think the outbreak of the 26th July was simply anger and had nothing to do with the mental condition. The information, I believe, was obtained from his friends. CASE NO. 2.—YESU RAGHO. The Civil Surgeon, Thana, in his statement forwarded with letter No. 169 of the 15th November 1893, from the first class Magistrate of that district, states that there is no past personal and family history in his hospital relating to this case. This is not in my opinion a ganja case. The partial paraplegia shows that brain disease is the cause and melancholia is the natural form for the disease to take in that case. I reject this as a ganja case. CASE NO. 3.—MOTI RAM KUNBI. The Staff Surgeon at Aden, in his letter No. 59, dated 15th November 1893, to the first class Magistrate, Aden, states that his friends deny that he ever used ganja. I think myself that though a case of acute mania it was not due to ganja, because it came on in a very insidious way which is unusual in ganja and was preceded by moroseness and a tendency to wander. Besides, the long period under treatment is against the theory of hemp origin. CASE NO.4 .—DAMODHARB RAHMAN. The Commissioner of Police, Bombay, in his letter No. 7849—3, dated 4th December 1893, states that he was addicted to ganja, bhang and majum, but nothing was noticed until the death of his wife and child, when he changed his habits and was found to have taken to drugs. There is no hereditary tendency, and I think that the history and symptoms both point to hemp drugs, though the bereavements may have had to do with it. I should therefore say that this is a case of acute mania due to hemp drugs. CASE NO. 5.—MOTI HEMRAJ. The Commissioner of Police, in his letter No. 784—3, dated 4th December 1893, states that he commenced smoking ganja in his native country, Kathiawar, before he came to Bombay, at the age of fourteen years. His sons and brothers, who are living in Bombay, are not addicted to ganja-smoking; his parents died of natural causes. I do not however believe ganja was the cause in this case. This was a case of melancholia with excitement, and not mania. He died from dropsy and old age, showing disease of the kidneys, and possibly consequent disease of the brain; this would be sufficient cause as shown by the prolonged absence of improvement. CASE NO. 6.—MAHOMED SAFDAR. The Commissioner of Police, Bombay, states that none of the relations of this man can be traced. Said to have lived by begging and was given to ganja-smoking. This is a doubtful case, The man is still in the Asylum and not much improved, and denies the use of ganja; but probably as a beggar he did use the drug, and that may have been the exciting cause, but that is only a probability though the symptoms are those of mania due to toxic causes. I regarded it as a doubtful case. CASE NO. 7—CHINTAMON. It is stated by the Commissioner of Police in his letter No. 7849—3, dated 4th December 1893, that he had been in the habit of smoking ganja from childhood. About 3 years ago he showed signs of insanity but recovered soon. In June 1892 he was found wandering in the streets, was violent and noisy. He was arrested by the Police, sent to the Asylum under a certificate from the Police Surgeon. Since his discharge from the Asylum he has not exhibited any signs of insanity. I think ganja was the exciting cause in this case—the exciting cause only—because there was no improvement. But after his discharge he suddenly recovered and has not had another attack up to now. This is another reason for thinking it not a ganja case. If addicted to hemp drugs, he would probably indulge and have a relapse. It is a case with maniacal symptoms, but I regarded it as a doubtful case. It may therefore be allowed to remain under toxic insanity. CASE NO. 8.—VITHU, HINDU. The Civil Surgeon, Thana, in his statement forwarded by the first class Magistrate of that District, states that no family history is available as the man is not a native of that town. It is stated that in the hospital he was quiet during the day, but always excited at night. He was incoherent, unmindful of his person, dirty in his habits and inclined to assault without provocation. The man was however sane whilst in the Asylum, but had to be shown in the books. His friends who visited him here said that he was addicted to ganja. The symptoms, as described by the Civil Surgeon, Thana, are those of acute mania and look like a case of toxic insanity due to hemp drugs. CASE NO. 9.—GURUDATT, HINDU. The Civil Surgeon, Thana, states that his family history cannot be ascertained as he is not a native of Thana. The information obtained from his wife is that he gave himself up to the immoderate use of ganja some time before he was taken ill. Three or four chillums used to be his allowance. Three or four years ago he was taken ill when he used to be violent even to his friends and relations without provocation. This is not a ganja case. Ganja may have been the exciting cause, but not the predisposing cause. There is a previous history of insanity in this case. The symptoms are those of acute mania, but not due to hemp drugs. CASE NO. 10.—BIRJI MAKJI. This is undobtedly not a ganja case. The man died from anæmia and fatty degeneration of the heart. This was a case of melancholia due to causes stated above. The information recorded about ganja was obtained from his friends on admission, but none of his relations can now be traced in Bombay. This insane was admitted here as a private patient. CASE NO. 11.—DEALO. The District Magistrate, Surat, in his letter No. 1062-M., dated 16th November 1893, states that on enquiry no adult male member of the lunatic's family can be found from whom the information required can be ascertained. This is a doubtful case. I do not believe the insanity was primarily due to ganja, though that may have been the exciting cause. This is a case of mania, but not due to hemp drugs. It is a doubtful case. CASE NO. 12.—VISHNU LAXMAN. The Assistant Surgeon in charge Alibag states in his letter No. 295, dated 14th November 1893, to the 1st class Magistrate of that District, that Vishnu was subject to occasional attacks of acute mania caused probably by ganja smoking. In this case there is distinct epileptic history in his family. His father was epileptic. Ganja may have been the exciting cause where there was predisposition, but it is not a ganja case. I would class this case under epileptic insanity, though ganja may have been the immediate exciting cause. CASE NO. 13.—NEVEL. SINGH. There is no further information about this case. The fact of want of improvement is against ganja. I should not put the case down to hemp drugs. This man made no improvement during his stay in this Asylum. He suffered from symptoms of acute mania, but it is doubtful about the cause being ganja. He was transferred to the Asylum at Delhi after his stay in this Asylum for about two and a half months. The Commissioner of Police in his letter states that he was found to be a dangerous lunatic and was sent to him by the military authorities for an order to be placed in the Asylum.

Reports from Poona Lunatic Asylum.

Report of the Superintendent, Poona Lunatic Asylum, on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892.
With reference to your letter No. 149, dated Simla, 16th October 1893, and accompaniments, I have the honour to state I have communicated by letter with the different Magistrates under whose warrants lunatics suffering from the effects of hemp drugs were admitted into this Asylum in 1892 and up to 16th September 1893, the date of inspection of Asylum by two members of your Committee. Information regarding the previous history of all the lunatics has not yet been furnished, if any facts of importance are subsequently received they will be communicated. 2. The discrepancy referred to in notes appended to "Hemp drug cases admitted in 1892" is explained as follows:— Case No. 4, LAXMAN NAND RAM, is returned separately under two headings, viz. ganja and spirit-drinking. This is incorrect, as both headings refer to the same lunatic. The correct statement should be— 4 due to ganja. 1 due to ganja and spirit-drinking. 1 due to bhang. Total ... 6. The following additional information has been received:— Case 1, GULJARSHA GULABSHA.—The city Magistrate, Poona, reports that no friends or relations of this man can be traced, hence no information regarding him is forthcoming. It is believed the acute mania from which Guljarsha Gulabsha suffered was due to the excessive use of ganja. Case 2, RANG NATH TRIMBACK MOODLIAR. —This man is reported in vernacular Yadi received with letter, dated 2nd December 1893, from City Magistrate, Poona, to have been in a good state of health (presumably mentally and bodily) for a year previous to admission. He did no work and drank one or two pice worth of bhang daily at noon but never smoked ganja. When under the influence of bhang, he became violent. The acute mania, for which he was admitted, is said to be the first attack, and I am of opinion it was induced by the excessive use of bhang for a long period. Case 3, TRIMBAK VINAYAK.—The City Magistrate reports that no friends or relations of this man have as yet been found. Case 4, LAXMAN NAND RAM.—The City Magistrate reports Laxman Nand Ram was in good health previous to present attack. He had been addicted to ganja-smoking (one or two pice worth daily) for a long time. I am of opinion the continuous use of ganja slowly affected his nervous system and produced the attack of chronic mania, which necessitated his admission. Case 5, PAARAS RAM.—The first class Magistrate, Bhusaval, reports in his letter, dated 6th December 1893, that nothing reliable can be ascertained regarding the early history of this man. His father died at Nasirabad some twenty years ago, and Paras Ram was not afterwards heard of until three years ago, when he was considered a lunatic and remained as such until transferred to this Asylum. The Magistrate further states that, except the report of the Medical Officer, nothing is known in the district as to his having been addicted to the use of ganja or alcohol. From the facts adduced it is difficult to decide whether the insanity is due to the excessive use of hemp drugs or otherwise, but from appearance of patient I am inclined to believe that the use of hemp drugs was the most likely cause. Case 6, HARI TRIMBAK RANADE.—The Huzur Deputy Collector and Magistrate, Satara, reports that Hari Trimbak Ranade was an excessive smoker of ganja for a long time, but continued in good health until he was seized with cholera four or five months before getting insane. His nervous system was probably impaired by excessive ganjasmoking before the cholera seizure, therefore the latter disease, though it may have hastened the mania, can scarcely be considered a predisposing cause. I am of opinion that the ganja habit would eventually have led to mania, though neither cholera nor other disease supervened.  

Reports from Ahmedabad Lunatic Asylum.

Report of the Superintendent, Ahmedabad Lunatic Asylum, on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892.
Case No. 1.—Shariz-Hamid Gul (Surat).—Letter No. 346, dated 30th March 1894, and its accompaniments, from the District Magistrate, Surat, do not furnish any additional information; hence nothing more remains to be said regarding this insane than what was stated in my letter No. 9 of 24th January 1894, viz. that the predisposing cause of insanity was ganja-smoking. Note.—The statement here referred to was based solely on the following report from a chief constable:— 1. Name.—Shariz Hamid Gul. 2. Caste.—Suni, Mahomedan, Sayad. 3. Age.—About 34 years. 4. When did he go mad?—About six years. 5. Was he ever in his senses?—Sometimes he was and sometimes not. When he was not in his senses, he cried out loudly. At his meal times he was always in his senses. 6. Did he ever abuse?—He did not. 7. Birthplace.—Rander. 8. Heir.—His brother, Abasb in Moulvi Hamid Gul; his wife, Fatma Begum; and his daughter, Nurjah Begum, live in Rander, and his mother, Asmad Bibi, now in Mecca. His brother's, wife's, daughter's and mother's ages are 42, 27, 10, and 70 years respectively.
9. Is he married?—Yes; he has one wife. 10. Did he take any intoxicating drugs?—He did not, but he sometimes used to smoke ganja. 11. Is his madness attributed to sickness?—No, but he went mad owing to his wife's bad character and starvation, on account of constant quarrels between him and his wife. 12. Did he ever receive any injury by a fall; and if so, how and when?—No. 13. Is there any one mad related to him?—No. 14. Does he know to read and write?—Yes, he knows Gujrati. 15. Occupation.—He was dealing in cloth in Mauritius. 16. Did he ever get fits?—No. 17. Character.—Good, and he used to say his prayers. 18. Was this the first time that he went mad, or did he go mad any time before; if so, how and when?—This was the first time that he went mad. 19. Did he show any signs of madness besides this; if so, when and what sorts, and what are the reasons?—No. 20. Did he ever smoke ganja or other drugs?—He used to smoke ganja sometimes. 21. Further particulars.—This person used to go to Mauritius for mercantile business. He did not go to Mauritius for the last six or seven years. He appeared mad after six months from the date of his arrival at Rander. He was always in his senses at meal times. He never used to beat any one, but only used to sit like an insane person and to rave loudly. He was not given any kind of medicine for cure. He never injured any one, but if he got any money, he gave it to beggars, etc., in charity. CHORASI; (Signed) CHHANGLAL, and December 1893. Chief Constable. Case No. 2.-Chhotu Singh Shibram Singh (dementia).—From further observation of the habits of Chotu Singh in the Asylum, I am inclined to believe that the cause of his insanity was ganja-smoking. He occasionally requests for ganja; if he was not previously habituated to the use of ganja-smoking it is not likely that he would ask for it. But on the other hand, the information forwarded by the Cantonment Magistrate, Baroda, does not corroborate this, and therefore this must be considered as a doubtful case. Case No. 3.—Mohandass, Tulsidas (mania).—The District Magistrate, Kaira, reports that the history of this lunatic cannot be traced as he is a wandering mendicant. Case No. 4.—Mahomed Bhai Haji Bhai (mania).—Further particulars furnished by the District Magistrate, Surat, do not confirm the previous report in the Asylum records as regards ganja-smoking having been the cause of insanity. This case of insanity is associated with epilepsy and is probably due to organic changes in the brain. Case No. 5.—Jetna Manji-(Ahmedabad).—The proceedings of the investigations made by the Assistant Collector at the request of the District Magistrate are enclosed. These further investigations confirm the previous report that the cause of insanity was ganja-smoking. There was apparently no hereditary taint of insanity in this case. Case No. 6.—Ravishankar Ganpat Ram had been, except for occasional attacks of malarial fever, in good health previous to his becoming insane. He had been of a fairly cheerful disposition, and was not inclined to be quarrelsome. He was a widower, having lost his wife some nine years ago, and was unable to remarry on account of want of means. His father states that he brooded over the loss of his wife and fretted because he was unable to marry again. At the age of 20 he commenced to smoke ganja and continued in the habit till he became insane, consuming one chillum two or three times a day. Both his parents state that he was not in the habit of using spirits, opium, or tobacco. They also say that none of their relations suffered from insanity or any nervous disorder. Both of them are healthy. Case No. 7.—Gulab Khan Rehemu.—Family history is not obtainable, as nothing is known of him before serving in the Broach police. He has a nephew said to reside at Jambusar, but I have been unable to obtain his attendance. He is said to be healthy. Gulab Khan was in the habit of drinking spirits frequently to excess, eating opium, and drinking kusumba, and smoking ganja. It seems also from the evidence that he associated with prostitutes in a promiscuous manner. He was a widower. A constable who lived with him in the same chowki for nine months states that he did not smoke ganja every day. Case No. 8.-Raja Josa, who lived with his only surviving brother, commenced the habit of smoking ganja at the age of 16, two or three chillums a day. His brother, who gives evidence, also smokes ganja to about the same extent and commenced at about the same age. Neither of them indulged in any other intoxicant. Both were married and both divorced their wives. Raja's health before becoming insane was good. He was good-tempered. None of his family suffered from insanity, convulsions, or epilepsy. The brother stammers. Case No. 9.—Ashraf Chhitan.—Had been in good health before becoming insane. He was of a cheerful disposition, good-tempered, and fond of his family. He never indulged in ganja, spirits, opium, or even tobacco. For two or three years before his becoming insane he was in the habit of reading the Koran night and day, and during this time he slept very little—only one or two hours at night. None of his relations, according to the statement of his wife and stepmother, who are the only surviving members of his family capable of giving information, suffered from any brain disease.

Reports from Ratnagiri Lunatic Asylum.

The register of lunatics is written up by the Hospital Assistant Ramchandar Ganpat Rao. It is written at the time that the patient is received in the Asylum. All "the information regarding-the facts and history of the case previous to admission and also date of admission are filled up by him at the time of the patient's admission. All the entries prior to the date of admission are copied from the papers received with the patient. It is a purely clerical piece of work, and would not (the Superintendent says) be checked in any way. The entry of "alleged cause" is always made at that time; and the present Superintendent says he has never had occasion to alter the cause subsequently to the patient's admission. If two causes were mentioned in the papers the general rule is to enter only one, the Hospital Assistant says; but occasionally the second cause is entered within brackets. If the papers showed " probably ganja," only the word " Ganja" would be entered in the register. In the case of Sidram bin Rama (No. 142) the papers show cause 'unknown,' but the Hospital Assistant says he entered 'ganja' because the use of ganja as well as liquor was suggested in the papers under the entry about 'character.' In the case of Nanachandra Dudhan (No. 154), the papers show probably ganja smoking' in the cause entry; and the register shows ' ganja.' In the case of Rama Pillai Shindu (No. 159), the entry under cause in the papers (in Marathi) is "he was ill, and having become exposed to the sun became insane." In the register it is 'ganja.' In the case book Dr. McCalman (then Superintendent) had entered 'ganja and drink' in his own handwriting. The Hospital Assistant says that this was done at the time of admission as the brother, who accompanied the patient, said he had taken the drugs. Dr. McCalman was the Civil Surgeon who had the man under examination also as this was a Ratnagiri case. It may be useful to record that in the case of Ramchandra Krishnashet (No. 140), there is no entry in the papers as to cause, but there is an entry under character that the man is " addicied to the use of liquor and ganja." The Hospital Assistant says he entered ' spirits (and ganja)' as the cause, " because the entry of cause had been made in the wrong place, and people who knew the man said he took liquor and ganja." This register prepared as above is, the Hospital Assistant says, the only source from which the entries as to cause in statement VII of the annual returns are taken. The case book is also written up at the same time; and all the entries (except those from Form A) contained in the papers received with the Magistrate's order are made at that time as a rule, wholly by the Hospital Assistant in the casebook the same day or the morning after (if the man is received in the afternoon). Only in cases where the Hospital Assistant has doubt are any blanks left for the Superintendent to fill up. In the case of Rama Pillai Shindu referred to above, Dr. McCalman saw the patient's brother. The Hospital Assistant says he had copied all the entries except the two as to 'Cause' and 'Form of insanity.' These are found alone to be in Dr. McCalman's handwriting. The Hospital Assistant does not think that he read the vernacular papers to Dr. McCalman, but told him that the brother said the man had used ganja and drink; and Dr. McCalman asked the brother and then made the entry. The Hospital Assistant says he did not draw Dr. McCalman's attention to the vernacular entry of cause, because he himself thought it a less reasonable explanation of the insanity than 'ganja and liquor'; and also because he did not know whether Dr. McCalman might not have seen the entry when the man was under observation in the Civil Hospital. If the cause is given clearly in the Magistrate's papers (eg .,' ganja'), the Hospital Assistant says he would never keep the friends for the Superintendent to see. He would send them away. Neither would he keep them if the cause were shown as 'ganja and drink,' nor ganja with any other cause. The total admissions for 1892 were— No. Criminal Males 4 Criminal Females 2 Non-criminal Males 15 Non-criminal Females 5 TOTAL 25 Of these, the five shown above were attributed to hemp drugs. 22nd December 1893.

Reports from Dharwar Lunatic Asylum.

Report received through the Superintendent, Dharwar Asylum, on the Hemp Drug case of 1892.
RETURNED to the District Magistrate, with a statement of one Laxumi, mother of lunatic Dariappa, in original as required. The wife of Dariappa was present, but she could not give any information on the points required to be cleared, and consequently her statement was not taken down. Evidence by Laxumi. MY name is Laxumi. My husband's name is Shidda. My age is about 45 years. My caste is Uppur. I reside at Mhasali, Taluka Indi of Bijapur District. I support myself on manual labour. I am mother of the lunatic Dariappa bin Shidappa. He is my only son. I have got a daughter, who is married and who now lives with her husband. My husband died in or about 1876. My husband died a natural death. He was not addicated to "ganja." He never took any intoxicant—neither "ganja," nor liquor nor opium. I never used any of these things. I had given some "ganja" to my son Dariappa as a medicine while he was six months old. I washed a little of "ganja" in milk and gave the milk to him two or three times. Ever since no "ganja" or any other hemp drug was either given by me to him as medicine or taken by Dariappa for medicinal purposes. I did not see my son smoke "ganja" ever. If he had ever done so I did not come to know of it. He may or he may not have taken "ganja" smoke previous to his being insane. He was given "ganja" smoke by one of his friends once or twice about a couple of months previous to his becoming insane, but when I came to know of it I gave him a beating, and consequently he left smoking since that day. He did not again take to "ganja" smoking. I cannot state how he then became insane. Dariappa worked as a labourer in my village. He sometimes drove carts. "Ganja" is sold at the village Tamba, which is about six miles from my village. When I gave a beating to Dariappa I had learnt that he was smoking "ganja" and not drinking "bhang." BIJAPUR; A.R. CHITRE, Magistrate. The1 8thD ecember 1893. C. T. PETERS, M.D., Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel, Civil Surgeon, Bijapur.

Reports from Hyderabad (Sind) Lunatic Asylum.

Final Report of Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Keith, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad (Sind), on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892 (submitted on 4th February 1894).
I have the honour to forward herewith the reports on previous histories of patients admitted in 1892, and to request you to be good enough to substitute them for the previous ones, as I am not pleased with them. NO. 1. MULCHAND WALIRAM—HINDU. There is no history of heredity. His father gives a history of sunstroke when he was in Bombay. This might have been the predisposing cause, and the use of bhang afterwards proving the exciting cause. There is only the father's statement that he had sunstroke at Bombay; there is no medical evidence. But that he indulged freely in the use of hemp drugs is shown by the history as recorded by the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon; and there being direct proof of his indulging freely in hemp drugs, and as he confesses himself that he indulged freely in their use, is always asking for them, and ready to indulge in them,  his case is classified as toxic insanity (mania).
NO. 2.L ACHHMANW ALJI—HINDU. There is no further history obtainable in this case. The man has no relations in Hyderabad. He is a mendicant and came from Katiawar; but he cannot give the address of any relation from whom his previous history can be obtained; but he confesses to the habitual use of hemp drugs, knows how to prepare them, and is ready to indulge in them without stint; his case is classified therefore as toxic insanity (mania). No. 3. PARTO—MUSULMAN FAKIR. This man was a mendicant about whom no previous history could be obtained. He came from Marwar. During his residence in the Asylum he was continually asking for hemp drugs or opium, knew how bhang, ganja and charas were prepared, and was ready to indulge to any extent if given these drugs. His type was classified as toxic insanity (dementia). No. 4. HIRAMON—HINDU FAKIR. There is no further history obtainable in this case. He was a mendicant, and these mendicants, as a rule, freely indulge in hemp drugs; and as in the Asylum he is always asking for them, knows how to prepare bhang, ganja and charas, and is ready to indulge in them to intoxication, his case is classified as toxic insanity (mania). No. 5. SOBA—HINDU. There is no further history obtainable in this case. He was also before his admission into the Asylum a mendicant; and as he is continually asking for hemp drugs, knows how to prepare bhang, ganja and charas, and is ready to indulge to intoxication in their use, the inference is that his insanity is of a toxic nature (toxic insanity, dementia). No. 6. METHO DETORAM—HINDU. The history given before the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon shows that Metho was not addicted to the use of hemp drugs, and that it was not hereditary. He himself at first denied the use of them, but at the same time he knew how bhang, ganjá and charas were prepared, and was always ready to indulge in them to intoxication; and he now confesses the use of hemp drugs to excess. The diagnosis and classification would appear therefore to be correct, hemp drugs forming the exciting cause of the insanity. The Asylum history of his case also shows it to be temporary and re-induced by the use of the drug (melancholia). NO. 7. DHOLU walad JETHMAL—HINDU. In the history given before the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon of Karachi the father and friend deny that Dholu indulged in hemp drugs. His father, when he brought him to the Asylum, and when he took him away, said that his son indulged in bhang, but the extent of indulgence was not ascertained. In the Asylum he was continually asking for hemp drugs, and was always ready to indulge to intoxication if hemp drugs were offered to him; and he knew how to prepare bhang, ganja and charas. The classification would therefore seem the correct one, viz., toxic insanity (mania). No. 8. MATADIN—HINDU. The previous history shows that hemp drugs were the exciting cause of Matadin's insanity, and that it was temporary, as he is now employed in a garden close to the asylum, is doing well, and has given over the use of hemp drugs. He confessed all along to the use of the drug, and attributed his insanity to its use. His case was therefore one of toxic insanity (mania). No. 9. SHIKRO FAKIR—MUSULMAN. The history taken before the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon shows that he was in the habit of taking bhang from his infancy, and that there was no heredity. In the Asylum he was continually asking for it, and ready to indulge to intoxication. The classification toxic insanity would therefore appear to be the correct one, and that hemp drugs were the exciting cause (type mania). No. 10. BAXALI—MUSULMAN. The history taken before the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon shows that Baxali indulged in bhang, ganja and charas, and that his insanity was not hereditary. He is now quite well, and testifies that he was formerly in the habit of taking bhang and smoking charas every day, and that charas smoking was the cause of his insanity. His case was therefore classified as toxic insanity (mania). No. 11. SEVO—HINDU. The history taken before the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon shows that Sevo indulged in bhang, ganja and charas, chandu-smoking and opium-eating. When in the Asylum he often asked for the drugs, knew how to prepare bhang, ganja and charas, and was ready to indulge to intoxication. His case was therefore classified as toxic insanity (mania). No. 12. GULAZIM—PATHAN. No previous history can be obtained except that the prisoners in the Shikarpur Jail said that he was a charas-smoker. He now confesses to its excessive use, is always asking for it, and is ready to indulge to intoxication. The diagnosis recorded, viz., toxic insanity, seems therefore correct (mania). No. 13. DULSINGAR SINGH—HINDU. He was a wandering mendicant, and no previous history was obtainable. In the Asylum he was constantly asking for hemp drugs and opium, and ready to indulge at any moment to the degree of intoxication. The inference is that the diagnosis of toxic insanity was the correct one (type mania). J. F. KEITH, Brigade-Surg.-Lieut-Col., Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad. First Report of the Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad (Sind), on the Hemp Drug cases of 1892 (submitted on 1st December 1893). CASE NO. 1 OF MULCHAND. I state that my name is Waliram, my father's name Sangatram, my age about 55 years, my religion Hindu, my caste Lohano, my calling Hawker, my residence Hyderabad town. Mulchand (in Asylum register the name is put down as Bulchand), who is now in the Asylum for the last two years, is my son. I have five sons besides Mulchand. One of them is dead. So two are employed and two are in school. None of them is addicted to narcotics; so far as I remember none in our family has become insane. My father used to drink bhang every evening at a Dharamsala in a moderate quantity. I drink bhang, but occasionally, when I go out in the Bazar. I take a small quantity of bhang as a cooling stuff. My son, who is now in the Asylum, went to Bombay ten years ago and got mad. The insanity continued for nearly six months. I don't know what was the cause, but he himself told me that he used to go out in the sun to sell cloth and his head was affected by intense heat. Before he went to Bombay, he did not drink bhang or smoke charas or ganja. He was brought to Hyderabad and was all right for about five years; then all of a sudden he complained of pain in his head, and became insane. So far as I know he never took narcotics; but he might have done so in my absence. He was confined in the Asylum for six months and then discharged as all right. He fell in bad company, and commenced drinking bhang daily and smoking charas and ganja at Kali on every Tuesday for nearly five years (Temple of Goddess near Hyderabad town). I don't know what quantity of narcotics he indulged in, because he never used these things in my presence. He became gradually insane, and he was getting troublesome; he was confined in the Asylum. So far as I knew he was not dangerous to society, nor did he beat any one. He, however, used to beat me and his mother sometimes when excited. This is the third time that he has become insane in his lifetime. The insanity appears to be due to constant use of narcotics, such as bhang, ganja and charas. It is not hereditary. I had two brothers. They never indulged in bhang, etc. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad THATTUMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. NOTE. The result of the local inquiry made in the neighbourhood of the lunatic is that he was always seen smoking ganja and charas and drinking bhang for the last ten or twelve years. The insanity is ascribed to use of narcotics. It is self-acquired and not hereditary. He was not epileptic, but was dangerous to society. He talked nonsense and spoke incoherently. He has become insane on three occasions. There was and is no insane person in his family. His grandfather drank a small quantity of bhang. His father also drinks bhangi na  small quantity. No ganja or charas has been used by any of his family members except the lunatic. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. CASE NO. 2.—LACHHMAO No history can be obtained as he is unable to say where his relations live. J. KEITH. CASE NO. 3.—PARTO. This man died in the Asyium. He was a native of Marwar, a mendicant with no known relations or friends in Hyderabad. J. KEITH. CASE NOS. 4 AND 5.—HIRAMON AND SOBA. These men were wandering mendicants and have no friends or relatives in Karachi. The police have also made searching inquiry but to no purpose. G. BAINBRIDGE, Civil Surgeon, Karachi, (Illegible) First Class Magistrate, Karachi. CASE OF METHO, SON OF DETARAM, NO. 6. Statement of Oodernomal, son of Detaram, aged 29 years, Hindu Lohana, servant, risiding at Karachi. 1. Do you know Metho Detaram who is now an inmate in the Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad? 1. Yes, I know him; he is my younger brother. 2. How many times has he been in the Asylum? 2. This is his second time. He was first sent to the Asylum some three years ago, when he was kept there for seven or eight months; he was then declared to be well and released. He remained well for three months after he came out of the Asylum and then again became insane. He was again sent to the hospital (Asylum) 16 months ago. 3. At what age he first showed symptoms of insanity? 3. He was about 18 years old when he first became insane, and he is now 21. 4. Did he follow any occupation at the time he became insane, and what symptoms of insanity did he show? 4. He was employed as a servant in the shop of one Chello Mulchand, who has a coffee shop at the Ghizri Sanitarium. He was employed by Chello for three or three and a half years, and suddenly left his service and came to live in my house; there he showed symptoms of insanity. Was very abusive; used to talk nonsense; ate like a glutton; committed mischief; became violent and troublesome. I then placed him under the treatment of a native hakim (quack), but it did him no good. I then took him to the civil hospital, but there too no good was done. About this time I had to go to Hyderabad for my marriage, so I took Metho with me to Hyderabad; he became worse, so I placed him under the treatment of Dr. Tarachand for a month, but finding no change, I sent him to the Asylum through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Hyderabad. This was the first time; second time he was sent by the Civil Surgeon of Karachi to the Asylum. 5. Did Metho indulge in any kind of intoxicating drug; if so, of what kind? 5. I have never seen him drink bhang or indulge in any kind of intoxicating drug, such as ganja or charas, and not even liquor. 6. Can you assign any reason for his insanity; was he in any financial or other difficulties? 6. I cannot assign any reason. He had had no difficulties. 7. Can you tell me whether there were any cases of insanity either in your father's or mother's family? 7. No; none. 8. How long after his first return from the Asylum that he kept well ? 8. For a few days he was perfectly well and calm; then he began to give trouble; committed mischief; abused people. These things went on for two or two and a half months, when he was made over to the police. 9. Are you or any member of your family in the habit of taking intoxicating drug? 9. No. Statement of Durrian, son of Detaram, aged 24 years, Hindu Lohana, residing at Karachi. 1. Do you know Metho Detaram, who is now an inmate in the Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad, and what is he to you? 1. Yes, I know Metho, he is my younger brother. 2. When did he first show symptoms of insanity, and what was this age then? 2. He first showed symptoms of insanity little over three years ago, he was then about 17 years old. 3. How many times has he been sent to the Asylum? 3. Twice. 4. What symptoms of insanity did he first exhibit? 4. He was talking nonsense, used to eat much, commit mischief, break things, use violence. At first we put him under the treatment of native hakims, then under European doctors, but without any good result. The first time he was sent to the asylum by the Divisional Magistrate, Hyderabad, he remained there for a year and was then released; soon afterwards he again showed signs of insanity and was worse than before; we were then obliged to hand him over to the police, who sent him to the Civil Surgeon and then again to the asylum. 5. Can you tell me whether your brother Metho indulged in any kind of hemp drug, which form of the drug? 5. Metho, to the best of my knowledge, never indulged in any kind of intoxicating drug. He very seldom used to take a little liquor. 6. Can you tell me whether the medicine prescribed to him contained any hemp drug? 6. No; I cannot say that. 7. What occupation did your brother Metho follow when he first became insane, and what did he do the second time? 7. He was employed by one Chello Mulchand, coffee shopkeeper at Ghizri, and the second time he did nothing. He was with Chello for two or two and a half years. 8. Can you say whether during the two or two and a half years that he was employed at Chello's he took to intoxicating drug. Had you any means of knowing that? 8. He used very often to come to us, and I have never seen him using any kind of hemp drug, nor have I ever seen him intoxicated.
9. Was he married or unmarried when he became insane? 9. He was unmarried and has not married as yet. 10. Has there been any insanity in your father's or your mother's family? 10. No; not that I am aware of. 11. To what cause do you then assign Metho's insanity? 11. I cannot say. 12. Had he any difficulties? 12. Not that I am aware of. Statement of Tevo, son of Jetho, aged 54 years, Hindu Lohana, residing at Karachi. 1. Do yo know Metho, son of Detaram. and where he is now? 1. I know Metho. He is now in the Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad. 2. How many times has he been sent to the Asylum and when? 2. He was first sent to the Asylum some 3 1/2 years ago and remained there for 12 or 14 months, got all right and came to Karachi, where he did well for two or three months, and then again showed symptoms of insanity. He was therefore sent back to the Asylum. 3. To what cause do you assign his insanity. Did he indulge in any kind of hemp drug or any other intoxicating drug? 3. No; he did not. I am married to his sister this last 12 years, and I know the boy ever since. I cannot assign any cause for his insanity. 4. What occupation Metho followed when he became insane? 4. He was employed as a servant at one Chello Mulchand's at Ghizri, where he had a coffee shop; he became insane there and came to live with us. He was very troublesome, given to acts of violence, was very abusive, used to eat much, go about naked and talk nonsense. He was first placed under the treatment of a native hakim, then that of a European doctor, and finding no change he was sent to the Asylum. 5. Can you tell me what medicine the native hakim gave Metho and whether there was any hemp drug in it? 5. I can't say what medicine the native hakim gave him. It was for drinking, but I can't say whether it contained any hemp drug or whether it caused any intoxication. 6. Has there been any insanity in his father's or mother's family? 6. Not to my knowledge. 7. Was Metho in any difficulties? 7. No. 8. Is he married or unmarried? 8. Unmarried. Statement of Chello, son of Mulchand, aged 43 years, Hindu Lohana, shopkeeper, Ghirzi Sanitarium, Karachi. 1. Do you know Metho, son of Detaram, and how have you become acquainted with him? I. I know Metho Detaram. He was my servant. I used to pay him Rs. 3 a month and food. 2. How long did he serve with you, and why did he leave your service? 2. He was with me for about two and a half or three years and left my service as subsequently his mind was little unhinged. He left my service of his own accord. 3. When did he leave your service? 3. About three years ago. 4. Can you tell me whether Metho was in the habit of taking hemp or other intoxicating drug during the time he was in your service? 4. No; 1 have never seen him take hemp drug of any kind, nor any other intoxicating drug. Very seldom he used to take a little liquor and only when I offered him. 5. Can you tell me whether he took bhang even in the hot weather? 5. No; I have never seen him. 6. Was he in any financial or other 6. No; not to the best of my knowledge. difficulties? 7. Can you assign any cause for his insanity? 7. No; I cannot. G. BAINBRIDGE, M.D., Civil Surgeon, Karachi. Illegible, Magistrate, F. C., Karachi. Metho has always denied the use of bhang, but knew how it was prepared and smoked. I tried an experiment one afternoon and got bhang, ganja and charas; and Sarandas (who is now discharged cured) acted as host. All the Mawalees (Sobo, Heeramona, Luximon, Gulazim, Metho and others) were attracted; and Metho, in his quiet sensible way was the most eager to join and help in their preparation and to assist in their consumption. He is now almost well, and he confesses to having used 1 pice bhang, 2 pice ganja and 2 pice charas every day, and he says moreover that his brothers and employer, Chello, knew all about it. J. KEITH, Superintendent, Hyderabad Asylum. CASE OF DHOLU, SON OF JETHANAND. No. 7. Statement of Jethanand, son of Lahorimal, aged 50 years. Hindu Lohana, trader, resident of Manjhond in the Karachi district. 1. Do you know Dholu, and what is he to you? 1. Yes, I know him; he is my son. 2. Did he become insane; and, if so, when and what were the symptoms; what was his age when he first showed symptoms of insanity? 2. My son Dholu showed symptoms of insanity 16 months ago; he was then 16 years old. At first he became abusive, speaking incoherently and nonsense; used to quarrel with members of the family and used to eat much. For a few days we confined him in a room; there he one day tore his clothes and became naked; he also became dirty in his habits. After three weeks of this state I took him to the Civil Surgeon of Hyderabad for treatment, and he advised me to send him to the lunatic Asylum there. I did so; he was kept in the Asylum for three months and was then released perfectly cured. He is now nearly 18 years of age. 3. Was this his first time in the Asylum, or has he been sent before ? 3. This was his first time. 4. Can you say whether your son Dholu indulged in any intoxicating drug; if so, of what kind ? 4. To the best of my knowledge, my son did not indulge in or make use of any kind of intoxicating drag before or after his insanity. During the summer when the weather was very hot he used, on very rare occasions, to drink bhang, but in a very moderate form and in a very small quantity. 5. To what cause do you then assign his insanity ? 5. Before becoming insane Dholu was suffering from piles and passed good deal of blood; he was consequently placed under the treatment of a native hakim (quack), who almost cured him of his piles. A month after that he showed symptoms of insanity. 6. Can you tell me what was the medicine given by the native hakim; was it for external or internal use ? If used internally, can you say whether it contained any intoxicating or narcotic ingredients ? 6. To the best of my recollection the medicine given was for external use; he may probably have given something to drink, but I am not positive of that. 7. Has there been any kind of insanity in your or your wife's family ? 7. No. None. 8. Did your son again show symptoms of insanity after he was brought from the Asylum, and did he ever afterwards become troublesome ? 8. No. Nor did he become troublesome; on the contrary for two or three months after his release from the Asylum he did not go out of the house through shame. 9. Had he any financial or other difficulties ? 9. None whatever. 10. Is he married; if so, before or after the insanity? 10. He is married and was married before the insanity. 11. What was he doing before he became insane ? 11. He was employed in the shop of his maternal uncle at Sehwan. 12. Did you tell the Superintendent of the Asylum at Gidu Bundar that your son indulged in bhang? 12. No. I don't recollect having said so. If I have told him, I must have said that he occasionally took bhang in the hot weather. EVIDENCE OF DHOLU, SON OF JETHANAND. No. 7, Lunatic Dholu, son of Jethanand. 1. Were you admitted into the Asylum at Gidu Bundar ? 1. Yes, I was. 2. Did you ever indulge in bhang or any intoxicating drug ?
2. No, I did not indulge in any intoxicating drugs; occasionally in the summer when it was very hot I used to take a little bhang IN a liquid state and in a very mild form. I did not take any other drug but that occasionally I used to take a little liquor, but that was on very rare occasions. 3. What is your age now and what was your age when you became insane ? 3. I am now 18 years old. I was little over 16 years when I became insane. 4. Can you assign any reason for your insanity? 4. I was suffering from piles and I lost good deal of blood for three or four months and was in very great pain. I was under the treatment of a native hakim (quack) who cured me. He gave me both medicines to drink as well as to apply externally. I am not entirely cured of the disease, but I don't lose any blood now. I took the internal medicine for one or two days. I think he gave me some opening medicines. I can't say whether there was any intoxicating drug in them, but I did not get any intoxication. Hiranand, son of Gyanchand, aged 35 years, Hindu, Lobana, Merchant, resident of Manjhand, and now of Karachi States. 1. Do you know Dholu, son of Jetha- 1. Yes, I know Dholu; his father Jethanand nand? is a partner of ours. 2. Do you know them intimately? 2. Yes, I know the whole family intimately. They are all residents of our village Manjhand. 3. Do you know that Dholu had become insane and was sent to the Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad? 3. Yes, I know that.  4. Do you know whether Dholu indulged in any kind of ntoxicating drug? 4. To the best of my knowledge I have never seen him indulge in any kind of drugs, such as bhang, charas or ganja. He used occasionally to take bhang in the hot weather in a very mild form. On rare occasions he used to take a little liquor. I have never seen him intoxicated. 5. Can you then assign any reason for 5. No, I cannot. his insanity? 6. Can you tell me whether Dholu's father or his relatives are in the habit of indulging in bhang or any other intoxicating drug? 6. To the best of my knowledge I have never seen any member of his family indulging in intoxicating drugs. I know his father  used to drink a little bhang now and then during the hot weather. 7. Can you tell me whether any member of Dholu's family or any relatives of his mother were or are affected with insanity? 7. No, none.  G. BAINBRIDGE, M.D., Civil Surgeon, Karachi. Illegible, Magistrate, F.C., Karachi. Dholu, when he was in the Asylum, confessed all along to the use of hemp drugs. J. KEITH, Superintendent, Hyderabad Asylum. CASE NO. 8. Statement of Matadin. I state that my name is Matadin, my father's name is Minbi, my age is 30 years, my religion is Hindu, my caste Kahir, my calling Mali, my residence now Hyderabad, but inhabitant of village Gadeya, Zilla Nawab Ganj, Bara Banki, North-Western Provinces. NOTE. One pice worth. Charas 1/24th of a tola. Ganja 1/8th do. Bhang 3/4th do. One pice worth. Charas 1/24th of a tola. Ganja 1/8th do. Bhang 3/4th do. I have been in Hyderabad since five years. Before that I was in my native place. Since coming to Hyderabad I have been employed in the Municipal garden as a chota Mali. For a short time I was Dewan Chandasing's servant. I was confined in the Lunatic Asylum for six months and seven days after I became insane. It is now nearly eight months since I have been discharged from the Asylum. The cause of insanity is that I smoke ganja and charas daily. I contracted this habit since my infancy. I know my father used to smoke ganja and charas twice a day, each time one pice worth. My father never became insane. He had four brothers who did not smoke ganja and charas or drink bhang. So far as I know none of my family members have become insane, but smoking of ganja and charas is a common thing among our caste people. While I was at home I used to smoke charas and ganja twice a day, about one pice worth at a time (morning and evening). One tola of ganja is to be had for 1 anna and 3 pies and one tola charas for 6 1/2 annas. After my coming to Hyderabad I began to smoke ganja and charas three times a day, morning, mid-day and evening, each time one pice worth. One day I purchased one tola of charas, and smoked it in company of ten persons and became insane at once because my head was affected by it. The effect of charas is stronger than that of ganja. It produces intoxication at once and lasts for about 2 or 3 hours, while ganja produces intoxication after 2 or 3 minutes and remains for about an hour and and a half. I do not drink bhang often, but only on big religious days, say three or four times in a year. Since I have been discharged from the Asylum, I never had any fits of insanity. The reason is that I keep away from drinking narcotics. I have no relations here, but Maju, Head Mali in the Municipal Garden, is my countryman and knows me since I have come here. It is he who found me lying near the Fuleli Bridge and took me to the Police Chowki, whence I was sent to the Asylum. This is the first time that I have become insane. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad, THATTUMAL. The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. Statement of Maju. I state that my name is Maju, my father's name is Sahibdin, my age is 40, my religion is Hindu, my caste is Mali, my calling Gardener, my residence Jeypore, Zilla Nawab Gunj Bara Banki, North-Western Provinces. I know Matadin since he has come to Hyderabad, say about five years. He was employed as a chota mali for about two years, and after that for a short time as a servant to Dewan Chandasing; while in his service he became insane. I know Matadin used to smoke ganja and charas three times a day, one pice worth each time. One day I found him lying near the Fuieli Bridge near the town. I took him to the Police Chowki with a view to his being sent to the Lunatic Asylum for treatment. He appeared dangerous then and talked nonsense and spoke incoherently. I am not acquainted with his family,  but my village is at a distance of five miles from that of his. He is now again employed in the Municipal Garden. I take particular care of him. He has not smoked charas and ganja since his discharge from the Asylum. The result is that he is all right and has had no fits of insanity. So far as I know this was the first time that he became insane. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. NOTE. Matadin has no relations here. He belongs to North-Western Provinces. Maju knows him for about five years, and states that Matadin was in the habit of smoking charas and ganja, and his insanity is ascribed to the use of narcotics. It cannot be ascertained whether it is hereditary or not; but the statement of Matadin shows that it is not. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. CASE NO. 9 OF SHIKRO. I state that my name is Mahomed, my father's name Gahno, my age about 30 years, my religion Mahomedan, my caste Chano, my calling Labourer, my residence Gote Lalleno Nunari, Taluka Hyderabad. Shikro, fakir, was my only brother. He was in the Lunatic Asylum for about two months, and died at our village about ten months ago. Before he became insane, he used to drink bhang daily, once in the evening, worth one pice. This habit he contracted since infancy. He did not smoke charas or ganja. My father was also a fakir, and used to drink bhang every morning and evening. That was also about one pice worth, and sometimes a little more. My father died about 29 years ago. Shikro was my elder brother by two or three years. No one was and is insane in our family and was and is addicted to using narcotics excepting my father and brother. My uncle is alive, and does not use narcotics. My brother became mad once before he was sent to the Asylum. The duration was about two years. When he became mad the second time, he was caught by the Police and sent to the Asylum for treatment. He was discharged, and died at home after seventeen or eighteen days. I live at a distance of six miles from Hyderabad town. He was not epileptic, but was considered dangerous to others. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. CASE NO. 10, BAXALI. I state that my name is Baxali, my father's name Imambux, my age about 25 years, my religion Mahomedan, my caste Babar, my calling Blacksmith, my residence Hyderabad town. 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 purchased 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 returned 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 (Blacksmiths) 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 of other persons. There was no insane person in his family, and none smoked charas or ganja. He became mad because he freely indulged in charas-smoking. When he became insane, he was confined in his house, as he was considered dangerous to society. His insanity lasted for about ten months. He was not epileptic, but talked nonsense. The insanity is not hereditary. This is the first time that he has become insane. His male family members used to drink a small quantity of bhang daily. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, Magistrate, Second Class. The 22nd November 1893. CASE NO. 11 OF SEVO. I state that my name is Ailmal, my father's name Tanumal, my age about 30 years, my religion Hindu, my caste Lohano, my calling Curd-seller, my residence Hyderabad town. Sevo, who was in the Lunatic Asylum for about one month and a half, was my only brother. He died fifteen days after his discharge from the Asylum. This occurred about nine months ago. My parents are dead. I have no other relations. So far as I know there was no other insane person in our family. My brother was addicted to drinking bhang and smoking charas and ganja and also eating and smoking opium since his infancy. He was my elder brother, and was 35 years of age when he died. He drank bhang morning and evening, about one pice worth. He was fond of smoking charas twice a day, worth one pice at a time. Ganja he sometimes smoked. That was also one pice worth. When he ate opium he did not smoke opium (chandul), but when he smoked he did not eat opium. That was also one pice worth. I have been seeing him use these narcotics since I have come to maturity. He was a mason, and used to earn about one rupee a day. He became insane soon after the death of my mother. It appears that he took her death to heart, and coupled with the fact of his affected brains caused by constant use of the above drugs he lost his head. He was not dangerous to society, but people were afraid of him. He talked nonsense and spoke incoherently. My father was not in the habit of drinking bhang or smoking charas or ganja. My uncle is also dead. He also did not indulge in narcotics. In fact so far as I know none of our family members was in the habit of drinking bhang or smoking charas or ganja. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, Magistrate, Second Class. The 22nd November 1893. NOTE. The enquiry made on the spot from several persons in the neighbourhood shows that Sevo was addicted to the use of charas, ganja, bhang, and opium from his infancy. He was always seen with a chelum in his hand (pipe), in which ganja, etc.; is smoked. This shows to what extent he was wedded to the habit of using narcotic drugs. There has been no insane person in his family. His head was doubtless affected by constant use of narcotics. He was not epileptic, but was dangerous to others. He got insane for the first time. His family members did hot indulge in narcotics. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad. THATTUMAL, The 22nd November 1893. Magistrate, Second Class. CASE NO. 12 GULAZIM. From Lieutenant A. F. Bruce, Assistant Political Agent, Quetta, to the Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad (Sind), dated Quetta, the 30th November 1893, No. 1907. In reply to your endorsement No. 126, dated 20th November 1893, I have the honour to inform you that the family of the Lunatic Gulazim, son of Zalmir, resides outside British territory. I am, therefore, unable to conduct the necessary inquiry into his past, personal and family history. From the Superintendent, District Jail, Shikarpur, to the Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad, dated Shikarpur, 15th November 1893, No. 1134. With reference to paragraph 2 of the Secretary, Indian Hemp Drugs Commission's No. 149 of 16th October last, conveyed in your endorsement No. 123 of 10th instant, I have the honour to forward herewith true extract from Vital No. 8, which contains observations of the then Medical Officer as to the demeanour, &c., of Gulazim, son of Zalmir, and to state that the information as regards his indulgence in hemp drugs was obtained from the prisoner. 2. As regards his previous history before admission into this Jail, no information can be had locally, as the prisoner belongs to one of the tribes wandering over Yakhistani hills.

CASE NO. 13, DULSINGAR SINGH. This man was a native of Hindustan, a mendicant with no known relations or friends in Hyderabad. J. KEITH, Civil Surgeon, Hyderabad.  

 

Reports from Rangoon Lunatic Asylum.

Individual witness responses.

Individual responses by witnesses to the questions, by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, on cannabis insanity are as follows:

45. (f) Immoderate use is said to cause insanity; but I doubt it, else the proportion of insane Bairagies and such like would be greater than it is. I fear ganja is held responsible for more cases of insanity than are really due to it. I never heard of bhang being blamed for insanity. I think ganja affects some men more than others, as I have seen the same man sent time after time to an asylum and always come back. Question 45. [oral evidence]—In writing my answer regarding the re-admission of ganja lunatics, I had in my mind particularly the case of a man in the Dacca Asylum, of which I was for many years a visitor, who was admitted not less than six or seven times. I do not remember any other case of the kind  - Evidence of the HON'BLE MR. D. R. LYALL, C.S.I., Member, Board of Revenue, Calcutta.


45. (f) No. (g) I leave this to doctors; but I do not believe in insanity produced by moderate habitual smoking. - Evidence of MR. E. V. WESTMACOTT, Commissioner, Presidency Division; late Commissioner of Excise, Bengal


Like all narcotics it must induce laziness, but it is doubtful if it tends to deaden the intellect or produce insanity, though it may produce excitement amounting to frenzy in a novice smoker, closely resembling the symptoms of acute mania, but this mood changes as the influence of the drug ceases... In India insanity is often attributed by the medical faculty to indulgence in ganja. Dr. Wise, the Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Dacca in 1871, reported an increase in the number of lunatics who were previously smokers of ganja. In November 1846 out of 198 inmates in the asylum, only 45, or 22·7 per cent., were ganja smokers. Between 1850 and 1859, among 980 admissions, 406, or 41·4 per cent., were known to be smokers, and between 1860 and 1867, among 2,522 insane persons treated, 1,145, or 45·4 per cent., had their insanity referred to this cause; but in dealing with these figures, we must endeavour to guard against the post hoc ergo propter hoc method of reasoning. It is difficult to procure accurate antecedents of lunatics. All that may be known is that they have been accustomed to smoke ganja, but the exact bearing of smoking on insanity has never been precisely determined. According to Rai Kanny Lal Dey, Bahadur, of 2,283 cases admitted in the Bengal lunatic asylums during the five years ending 1867, 878, or 38·4 per cent., were attributed to this cause. In the opinion, however, of Dr. Lyon many of these cases were simply cases of temporary intoxication from cannabis. Chevers remarks that "it is a matter of popular notoriety both in Bengal and the North-West Provinces that persons intoxicated with ganja are liable to commit acts of homicidal violence," Dr. Grieve, Surgeon-General of British Guiana, wrote in November 1882, when he was Director of Lunatic Asylums there:—" Whilst in the case of the majority of Creole patients admitted to the asylum, the production of the disease can be fairly assigned to indulgence in alcohol; amongst the coolies alcohol plays but a secondary part as a cause of insanity. With them Indian hemp is the poison from the effects of which the patients suffer." Quite recently, while inspecting the Ranchi jail, the case of a man came under my own observation who was being released just as I entered the jail. It appeared he was admitted there in October last as an alleged lunatic to be kept under observation and treatment. He was in an extremely excited condition, talking incessantly day and night. For the first few days he never slept, but sang and talked throughout the night. He had pleasant hallucinations. He complained of constant hunger, but would take no food. His body was covered with numerous superficial abrasions, on which he was in the habit of rubbing dry earth. After about two months' treatment he gradually improved, and was able to stand his trial on a charge of paddy-cutting, and was convicted. Enquiries into his previous history, both from himself and others, have elicited the fact that for some years previously he was in the habit of smoking ganja, and that for a short time before he came to jail he had considerably increased the quantity, and he himself thought that his temporary insanity was brought on by the excessive use of ganja...Excessive indulgence in ganja is said to incite to unpremeditated crime and to lead to temporary homicidal frenzy. The only case of the kind that has come before me in my personal experience was the following:—A man, a resident of a Political State under my control, was recently tried by me for the unpremeditated murder of a child in a fit of frenzy. He snatched it up in the street, ran away with it, and cut its head clean off with his axe. The possession of the axe did not denote premeditation, for in the jungly locality in question men carry axes as freely as we use walking sticks. He was said to be a ganja smoker, and while admitting the crime could give no account of why he did it. He had not, however, the appearance of an excessive ganja smoker, was mild in manner, and generally sorry for the deed, but as regards the incidents of commission his mind was a blank, "Why should I," he pathetically observed, "kill? I never did such a thing before, but as they say I did it, I suppose I must have." It was impossible for me to decide whether the crime was due to ganja. The man was in his senses when tried, but had been temporarily insane when he committed the crime. He was acquitted on this ground and sent to the asylum. I did not come to a finding either as to whether he was a ganja smoker or as to whether the crime was connected with ganja. The case coming up from a Chief would be very defective in accurate details. The man admitted that he smoked ganja, but there was no evidence that ganja had anything to do with the offence.  - Evidence* of MR. W. H. GRIMLEY, Commissioner of Chota Nagpur


I cannot, I fear, give instances of connection between hemp drugs and insanity; but I think that if I had the records of the Courts of the Brahmaputra valley before me I should be able to show cases of violence traced to ganja - Evidence of MR. H. LUTTMAN-JOHNSON, Commissioner of Dacca.


45. I have no reason to think so.  - Evidence of MR. H. G. COOKE, Officiating Commissioner, Orissa Division


45. It does not. Nor does it impair constitution, cause any disease, impair moral sense, or insanity, permanent or tempora - Evidence of MR. F. H. BARROW, Magistrate and Collector of Bankura.


45. All these questions are for specialists in mental diseases. But my experience convinces me that consumers of ganja and bhang who are deficient in self-control develop into insanes. Such human weeds would, however, ruin themselves in other ways if the drug supply were stopped.  - Evidence of MR. F. H. B. SKRINE, Magistrate and Collector of Bhagalpur.


45. f) It produces insanity. - Evidence of MR. A. C. TUTE, Magistrate and Collector of Dinajpur.


Question 45. [oral evidence]—My opinion in regard to ganja producing insanity of a temporary character was based on the case of my bearer, who had suffered from the effects two or three times and had to be locked up once in Tezpur owing to losing his head from using the drug. He was an occasional excessive consumer. He had bouts of it. He was not one of the class of people that take it habitually to enable them to stand fatigue. He was not, I believe, a regular consumer. I believe he took it more likely as a debauch than as a prophylactic against fever. He did not suffer much from fever. The longest time he was under the influence of the drug was three or four days. He was an Uriya. He did not drink, I believe. He used to break out every four weeks or so. He was only once bad enough to be locked up in jail; otherwise I used just to send him to his house, as he was stupid. I do not know the composition he smoked. This was perhaps rather a case of intoxication than of insanity. But it bore no resemblance to alcoholic intoxication. I should rather call it temporary insanity. As a man suffering from delirium tremens is partly intoxicated and partly insane; so was this man. But I see no resemblance to delirium tremens in the case. I have seen only one case of delirium tremens, and that was a European. I cannot distinguish between intoxication and insanity in regard to ganja. I have not sufficient experience. This is the only case of this kind that I have personally known. I know another servant who simply became stupid when he had taken too much. My remark about the return of insanity on resumption of the drug is based mainly on my personal knowledge of the case of my bearer, as described above. - Evidence of MR. H. C. WILLIAMS,* Magistrate and Collector of Darbhanga.


45. (f) The moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. It is said that adulteration of the drugs with other poisonous ingredients, such as dhatura, etc., produces insa nity. (g) It has been ascertained that of the insane persons in the district, only 19 are considered to have become so by the use of ganja. Of these 19 only one is reported to be violent. On sufficient enquiry, and as well as from the confession of these persons, it was elicited that in the majority of cases their insanity was due to other causes, such as family misfortune, etc., and some have taken to ganja after being insane. In four cases no other cause for their insanity could be ascertained, except the excessive use of the drug. - Evidence of the HON'BLE F. R. S. COLLIER, Magistrate and Collector, 24-Parganas.


45. The excessive use deadens the intellect, and produces insanity of the type of dementia, temporary or permanent. The symptoms may be re-induced by return to the use of the drugs. Question 45.[oral evidence]—Cases are known where the drug has produced dementia and homicidal tendency. I can say that this answer is based on my personal experience. The cases of insanity I have in mind are the two cases which went into the Patna lunatic asylum, and which I have enquired into and reported on for the Commission. But apart from these cases I have a general conviction gathered in the course of my service, but I could not give any specific instances.  Appendix to MR. MARINDIN'S evidence. Abstract of the records sent by Mr. Marindin and referred to in his oral evidence. I EMPRESS versus CHAMAN SINGH.
This man, Chaman Singh (Rajput, cultivator), murdered his wife on the morning of 19th June 1893, but was acquitted on the ground of insanity by the Officiating Sessions Judge of Bhagalpur on 11th September 1893. There is no mention of ganja in the "First Information Report" of the police or in the proceedings of the Committing Magistrate. The Magistrate records: "The defendant was all along a sane man, and he always pulled well with his wife, who was generally known as a woman of good character. His cousin and uncle, Babuan Singh and Kasi Singh, who live very close to his house, deposed that, just before the occurrence, he asked his wife to cook for him, as he took no food on the night, and his wife said she will do it a little after. Besides this, there is nothing to show that he had even any altercation with his wife." Before the Sessions Judge the uncle, Kasi Singh, said of the accused: "He was in the habit of taking ganja and bhang occasionally. He took it at an interval of two or three days; but I cannot say if he took it that day. When he took it he became bad-tempered. I never take it." On the other hand, the cousin, Babuan Singh, deposed: "He never took ganja or bhang. If my uncle Kasi says so, I can only say I never saw him." Another witness says: "I never saw him take ganja or bhang." There is no other mention of ganja in the record of evidence. In his letter of 17th July 1893 to the Civil Surgeon, the Sessions Judge specially asked whether the prisoner "appears to be the subject of mania due to taking hemp in any form." This special question was not answered by the Civil Surgeon, nor was he asked about this matter when examined as a witness in Court. The Civil Surgeon's evidence is merely, "I believe him to be a man of unsound mind. His appearance is that of a man suffering from monomania. His mania refers only to his wife. He admits having killed his wife, and expresses no regret for having done so, although he admits she had done nothing wrong. He says it came into his mind that he should kill her, and if she were alive again, he would kill her." The judgment makes no reference to ganja, but says: "There is no doubt that the act which accused is shown to have committed was the first outbreak of dangerous homicidal mania, and that that mania still continues." II EMPRESS versus PITHU SONTHAL. Pithu Sonthal was charged with murder of his wife, but was sent to the asylum by the Sessions Judge of Bhagalpur on 11th September 1893 as "of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence." Before the Committing Magistrate he stated: "I was told by my wife that Bhima Paramanak and Chota Dhanoo of my village had had sexual intercourse with her. I heard this and struck her;" and on a later date he said: "I suspected, when deceased went out, that she went to have sexual intercourse with some other man. I went and asked her. She said she had gone to answer a call of nature. I accused her of inconstancy. She said nothing, so I struck her. [Then says] my wife admitted that Bhima Paramanak and Chota Dhanoo had had sexual intercourse with her. It was on this I struck her. I have no witness to prove this." The evidence shows, however, that when asked at the time why he had killed his wife, the prisoner said he did not remember, and also that he had shown signs of madness the previous day. The Committing Magistrate says: "The acts of madness referred to appear to me to be an afterthought, and the Civil Hospital Assistant deposes to having watched accused from the day he was brought in and noticed no signs of lunacy whatever." It may be noticed, however, that the Hospital Assistant in his evidence says: "He is very quiet and silent, due to depression of the mind." There is no mention of ganja in the whole record; nor is there any explanation assigned by any witness of the alleged madness, except that one witness says: "Accused's only child died during the Bandna festival." Before the Sessions Judge the prisoner seemed incapable of making his defence. The Judge, therefore, ordered that he be kept under observation until the following Sessions. At the later Sessions the Civil Surgeon said: "I consider that he is not capable of understanding or making his defence, nor has he been so at any time during the two months have seen him.** He appears to me to be suffering from melancholia." There is no mention of ganja on the record. III. EMPRESS versus GANGA SONTHAL. Ganga Sonthal, a cultivator, was charged with murdering his mother, Durgi Sonthalin, who had married a second time, and also his own sister, a child of 9 or 10 years, named Gora Sonthalin. Two other persons were also said to have been assaulted by him. This was on 7th January 1893 (Saturday) about midnight. He was sentenced to death; but the High Court directed that evidence be taken as to his sanity. The Civil Surgeon testified: "From the beginning of my observation, or very soon after, he appeared to me to exhibit symptoms of insanity. * * His demeanour was that of a lunatic. I consider that this state of mind continues." On this the High Court, on 26th April 1893, set aside the conviction and sentence on the ground "that the accused is of unsound mind and incapable of making his defence." At the trial Durgi's servant Arjun said: "The prisoner was not drunk. Before the Pergunait, the prisoner said Bhagwan had told him to kill the people. ** I never saw any signs of insanity about him." Another witness, Prithu, says: "When I saw the prisoner that night, I did not see any signs that he had been drinking He never showed any signs of insanity." Later he says: "During t0his festival the Sonthals drink, and they had all drunk on the Friday." Three other witnesses said, they saw no signs of drink in the prisoner that night, The prisoner simply denied the murder, and said he could not explain the blood-stains on his clothes. In the committal order the Magistrate says: "It appears that on a night during the Bandna festival on 7th January, when all Sonthals, whatever they say, are more or less drunk, the prisoner committed the murders with which he was charged." * * "In fact, it may be said that he generally ran amok as Malays are said to do." There is no mention of ganja in the record. - Evidence of MR, C. R. MARINDIN, Magistrate and Collector of Shahabad.


45 (f) No. No such case known. I believe insanity has only been connected with habitual immoderate use.  - Evidence of MR. L. HARE, Magistrate and Collector of Muzaffarpur.


Moderate use occasionally produces insanity in men of sanguineous temperament. The insanity, when produced, is acute mania, and generally of temporary character when the habit is given up. It may relapse if the habit be resumed. The insanity is of a violent character, and the victim is apt to attack others or commit suicide by injuring himself. Men confess to the use of the ganja which has led to their insanity. No cases have come to my notice in which a person of weak intellect or suffering from some brain disease was addicted to ganja, and subsequently fell a victim to insanity. The excessive use has a very bad effect on the constitution, which it impairs...and brings on insanity of a violent character. - Evidence of MR. G. E. MANISTY, Magistrate and Collector of Saran


45. Among the Cachar tea garden coolies I believe insanity is produced by the immoderate use of ganja, but these men also use other stimulants. [oral evidence] I think that the connection of ganja with insanity was probably much exaggerated. Just as in the ordinary vital statistics the police put down every thing to fever, so they are apt to put down insanity to ganja very freely, and often without sufficient cause. So, when there is an epidemic of cholera, everything like diarrhœa or any allied form of sickness is put down to cholera. I daresay the lunatics, as a rule, did use ganja. It grows wild in Cachar, and that could be used. The excise ganja was generally used by the coolies, and because they used it, it was put down as the cause. Ganja had a bad name. My opinion is that ganja is a more deleterious drug than opium. I am not prepared to say that it is more deleterious than alcohol. I have not found that insanity is so freely attributed to alcohol as to ganja. But alcohol is much more widely used than ganja, and, in my opinion, does more harm to the people. Ganja is the poor man's intoxicant. It is cheap. It is much used by coolies, and this explains the readiness of the police to assign it as a cause of insanity. It is because you get the paupers in the asylums that so large a proportion of cases is attributed to ganja. The well-to-do lunatics do not come, as a rule, to the asylums- Evidence of MR. J. KENNEDY, Magistrate and Collector of Murshidabad


45. This appears to be a medical question - Evidence of MR. H. F. T. MAGUIRE, Magistrate and Collector of Khulna


(f) It is said to deaden the intellect, but not to produce insanity. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja certainly causes temporary insanity sometimes. I have myself seen two cases attributable to this cause, one when I was Deputy Commissioner of the Sonthal Parganas, and one lately in the jail here. In the latter case, which is fresh in my memory, a man was sent to jail for observation as a lunatic. The Civil Medical Officer describes him as "always after ganja—wouldn ote ven take food, and was very insolent and dangerous." After being kept for less than a week in jail, he entirely recovered, and I released him. He was an habitual and confirmed ganja-smoker. The former case was one of a respectable clerk, who had twice got fits of temporary insanity which was attributed to excessive ganja-smoking, if I remember rightly.  - Evidence of MR. W. R. BRIGHT, Deputy Commissioner of Palámau


It certainly dulls the intellect and weakens the mind. I have no doubt of insanity being produced by excessive smoking of ganja. Though insanity is marked by violence and excitement and is of a distinctly maniacal type, it may be temporary or permanent. I have experience of one case of temporary insanity re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from an asylum. I have no knowledge of any symptoms of ganja insanity which may be called typical. I have known cases where no desire for obtaining relief from mental anxiety or brain disease was found; but pure love of amusement in bad company has induced the ganja habit, which has ultimately ended in insanity. I have no knowledge of insanity tending to indulgence in ganja by a person deficient in self-control through weakened intellect.
"I have at this moment in my mind's eye a man whose whole course of life as a ganja-smoker, from the 18th to 33rd year of his age, I have had opportunities of watching. I consider this man a typical case for illustrating the effects of ganja-smoking on the physical, mental, and moral nature of man. As a boy, this unfortunate man possessed a singularly amiable disposition, and more than average intelligence. Physically he was not well-built; but his constitution was by no means worse than that of the average native of Lower Bengal. When he was about 18 he fell into bad company, and contracted the habit of smoking ganja, which he quickly indulged in for about two years. Gradually he rose to excess; then certain very remarkable changes came over him. He ate little; sometimes he omitted one or two meals. There was a tremor in his limbs and voice, and occasionally his eyes were bloodshot. A sort of dogged, determined look appeared on his face, and he grew irritable and quarrelsome. At times he would get into a sudden passion for a trivial cause, and become extremely noisy and violent. He had certain absurd ideas of his own about things, and no argument or reasoning could convince him of their absurdity or incorrectness. According to these ideas, he insisted upon doing certain things to the great annoyance of his friends and relatives. He was so determined that he could never be dissuaded unless by actual force. He was at this time absolutely truthful in what he said or did, and honest in pecuniary matters. He carried his truthfulness sometimes to a most ridiculous length. At one time he was living with a friend who used to find fault with him for his ganja habits, and reproved him for being
incorrigible. This made him very angry, and he left the house swearing that he would never pass its threshold again. He kept his word by passing in and out through the windows. "In the growing excess in smoking he wasted away in physique and looked quite thin and emaciated; but his habits were active and could bear cold, damp, and exposure to an extraordinary extent. In the last eight years it has been his practice to get up at about 3 o'clock in the morning in all seasons, and from that hour till 8 or 9 o'clock he is found standing often up to his waist, and sometimes up to his neck, in water in the river or tanks performing his ablutions or puja, without being any the worse for it. He is seldom found to use any warm clothing in the winter. In the last two years he has developed signs of insanity. He sleeps badly, goes without food for days, lies and cheats, travels distances for no apparent purpose, talks incoherently, and is angry at the slightest provocation, and sometimes on no provocation at all, when he is very violent, bursting into fits of incontrollable frenzy."  - Evidence of MR. N. K. BOSE, Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Noakhali.


 I leave these questions to medical witnesses. - Evidence of MR. L. P. SHIRRES, Magistrate and Collector of Midnapur


I cannot say that the moderate use of these drugs tends to produce insanity, either temporary or permanent. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja sometimes produces insanity. The act done by a person when under its intoxicating effects should not, however, be held to prove temporary insanity for the time, any more than the insane acts of a drunkard. In this asylum there are eighteen inmates; of these three are reported as having been ganja smokers, but two of them deny the fact that they ever took ganja and express no desire for the drug. There is thus one admitted case out of eighteen.  -  Evidence of MR. E. H. C. WALSH,* Officiating Magistrate and Collector of Cuttack


The moderate use does not produce insanity, I believe. I am not aware of any such cases. 46. It [excessive use] produces insanity sometimes. - Evidence of MR. J. H. BERNARD, Offg. Magistrate and Collector, Nadia


45. Ganja probably tends to deaden the intellect, but I have never heard of any case in which the habitual and moderate consumption of the drug caused insanity. There may be such cases. I have met with many cases of insanity attributed to ganja smoking, but in such cases the subjects could not have been termed moderate consumers in any reasonable sense of the word. I have had no such case before me here, and have no notes of cases I have seen elsewhere, and therefore cannot give any precise details. There is one point which should be remembered, and that is that nearly all religious mendicants are ganja smokers. Many of them are men who have adopted this mode of life because they are not quite as sane as their fellows. Cases of insanity among these men should not be too readily attributed to ganja. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja does...cause insanity. A prolonged debauch causes an acute form of temporary madness, and long continued excessive use of the drug causes general dulling of the faculties and imbecility.  - Evidence of MR. A. E. HARWARD, Offg. Magistrate and Collector, Bogra


45. It produces insanity in some cases. In case of temporary insanity symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. - Evidence of COLONEL C. H. GARBETT, Deputy Commissioner of Hazaribagh


45. sense of responsibility is impaired, and certain forms of insanity are induced. Of insanity.—Acute mania followed by the chronic form. If the habit can be given up soon, then there may be a cure, otherwise the disease takes a chronic but intractable form. In many such cases there is a religious tendency—"a certain god or goddess has issued orders to do this, and that," and so forth. In those who were in the habit of smoking ganja, before becoming insane, there may be a tendency to further indulgence in the use of such drugs. (From information received from Dr. Basu.) 46. Habitual excessive use generally affects the brain and nervous system more directly, and im¬ pairs the mental faculties and moral sense. (Information supplied by Dr. Basu.) 47  - Evidence of Mr. C. A. S. BEDFORD,* Deputy Commissioner of Manbhum


45. I cannot say. - Evidence of RAI NANDAKISORE DAS, BAHADUR,* District Officer of Angul, Cuttack


45.(f) No such case known here. 46. Habitual excessive use impairs the constitution eventually. I have only heard of one case of insanity produced by it. A native practitioner, Sashtibar Bhattacharjya, of Kotchandpur, told me of it, but he could not give particulars. He himself had only heard of the case - Evidence of MR. W. MAXWELL, Sub-Divisional Officer, Jhenidah, District Jessore.


(f) The moderate use of hemp drugs is not thought to produce insanity. I cannot answer this part of the question. 46. The habitual excessive use of these drugs is well known to cause insanity...dropsy, general debility, and great nerve deterioration. In fact, excessive ganja-smoking is generally thought to be more injurious than the excessive use of any other in¬ toxicating drug or alcohol. From the well known fact that religious ascetics and mendicants are usually strong and robust, it is probable that good and sufficient food counteracts the evil physical effects of ganja and bhang, for this class are notoriously excessive consumers of hemp drugs, but they live on the fat of the land. They are, however, generally more or less insane. Question 46.[oral evidence]— I have also seen people insane, whose insanity was attributed to the excessive use of bhang or ganja. I made no special enquiry into any of these cases. I merely accepted the statements made to me. - Evidence of MR. W.C .TAYLOR, Special Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, East Coast Railway, and Pensioned Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Khurda, Orissa


45. Its excessive use deadens the intellect, and in a few instances produces insanity. I am not, however, familiar with actual cases of insanity induced by ganja smoking, and cannot therefore give details.  - Evidence of CHUNDER NARAIN SINGH, Kayasth, Deputy Collector, at present employed as Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of the Bhagalpur Division.


Ganja induces heat in the brain. Its undue consumption generates insanity. At first the effect is temporary, which subsequent indulgence confirms into durable deprivation of better senses, and brings on insanity. In case of temporary effect, restraint and disuse may establish the even tenor of mind, which is liable to disturbance by return to habits of excess. The marked type observed in case of such insanes is that they become very irascible, hot and loquacious, and in case of slight opposition offered, flies to rage. These insanes confess to ganja use, and become turbulent and display still hankering for ganja in hallucid moments. I am not prepared to answer the last portion of the question. I have known of no such instances of weakened intellect. I am not aware of any cases.  -  Evidence of BABU RAM CHARAN BOSE, Kayasth, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Alipur, 24-Parganas.


45. Regular and long use of the drug deadens and weakens the intellect and it is said sometimes causes even temporary insanity, particularly if the regular quantum is increased on special occasions. The symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. There is no typical symptom. Insanes confess to the use of ganja. There is no evidence to indicate that insanity often tends to indulgence in the use of the hemp drugs, or that the drug was used for the purpose of obtaining relief from mental anxiety or brain disease. 46. It deadens the intellect and often produces temporary insanity. The symptoms may be reinduced by subsequent use of the drug. One Gour Pande himself confesses that he is ruined by indulgence in this drug. Another high caste native (Mohanando Chakravarti) suffered both physically and mentally. Other cases could also be cited, but it would lengthen this report. The effects are physically, mentally and morally bad.  - Evidence of MR. E. MCL. SMITH, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Sonthal Parganas.


45. (f) Yes, ditto ditto. At first the insanity is of a temporary nature. It gradually takes a permanent hold when ganjasmoking is continued after plain manifestations of insanity. Yes, the symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. In lucid moments insanes confess to the use of the drug. (g) I cannot say. When a boy I saw an old Brahman get almost stark insane. He was carefully tended by his wife and prevented from use of the drug—ganja. He got well and gave up ganja-smoking. About the year 1889, when Subdivisional Officer of Diamond Harbour, a Muhammadan having taken excess of ganja became insane. He appropriated the uniform of the police-officer of Geonkhally and came to Diamond Harbour by steamer without a ticket. He was prosecuted. It appeared that ganja-smoking brought on fits of temporary insanity. He was sent to the lunatic asylum and came back all right. He was a strong man of middle age - Evidence of BABU NAVIN KRISHNA BANERJI, Brahman, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Purulia, District Manbhum


45. (f) It affects, I believe, somewhat the intellect. Moderate use I have not known to produce insanity. I know of a few cases amongst gentlemen class whose intellects were blunted. 46. Excessive use to my knowledge has produced both temporary and permanent insanity, at least we thought ganja was the cause of the insanity. In some cases, however, the persons used also to take other drugs—alcohol and opium,—but the insanity came on when their use was given up or reduced and ganja taken in excess. In one case I know by giving up ganja the sufferer is now better, but he is now idiotic. In other cases I have not enquired of the previous history or antecedents. - Evidence of BABU PRAN KUMAR DAS, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector and Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of Burdwan.


45. The excessive use of ganja induces laziness, it deadens the intellect, and makes men excitable, and sometimes produces insanity, temporary and permanent. The patients are easily irritable. Insanes confess to the use of ganja.  - Evidence of BABU GOBIND CHANDRA BASAK, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Brahmanbaria, Tippera District.


45.(f) No. (g) I know of a man who used to smoke ganja excessively of two annas a day. He became mad, but after he had given it up, his intellect was better, and he could work, but had vacant looks, always looked stupid, and was always lazy. Was a timid sort of a man. 46. Ganja and charas.—The man loses his mind and physique...It produces laziness and insanity. It makes a man lose his temper and commit violence.  - Evidence of BABU DINA NATH DÉ, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Nadia.


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. So far as I know, insanity, mental derangement, mental anxiety, often tend to the indulgence of ganja, and people are said to obtain relief in smoking ganja. 46. I am afraid habitual excessive use of ganja produces mental derangement;  -  Evidence of BABU GANENDRA NATH PAL, Kayasth, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Naogaon.


45. Ganja deadens the intellect, but does not produce insanity. Bhang does not produce insanity, but impairs the intellect a little. The evil effects of ganja do not operate on fishermen who use the drug moderately in pursuit of their callings. I do not know of any insane having no recorded ganja history confessing to the use of the drug. 46. Ganja produces all the noxious effects mentioned in Answer 45, and in addition, it is apt to induce insanity.  - Evidence of BABU GANGANATH ROY, Kayasth, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Chittagong.


45. From enquiries I come to know that insanity is never produced by use of ganja in any shape, save and except the cases of eccentrics, who become insane when they use ganja in excessive quantity. - Evidence of BABU BHAIRAB NATH PALIT, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Birbhum.


45. In some cases it deadens the intellect or produces insanity.  - Evidence of BABU JOGENDRO NATH BANDYOPADHYA, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Jalpaiguri


45. (Of the mad men whom I have found confined for examination in jails, the madness of, I think, nine out of ten was attributed to ganja. Vide also my note on question 20. We certainly thought that it emboldened and made more reckless and troublesome the Kharwar Sonthals who were sometimes very troublesome.-W. O.) 46. I have seen half-witted people, who are hard ganja smokers; and evidently the weakness of the brain had been brought on by excess. - Evidence of BABU JAGA MOHAN BHATTACHARJYA, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector and Personal Assistant to Commissioner, Chittagong


45. (f) This is difficult to state. The general belief is that ganja-smoking produces insanity. But I do not know personally of any case in which insanity has been so caused. 46. All the above effects are intensified in the case of habitually excessive consumers.  - Evidence of BABU MANMOHAN CHAKRAVARTI, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Jajpur, Cuttack, Orissa.


45. It is seen in most cases to deaden the intellect, and in some to produce insanity. The four instances I know of insanity produced by ganja-smoking were of a permanent nature. The insanes would talk to themselves in incoherent questions and replies, and laugh, while thus talking, regardless of what others speak or think of them. They used no violence to others if left undisturbed. In three instances in which I had the opportunity of being personally acquainted with such insanes while sane, there was no known mental anxiety or brain symptom that can be supposed to have produced or accelerated the insanity. The persons belonged to higher classes of society, in two cases living in affluence, and in the third with limited means. Apparently they were not of weak intellect, and their parents and brothers did not prove to be of weak intellect. In the fourth instance I met a lunatic of higher class in the Dacca Lunatic Asylum, who talked of the loss of his property alone to himself. One of his neighbours with me told me that ganja made him so. In these cases I am not sure whether it was the habitual moderate or habitual excessive use of ganja; but in the first three cases I am certain that the use was habitual. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I only know these four cases of insanity attributed to ganja; with three I was personally acquainted. None of them was in any asylum. They were all three in my village. It was Rajnagar in District Faridpur (formerly Dacca). It has been washed away by the River Padma It was a very large village. Out of it twenty-five villages have been formed. I first knew of these three cases when I was about twentyone or twenty-two years of age. I am now thirtynine years old. It was eighteen years ago that I first knew them. I used to know the men when I went home on vacation. Two of them were mad eighteen years ago. The third turned mad three or four years later. I have never lived in the village for more than a month and a half at a time since then. People used to say at the time that these people had gone mad from ganja. Of course, as school-boys, we just believed what we heard and observed only a fact of insanity and nothing more. Later on, we began to think more of cause. Then I was unable to find any other cause. Thus my priest, who is one of the cases, has a most intelligent brother. His father is a pundit. Of course, if there is any disease in him unknown to us, it may be the cause. We cannot tell these medical questions. I have had no medical training. Two of the men are dead; and one I saw alive about three years ago. The other two died some six or seven years ago. I am not sure. I cannot say when they died. One died after fifty years of age, of purging of blood. I heard this later on from some of his family members. Of course, it is very difficult to judge of cause or effect. The other man who died, died about thirty-eight years old. I do not know what he died of. The third man, who is still alive, is thirty or thirty-one years old, or at all events below thirty-five years. I know of no case later than these. My home was thrice swept away. We began to move back our house in 1872. We removed from the village entirely about ten or eleven years ago. I cannot accurately remember. Only one of the above men—viz., my priest—went to our new village. - Evidence of BABU NAVAKUMAR CHAKRAVARTI, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Jangipur, Murshidabad.


46. Habitual excessive use of ganja is believed to produce insanity, especially amongst the sedentary classes of people. Amongst the working classes it is believed not to produce much evil effect. But even in cases of excessive use of ganja amongst the sedentary and upper classes, it is difficult to say how much the insanity is not due to other causes, e.g., mental anxiety, brain disease, etc., superadded to it.  -  Evidence of BABU HIRA LALL BANERJEE, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Monghyr


45. Immoderate use of ganja certainly deadens the intellect and is believed to produce insanity—in some cases temporary and in others permanent according to the nature of the consumer's constitution. Cannot say from experience regarding cases with which I am acquainted. - Evidence of MAULAVI ABDUS SAMAD, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Purulia, Manbhum.


45.(f) The moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. It is said that adulteration of the drugs with other poisonous ingredients, such as dhatura, etc., produces insanity. (g) It has been ascertained that of the insane persons in the district, only nineteen are considered to have become so by the use of ganja. Of these nineteen, only one is reported to be violent. On sufficient enquiry, and as well as from the confession of the insane, it was elicited that in the majority of cases their insanity was due to other causes, such as family misfortune, etc., and some have taken to ganja after being insane. In four cases no other cause for their insanity could be ascertained except the excessive use of the drug. 46. Habitual excessive indulgence causes the peculiar frenzy which causes orientals to run amuck. - Evidence of BABU GUNGADHAR GHOSE, Excise Deputy Collector, 24-Pargana


45. nor have I seen any one turned insane from the effects of ganja smoking. 46. Excessive use of ganja or bhang may lead to insanity, but I have not known any such case.  - Evidence of BABU PROKASH CHUNDER ROY, Excise Deputy Collector, Patna.


45. (f) Not if moderately used. In bhang none. 46. In extreme cases only it deadens the intellect and produces insanity of permanent type if the use is continued. No instances have been noticed in which the symptoms have been reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. In a case enquired into by me, I found that the insane person had suffered from some mental shock from the loss of wealth and other calamities. He then took to ganja. He is rather a monomaniac and always attempts to prove that he is Raja of Banaili...I know of a wealthy banker in another district who for the excessive use of this drug remains dozing whole day long, and is not better than an idiot.  -  Evidence of BABU SURENDRANATH MOZOOMDAR, Brahmin, Special Excise Deputy Collector, Monghyr.


(f) No. No instance known in which insanes who have no recorded ganja history have confessed to the use of the drug. 46. Yes, to the six questions of 45. The insanity is temporary. No case of permanent insanity due to ganja-smoking has come to my knowledge. The insanity is of the violent type; the man becomes a raving maniac. Yes, the symptoms are induced by use of the drug for some time after liberation. Can't tell if any of the symptoms can be called typical. Yes; in my opinion the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief has been sufficiently considered. No; I don't think there is any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. I.—Bidesi Khalifa, a bearer in my employ.— The man, according to his own statement, began smoking ganja while twenty-two years of age. Became an habitual excessive smoker in ten years. Consumed daily four annas worth of ganja. Became absent minded and dirty in habit at thirtyfive. Used to vomit food from time to time. Said he had an indescribable sense of malaise. Was still strong and healthy. A raving maniac at thirty-eight. Was put under restraint. Got emaciated and haggard-looking after release. Wasting of the tissues began at forty. The left arm became attenuated and useless at forty-two. At this time would take only slice of bread and a cup of tea in the morning, and a very light meal at about 4 P. M. Could work without food for a whole day. Had no appetite of any kind. Would eat only a morsel—a hand-ful of rice and dal—once a day. Became awfully lazy, and would always suspect the fidelity of his wife for no reason whatever. Would frequent prostitutes' houses, although impotent. Was known as cracked. Another attack of insanity at forty-four. Was put under restraint for ten days only. Remained weak and skeleton-like, and talked more nonsense than sense. Began to have periodical attacks of dysentery. Died of dysentery in two days at forty-six years of age. II.—Sarat Chandra Ray Chowdry of Halisahar.— Very respectably connected. Began to indulge in ganja while yet a student in a Calcutta school. He was then about eighteen years of age. Excessive chastisement at home drove him into bad company, and he increased the dose to nearly two annas worth per diem. Became absent-minded and rather loud. As a boy, was quiet and unassuming. No insanity or ganja-smoking in the family. This at twenty-one years of age. Began loitering about in the streets. Would seldom go home for meals. Attacked some young women who fell in his way. His eyes about this time indicated madness. The fit passed off during the winter months and returned again in May next. Ran away from home when twenty-five years of age, and has not been heard of since. III.—Abhilas Chandra Banerji of Halisahar.— Began ganja-smoking at eighteen. Absented himself from home for days together at nineteen. Was known at twenty to be an inveterate ganjasmoker. Committed several indecent assaults upon women, and was frequently found in the houses of prostitutes, Would scarcely eat meals. Became emaciated and haggard. Left home and became a beggar. Died at Kalighat at twenty-five years of age. N.B.—None of the above three men had any mental anxiety or brain disease. In cases II and III, the smoking originally began as a boyish freak. Several boys who began with them gave up the habit and are now respectable members of society. IV.—Dina Nath Rai, Halisakar.— Somewhat cracked from infancy. Was a sanyasi for years. Returned home at thirty-eight years of age. Had never before been mad. Fell in with a lot of bairagies. Before this used to indulge in siddhi-drinking and occasional ganjasmoking. Gave up siddhi under advice of the bairagies and took to ganja-smoking. Within two years became a raving maniac, Committed indecent assaults upon women. Just before getting mad the man lost all sense of morality. Was placed in irons for a fortnight. No ganja was allowed. Got better, and was released. Four days after had to be placed in irons again and sent to the lunatic asylum. Was there for six months. Came back hale and hearty, Remained well and without smoking ganja for six or seven months. Reverted to the habit again. In three months was again a raving maniac. Was a second time sent to the asylum. Came back cured, Resumed ganja-smoking shortly and got dysentery. The man lingered on as a skeleton for some years amongst the lower classes, and eventually died of dysentery when fifty-one or fifty-two years of age. It was remarkable how this man could remain without food for days together. Question 46 [oral evidence].—Bidesi Khalifa was a bearer and also waited at table. He used to get R16 pay at first; but I reduced his pay on account of his habits, and when he died he was getting R10. His age was about forty-four when he died. He was a servant of the family for many years, but only under my personal observation from 1886 to 1893 when he died. He was also under my observation in 1881 and 1882. In 1881 I know he used to smoke ganja habitually in moderate quantities. I noticed the first symptoms of madness in 1887 or 1888. He was very mad for a few weeks and he had to give up ganja-smoking. He was kept under restraint and not allowed to take ganja. When liberated from restraint he took ganja again, and became mad in 1888, 1889, or 1890. This time he remained mad for a fortnight. He was boisterous for a fortnight and idiotic for some six weeks more. He became mad a third time in 1891, and never recovered completely till his death in 1893. In this last period he used to neglect his food. He used to do light work as a servant. He would serve chota hajari and absent himself for the rest of the day. Still I kept him on and paid his wages, Rs.10. I used to pay his wages to his wife. He was always honest. He was not loose in his habits. He might have drunk liquor in his younger days. I think his caste was Jairwara, and he had been servant in a refreshment room at Jabalpur. His father was not in my service and I did not know him. I picked him up in Calcutta, and I know nothing about his antecedents, except that I was told and believed that he had been in service at Jabalpur. I believe he belonged to the Central Provinces. I remember the occasion on which I first discovered him smoking ganja. I was thrown from my horse near the stable, and the servants' quarters were next door to the stable and I smelt the smoking of ganja. Sarat Chandra Ray Chowdhri was a student when I knew him and he used to live near me. He was under the instruction of a tutor who also taught in my house. He learnt the habit, I suppose, from Calcutta students. He did not pass any examinations though be read for the matriculation. He lived with his father. He used to mix with the vulgar boys in a basti behind the Hare School. His father used often to wig him. He began smoking tobacco and then took to ganja. I have found him with a chillum loaded with ganja. His father used to bring him to me to be chastised. He ran away from home because of his uncle's ill-treatment. I attribute the case to ganja, because the boy, when young, was a good boy, and I knew he took ganja. He did not drink. His companions did not drink, for though they were of low caste they were poor. I never heard of his being immoral, and we should have heard of it if he had been. He would remain all right in the winter months and get bad again about March and remain bad through the rains. He was quite beyond control and did as he pleased. I think he smoked ganja to the same extent all the year through. My experience is that most people who go mad from ganja become boisterous in the hot weather. This was true also in the case of Dinanath Rai Chowdhry, case No. 4. The boy become absent-minded while studying. I noticed him becoming mad first about the end of February 1879. He was then eighteen. I think his absent-mindedness was noticed six or seven months after he was detected taking ganja. It would not be right to describe him as a boy of naturally feeble intellect. On the contrary he was bright. He certainly went thoroughly to the bad. But he was not immoral. It is true he interfered with young women, but he did not frequent houses of ill fame. Abbilas Chandra Banerji probably suffered both from ganja and immorality. He was not boisterous. He was enfeebled to the extent that he was generally called mad. There was no insanity in the mother, but I cannot answer for the father. I have heard people say Abhilas drank, but I knew nothing personally about it. I did see him smoking ganja. I first saw him smoking ganja in his own house. It is not usual to smoke before one's neighbours or betters. I do not say that he hid the liquor, but if he had been an habitual drunkard I should have seen it. His mother was distantly connected with our family, and so I learned all about him. He once travelled as a mendicant from Calcutta to Cuttack. I gave him money to return to Calcutta, but instead of returning he smoked ganja and was found nearly dead in the streets. He had not drunk liquor then. I took him home and he was examined by a Hospital Assistant, who said that he was at the point of death from the use of ganja. The Hospital Assistant gave this opinion in answer to our questions - Evidence of BABU A. K. RAY, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Bangaon, Jessore District.


45. It impairs the moral sense and induces habits of immorality in beginners. It produces insanity in persons of weak brains, and those that have a hereditary predisposition to it. This disease may be temporary or permanent according to circumstances. I believe the causes of insanity generally traced to ganja are aggravated by the excessive use of it with the admixture of more powerful narcotics like dhatura and kuchila. Cases of temporary insanity, due exclusively to the use of gauja, are not known to me. I know a man who was formerly a moharrir in the civil court having become insane (I am told) by taking to the use of ganja. I talked with him for some hours, and found out that he had had a mental grief, due to some private domestic causes, before he began to indulge in ganja. He began to smoke excessively in order to drown his feelings, and has now become a harmless lunatic, probably for life. In this connection I beg to add that I visited the Cuttack Lunatic Asylum and found 18 lunatics. They have been classed in the register according to the causes as follows:— Cause of insanity, alleged to be ganja 3 Cause, hereditary tendency 1 Epilepsy 2 Grief 1 Cause unknown 11 TOTAL 18 . I examined the three cases which were said to have been due to ganja-smoking. One of them was unapproachable, as he was in the habit of throwing fæcal matter at the enquirers. The remaining two denied in toto their previous use of ganja. They were asked whether they liked to smoke ganja, but they declined the offer and wanted sweetmeats. I examined their physiognomy carefully, and could not find out any difference between theirs and those of the other lunatics. It appears, however, from the records of their past history that they led the life of ascetics, more or less. Their ascetic tendency has perhaps led to the belief of their ganja-smoking. At all events, I was not satisfied as to the causes of lunacy of these men having been primarily ganja. Note.—From what I have seen of the effects of ganja-smoking on different persons, I am of opinion that all the effects described above vary according to particular constitutions. Generally speaking, persons of nervous temperament are more liable to the ill-effects of this drug than others. Of course those that are ill-fed and illnourished suffer greatly from every sort of selfindulgence. Therefore all my above replies must not be taken as applicable to all cases. Patti.—I have already described patti as com¬ paratively harmless, and none of the effects described above, are traceable to its use in moderate quantities. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The opinion regarding the tendency of the drug to produce insanity in persons of weak brains and those that have a hereditary predisposition to it is not based on my own experience. It is derived from other persons. The remark about the effect of the use of dhatura and kuchila is based on a case in which an acquaintance of mine who was unaccustomed to ganja had ganja mixed with dhatura given to him, with the result that he became temporarily insane. Kuchila is stronger than dhatura, and I presume, therefore, its effects would be stronger. I have been told of other cases. I have also heard that since the price of ganja was raised people have taken to mixing dhatura seeds with it. Some of the consumers themselves told me this— about ten people. I have also been told that for the same reason the kernel and root of the kannair (Thevetia neriifolia) is mixed with ganja. Kuchila has come into use for the same cause. I believe this information.  - Evidence of BABU KANTI BHUSHAN SEN, Baidya, Special Excise Deputy Collector of Cuttack.


Habitual moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. It is difficult to say whether ganja smoking is due to insanity or insanity is due to ganja smoking. Insane persons smoke ganja. When they were sane, they did not use ganja. It sharpens the intellect. Insane persons become irritable when they do not get ganja, but after smoking ganja become sober. I examined two mad men at Nasirabad and Kissoregunge in Mymensingh. They were creating golmal near the ganja shop and were demanding ganja. Madman No. 1. Q. Has ganja smoking made you insane ? A. Sir, Ganja smoking does not produce insanity, without ganja one becomes mad. Let me have little ganja, I shall keep quiet. Madman No. 2. A. Without ganja I am getting mad, let me have little ganja and I shall become sane. As soon as a little ganja was given them for smoking they became quiet and did not talk. -  Evidence of BABU ABHILAS CHANDRA MUKERJEE, Brahmin, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, on deputation as 2nd Inspector of Excise, Bengal
 

46. In the above question, I have not dwelt on the effect of ganja-smoking in producing insanity, because I do not think moderate use of ganja tends to any great extent to produce this malady. Excessive use of it, however, is a fruitful source of insanity. I think, however, it is a mistake to ascribe to ganja the cause of insanity because insanes are found addicted to its use. Persons of defective intellect and idiotic turn of mind, through inability to control temptations, fall into evil company and contract the habit of using ganja, and thereby lose whatever intellect nature has endowed them with. It is not insanity for which ganja-smokers are noted. But irritability of temper, eccentricity and want of control over temper are their characteristic vices.  - Evidence of BABU GOBIND CHANDRA DAS, Baidya, Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector, Malda.


45. Moderate use does not produce insanity. No such instance known to me. 46. Excessive use of bhang or ganja benumbs a man's powers. He is quite unconscious of all that happens about him...sudden excessive use has made men insane. -  Evidence of BABU NOBIN CHANDRA KAR, Excise Deputy Collector, Bhagalpur.


45. Habitual moderate use of ganja deadens the intellect to a certain extent, but does not produce insanity. 46. [Habitual excessive consumption of ganja] deadens the intellect and produces insanity. The typical symptoms are that the person talks incoherently, sings songs, and passes sleepless nights. I am acquainted with the case of one Gopal Chandra Dom. He at first indulged in alcoholic drugs, and afterwards he took himself to ganja and turned insane. It must be here noted that there are cases in which persons suffering from mental anxiety or disease of the brain use the drug to alleviate their sufferings, but such cases are distinct from those in which the consumption of ganja is the immediate cause of insanity. I know also of the case of one Bangusheik, who has begun to consume ganja after he had been insane for a long time.  - Evidence of BABU RAJANI PRASAD NEOGY, Excise Deputy Collector, Mymensingh.


45. (f) The moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. It is said that adulteration of the drugs with other poisonous ingredients, such as dhatura, etc., produces insanity. During the course of my inspection of ganja, etc., shops for the last ten years, I frequently met several insane persons who are in the habit of smoking ganja. Their object of frequenting the shop is to beg ganja from the purchaser. The general impression is that their insanity is due to ganja smoking. In most cases I found on enquiry that their insanity was due to family misfortune, etc., and some have taken to smoking ganja after being insane. In only few cases no cause could be ascertained, and their insanity may be ascribed to the excessive use of the drug. All the insane persons I met were temperate, and they could tell their cause of insanity to some extent. I am of opinion that persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease use the drug to obtain relief. I know of one insane whom I lately met at Ghugudanga shop. This man was a station master before; but having had some family misfortune he became insane, and now has indulged in the use of the drug. Question 45. [oral evidence]—I did not make detailed enquiries; but after I got the Commission's questions I began enquiring about insane people whom I met near the ganja shops. I questioned the men themselves and other frequenters of the shop. I myself made enquiries in four or five cases. My Sub-Inspectors also made enquiries. I believe I have met four or five such insane persons, and the whole paragraph of my answer is based on these instances. All my general conclusions in this paragraph regarding insanity are based as far as personal experience goes, on enquiries made from insane persons and other frequenters of ganja shops in regard to four cases. And in regard to about fourteen or fifteen cases I received information from Sub-Inspectors of Excise, who said they had made similar enquiries with like results. I think this quite sufficient ground for forming an opinion. This opinion is that in most cases of alleged ganja insanity, it is due to some other cause, but in only a few cases it is due to the excessive use of the drug. The last paragraph of answer 45 was not revised by any one before submission to the Commission. It was not written after consultation with any one. The ideas are entirely my own. - Evidence of GHULAM LILLAHI, Excise Deputy Collector, Ranchi, District Lohardaga.


45. (f) It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. I am of opinion that persons suffering from mental anxiety obtain relief in smoking ganja; but whether persons suffering from brain disease get relief or not by smoking ganja I do not know. I do not know of any instance of a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect having ever become insane by indulgence in the use of ganja. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja produces effects contrary to those stated in the preceding replies.  - Evidence of BABU SIR CHUNDER SOOR, Satgope, 1st Assistant Supervisor of Ganja Cultivation, Naogaon, Rajshahi


Question 45.[oral evidence]—Breaches of discipline involving any degree of punishment (including dismissal) are dealt with in case of constables by the District Superintendent of Police with appeal to the District Magistrate and finally to the Commissioner. I have only to deal with cases which have so terminated as to seem to require a reference to the Local Government for revision. This is very rare. This procedure, as far as I am concerned, is the same for all officers below the grade of inspectors. I only deal myself with the case of inspectors of fourth and third grades, and in the case of inspectors of first and second grades Imake recommendations, which I have to forward to the Local Government. I do not see the monthly Force Returns of punishments. They go to the Deputy. Inspectors-General. The annual statistics which I receive do not show detailed cause of punishment. I only look into the punishment figures when inspecting districts: there I go through selected proceedings, and in these cases only do I acquire knowledge of details. If I found that any old member of the force had been dismissed, I should go into his case, but not into the case of a man who had only short service unless he petitioned. As far as my own experience goes, I have never had a case brought before me in which hemp drugs have been mentioned in connection with the offence or breach of discipline for which the constable or police officer was punished. Neither of my Deputy Inspectors-General has brought to my notice that there is evidence of hemp drugs having any tendency to sap the discipline of the force. Between us we inspect every district of the province and a considerable number of sub-divisions every year. The district executive force consists of 17,619 constables, 1,272 town chaukidars, 2,346 head constables, 901 sub-inspectors, and 151 inspectors. This is the sanctioned strength. The vast majority are natives. A few inspectors and subinspectors are Europeans and Eurasians. A certain proportion of the lowest grades are from the North-Western Provinces and the Punjab—nothing like half the force. - Evidence of MR. E. R. HENRY, Inspector General of Police, Bengal


45. Insanity is generally temporary when induced by ganja smoking, and generally takes the form of imbecility; but there are hopeless cases, and I can quote at present the cases of Hura Chaukidar of Dupchanchia in this district, in whom unusual robustness for his age is accompanied by imbecility. This year a sad case of violent insanity induced by ganja smoking came under notice, in which the madman, Thakur Dass, killed his own child and attempted to commit suicide. There was no evidence in either case of insanity prior to the use of the drug, but the ganja smokers, who have come under my notice, have generally been men of a low type of intellect. Habitual smokers sent to jail generally admit the habit - Evidence of MR. W. C. FASSON, District Superintendent of Police, Bogra.


45. (f) It certainly possesses the effect of deadening intellect and causing a nature of insanity in some. Some such cases can be brought round if taken in time by preventing the use of the drug. Some are hopeless. There is evidence that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. I know of two cases of sepoys who suddenly showed signs of inaction and wandering propensity, and a great desire for sleep and solitude and want of appetite. One turned out incurable, and the other man recovered when taken in time, and the reasons became known that he was addicted to ganja and charas smoking.  - Evidence of MR. F. H. TUCKER, District Superintendent of Police, Dinajpur.


45. (e) It deadens the intellect, according to the quantity of ganja consumed by each smoker, and I believe it produces insanity to those who go to excess and cannot afford rich food. Liquor brightens the intellect; ganja deadens it. I have not seen one drunkard insane, but I have seen many ganja smokers subject to it, especially those who take two different drugs, or liquor and drugs. The type of insanity is generally of a violent type. There are again some who become morose and will not speak. Some were found to be better some time after giving up the habit, and others were permanently insane. I cannot say whether any of those ganja smokers, whom I have known to be insane, had or had not mental anxiety or brain disease prior to their acquiring the habit of using the drug. [oral evidence] I am constantly on tour, and when I see an insane man in a village, I ask people to what it is due, and I have been told it is due to ganja smoking in certain cases. I think liquor causes insanity amongst natives. When a man is brought before me insane from ganja, I have generally found that he has used some other drug or liquor as well, and sometimes all these, and I can't of course say which of these things may have caused the insanity. When I say that I have not seen one drunkard to be insane, I mean one who uses liquor alone. I sometimes enquire for such men's relatives to see whether they will take charge of them. I have asked relatives regarding the cause of insanity, and have accepted their statements that it was due to ganja generally without going into details.   - Evidence of MR. R. L. WARD, District Superintendent of Police, Rajshahi.

Note (on records of cases submitted by MR. WARD) by the Commission, appended to Mr. Ward's evidence. 1. Empress vs. Hanif Shaha.—The accused was a ganja smoker and visited the shop of the deceased, a ganja vendor. The former had a knife in his hand, as he had been eating fruit. An altercation arose between the two, in the course of which the deceased struck the accused with a split bamboo, on which the accused stabbed him in the abdomen with the knife. "It is certain," says the Judge, "that it was Betal Ali who had first struck the accused with the split bamboo; and it was then that he wounded him with his knife." The prisoner was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment on 30th June 1892. 2. Empress vs. Isahaq Shaikh.—The accused Ishaq Shaikh had injured his child and was prosecuted for his act. The following extract from the judgment in the murder case shows both his character and how that case arose: "His conduct towards his little daughter shows how cruel he is. His daughter, a little girl of five years, brought to her father more tikas than he wanted; and this enraged him so much that he assaulted her brutally; and the assault was such that she got her leg broken and got wounds on different parts of her body. A complaint was made against the accused on the 23rd December. His wife, father-in-law and Kadar Khan gave evidence in that case; and this enraged him so much that he contemplated the plan of aiming at the life of his wife. He had left his father-in-law's or had been compelled to leave it; and when he was in his sister's, he saw his wife go to the privy, and there he went and attacked her." He was interrupted and fought with those who interrupted him; and in the course of the fight he killed Kadar Khan. There is no mention of ganja. The man was sentenced to transportation for life on 28th February 1894. 3. It is reported that the record in the Pubna case has been destroyed, as the man was released by the High Court.


46. A prolonged excessive use of ganja produces insanity, and a case of this kind was prominently brought to my notice when in charge of the Bhadrak Sub-Division in the Balasore District. The man I refer to was totally insane and belonged to the middle class, and had been serving Europeans in the capacity of Sirdar Behara, but on enquiry I found he had been brought to the condition in which I found him by the excessive use of ganja. About six months after, he came to me at Nilgiri asking for service and apparently quite sane, from which instance, I conclude, insanity produced by ganja is temporary. The typical symptoms are great violence, insensibility to pain, and irritation of the skin. No ganja smoker rendered insane will confess to its use; the mere mention of the drug nearly drives him wild. I don't think insanity tends to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs unless the person has previously been accustomed to take them. The habit of consuming these drugs is an acquired one and gradually grows on one. The taste at first I believe is anything but pleasant. - Evidence of Mr. W. R. RICKETTS,* Manager, Nilgiri State, Tributary Mahals, Orissa.


I believe that many cases of insanity can be traced to its use. I know of one or two instances among juvenile smokers. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The deleterious effect on the brain and insanity are traced only to the excessive use of the drug. I saw one boy, of from seven to nine years old, using the drug four or five times a day in association with smokers. He became insane. It was over eight or nine years ago. I saw him during the months he took ganja and became insane. I lost sight of him then. The doctor said his insanity was due to ganja. The boy was not a schoolboy. I have never known any instance of schoolboys smoking ganja. I have been Principal since 1870, and have an average of three hundred students under me. - Evidence of MAHAMAHOPADHYA MAHESA CHANDRA NYAYARATNA, C. I. E., Brahmin, Principal, Government Sanskrit College, Calcutta.


45. Mental anxiety and weakness of the brain induce insanity when followed by use of the ganja. No instances occurred to me.  - Evidence of BABU JADUB CHANDRA CHUCKERBUTTY, Brahmin, Civil and Sessions Judge, Kuch Behar.


Habitual excessive use of ganja produces insanity. - Evidence of BABU SREENATH CHATTERJEE, Brahmin, Cashier, Public Works Department, Darjeeling Division.


It deadens the intellect, but does not produce insanity - Evidence of BABU HARA GOPAL DUTTA, Kayasth, Retired Excise Daroga, Mymensingh.


45. Though the moderate use of ganja does not produce insanity yet it begets an irritative habit in certain cases. 46. The use of ganja when carried into excess sometimes produces insanity. In that case it is generally permanent.  - Evidence of RAI KAMALAPATI GHOSAL BAHADUR, Brahmin, Pensioner, SubRegistrar and Zamindar, 24-Parganas.


I have had twenty-four and a half years' service, all but two years being in civil employ. I have been in charge of the Dacca Asylum for four years, of the Patna Asylum for one year, and of the Berhampur Asylum for three years. I was on leave in 1891-92. I had no special experience of insanity at home. I cannot say that I have made insanity a speciality in this country. It is very difficult for the ordinary practitioner to make anything a speciality here. He has too much work to do of all kinds. I have found no literature on the subject of insanity from hemp drugs. I searched in vain last May when writing a report. The General Register is filled up by the Deputy Superintendent, Mohendro Nath Rai, who has been twenty years in this asylum in this capacity. He has no medical qualifications. He fills it up all in his own handwriting. There is no entry by anyone else for twenty years. He fills it up from the descriptive roll. Whatever is in the descriptive roll is copied out accurately. There is no deviation from the descriptive roll if that document gives information. Only when the descriptive roll is blank is any entry made in the register differing from it. He assures me that this is his invariable practice. And no alterations are ever made in his entries. When the descriptive roll is blank in any particular, he is allowed to fill in that blank when he can get information from the lunatic or from what I have noted in the case book. Sometimes the blank cannot be filled up at all. The information he gets is as a rule from the lunatic. Sometimes it is from relations or friends who may come to see him, but that is very rare. Most of the lunatics have no friends, or they do not come to see them. The friends are never kept for me to see. We never refer to the Magistrate for further information. The entry in column 9 ("Mental disease") is copied from the case book. That is filled in as soon as the case is diagnosed or there are sufficient grounds to come to an opinion about it. It is not an easy matter. That is the only entry that is copied from the case book. The case book is wholly written up by me, including the abstract of the papers which is entered in each case. It is from the General Register that the annual statements are prepared. Statement VII is compiled from column 11, "Alleged cause." This column 11 contains the entry in the descriptive roll if there is any such entry. If it is blank, then, if the Deputy Superintendent can ascertain the cause from the lunatic or his friends, he tills it in. If not, it remains blank. The Deputy Superintendent puts questions to the lunatic, such as, "Do you smoke ganja or take bhang?" or, "What is the cause of your insanity?" He puts such leading questions and tries to get a history out of him. He considers that he should fill in as much information as he can. We do not now accept the cause thus assigned so readily as we used to do. Since attention has been so much attracted to ganja during last year we are much more careful. I try to ascertain, before accepting ganja as the cause, that the type is like ganja, and that it was indeed the probable cause. I did not do that before my attention was thus specially drawn to the matter of ganja: formerly I should have been inclined to accept ganja as the cause if it was mentioned or the use of the drug was acknowledged. It seemed a reasonable cause, and there was considerable pressure to assign cause. I believe that it was the habit in this asylum to accept ganja in this way without going particularly into the matter up to last year. The Deputy Superintendent assures me that this was his experience. Up to last year the entries ragarding the cause of insanity have depended on the descriptive rolls and the inquiries made by the Deputy Superintendent, except that if a case occurred where the entry of cause was evidently wrong, a note would no doubt be made. I can call to mind no such case. The Deputy Superintendent says he remembers no case of alteration of any entry on such grounds. No one thought these entries of any importance, or else more care would have been taken about them. Now I am endeavouring to be accurate about cause, in respect to ganja particularly. First of all I see the type of insanity, the behaviour of the man, etc., to see whether it is consistent with insanity produced by ganja. Acute mania with violence, raving, peculiar appearance of the eyes (a wild look difficult to describe, but once seen not easily forgotten), etc., is the usual type of hemp drug insanity These cases usually get well in a couple of months, often a fortnight. I think the general appearance is more typical than anything else—the appearance of the eyes and his excitable irrational manner. With these symptoms I think I should be able to tell a case as one of hemp drug insanity, even without history of the use of the drug. I think I should be able to tell a case of hemp drug insanity directly I saw it, without any difficulty. The peculiar appearance 1 have spoken of in the eyes is, I think, peculiar to hemp drug insanity. The other symptoms might be found in acute mania due to other causes. But acute mania due to other causes as a rule continues much longer. The tendency in acute mania due to ganja is to recover when the man is kept away from the drug and kept quiet and properly treated with sedatives. This is not as a rule the case with acute mania due to other causes. My attention has never been directed to transient mania, though I know scientists make this subdivision. I have not seen a case. I lay stress on the rapidity of recovery as a diagnostic mark of hemp drug insanity. It would tend to strengthen my diagnosis. As a rule these cases are due to a great outburst, a debauch. The man who takes ganja in excess for years does not always recover in this way. His case may go on to chronic mania. This is not a very frequent case, not so frequent as the other. I have never seen a case in India of acute alcoholic poisoning. I have at home. I think there would be an analogy between these cases due to a ganja debauch and such a case. I do not see the analogy between ganja cases and advanced delirium tremens. They may be like the first day or two of delirium tremens, but I have not noticed in them the symptoms you find later in delirium tremens. I have never (as far as I remember) made a post mortem examination of brains in ganja cases, nor heard of one. As Civil Surgeon I have had these cases of acute mania from ganja before me under observation, but very seldom. I had only one last year. I remember also a private patient about twelve years ago. These are the only cases I can remember as sent to me for observation. As a rule the cases coming to the asylum are still in acute stage unless they come from the jail or another district. The acute stage is generally past. It lasts from a fortnight to a month, more or less. I have noticed in the eyes the peculiar staring expression and glitter I have referred to. I have not noticed redness of eye; I am unable to say from memory anything about the pupils; I have never examined the reflexes. When the acute symptoms have passed off any certain diagnosis is impossible. You cannot speak with any certainty, so far as my observation goes. I should then be guided by what the man said, checked by my record of the case. He is fit to give information. He generally says: "Somebody gave me a drug and I went mad," or something of that kind. The lunatic (even when temporarily sane) varies his statement, however, on these subjects from day to day. There is an absence of typical symptoms; I do not remember any symptoms of ganja insanity visible in a chronic case. My view of toxic insanity is that it is insanity due to a toxic cause. If ganja is the cause, therefore, the case should be shown as toxic insanity. I do not attach much value to the information we receive as to cause. The police put down anything they hear or think. Some of the descriptive rolls are utterly absurd. Some contain nothing. Some contain absolute absurdity. As to the diagnosis or statements as to cause they are generally quite ridiculous. It is a most difficult thing to ascertain cause. We give cause too often ourselves, It is insisted on, and we are constrained to enter cause before it has been properly ascertained. The information we get and the statements of insane persons give too often no adequate ground for a statement regarding cause. It is just possible that two-thirds of the entries as to cause may be correct. Certainly that would be the outside. At least one-third of the entries are misleading. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL C. J. W. MEADOWS, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Berhampur.


45. With regard to the connection between insanity and the use of hemp, I am not prepared to say that in many cases weakness of intellect may not have impelled many to the immoderate use of the drug; but from what I have seen in lunatic asylums I think there can be no doubt that excessive ganja smoking was the exciting cause, if it did not actually beget the disease. As a rule the recovery of these cases was a matter of time, which would of itself tend to prove that the insanity was dependent on the use of the drug. I am unable to give any instances to illustrate these views as I did not keep any notes of these cases. [oral evidence] As to insanity, I would refer to my answer No. 45, which shows that my view is based on my asylum experience. I have no experience apart from that. I have never been consulted in any case in which I have been told that the man was suffering from the effects of ganja, either insanity or other illness. My general impression is that ganja is an exciting cause of insanity, as alcohol is. Probably in most cases there is a weak brain, which the ganja acted on, or a tendency to insanity. I cannot say that it may hot also originate the disease. In fact, when taken in excess, I believe it does. I can do no more than state these general impressions. I may add that my general impression in regard to ganja is that, considering the numbers that use it, the injury it does is infinitesimal, and that, with good food, ganja in slight quantities never does harm. As to bhang, large numbers of people take it without injury hereabouts.  - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. FLOOD MURRAY, Civil Surgeon, Shahabad


45. (f) Not known. There are no typical symptoms in moderate doses. 46. The habitual excessive use I know nothing of; the occasional excessive use may be the exciting cause of temporary insanity (mania). I have seen a few undoubted cases. [oral evidence] I have been over twenty-three years in India, almost entirely in Calcutta in connection with the Medical College Hospital. I have been Resident Physician and Professor of Pathology, and am Professor of Materia Medica at present and Second Physician to the Hospital. I was Pathologist to the Hospital for ten years, and have paid special attention to Pathology. I do not know of any literature regarding the pathological effects of hemp drugs. I do not think that there is anything known of the pathological appearances produced in the brain by hemp drugs. I have no special experience in insanity, and have not in my practice had opportunities of examining the brains of insane people; for I have never been in charge of an asylum. I never examined any brains of ganja-smokers at the College while Professor of Pathology. That is, I have never, as far as my recollection serves me, examined the body of any man who died of any disease in hospital and of whom it was brought to my notice at the time that he had been a ganjasmoker. I am the author of a catalogue of pathological preparations in the museum of the Medical College, Calcutta. There is no mention of any ganja-smoker's brain. I am familiar with the physiological action of the hemp drugs. From its known physiological action, I should expect to find no effect on the brain of a person using the drug in moderation. It is impossible to say whether any effects would follow the continued use of the drug in excess. I have no personal experience. But speaking from the analogy of certain drugs which have similar physiological effects, when used excessively, I would expect to find a condition of what is termed hyperæmia of the brain and membranes. The other drugs I refer to are drugs like dhatura, belladonna, hyoscyamus, etc. Such a condition of hyperæmia could not, I think, last a very long time—I cannot positively say how long, without giving rise to structural changes. I think that probably there would be changes in the nerve cells and fibres of the brain and alterations in the way of thickening, opacity, and so on, in the membranes. Those conditions would be permanent. This would be from long-continued hyperæmia. Hyperæmia with intervals of rest might also give rise to structural changes I think. These pathological changes would not, I think, be coarse changes that you could detect from naked eye inspection of the brain. They would have to be specially sought for with the microscope. Microscopic examination would be essential for the detection of these changes. Except that both alcohol and hemp drugs are exhilarants or inebriants, these two intoxicants are not analogous. It is in the objective symptoms they produce that they are analogous. I understand that I am being examined exclusively about the medicinal and pathological effects of the drugs. I consider that physiologically they act in a different way. In the smaller doses both hemp and alcohol are exhilarant. The effects of larger doses of hemp are distinctly narcotic, whereas alcohol is not a narcotic, but induces a condition of coma when taken in large quantities. This condition is one from which an individual would be aroused with much difficulty, whereas the narcotic effects of Indian hemp are transient and of short duration. Here I speak of the medicinal use of the drug as a narcotic, not of the use of the drug otherwise. I am discussing solely medicinal effects. Alcohol would produce hyperæmia of the brain. This condition, if allowed to continue, gives rise to structural changes. Hyperæmia from any cause, if allowed to continue, will give rise to structural changes. I do not experimentally know what the structural changes produced by hyperæmia through hemp drugs are; but assuming that they are produced, I should say that it would not be possible to distinguish them from those produced by alcohol.  -  Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. F. P. MCCONNELL, Professor of Materia Medica, etc., Medical College, Calcutta.


45. Nearly 30 per cent. of the inmates of lunatic asylums in Bengal are persons who have been ganja-smokers, and in a very large proportion of these I believe ganja to be the actual and immediate cause of their insanity; but though I am not prepared to say that moderate use of ganja is never the cause of insanity, it is most frequently the result of long excessive use, and especially of occasional debauches with the drug. It has much the same relationship to insanity in India that alcohol has in Europe, and may be the cause of fierce maniacal excitement of short duration (as in delirium tremens) or of a chronic cheerful mania which is the characteristic insanity of Indian asylums. It has not the same tendency to lead to dementia, the result of tissue changes in the brain, as alcohol has. Like alcohol it will especially lead to insanity in persons of deficient self-control, who take to the drug as a relief from mental trouble. Both forms of ganja insanity, the acute and chronic, are distinguishable by the symptoms (see separate memo).*  Further written statement put in by DR. CROMBIE. The statistics of Indian asylums show ganja as the alleged cause of insanity in nearly 30 per cent. of the cases as against 5.3 for spirits and 0.36 for opium. In none of these is it contended that the alleged cause is the actual cause either predisposing or immediate in all the cases. Certainly with regard to opium it may be said with every confidence that the figures given are merely statistics of the number of inmates who are known to have been addicted more or less to the habitual use of opium previous to their confinement in a lunatic asylum; and the number of these is so small taking into consideration the great prevalence of the opium habit (it may be said without fear of contradiction that probably 1 per cent. of the entire population of India are opium-eaters), and as they exhibit no signs by which they can be distinguished from other inmates, either by their physique or the character or type of insanity they exhibit, that the use of opium in no way favours the development of insanity among the population. Keeping in mind the prevalence of the alcoholic vice in European countries, where some 25 per cent. of all the cases of insanity are traceable directly or indirectly to drink, it must be admitted as more than probable that the cases of lunacy attributed to alcohol in this country must be regarded differently, and that a considerable proportion of them are in reality due to the alleged cause. The same objections might be raised in the case of alcohol as in that of hemp, namely, that previous mental disease and especially mental weakness may have led to the indulgence in the drug to obtain relief from mental distress, etc.; but there are I believe better grounds for regarding ganja as the actual effective cause of insanity in a larger proportion of the cases attributed to it than holds even in those attributed to alcohol in Europe. I refer to the peculiar characters of this form of toxic insanity by which it can be recognised just, or nearly, as readily as those of delirium tremens distinguish alcoholic intoxication. To enable me to do so clearly it is necessary to distinguish between acute ganja intoxication due to a single debauch, or to continuous excessive use of it of what might be called a bout of ganja drunkenness, and the effects of its continued immoderate use over a lengthened period of time. (a) Acute ganja intoxication is marked by the extreme vehemence of the mania. In its mental, moral, and muscular manifestations it bears no resemblance to alcoholic intoxication whatever. The maniac is excited in every fibre, His aspect is infuriated, his eye glares and is tense and glistening, while at the same time the conjunctiva is red and injected. He shouts, vociferates, sings, walks quickly up and down or round his cell, and shakes the door out of its fastenings. If at liberty, he is violent and aggressive and may run amok. In other cases the mental disturbance is less marked, but the demeanour is excited, and he suddenly seizes some weapon and slays one or more of the people in his neighbourhood without apparent reason. The attack is of short duration, being limited to a few days. There is then perfect recovery and the patient is oblivious of things which took place during the period of intoxication. In a good many cases there are relapses of similar maniacal attacks without the possibility of a renewal of the cause; but this especially happens when there has been a habitual excessive use of the intoxicant. Most cases entirely recover, and those in which the mania was caused by a single debauch in a person unaccustomed to its use almost invariably do so, there being no sign of insanity any time subsequent to the disappearance of the original symptoms. (b) The insanity produced by the long-continued immoderate use of ganja has also features of its own. The patients are hilarious, attitudinise, and are full of the sense of well-being; they as a rule are good-natured and trustworthy, and recover in a large proportion of cases under confinement and deprivation of the drug. These cases characterise Indian asylums by the large number of happy amusing lunatics they contain. They are, however, very subject to relapses even after lenghthened periods of freedom from symptoms. Melancholia is in my experience never caused by ganja, and dementia only as a secondary effect of chronic mania. I am unable to give specific cases in illustration of these remarks, because I have no longer access to the books of the Dacca Asylum where my experience was gained. I have, however, clearly in my mind one case of a Bengali Babu, who, as the result of a single debauch, in an attack of ganja mania, slew seven of his nearest relatives in bed during the night, made a rapid recovery, and never again exhibited signs of insanity during the ten years he was under observation. [oral evidence] Oral Evidence. I have been about twenty-two years in the service, and almost the whole of that period in civil employ. I have served only four years out of Lower Bengal (two years in Simla and two in Burma). I was seven years Superintendent of the Dacca Asylum and am a visitor of the asylums in Calcutta. I am also a member of the Committee for advising Government about crimnal lunatics. I was also the author of the rules drawn up by the Committee of 1888 regarding the disposal of criminal lunatics. I have no other experience of insanity apart from this and no special training in the subject. I have visited asylums at home, but never held charge of one. In my practice outside of lunatic asylums my experience is confined to very few cases—only two or three in the whole course of my service—of ganja intoxication brought to hospital. I have had no experience of any diseases attributable to ganja. My experience has been chiefly in Eastern Bengal, where ganja is largely consumed, and I have often travelled for days together with boatmen who used ganja regularly in a moderate way. Nothing in their appearance or demeanour showed this. I have only known it because I have been informed. There is one exception, my own darwan, in whom I frequently see what I believe to be the effects of ganja. He is loud and excited in demeanour. That is the only effect. He both smokes and drinks hemp. He is in thoroughly good health (except that he has elephantiasis) and is quite trustworthy. In regard to literature regarding the effects of the hemp drugs, I know only the ordinary literature that everybody knows. I know of no special literature dealing with the subject. In regard to insanity, there is no reference at any length to ganja or hemp as a cause of insanity in any literature I know. I have made a large number of post-mortem examinations in cases of lunatics whose insanity was believed to be due to ganja and who died in the asylums. I did not make these examinations with a view of studying the effects of ganja, but in the ordinary course of duty. I found no pathological change that could be attributed to ganja. There are always changes in the brains of lunatics; but the ganja cases did not seem to me to differ from other cases. The most frequent changes are shrinkage of the brain generally, want of symmetry of the two sides of the brain, effusions of serum to fill up the space left by the shrunken brain, and I think diminution in the thickness of the grey matter. These are the appearances which occur in cases of chronic insanity. The acute mania which I believe to characterize ganja insanity is never fatal in my experience. The appearances found in the chronic ganja cases are those that are found in other cases of secondary insanity from whatever cause it may have originated. I have never made any minute microscopical examination of the brains in such cases; and I think it most improbable, in our present state of knowledge of the structure of nerve cells, that any distinctive appearances would be detected by the microscope. With regard to chronic insanity caused by alcoholism, certain changes would be recognizable especially in the connective tissues surrounding the nerve cells for the reason that alcohol is a tissue poison. Ganja is not believed to be a tissue poison. This has not been investigated, but it is like other vegetable poisons which do not act on the tissues generally. Examples of this are dhatura and belladonna, which leave no anatomical change behind so far as is known: no anatomical changes have been traced to them. I must have examined the brains of ganja smokers who were not insane, as I have made many post-mortem examinations in Eastern Bengal. But I cannot refer to any in particular. I have not met with any changes which I have been able to recognize. There is no literature on the pathological effects of the drug that I know of. I have made no physiological experiments on animals and know of none. I have no knowledge of the physiological effects of the drugs apart from the clinical effects. My experience is practically confined to smoking. I know that the drug produces intoxication when smoked. The symptoms produced are entirely referable to cerebral excitation, to excitement of the brain cells. This entirely predominates over any soporific effect which it is said to possess and which is subsequent to the excitation and is of short duration. I would expect to find certain pathological changes in a brain examined in such a case; but I have never had an opportunity of examining one. I would expect to find hyperæmia of the brain (increase of circulation) such as is found when excitement is produced by any other cause and of which there are symptoms in a man's appearance. This is all. These conditions would pass of. In a case where this has occurred for the first time or at infrequent intervals, I should expect the brain to return to an apparently perfectly normal condition. I say so because the brain functions become perfectly normal and leave no trace of anything of the kind. On the other hand, if I had this condition of hyperæmia long continued by repeated exhibition of the drug, I should expect to find chronic changes. They would be of the kind I described earlier. They would lead to atrophy, to shrinkage, and such grave nutritive changes, not distinguishable from those produced by cerebral excitation of other kinds except perhaps alcoholic. Alcohol irritates the whole elements of which the brain is composed, the tissues in which the nerve cells and nerve fibres are embedded, as well as these elements themselves: whereas ganja and other vegetable excitants apparently confine their action to the nerve elements: but I say all this subject to correction, which may come as the result of more careful pathological research. Question 45.—I have described certain symptoms of hemp drug insanity. Cases of insanity from hemp drugs may be divided into three classes, as shown in my paper. (1) Acute mania.—As to duration, it varies very much. In some it is over in two days; in others it lasts ten days. The symptoms do not suddenly cease. There is gradual subsidence. I do not think there is any positive statement to be made regarding the pupils. My recollection is that the pupils tend to contract, but they are not stable. They dilate in the dark and contract in light. This is my recollection only, and it must also be remembered that it is difficult to examine a maniac's eyes. But the pupils are certainly not dilated as with belladonna, nor contracted to a pin point as with opium. In these cases of acute mania ganja may be the exciting cause with another cause as predisposing. Transient mania cannot easily be distinguished from hemp drug mania; but one gets accustomed to the physiognomy of a case of ganja intoxication, by which you recognize the case as one of more than probable ganja mania. The chief points are the extreme vehemence of the symptoms and the alert, excited appearance as of keen intelligence, which is very difficult to describe; and there is the history of ganja. Cases of transient mania occurring in Europe are, however, characterized by extreme violence and homicidal mania; and I do not think there is any one symptom by which cases of transient mania could be distinguished from hemp drug mania. These cases in Europe are very often associated with the use of alcohol. They are attended with homicidal impulses. I am not aware of their occurring in any one class of society. There is in regard to hemp drug mania an absence of any typical symptom. In any individual case the diagnosis would depend on the history of ganja; but in a series of cases you would anticipate the ganja history, that is, the experience of a series of cases would lead one to predicate ganja; but this would be more or less of an assumption—a provisional diagnosis, which would not be regarded as certain or final without a history. But in the absence of history it would go down in asylum records as "probably ganja." The use of dhatura may give rise to acute mania of this character. You could distinguish it by the dilatation of the pupil, which is wanting in ganja. Dhatura is more soporific than ganja. (2) The chronic mania due to ganja could not be diagnosed apart from history. But still there is a general character given to an Indian asylum by the number of chronic ganja cases, which, I believe, is peculiar. This character is given by the large number of happy attitudinizing and singing lunatics, the majority of whom are ganja cases. We also have patients presenting similar appearance in English asylums; but the character given to an English asylum is given by the melancholics. But the character of the Indian asylum is given by the chairomaniacs or light-hearted maniacs. I cannot say whether this character is found among the asylums of Southern India, where insanity is much less attributed to ganja and the drug is less known. It is possible that this difference of character between English and Indian asylums may be due in part to the difference of character between the two races. But I do not accept this as an adequate explanation in view of the fact that so many of this special class recover entirely in India. The large number of recoveries is in the ganja members of this class and is due to the deprivation of the drug. (3) The cases that have gone on to dementia have nothing typical about them. In all of these three classes there may be a predisposing cause, just as in alcoholic insanity there is frequently a predisposing cause; and the one class often follows on the other, viz., chronic on acute mania, and dementia on chronic mania. It may be quite true that in some insanity cases a tendency to insanity may have made a man take to ganja as to any other stimulant; but that does not militate against what I have stated; for the ganja is that which leads in these cases to the immediate outbreak of insanity. In regard to the procedure in recording the cause of insanity, the lunatic comes into the asylum with a descriptive roll in which the cause of insanity is recorded by the police. This is by no means trustworthy. The inquiry is made by the police. I have myself seen an inquiry going on in which a constable was filling in the papers from the statements of the lunatic himself, the man being at the time insane. This may be exceptional, but I have seen it. In any case I distrust this descriptive roll. Besides this we have (but only in criminal cases) the judgment, in which the point is frequently raised and discussed as part of the defence. Besides this, there is the mark on the hand and thumb of the ganja smoker, which, if present, immediately distinguishes him as a habitual smoker. Then we have frequently some time in the course of his incarceration an opportunity of interrogating his friends who come to see him, and finally we have the confession of the lunatic himself on his recovery that he used the drug. These remarks apply chiefly to the cases of criminal lunatics, because of the effect of the association of ganja with their case on the subsequent treatment. We do not take the same pains in regard to non-criminal lunatics. My recollection is that these subsequent discoveries would alter. the entries in the asylum books from which the annual statements were compiled. This was my practice. Any information which I was thus able to get subsequently would have its effect on the entries in statement VII. That is to say, the cause of insanity was not determined once and for all from the descriptive rolls when the lunatics came into the asylum. This statement refers to all lunatics, though the inquiries would probably be more careful in the case of criminal lunatics. I am speaking from memory. I have heard read the statement of Ramesh Chandra Sib (witness No. 131). He is a thoroughly truthful and trustworthy man. I think his statement may be more safely taken than mine in regard to the entries he has all along made as to cause and the annual statements compiled therefrom. I suppose I must be mistaken, though I have a recollection of correspondence about alterations in the statements from reclassification. These may have been in regard to type. There was no discussion of cause in any annual report written by me from Dacca, nor any formal discussion in writing. It has been distinctly the habit in the Dacca Asylum and elsewhere to put down the insanity as due to ganja in any case where the descriptive roll mentioned ganja at all as having been used by the man. This would be done if the entry under heading No. 9 showed that the man was "addicted to ganja," even though No. 10 showed "cause unknown." The only reason is that we jump at any possible cause and put it down. We should do this without inquiring as to the extent of use. It is impossible to get at this. Of course this would only be done if there was no other cause mentioned. I do not think that it is fair thus to attribute insanity to ganja in the case of all smokers. It appears, then, that the statement No. VII is based on the descriptive rolls, modified so as to have ganja shown as the cause in every case where the descriptive rolls show that the man used the drug and no other cause is given. These descriptive rolls are not reliable. The figures, then, are not to be accepted as absolutely representing the proportion of 272 lunatics admitted to asylums whose insanity is caused by ganja. But they may be fairly taken to represent the proportion which ganja-smokers bear to the rest of the population of the asylum. That is how I have regarded it. By ganjasmokers I mean people who have used the drug in any degree. What I mean is that as practically every smoker's insanity is attributed in the returns to ganja, the returns really show, not the number who have gone mad from using ganja, but merely the number of lunatics who are also ganjasmokers or have used the drug. That is all I find in the returns. To ascertain the effects of ganja in producing insanity it would be necessary to compare this proportion of ganja-smokers inside the asylum with the proportion of ganjasmokers in the outside population. That is, if the proportion of smokers outside was ten per cent. and the proportion of smokers inside was thirty per cent., then two-thirds of the ganja-smokers inside the asylum may legitimately be taken as insane through ganja. I could give no reliable idea whatever as to what is the proportion outside. That is a matter for native evidence mainly. Therefore I can give no reliable idea as to the amount of insanity really due to ganja. On the other hand, I believe myself that it is a cause of insanity in many cases. The only justification of the comparison of these proportions inside and outside the asylum is that ganja is an ascertained cause of insanity in a certain number of cases. In comparing these proportions we would have to remember the classes from which the lunatics come to our asylums. Taking now the records shown me of all the so-called ganja cases admitted in Dacca in 1887 (my last year) I find— (1) Gopal Chandra De.—The cause assigned in the descriptive roll is grief and jealousy, and I do not think this should have been entered as a ganja case, merely because he was addicted to the drug. He also drank occasionally. This case would more properly be put down to grief or jealousy. (2) Guru Dayal, cooly.—Was addicted to spirits as well as ganja. It is a mixed case, that is to say, it is doubtful which is the cause. (3) Isan Haldar.—This case seems a ganja case, though the man is still insane. It is a chronic case. There is nothing, however, absolutely characteristic in the case. There is no other assigned cause. (4) Harish Chandra's does not seem to have been a ganja case. The man became insane in jail, and the chances are against ganja being the cause. It was a case of very brief mania. (5) Rampriya Brahman's case was clearly not ganja. Insanity due to peripheral irritation is well recognized. That was probably the case here, as there was no improvement for one year until the man passed four hundred worms, after which he steadily improved. (6) Nathu Singh's case was possibly a ganja case, although the man is still insane; a chronic case. (7) Bishnu Ram's case was probably a ganja case. There is not much reason to doubt it. (8) Sohan Panchi's case was complicated with epilepsy. Epilepsy is often followed by violent crime, such as this man is charged with. Epilepsy is a cause of insanity.
Ganja is believed to be a cause. It would be difficult to say which is the cause. This is a mixed case. Some of the symptoms point to its being probably ganja rather than epilepsy (9) Gobra's is probably a ganja case. There was no other cause given and it was violent mania gradually subsiding. (10) Musammat Jagat Tara's is more likely a liquor case. There is nothing characteristic of ganja and the woman took liquor. (11) Brajanath Surma's case is probably a ganja case, there being no other cause apparent; and the sudden violence of his conduct makes it probable that ganja was the cause. The prolonged duration is not against this view. All do not recover. He is still insane. (12) Ananta Baisnavi's was possibly a ganja case. There was, however no violence. The probability was that she was never insane at all. She was a little excitable. That may have been from any cause. There seems to have been no insanity. (13) Kakaram Changa's case is possibly ganja. One would need to know more of the circumstances of the "grievous hurt" he caused. But the seven years' duration up to now in the case of a lad of twenty is clear against the drug. There is nothing in the records to make one regard this as a ganja case. (14) Rajkumar Roy is shown in the descriptive roll as using dhatura, bhang, ganja, and opium. I exclude opium as a cause. I am not aware that I have seen a case of insanity unquestionably due to dhatura. I therefore regard this as due to hemp drugs. That is, in this year we have out of fourteen, five cases probably due to hemp drugs, three of which are mixed or doubtful in cause, and six of which I should exclude from the hemp drug category. Taking my whole asylum experience I think that this may probably be accepted as fairly representative of the real state of the case. I cannot of course say more than this. The admissions for the year 1887 were fifty-five, of which these fourteen were attributed to ganja. Note by the Commission, appended to DR. CROMBIE'S evidence. Dr. Crombie in the last sentence of the Appendix to his written evidence says: "I have, however, clearly in my mind one case of a Bengali Babu, who, as the result of a single debauch, in an attack of ganja mania, slew seven of his nearest relatives in bed during the night, made a rapid recovery, and never again exhibited signs of insanity during the ten years he was under observation." Before the Opium Commission, Dr. Crombie was reported to have alluded to the same case in the following terms:—"I have never known a case of 'running amok' produced by opium. In my experience it has invariably been caused by ganja. I know the case of a young Bengali who indulged in a single debauch with ganja. He went round the house at night and slew seven of his own relations in their beds." Dr. Crombie was able to give the Hemp Drugs Commission sufficient clue to the records in this case, and they were obtained. The Asylum papers showed that the man, Kailash Chandra Maulik, was sent to the Dacca Asylum from Faridpur with a certificate from the Civil Surgeon, dated 19th June 1877. This certificate stated that he "has a vacant look, is slow and hesitating in his speech, does not sleep much, remains in one position quietly for hours together, does not speak to anybody unless questioned, and sometimes cries. In fact he has the look of a confirmed lunatic, although he had no fit of excitement while in this jail. He has been sent to jail for having killed six of his relatives in a fit of excitement." The Descriptive Roll, dated 6th June, signed by the District Superintendent of Police and forwarded with the lunatic, showed that he had been insane "two months"; that "previous to arrest he was addicted to opium and ganja"; that the cause assigned for his insanity was "his mother's death, as well as addiction to ganja and opium"; and that the circumstances of the case were that "some time before the murders he became deranged in his mind on his mother's death, which, and his addiction to ganja, brought on a fit of insanity under which the crime was committed." In their letter No. 11 of 25th March 1878, the Visitors of the Dacca Asylum reported that the man "is now rational and fit to stand his trial." Under orders of the Local Government he was accordingly forwarded to Goalundo to be tried. He was acquitted on the ground of insanity, and readmitted to the Asylum under the orders of the Local Government, communicated in Judicial Department letter No. 2947, dated 19th July 1878. In their letter No. 111, dated 27th June 1885, the Visitors reported to the Local Government that they "are of opinion that he continues sane as reported in January last, and beg to draw attention to their recommendation that he be discharged." The Government ordered that he be employed in a jail as a workoverseer or servant on light labour. He left the Asylum accordingly. The records of the criminal case have also been perused. They show that this man was charged with having, on 23rd April 1877, caused the death of his father, grandmother, brother, and three sisters. The Naib of the village gave evidence that after receiving the information from the prisoner, and seeing that the house was burnt down with the six dead bodies in it, he asked the prisoner why he had done this. "He said, 'I did it because I chose. What will they eat?' * * I had heard that since prisoner's mother's death prisoner had been strange in his manner. He would not speak to people, but would sit still moping. On the day previous to this occurrence the father mentioned this fact to me. Up to the time of the mother's death the prisoner appeared to me perfectly sane and rational. * * I had heard that prisoner used to take both ganja and opium. His father several times told me of this. I do not know what prisoner meant by saying, 'what will they eat ?' His family are in comfortable circumstances. I suppose prisoner meant that when his mother was gone who was to feed them; but I cannot tell." The next witness was a near neighbour, who said, "I knew Kailash well. He used to get drunk with ganja and opium. After his mother's death he became pagal, would not speak to any one, would laugh to himself, would not eat, and used to throw his uttari (mourning garment) away. He did not take ganja during this time. * * I went to inquire about the Shradh. I saw Kailash seated in his bari. He would speak to no one. I told him not to be downcast and pagal; it was his duty to look after the younger members of his family. He was very fond of his mother." A third witness said, "I used to see Kailash frequently. On the evening of the occurrence, I saw the family. There was a commotion about the Shradh. Preparations were being made * *. After his mother's death, he used to speak to no one and to wander about and sometimes throw his uttari away. Before, he was all right. He had stopped taking opium, but took ganja." Another witness, a priest, said, "Kailash is somewhat of a pagal. He has always been a bit of a pagal. Since his mother's death he has been mad. He did not do any of the acts which ought to be done by a person who has lost his mother. Every day I saw him after his mother's death and used to speak to him, but there was no knowing what he said. From his behaviour and acts I should say he had lost his reason. He had a wife. After her death (that was six or seven years before this occurrence) his strangeness increased. He was on the best terms with his family, with all of them. It is reported that prisoner used to smoke opium and ganja; but there is also a report that he gave it up." Two other witnesses corroborate this priest. One says, "Even before his mother's death Kailash was half-cracked. After his wife's death he was pagal for a month or so." The prisoner in his examination said he had no recollection of the burning of his bari or of the death of his father and other relatives; that he recollected "something about his mother's death, but not fully," and that he used to take opium and ganja, but had given them up latterly. The Civil Surgeon, Dr. Richards, gave evidence as to the prisoner's insanity. In answer to the Court, he said, "It is quite possible he may have become insane by smoking ganja; but there is nothing particular to show this." The Sub-Inspector of Police showed that the prisoner came and gave information himself, that "he was trembling and in a most excited state, and loudly called out the information which he had to give." He was violent and struck the village Naib for not believing him. He had not been arrested by that time, but was simply walking with the Police and others whom he had called to the bari, and talking over the matter. The Sessions Judge in his judgment said, "It is proved that for years prisoner has been peculiar in his behaviour. After his wife's death he was quite mad for a month; and since his mother's death again he has been behaving like a man bereft of his reason. His behaviour before and immediately after the occurrence shows conclusively that he was not responsible for his actions." He accordingly acquitted the prisoner on the ground of insanity. The Judge did not refer to ganja at all as the cause of insanity, or as in any way connected with the crime.  - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL A. CROMBIE, M.D., SurgeonSuperintendent, General Hospital, Calcutta.


45(f) I do not think that moderate use conduces to insanity. 46. Excessive use of ganja is reported as a cause of insanity in records of asylums in India. These cases are the most curable of those in the asylums. Mental troubles and want of mental 275 stability probably frequently precede its excessive use, and conduce largely to mental disease. Excessive use of bhang is probably more deleterious. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL E. G. RUSSELL, Civil Surgeon, Darjeeling.


I have been Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum at Cuttack since November 1891. It is my first charge of an asylum. I have not made insanity a special study, and have no special experience regarding it beyond the charge of this asylum. The general register gives the names of all lunatics received and all the particulars required for filling up the annual statements. It is filled up by the overseer in his own handwriting. He obtains his items from the descriptive roll and papers sent in with the lunatic. He makes the entry at once, simply copying what these papers contain. These entries are never afterwards altered unless mistakes in copying are discovered. If the cause is entered as "unknown," I make no subsequent inquiry to ascertain the cause. The entry regarding cause would always remain as made in the papers. I should never alter it, because I do not think I have the material for deciding as to cause. Statements VI and VII of the Annual Returns are both prepared from this register without any reference to facts which may have transpired during the man's detention. Of course if the type had not been diagnosed, the type would be entered when diagnosis was made. No other change would be made. Cause would never be altered. The returns therefore depend on the papers as they come in. I do not think that the papers are absolutely reliable in regard to cause, as they depend in most cases on previous police inquiries. But they are the best information we can get. We cannot get away to make personal inquiries, and have to be satisfied with the papers. I have never seen any friends accompanying the lunatic. Sometimes friends come to visit patients; but I have never asked them about cause. We accept the papers. We never try to sift the papers. I form my own opinion as to cause from the symptoms, but that leads to no alteration on the papers. In hemp cases there are no diagnostic symptoms after the active period of the intoxication (including the subsequent dejection) is over. These symptoms are never seen in the asylum. I have never seen them. There are no diagnostic symptoms of hemp drug insanity so far as I know.  - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. M. ZORAB, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Cuttack.


46 The use of these drugs tends to excess as previously observed. The effects of siddhi drinking are slow, but ultimately merge into those arising from ganja or charas smoking. The smoker of ganja or charas is known by his appearance and habits. He is generally emaciated,
and walks slowly by the less frequented paths and parts of roads. He is generally taciturn, inoffensive, or skulking in his habits. His face has a sunken appearance, and his eyes are often bloodshot, especially after a smoke, with dilated pupils. Physically, he becomes a ruin; morally, depraved; and mentally inane or insane. Excessive ganja or charas smoking results generally in two series of disorders. In the young and nervous individuals acute mania, followed by dementia. In the confirmed old habituals there is gradual deterioration of body and mind, great emaciation, nervous disorders, great timidity, followed by impaired digestion, and, finally, an inveterate form of dysentery, cirrhosis of lung and liver. Ganja is a prolific source of insanity, curable in the young, but incurable in the old.  - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL RUSSICK LALL DUTT,* Officiating Civil Surgeon, 24-Parganas.


46. The indulgence in hemp drugs does not seem to do much harm as long as the consumer is well fed, even when large quantities are taken. The question of the connection of hemp drugs and insanity is a very wide one, and in the absence of any one case in my own practice in which I can say that a sane person consuming these drugs, and with no hereditary taint of insanity has become insane after excessive indulgence, and from no other cause, I can only state my opinions with diffidence. It appears certain that alcohol, opium, chloral, and perhaps some other stimulants and narcotics cause insanity, and there is no reason why Indian hemp should not do so too. At the same time it must be admitted that in some cases the three former may be taken in excessive quantities for prolonged periods without ever causing insanity, unless the craving for and indulgence in these substances is itself looked on as insanity, and I believe that this is true of hemp drugs also. We know that by administering certain quantities of alcohol, etc., certain effects may be surely produced, even among those addicted to their use; but it is not known that insanity is one of them. It only occurs in a certain proportion of cases, which are probably those in which predisposition exists, which might have developed insanity from other causes, and this is probably the case with hemp drugs. The fact that although hemp drugs are commonly consumed in India and are almost unknown in England, that the proportion of cases of insanity in India which it is necessary to place under restraint in the Government native lunatic asylums, which are the only asylums, as far as I know, in India, is infinitesimal as compared with the number of lunatics in public asylums in England and Ireland. In the whole of the Bengal Presidency, with a population of about seventyone millions, there were only 951 native lunatics of all kinds so confined at the end of 1892. It is true that many lunatics are at large in India who would be placed in asylums in England, but the last census shows that the proportion of lunatics in Bengal is very much less than what it is at home; and of the 1,149 cases treated in asylums during 1892, only 227 cases are said to be caused by hemp drugs. This gives less than four cases per million of the population even if all the cases are admitted to be due to the assigned cause. In the Patna Asylum there were said to be 51 cases due to ganja and bhang out of a total of 289 insanes treated during the year. The proportion is large, but the actual number of cases small. The investigations of the Commission were limited to those cases of insanity said to be caused by hemp drugs and admitted during the year 1892. Of these, there were 8 cases out of a total of 38 cases admitted from all causes. It is perhaps unfortunate that this was the case, as I took over charge of the asylum in February 1893, and four of the cases had either died or been discharged before that time; a fifth was only twelve days in the asylum after I took charge; while a sixth case, which had recovered and been sent up for trial, had never been insane during my tenure of office. In these cases my opinion is based on the Superintendent's notes, the descriptive rolls and medical certificates, and not on personal observation. The other cases were seen by me. As regards the question, "Does it produce insanity (Nos. 45 and 46)?" I should say "yes in some cases"; but the further enquiry that was made in the districts from which the insanes were sent throws doubt on the history sent up with the lunatics, and on the diagnosis in some cases. Taking the cases in the same order as the Commission: (1) Salik 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 Dosadh, 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 Dosadh and to take his statement. This is, therefore, a very doubtful case and depends on the descriptive roll, which gives bhang as the cause, and the statement 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 Beguserai, states that "Kali Singh himself, his relations, and a crowd of villagers testified that he commenced ganja smoking fifteen or sixteen 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 detention he raised the quantity suddenly to six, seven, and eight chillums. His son says: "There was no thikana about it; he smoked as much as he could lay his hands on." For two or three months before his confinement 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." Maulvi Syed Nasiruddin, Deputy Magistrate, investigated 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 became insane all of a sudden about six or seven 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 ten or twelve days only (smoking four or five 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 five months, and was discharged cured in eight months.) He took care not to smoke ganja again, and thus abstained for five years, after the lapse of which period he could not resist the temptation, and thought he was out of danger of a relapse. He again took to smoking ganja. He had smoked for four or five days only very moderately, when the relapse came on." He was admitted to the asylum, and recovered after seven 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 eleven or twelve years, that is, from boyhood, he being then about 26. 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 Darbhanga and the Civil Surgeon 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 restraint in Bhagalpur and Darbhanga Jail, 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. Maghan 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 suicide by lying down in front of a train, and 7 or 8 days later entered a railway 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) Behari 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 Darbhanga states that "He was addicted to ganja and to drink, but not in excessive quantities. He went to the Sonepur Fair in the best of health. He returned after a stay of seven to ten 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. He, being already a ganja smoker, probably indulged in the vice to excess while at the fair. I hear that wrestlers often take ganja and bhang. (7) Ram Sarup Das alias Ramcharitar Thakur. An enquiry was held by Deputy Magistrate Maulvi Syed Karim, in consultation with the Civil Surgeon of Champaran. I thought that the insanity was due to ganja, because it is said that the man took ganja and because the symptoms disappeared rapidly. I had no evidence that the man took ganja except the descriptive roll. The report states that there is no family history of insanity, and that "he was not addicted to ganja smoking before or during the time that he was insane, or to any other intoxicants, such as alcohol, opium, etc. Owing to certain reverses of fortune, he fell into great pecuniary difficulties and was obliged to sell his trees and mortgage his lands. These difficulties exercised a very injurious influence on his mind, and he became seriously ill with fever a year before he, turned insane. It is difficult to say why the insanity in the above case was ascribed to ganja smoking, the result of the enquiries conclusively proving that it had no connection whatever with the use of that drug." This case appears to have been due to misfortune. (8) Adit Missar. I stated that insanity may have been caused by ganja smoking, but there is no proof whatever that this is the case. He was recorded to have admitted ganja smoking, and he was a religious beggar. The report made by the same officers as in the last case (No. 6) states that "None of the relatives of Adit Missar could be traced, and consequently no further enquiries could be made in the case." The result of the more careful enquiry, therefore, is that the cases of Salik Patick and Siba Thakur are very doubtful; that of Ram Sarup Das is altogether contradicted. The cases of Kali Singh, Gajadhar Ahir, Behari Runiar, and Maghan Gir appear to be really due to hemp drugs; and that of Adit Missar has no further light thrown on it by the enquiry, and stands on his own admission, and the fact of his being a religious beggar or devotee. In a typical case I consider hemp drugs to be the sole cause, both exciting and predisposing; but where other predisposing cause exists, such as heredity, I think it only the exciting cause. The type of insanity is, in my opinion, most usually an active form of mania, with sleeplessness, restlessness, incoherence, chattering, destructiveness, and sometimes violence. There may be delusions and hallucinations. There may, I think, be other forms besides mania. In cases of predisposition to insanity, where ganja is the exciting cause, it might cause the kind of insanity to which the patient is predisposed. The tendency in a typical case is to recovery sometimes progressively, at others through a period of depression. The recovery takes place usually within six months, perhaps in two months. The typical mania is temporary. It may, however, last longer, and there may be relapses. Kali Singh's mental condition was much improved in a month when he was discharged. Gajadhur Ahir was much improved in 6 months, and he was cured in 7 months. Sobran Napit, admitted on the 15th April 1891 for toxic insanity, cause ganja: on admission, hallucinations, sees and converses with ghosts and imaginary persons at night. Incoherent, talkative, violent, assaults, dirty, destructive. Became much better in 6 months, but had a relapse after one year and did not recover till he had been 18 months in the asylum. The symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. Gajadhar Ahir's is a case in point. He was admitted on 7th February 1888 as a case of toxic insanity, cause ganja; cured and discharged in eight months; was at home sane for about three years and five months; again took to ganja and was admitted on 13th March 1892 for the same form of insanity, and discharged cured after 7 months. Typical Symptoms.—There are no symptoms so typical that I would diagnose a case from the symptoms alone as being due to hemp drugs. I think that any intoxicant might produce a similar or very similar form of insanity. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history do sometimes ask for it and confess to its use. I think it in the highest degree probable that persons whose minds are becoming diseased should seek for sleep, relief from pain or excitment, or for alleviation from trouble in the use of hemp drugs, as they do in other countries in the use of alcohol; and I doubt whether this aspect of the question has been duly considered. So little is really known of the cases in the asylums that I cannot quote any to support this opinion. In the same way I cannot produce any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs; but I suspect that it does. My view of this phase of the question is that a very large number of persons consume hemp drugs moderately or immoderately; probably millions do. The number of persons so insane from this cause as to require restraint in Bengalis 227. In some of these cases the cause may not be correctly stated. In my analysis of the cases for 1892 I show that only fifty per cent. can be accepted as ganja cases. I see no reason to think that this may not be a proper average for the returns generally. The cases are generally classed, as these were, on the descriptive roll. If hemp drugs were a common cause of insanity, it is reasonable to suppose that many more ganja cases would be placed under restraint. On the other hand, there would be nothing irrational in supposing that a certain number of cases do take hemp drugs in the incipient stages of insanity. If all the 277 had done so, there would be nothing remarkable in it; and I think it probable that many of them did so. The statements in the descriptive rolls regarding cause are, as a rule, not very reliable. I cannot say what grade of police records them. But I think the information is often in small villages brought by chaukidars. I often ask questions of insane people as to the ganja habit. When a man admits it, it is generally true. I have, however, met with lunatics who accumulate all intoxicants and say they smoke them all. I have also met with lunatics who exaggerate the amount they take. I think the admission of the use may be accepted as true in respect to the mere fact of the habit, but not always as to the extent of the habit. As to a statement made by a lunatic in a lucid interval that he had gone mad from ganja, it might so far be accepted, that is, it might be accepted as to the effect of the drug on himself, putting out of account anything he would not know about predisposition. If the man were mad when he made the statement it would be of no value, If a lunatic said he took the drug in great quantities it might be accepted. I have not made a habit of going on to enquire the extent of use. Of course questions are asked, but satisfactory statements are not easily got. A Civil Surgeon or Superintendent of an Asylum has, as far as my experience goes, very little opportunity of seeing friends. In the majority of cases friends never come owing to distance. If people of the town are brought in, their friends come to see them sometimes. But I rarely see them. I am not present when they come. I have asked friends whom I saw about the habits of the lunatics, and they give good information. But as a rule they speak to the overseer, and he tells me what they have said. Friends' statements as to the cause of insanity are quite unreliable. Often they are influenced by superstition. They assign witchcraft. They are ignorant and have no idea of any cause that they do not see, except witchcraft. They give heat as a cause sometimes. I remember a case where I suspected ganja. The man was a Government servant. He and his friends denied ganja, and said that he had become mad after a feast, but that there was no intoxicant. They said they did not know the cause. I suspected some intoxicant, probably ganja, because, among other reasons, of the speediness of the recovery. The same symptoms might have been due to alcohol or opium, as well as ganja. Ganja is the most usual intoxicant; that is why I suspected it specially. I do not think I can differentiate between insanity caused by alcohol, ganja, or opium. Any intoxicant would produce, I think, the kind of insanity to which a man is predisposed. Besides police reports and the statements of lunatics and their friends, there are no further means of information as to cause open to us. It is impossible for us to go and make enquiries. I have only once done it in a Patna case. As a rule the returns as to the causes of insanity are based on the descriptive rolls, without any further enquiry on my part. The annual returns as to cause are extracted from the case  book, which, as a rule, contains entries as to cause, simply, copied from the descriptive rolls. I do not think that these returns give a satisfactory basis for a scientific theory of the relation between hemp drugs and insanity. As I have said, I think they give an exaggerated view of that connection. I cannot say how great the exaggeration is, how high a percentage should be taken off the figures. It would be mere speculation to try to fix a figure.   -  Evidence* of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL E. BOVILL, Officiating Civil Surgeon of Patna and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum.


 occasionally insanity results. This is of two kinds— (1) Usually the insanity is of an acute and temporary nature, and sanity is restored soon after the drug is withheld, often to again return when the habit is resumed. (2) In rare cases the insanity becomes chronie. The following cases which I have selected from among the patients of the Dacca Lunatic Asylum
will illustrate both of these types of insanity produced by the hemp drugs:— Example I.—Dayal Dass Bairagi, aged 45, was born in Sylhet, where his father was a shopkeeper. When he was about 16 years old his family moved to Narainganj. Dayal was then a strong and healthy lad. His father smoked ganja in moderation; he was a healthy man and quite sane, and none of Dayal's relatives were insane. When he was about 30 years old he made the acquaintance of some petty landholders who used to meet together and smoke ganja. He was induced to go to these parties, and so gradually contracted the habit. At first he smoked only twice a day, and consumed about 7 or 8 grains of ganja in the 24 hours; but he gradually increased the quantity, until in 1890 he smoked seven or eight times a day and as much as 60 grains of the drug. He states that when he first began to smoke it made him cheerful and happy, and he felt fatigue less than before. In September 1890 he got into some trouble about a woman and had to leave his village. He took to wandering about as a beggar and smoked more and more ganja, until he smoked more than double the quantity mentioned last. At this time he began to lose his appetite, but felt as strong as ever; but he noticed that his feet appeared to be walking in the air. He then remembers going about the country, singing and dancing. After this he remembers nothing distinctly until he came to himself one day in the Dacca Jail, where he had been taken as an under-trial prisoner, charged with theft. He was found to be incapable of making his defence and transferred to the asylum. On arrival there he was found to be quite sane, and he remained so until his discharge on the 20th September 1893. Example II.—Rajkumar Boy, aged 29, was admitted into the Dacca Lunatic Asylum in 1878 with acute mania. He recovered in a short time and was released. A year and a half after his release, on the 22nd October 1880, he was again admitted into the asylum furiously insane. His insanity was attributed to excessive ganja smoking and bhang drinking, and again released after a short time. On September 23rd, 1885, he was admitted into the asylum for the third time with the same symptoms. On this occasion Dr. Crombie, who was then the Superintendent, in his evidence before the Magistrate, stated that "his symptoms were obviously due to ganja, of which he was a confirmed smoker." He also certified that he was suffering from the chronic use of ganja. Immediately after his admission he was again quite sane, and discharged cured on 30th January 1886. He was admitted into the asylum for the fourth time on the 28th May 1887 with exactly the same symptoms of mania. He again quieted down soon after admission, and as he remained quite sane, he was discharged cured on the 16th August 1887. Since his discharge he has been seen several times by the Civil Hospital Assistant of the Asylum. On the last occasion on which they met, three months ago, the recovered lunatic informed the doctor that he had quite given up ganja since his release from the asylum in 1887, and had in consequence been quite well ever since. These two cases are samples of several that have passed through the Dacca Asylum. The second case is instructive as showing that Cannabis indica may be the sole cause of mania for— (1) The patient was an excessive ganja smoker. (2) He had at least four separate attacks of mania in eight years. (3) On each occasion he became quite sane soon after he was placed out of the reach of hemp, and remained so until he was released. (4) As soon as he gave up the use of ganja he became saue and has remained so for six years. The following is an example of chronic mania induced by the use of hemp:— Example III.—Harkumar Adhikari, 27 years of age, was admitted into the Dacca Asylum on the 27th June 1886, suffering from chronic mania. His insanity was attributed to the excessive smoking of ganja. In his descriptive roll it is stated that he smoked ganja to great excess and then became insane. On admission he suffered from delusions, he talked incoherently, and was very quarrelsome and violent. After admission he remained very much in the same state for some time; then he gradually became less violent, and his excitement changed to a depressed state of mind, and he became dull and melancholy. He is still in this state, but occasionally has fits of violence. There is no family history of insanity, and the patient admits that he was a great ganja smoker. In the Dacca Asylum there are at present 53 out of 240 lunatics, whose insanity has been attributed to ganja. In many of these cases the fact of their being ganja smokers is doubtful. In others there is a history of spirit drinking as well as ganja smoking. In a third class of cases, in addition to ganja smoking, there is a strong family history of insanity. On the other hand, some insanes who have no recorded ganja history, confess to the use of the drug. When all these cases are taken into consideration, there remains a residuum in which ganja appears to be the only cause to which the insanity can be referred. However, this residuum is extremely small when compared with the enormous number of persons who are in the habit of using these drugs. I have calculated that there are some 6,000 or 8,000 ganja or charas smokers in Dacca town now. The insanes in the Dacca Asylum come from the whole of Eastern Bengal, from Sylhet, Cachar, and Cooch Behar. It is obvious, therefore, that the proportion of insanes whose insanity can be attributed to hemp to the large number of users of the drug is almost infinitesimally small. [oral evidence] The information given in my written answer regarding the case of Dayal Dass Bairagi is derived from sources apart from the asylum papers. It was derived from the man himself by my personal examination before his release. I am confident about this case. In the case of Rajkumar Roy, I think the lunacy is properly attributed to ganja, in spite of the references contained in the asylum records to dhatura, opium, and spirits, because of the history and Dr. Crombie's opinion. In respect of the history, the statement made by the Civil Hospital Assistant regarding the abandonment of the habit of taking hemp I look upon as especially important. In the case of Harkumar Adikari the references to the lunatic's relations contained in the Bengali descriptive roll do not appear in any other place in the asylum record. Dr. Crombie has also made an entry about the shape of the man's head. These facts admit the possibility of there being another cause for insanity but ganja. The three cases described, whether truly attributable to ganja or not, are typical of what I should consider ganja cases as likely to be. The diagnosis of hemp drug cases may be based upon previous history, the character of the insanity, the history of the case while in the asylum including information given by the patient himself when he recovers or has lucid intervals, or by friends, or othewise ascertained. There is nothing very typical in the symptoms; but still ganja insanity has points of distinction from other kinds of insanity. It is very temporary. Confinement of the patient with removal of the exciting cause generally brings about rapid cure. Delirium is a prominent feature. There are other general features which it is difficult to put into words, and which experience alone can teach one, just as one recognizes a face without knowing exactly why. One recognizes ganja insanity intuitively. All the symptoms I have described may be present in other kinds of insanity, but one judges by the combination of them. If the symptoms were present without any history, I should not like to make a certain diagnosis of toxic insanity; but I might make a probable diagnosis, subject to further information, and probably should be right, on account of my experience. It is essential to have a history for a certain diagnosis. The attack of ganja insanity may last weeks or months; but it is common to find patients brought as raving lunatics recovered when they reach the asylum. If the attack lasted from 12 to 15 months, the fact would shake my diagnosis, unless there were history of previous attacks and gradual degeneration from ganja. I have examined brains in cases of hemp drug insanity, and have discovered no abnormal appearances, which could be attributed to the effect of the hemp. I cannot say that I should expect to find any such appearances in cases of temporary insanity. I do not remember to have made post mortem of any person permanently insane from the hemp drug. Such cases are very sure. The statement made by Ramesh Chandra Sib on the 19th instant has been read to me, and describes accurately the procedure followed in the asylum in regard to cause. I do not approve of entering ganja as the cause of insanity merely on the ground that the insane is known to have used the drug, because it must be misleading when ganja is so commonly used. But this is an accurate statement of the procedure. Therefore the entry of cause in Statement VII of the annual report is based exclusively on the descriptive rolls. I do not consider that the descriptive rolls contain information which is reliable, but they help us in making up our minds. They do not afford a satisfactory basis for judging scientifically of the connection between hemp drugs and insanity. I have studied the cases admitted to the asylum in 1892, and I put in a note about them—(Note attached). As to the effects of ganja generally, I should say that until I began to study the question with a view to give evidence before the Commission, although I had a vague notion that ganja-smoking was prevalent among the lower classes in Bengal, I had no idea that the practice was as common as I have since found it to be. Before July 1893, when I began to enquire into the matter, my experience of the effects of hemp drugs was limited to the cases of insane persons whose insanity was attributed to their use; and as in many of these cases I satisfied myself that the insanity was really so caused, I naturally acquired a prejudice against the habit. But when, on enquiry, I found that hemp drugs were so widely used, and in the majority of cases with the beneficial results I have detailed in my evidence before the Commission, my views as to their evil effects were greatly modified. Appendix. Note on cases of insanity attributed to the use of hemp drugs admitted into the Dacca Lunatic Asylum during 1892, put in by Dr. Cobb.
1. Charan Dass.—There is no reason to suppose that ganja was the cause of this man's insanity, except the entry in his descriptive roll, in which it is stated that he was "addicted to ganja," and a remark by Dr. Wise in 1872, that "he is a stupid fellow, who brightens up when ganja is mentioned." The history of his case is not that of a ganja maniac, and the post-mortem appearances suggest chronic degenerative changes in the central nervous system. 2. Dayal Bass Bairagi.—I have no doubt that this was a case of temporary insanity induced by smoking ganja. He is example No. I in the evidence which I have already given. The history of the gradual supervention of his insanity under the increasing doses of ganja and his rapid recovery when confined are instructive. The fact that his father was a ganja smoker is worthy of notice. These facts I discovered in careful personal examination of the man. 3. Baishna C. Saha.—There is no evidence of his being a ganja smoker beyond the entry in his descriptive roll that he was addicted to ganja and spirits. The case was evidently one of simple mania. 4. Uzir Ali Sha.—The evidence of ganja-smoking in this case is very untrustworthy. It is vaguely stated in his descriptive roll that he was formerly addicted to ganja. The case was probably one of simple mania. 5. Swarup Kaibarta.—There is not the slightest reason for supposing ganja-smoking to have been the cause of this man's insanity other than the entry in his descriptive roll. On the contrary, the case presents all the characteristics of simple melancholia. 6. Sekh Waris.—This man was found to be quite sane on admission into the asylum. There is not a particle of evidence to support the view that ganja caused his insanity, if he ever was insane. 7. Durga Charan Changa.—This is undoubtedly a case of recurrent mania. Beyond a vague reference to ganja-smoking in his descriptive roll, there is no reason to attribute his insanity to a toxic cause. 8. Madhab Ram Deo.—This patient's insanity is definitely attributed to the use of ganja in his descriptive roll, but I think it is extremely doubtful if the drug had anything to do with it. 9. Gagan Chanar Chathati.—This is a doubtful toxic case. It is stated in the descriptive rol that he was addicted to ganja and spirits. 10. Garua.—There is no evidence of ganja being the cause of insanity, except the fact stated in the descriptive roll that he was "addicted to ganja." 11. Narayan Dass.—This man is an up-country fakir, and was known to be an excessive ganja smoker, and he does not deny the fact. The whole history of his case leads me to the conclusion that ganja was the exciting cause of his insanity. 12. Monubar Mohanta.—The entry in the descriptive roll and the medical certificate that the "lunatic is addicted to ganja" are the only reasons for supposing this to be a case of toxic insanity. In view of the fact as shown by the papers that this man's relatives were not known and nothing else was known of his case, the above entries are of less weight than they would otherwise have been. 13. Narayan Nawa.—This appears to be a case of insanity induced by the use of ganja. I base my opinion on the opinion of the Civil Surgeon of Cachar and on my own observation of the case. 14. Padai Ram.—This case also appears to be one of toxic insanity. I cannot at present give reasons for this view.   - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR R. COBB, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca.


I have been twelve years in India, all in the Bengal Presidency. I have been ten years in Calcutta attached to the Medical College. I have been acting Police Surgeon for the last eleven months. I have not had any special training or experience in insanity; but I have come across very many cases of insanity. I meet with insanes in the Campbell Hospital (where I have been Superintendent since May last). I am Superintendent of the hospital and have not to do with the treatment of cases directly as a rule. These insanes come into the hospital as brought in by the police, a man being picked up in the streets with a wound on him or sick, or a man is brought by the police who has been found wandering about the streets insane. In the hospital the man (if ill) is kept till he is cured, and I write and inform the police that he is cured and (a) that he is harmless and may be safely made over to his friends, and they so dispose of him; or (b) if he is violent, I certify this and he is removed to the asylum by the police. I fill in the Form No. 2 "certificate of medical officer in the Form A in the Schedule to Act No. XXXVI of 1858." I merely certify to the fact of insanity and to the facts (a) observed by me or (b) communicated by others, on which my opinion as to this fact of insanity is based. I do not certify to cause in that certificate nor anywhere else. With these cases the police bring a descriptive roll which they have filled in. When the man is cured I write across the corner of this descriptive roll, "Please remove A B that he may be made over to his friends" or otherwise, as the case may be (vide supra). We do not keep these descriptive rolls. I make no entry under any heading in the descriptive roll. I have nothing to do with it. It is a police document. This descriptive roll is precisely the same as that supplied to me in the second class of cases with which I now proceed to deal, viz., the cases of criminal lunatics who are sent to me as Police Surgeon. The criminal lunatic is sent to me with a request from the Magistrate in letter form "to examine the accused A B as to the state of his mind and appear before the Magistrate" on a fixed date, to give "evidence as to the result of such examination." I am also directed in this letter to "produce his 'Medical History' Sheet," if I am of opinion that he is of unsound mind. The man is as a rule put in the Presidency Jail and I visit him there. Rarely he is released on surety. I first go to the police and ask for the descriptive roll. They send me Form No. 4. It is of assistance, or ought to be of assistance, to me in examining the man. When I have examined the man and made up my mind about him, I fill in the "Medical History" Sheet. I produce, as an example, the descriptive roll of a lunatic—not a selected case, but the last that I have disposed of. The important point to notice in it is the large number of entries filled in as "unknown." I think that as a rule the police fill in too many entries. Satisfactory information must be very difficult to get. In filling in my medical history I have of course also frequently to use this word "unknown." The only three questions that I deal with are "(4) Physical state," "(6) Type of insanity" and "(12) Is he capable of taking care of himself ?" For all the rest I depend on the "descriptive roll." I make no inquiries myself. I only examine the patient as to the state of his mind. But I make no enquiries as to the entries in the descriptive roll. The only persons I could inquire from are the police, and they have entered all they can. I could not inquire from friends as a rule; for these people very rarely have friends. I have an exceptional case before me now of a man in a prominent position whose friends are affording me information. He is at large on security. But in almost every case I never see friends. I do inquire from the lunatic himself and talk to him, and things may come out. But I would not enter his statements in the history sheet if he were a lunatic; for I would not trust what he said. In my "Medical History" I never enter cause. I have not sufficient information. I never even enter it if the police give it. I do not believe in their entries. If I came across a case where I could satisfy myself that their entry was correct, I should make the entry. But I have never come across such a case. I discredit the police entry. From the mere fact that they so frequently put down ganja as the cause, I discredit them; for I have seen a good number of cases of ganja poisoning. Ganja is the commonest cause they put down. I do not accept ganja as an ascertained cause of lunacy. I am not here speaking of a mere intoxication lasting a few days. And because I am responsible for the entries in the "Medical History," I do not make such an entry. I know of no facts that establish the view that lunacy is caused by ganja. Therefore I do not accept it. If I had particulars from the police of sudden loss of money or of friends, and that there was sudden loss of mind in consequence, I should enter that cause. I should be able to corroborate it from the form of the lunatic's delusions and otherwise. So also if I had evidence of frequent fits of epilepsy I should accept that as a cause of dementia; that is, I should accept as the cause in any case any wellascertained cause of insanity. But I do not accept a drug as the cause because I have no knowledge of well-ascertained facts making the drug an established cause of insanity. As a fact, then, my procedure as a rule is to leave cause blank; and I do this because of my distrust of the information I receive. I have heard the statement which Assistant Surgeon, Devendranath Ray, made before the Commission. His statement regarding procedure is correct. We do not enter cause in the cases he refers to. I disagree altogether with him as to his attributing insanity to ganja on the mere statement that the man uses the drug. I have no satisfactory evidence of cases of true permanent insanity due to the use of ganja. And in any case to put insanity down to the drug without knowing the amount used, the time during which the habit existed, and the previous history of the man is quite wrong. I quite agree with the Assistant Surgeon as to the great difficulty of satisfactorily ascertaining the cause of insanity in the cases we have to deal with. I have no personal experience of the physiological action of hemp drugs on the human subject. The best account of the action of the drug I know is in H. C. Wood's "Therapeutics." It is an American work. I am not acquainted with any literature dealing with hemp drug insanity. I have had experience of hemp drug intoxication. I treated every case in the Medical College Hospital for about eight years when I was Resident Physician and Professor of Pathology. There were not very many. The symptoms I observed were analogous to alcoholic intoxication. But the excitement was more intense, the patient livelier (not so soon comatose as in alcohol) and the excitement lasted longer. Alcohol causes intoxication by poisoning the centres. They are first stimulated; and stimulation beyond a certain extent ends in exhaustion. Hence the comatose condition. Suppose the stimulation is frequently repeated by repeated doses of alcohol, you have an overgrowth of the coarser elements; and these coarser elements finally replace the highly organised elements. The physical and mental effects following this alteration would be a dementia preceded by a period of irritation. This period of irritation would have as symptoms change of disposition, grandiosity in ideas, fits of depression alternating with fits of exaltation, and the other symptoms of alcoholic insanity. Chronic alcoholism may thus produce an overthrow of mental equilibrium. As to hemp drug intoxication, I suppose that in the early stages of hemp drug intoxication there is congestion of brain. This is my supposition. I have no pathological experience for that. I have not, personally, experience of the stimulation of the centres in alcoholism; but the condition of the brain is well known. To a certain extent the condition of the brain in the early stages of alcoholism could be ascertained by naked eye inspection without the miscroscope. I have examined ganja smokers' brains. I examined the other day (since I knew that I was required to give evidence here) the brain of a man said to have been a smoker for many years. He died suddenly in a factory of phthisis and was sent in. The brain and the membranes were perfectly healthy. I know nothing of the man except that the police reported that for many years he had been a ganja smoker. I made naked eye inspection and did not use a microscope. Against this I had a case of a man "addicted to drink for some years" whom I examined a month ago post mortem. In his brain the membranes were opaque, thickened, and the convolutions of the brain shrunken; and there was an excessive quantity of brain fluid. It was a typical drunkard's brain. There was no insanity. He had died suddenly of some other cause and was sent in by the police, as in the other case. I knew nothing of either this man or the other except through the police report. I knew nothing of the extent of the habit in either case except what the police said. I have no evidence of what the frequent stimulation of the brain caused by ganja would result in. I cannot argue by analogy with alcohol; for there is nothing that I know to show that ganja is an irritant of the same class as alcohol. The evidence wanting is pathological evidence founded on facts observed after the experimental exhibition of these drugs on the lower animals. The position I assume then is this, that I admit the analogy between alcoholic and ganja intoxication as regards the general symptoms. These symptoms are due to the action of alcohol on the brain. It is possible, I admit by analogy, that the symptoms in ganja intoxication are produced by the action of the drug on the brain. In the case of alcohol it is well ascertained that the repeated exhibition of alcohol leads to grave structural changes, which sometimes give rise to certain mental and physical symptoms. In the case of hemp drugs, I will not admit that repeated or long continued stimulation of the brain will produce any structural changes in the brain because there is no pathological evidence; and the facts are, as far as my experience goes, dead against it. I have examined the brains of many persons who were said to be addicted to ganja and have discovered no structural changes. I did not use the microscope, and can only speak to coarse structural changes. As far as I have read, too, there is nothing about these changes in books on pathology. Hemp drugs are never mentioned among the causes of structural changes in the brain. In the case of insanity from grief or other socalled moral cause there need be no structural changes that are apparent in the brain. Such changes are found occasionally, but they are not found in many cases. But in respect to insanity following a physical cause, I should assuredly expect changes, and that they would be visible structural changes. The established physical causes are such as alcohol, syphilis, injuries. These are very few compared with the great mass of mental disease. I know nothing of dhatura as a cause of insanity. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR J. B. GIBBONS, Superintendent of the Campbell Medical School and Police Surgeon, Calcutta.


Commencing with question 39, I may state that having been unable to obtain subjects for comparative experiments, I have no actual knowledge of the comparative effects produced by different preparations of the hemp drugs. The Hospital Assistant attached to the Native Lunatic Asylum informs me, however, that it is generally thought that bhang drinking produces excitement and possibly a maniacal condition; while the action of ganja when smoked is slower, and probably takes a long time to affect the intellect, producing then a stupid or melancholic condition. This opinion, however, requires confirmation. The effect produced by bhang is, it would appear, very like that produced by alcohol when taken in large quantities; it produces an intoxication more marked, but more transient, than does ganja when smoked. It must be remembered that these remarks apply either to beginners or to habitual drinkers or smokers who have exceeded their usual allowance. Bhang when drunk is generally mixed with water and sweetened. It is possible, that dhatura is sometimes added to increase the intoxicating effect, and to render the subsequent stupidity more prolonged. With regard to ganja I am of opinion that it is most frequently smoked with an admixture of tobacco and it is then probable that the exciting effects of the drug are modified by the narcotic powers of the tobacco. It is a well known fact, and one to which I shall have to allude again, that dhatura seeds are often added to ganja to increase the stupefying effect. This addition is not frequent, however, among ordinary ganja smokers who use the drug to promote a mild and exhilarating intoxication. It is confined principally to debauched fakirs, into whose morals it is needless to enquire and to gangs of thieves who rob their victims after stupefying them with dhatura introduced into a chilum supposed to contain ganja only. Of the truth of this statement the daily papers and police records afford numerous instances. Judging from the effects of even large doses of the tincture of Cannabis indica used in medical practice for various complaints, it would seem that a moderate use of hemp drugs may be beneficial; at any rate such moderate use cannot be harmful. By moderate use, I mean used only occasionally—short of intoxication. Here again I must use as a comparison the action of alcohol. Delirium tremens, which may be called the acute insanity of alcohol, does not occur to the moderate user of that liquid but when the amount consumed is always sufficient to produce intoxication or a condition verging on intoxication and the act of consumption is regular and habitual, delirium tremens or chronic alcoholism may be produced; or a fit of alcoholic insanity may ensue. I do not here allude to dipsomania. In a similar manner it is, I consider, probable that excessive use or continued abuse of hemp drugs may produce violent intoxication, transient attacks of mania, melancholia, or a condition allied to dementia. Recovery in such cases is, as in alcoholism, rapid when the patient is deprived of the opportunity of obtaining hemp drugs. For the purpose of this enquiry I have carefully examined the records and annual reports of the Lunatic Asylums in Bengal from 1862 up to the present time, and I think it will not be out of place to give a few of the many extracts I have made, from the opinions held by the various medical men who have written on the connection between hemp drugs and insanity during a period of 30 years. I have occasionally added a remark in the form of a note to these extracts. I have numbered them in order the more easily to refer to them in the subsequent portions of my report. I have not thought it necessary to refer to the general opinions of medical and other writers, because the books containing them can and probably will be consulted by the members of the Hemp Drugs Commission and nothing could be gained by multiplying quotations:— 1. "Of the 296 cases of insanity treated during the year, the apparent and assigned causes have been given in Statement No. 10. It is not easy to ascertain accurately the cause in many cases; the Statement must, therefore, be taken as an approximation. In many of the cases where the causes are entered as unknown, ganja or some form of intemperance may be suspected." (Dr. A. Simpson.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1862.) 2. "The causes of insanity among the patients admitted to the Asylum are given in the annexed table; but on this head I regret to observe that the information furnished by Magistrates, as given in the Rolls accompanying Lunatics is of the most meagre description, "cause unknown" being stated in 69 per cent. of the admissions." Causes of Insanity.— Smoking ganja and the use of intoxicating drugs 12 Grief from loss of a child 1 Hereditary 3 Sequelæ of fever 1 Unknown 38 Total 55 (A. Fleming, M. D.—Annual Report, Murshidabad Lunatic Asylum, 1862.) 3. "Of the 416 cases in which the causes of insanity have been ascertained, the disease is attributed to indulgence in intoxicating drugs and liquor in 313 persons, or, as in 1862, to upwards of 75 per cent. The malady was hereditary in 24 instances, and was excited by moral causes— principally grief on account of loss of relatives or property—in 63." (Annual Report on Lunatic Asylums, Bengal, 1863. By T. McClelland, Esq., Officiating Principal Inspector-General, Medical Department.) 4. "The chief physical cause has been indulgence in ganja; 165 or 50 per cent. of the total number treated, have been distinctly traced to that cause, sixteen have been traced to hereditary tendency, eight to opium, seven to epilepsy and five to ardent spirits." (A. Simpson, M.D.— Annual Report, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca for 1863.) 5. "The chief physical cause has been indulgence in ganja; 173 or forty-nine per cent. of the total number treated have been distinctly traced to that cause, seventeen have been traced to hereditary tendency, five to opium, seven to epilepsy, and three to ardent spirits." (W. B. Beatson, M.D.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1864.) 6 "Regarding the causes of insanity, ganja and dissipation have been by far the most fertile causes among those admitted here; no less than 40 per cent. occurring from them alone. These two causes almost invariably accompany each other." (J. M. Coates, M. D.—Annual Report, Cuttack Lunatic Asylum for 1864.) 7. "And so I am of opinion that real spontaneously produced mania, is rare in our Asylums, and the hereditary form still more so. Exciting causes (some not to be met with at home) are ready at hand, and to them we must attribute the vast majority of cases; and simply withholding them, works the great majority of cures. Thus, I find in my predecessor's returns that out of 172 cases under treatment in 1864, 101 were attributed to the use of ganja, bhang, opium and spirits; and that out of 48 cures, 39 belonged to the above class. "My Returns prove the same fact; out of 190 cases treated in 1865, 99 were attributed to intoxicating drugs; and out of 75 new admissions, 44 were due to the same causes. "In each case, the percentage is very large. "Lastly, out of 363 new admissions in all the Asylums of Bengal, 329 were attributed to indulgence in ganja, bhang, opium, or spirit, i.e., 90.6 per cent. of all the cases. If these exciting causes were checked or removed, the asylums would speedily be depopulated." (Robert F. Hutchinson, M.D.—Annual Report, Patna Lunatic Asylum, for 1865.) 8. "Ganja still continues to appear as the fruitful cause of insanity in nearly four-fifths of the cases where the cause is known. "Orders have recently been issued, which, it is hoped, will tend to procure a better history of the antecedents of lunatics." (Government Resolution, 1866 (signed) A. Eden, Secretary, Government Bengal.) [This wish, expressed in 1866, has not been fulfilled even at the present time. J. H. T. W.] 9. "The abuse of intoxicating drugs, especially of ganja, is answerable for 46.5 per cent. of the admissions; amongst the rest 3 were unknown, 3 were attributed to starvation, the rest being due to moral causes, such as grief, anger, fright, and religious excitement. "I fully believe that the excessive use of ganja or spirits may lead to insanity, but I am not prepared to give my adhesion to the opinion that the moderate use of opium has any evil effect on the brain. I believe its action to have a directly opposite effect, for whilst other stimulants deaden the intellectual faculties and excite the passions, opium calms the passions, and healthily exalts the intellectual and moral faculties. "Re-admissions.—There were 3 re-admissions; 2 of persons discharged cured in 1865, and 1 who was discharged cured in May 1866; one of the 3 was addicted to the excessive use of ganja, and another to muddut; there is no record that the third was addicted to the use of any intoxicating drug." (N. Jackson, M.D.—Annual Report, Cuttack Lunatic Asylum, for 1866.) 10. "As in former reports, the largest proportion is ascribed to indulgence in ganja. The ratio from this cause in the last five years has been as follows:— In 1863 30.5 1864 49 1865 46.8 1866 38.9 1867 35.7 Average 40.1 "Indulgence in ganja, however, is always associated with other vices, such as spirit drinking and debauchery. The outbreak of mental disease cannot, except in a few cases, be referred to this narcotic alone. The return is more correctly a record of the number of ganja smokers among the lunatics. "Statement No. 6 shows the trades or occupations of those admitted during 1867. The largest number was furnished by those who engaged in domestic service, including those employed under European and Native masters. Twenty-one, or 27.2 per cent. were servants. In former years this proportion was only 8 per cent. This rise is due to the irregular habits and debauched lives led by Mahommedan servants, more specially by those serving in large towns. A second cause is the shameful practice followed by rich Natives of keeping a servant, generally a boy, who is forced to intoxicate himself and perform indecent dances, not as a warning to others, like the helot of old, but as an entertainment for his master and his companions. One of these miserable creatures was admitted during the year." (James Wise, M.D.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1867.) 11. "The excessive use of intoxicating drugs, ganja specially, has contributed 22 cases, or 44.9 per cent. of the number treated. Of the narcotics used, dhatura has on two occasions been noted among the exciting causes. I allude particularly to this drug in connection with the case of Bunkall who was admitted in August under the following circumstances:— "He had been an Inspector in the Irrigation Works six years, always bore a good and upright character, and had given uniform satisfaction, so much so that when one of the Executive Engineers was absent on sick leave, Bunkall was placed in charge of extensive and very important works; previous to this he was already doing the work of another subordinate, so that at one time he was doing the work of three men. Mr. Bunkall's previous health had never been good; he was subject to spasmodic asthma; during the damp weather it was so bad that his medical attendant recommended him to live two miles away from his works, and among other remedies ordered the dhatura to be smoked. Bunkall derived so much benefit from this that he resorted to it on every occasion he was distressed. Tobacco was also freely used, but never with the dhatura. The leaves of the plant were chiefly employed. For six months he continued in this habit, on some occasions smoking two or three pipes a day; about this time he was heard to complain of pain and pressure on the head. Here, then, were two exciting causes: excessive mental and bodily occupation, and secondly, dhatura-smoking. The difficulties of the case were, that when relieved of some of his work on giving over charge he suddenly burst into a fit of craziness, and declared he was poisoned and surrounded by conspirators. For the first two months of his stay in the Asylum, he lost greatly in flesh and was violently maniacal; official visitors and others who had seen him on these occasions were struck with the change in his condition, and had no doubt of his insanity. For some days he was so morose that he refused all food, and had to be fed by the stomach pump. He slowly improved, but had two or three relapses. Since then he has steadily recovered, but not sufficiently to justify his discharge. Orders have been received to transfer him to Bhowanipore, where he can be better treated than in an asylum in which no provision is yet made for European cases, [This patient was admitted into the Bhowanipur Asylum on the 22nd January 1868. "January 25th: Appears perfectly intelligent and rational still, and his religious views seem to have less possession of him; employs himself painting." Left the Asylum quite sane on the 14th March 1868.—J. H. T. W.]  "We are aware of the powerfully deleterious effects of all parts of the dhatura (alba and fastuosa) when swallowed. The narcotic irritant effects of the seeds especially have for a long time been the subject of a study in Indian Jurisprudence. But whether the habit of smoking parts of the plant, so highly recommended in bronchial complaints, has a further acting in disturbing the mind and predisposing to lunacy, is perhaps not so generally acknowledged. Natives believe firmly in its action in this respect. The question is an interesting one and worthy of further investigation." (D. D. Stewart.—Annual Report, Cuttack Lunatic Asylum for 1867.) 12. "The re-admissions were less numerous than usual. During the previous five years they averaged 17 annually. "Of the re-admissions, one, a ganja-seller, came in for the seventh time. He was a thin, spare man, aged about 60 years, with a fair amount of intelligence and energy. Six were re-admitted within one year of their discharge, two within two years, two after four years, one after seven years and one after eight years. Of these 13 persons, six were addicted to ganja, four to ganja and spirits, two to spirits alone, and the habits of one could not be ascertained." (James Wise, M.D.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1868.) 13. "Seeing that so many of the cases admitted into our Asylums result from over indulgence in ganja or bhang, and are not really cases of insanity, I find some difficulty in classing them, and accordingly venture to suggest that all such cases be included under the head of Cannabism; they are easy of recognition, and the following characteristics will assist in determining them. In a recent case the conjunctivæ are congested, the pupils generally contracted, and the countenance wears a peculiar leery look, which, when once seen, is unmistakable. The pulse may or may not be accelerated, and there is a marked unsteadiness in the gait; great volubility or continued indulgence in laughter or song. If the muscular system is greatly excited, there is a tendency even to rush wildly onwards in a straight line unmindful of intervening obstacles, and consequently severe bruises, especially about the shins, are often met with. These are indications to be met with in a novice, and I cannot find that there are any unpleasant after-consequences in coming out of the debauch, which, on the whole, seems to be a happy and merry state of intoxication. One woman, describing her sensations, said that she felt as if her spirit wished to pass upwards through the skull, and that her body longed to mount upwards as well. Bhang drinking, as opposed to ganja smoking, seems to induce pleasant reveries, like those produced by morphia when the tendency to sleep is resisted. It is enormously indulged in, far more so than ganja, but easily overlooked, owing to the absence of excitement. In the confirmed ganja smoker, there is greater stupidity and less excitement, a kind of maudlin intoxication with conjunctivæ markedly red. Two tests at once betray the habitué: by frequently rubbing up the ganja and tobacco in the left palm with the right thumb a corn is produced on the outside of the last phalanx, and if you place before him a chillum said to be charged with ganja, he will inhale the smoke with one long prolonged whiff, which would at once bring on coughing in the non-initiated. A confirmed ganja smoker has frequently dark, purple lips, but the corn and inhalation will always reveal him." (R. F. Hutchinson, M.D.—Annual Report, Patna Lunatic Asylum for 1868.) [This is a particularly interesting note and the name Cannabism would do very well for the cases of intoxication occurring after the excessive use of hemp drugs, either alone or as is frequently the case with small quantities (2-3 seeds) of dhatura. It would represent a condition which when occurring in spirit drinkers is called Alcoholism. The ganja smoker no doubt produces a corn on the right thumb but the same corn occurs on the thumb of a man who only smokes tobacco. From my own observation, I think, too, that the long inhalation is only taken after a few short and sharp pulls have got the chillum well started.—J. H. T. W.] 14. "I have a few words to say regarding criminal lunatics. There has been an increase of late in the number of this class of insanes, and it has appeared to me, judging from their demeanour here (many of them), that it would be as well for those whose duty it is to pronounce on the sanity of these individuals to recollect (Medical officers, Juries, and Judicial officers) that cerebral excitement resulting from the abuse of intoxicating liquors and drugs is not insanity. If an Englishman gets drunk, and in that state commits a criminal act, he is held responsible for it; and if he has committed murder in his state of excitement, he is hung. But a native of India indulges in an intoxicating drug which he knows will produce maniacal excitement and he escapes all future punishment (except confinement in a lunatic asylum) on the ground of insanity. The drunken native is no more mad than the drunken Englishman: why then this difference in the punishment awarded? I think I could point out several (so-called) criminal lunatics at Dullunda who have never shown any signs of insanity, and who have never been insane, though they have suffered from the stimulating and destructive effects of bhang, charas, or other intoxicating agent." (G. Saunders, Deputy Inspector-General, Bengal.—Inspection Report, Dullunda Asylum, 1870.) [I entirely agree with the general opinion expressed in this extract, and I fail to see why intoxication from hemp drugs is not, punished, When a native has willingly indulged in intoxicating drugs and in his intoxication commits any crime "he shall be liable to be dealt with as if he had the same knowledge as he would have had if he had not been intoxicated" (Indian Penal Code, section 86). Further, if in these cases proper attention were paid to section 510 of the Indian Penal Code, a large number of persons said to be intoxicated with hemp drugs and accused of "mischief," "theft," "simple assault," "trespass" or "lurking house trespass," etc., would be summarily dealt with instead of being confined in an asylum at the expense of Government, i.e., the tax-payers.—J. H. T. W.] 15. "Table No. 4 shows the attributed causes of mental diseases. Of 312 patients, no less than 123 are alleged to have become insane from ganja smoking and drinking. Of these, some have been discharged cured and many more are now nearly well, and will soon be turned out to resume their vicious habits. It is much to be regretted that so large a number of dissipated and miserably debauched creatures should annually be able to escape all punishment and become, as lunatics, burdens on the State. Whenever it is possible, the cost of their maintenance is recovered from them or their friends; but justice seems to demand something more than this, even though the difficulties of the law may stand in the way" (H. C. Cutcliffe, F.R.C.S.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1869.) 16. "The statement of re-admissions has little or no technical interest. In many of them recurrent insanity means only repeated intoxication. In others re-admission means the return of an acquitted criminal, who had been discharged to take his trial, and whose proper place would be among the cured; and a third group is composed of persons removed by relatives and brought back from difficulty or expense in managing them at home. This is an illustration of the manner in which, with a population composed of classes which have little or nothing in common, figured totals and mean numbers designed to represent collections of simple and similar facts in the life of each, may become mere heterogeneous aggregates of dissimilar units." (A. J.Payne, M.D.— Annual Report, Dullunda Lunatic Asylum for 1871.) 17. "The case returned under this head [acute dementia] was a domestic who had smoked ganja to such excess that reason disappeared and left him a mere animal in his habits. He, however, made a rapid and satisfactory recovery. "Under the head of ganja the largest number are as usual included. The ratio this year is less than formerly. An endeavour has been made to distinguish between the occasional consumer and the habitual smoker. The former cannot properly be classified in the same list with the latter, yet in this asylum it has been the practice to do so. The ganja smoker who really appreciates its value, never becomes a spirit drinker. Spirituous liquors do not produce the sensual intoxication he desires, and the after-effects are not pleasurable." (James Wise, M.D.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1871.) 18. "Fifty per cent. of the insanes are set down as 'cause unknown.' This is rather opprobrious, due doubtless to the cause at the time of admission being undiscoverable, or rather to its being left to those whose report obtains the Magistrate's order to transfer the patient to an asylum." (J. Coates, M.D.—Annual Report, Moydapur Lunatic Asylum for 1871.) 19. "The number [of cases] attributed to ganja is 169 out of 230 admissions, in which a cause was known, but it may be that it has become the habit to attribute insanity to ganja. The Lieutenant-Governor would be glad to have it specially noted in the reports if there are generally good grounds for setting down this drug as the cause in so many cases. The reasons for the belief should, if possible, be stated." (Government Resolution on Asylum Reports, 1871, Bengal. Sd. A. Mackenzie.) 20. "A true knowledge of causation of insanity can only be obtained from a very careful investigation of particular cases and their antecedents, and an extensive knowledge of the social peculiarities and practices of individuals and communities. Observations, such as Drs. Wise and Coates have recorded, contribute more to the elucidation of the causes of insanity than any number of "tables" which have an appearance of precision, but are really most inaccurate and unworthy of trust. Statement No. 10 shows the usual large proportion of cases attributed to the use of ganja and spirits. The remarks of Drs. Coates and Wise would go to show that Indian hemp is in many cases erroneously credited with madness otherwise caused. It would also appear that this drug has little or no influence as an incentive to crime; and the figures given in Statement No. 10 show that the proportion of ganja-caused insanity among criminals is less than among non-criminal lunatics. No doubt, as Dr. Wise states, thieves and murderers smoke hemp in order to nerve themselves to criminal deeds previously resolved on, but the drug does not appear specially to arouse any homicidal or criminal propensities." (J. Campbell Brown, Inspector General Hospitals, Bengal.—Annual Report on Asylums, 1872.) [Many acts of violence committed by persons intoxicated either with bhang or ganja represent merely the uncontrolled action of the animal passions. The controlling power of the higher nervous centres once removed, by hemp drugs, alcohol, or anything else, the individual will either become quarrelsome and violent, or melancholic and maudling. There is not in my opinion any specific property in hemp drugs which incites to violence or crime.—J. H. T. W.] 21. "Although a cause has been assigned in all but 20.6 per cent. of the cases, it is impossible to place much reliance on the correctness of the statements sent in by the police, for it is to them we have to trust for obtaining the little information we possess. "An attempt has been made this year to distinguish between those cases of insanity clearly due to ganja smoking and those in which the use of ganja has only been occasional, and therefore insufficient to excite insanity. The attempt has not been successful. For want of any other reason, it has been necessary to enter under the heading ganja several who were merely reported to have indulged in its use. In 1871 there were returned 37.2 per cent. of the total treated under the head of ganja. In 1872 the proportion was 31.60, namely, 28.26 males and 3.34 females. "I believe that ganja is less deleterious than is generally supposed, and that insanity is comparatively as rare among the ganja smokers as among persons who take a daily allowance of spirits. Like drunkenness, ganja produces physical as well as psychical effects. By causing irritation, and probably changes in the nutrition of the brain, it gradually undermines the constitution. Its effects on the digestive organs, however, are less perceptibly injurious than are those of spirits. By exciting the emotions, it enfeebles the mind, and by the loss of self respect, it incapacitates the individual for discharging his usual avocations. Poverty, and all the anxieties which accompany an irregular life, oblige him to drown care in deeper intoxication, which sooner or later ends in madness. "Among those classes of natives who spend most of their time in smoking the weed, madness is exceedingly rare. With them ganja smoking is an incentive to religious abstraction, and its unlimited use is a sure sign of religious sincerity. "The Ramawats, who are the greatest smokers in Eastern Bengal, seldom, if ever, become mad. They, as well as other natives who exceed in smoking ganja, invariably live very well; and they maintain, that as long as plenty of food is taken, its effects are innocuous. "The diet of a Ramawat usually consists of milk two seers (4 lb), ata 1 1/2 lb, ghee four ounces, and vegetables and fruit ad libitum. During the last six years none of those luxurious mendicants have been admitted into the asylum, although they are very numerous in the city of Dacca. "An excessive indulgence in ganja, by those unaccustomed to its use, will generally be followed by insanity; but like dram drinking, as long as the digestion remains good, it may be taken daily, in gradually increasing doses, without much injurious effect. "A person who indulges in ganja, unless he be a religious mendicant, is stigmatized as a reprobate. The vice grows upon him; he neglects his family and his business, falls into irregular and disorderly habits, which alternate with periods of selfreproach and mental depression. "It is from among the labouring classes that the lunatic, mad from the effects of ganja, comes. "Of the 93 lunatics treated during 1872, and whose insanity was referred to ganja, 67, or 72 per cent. were Hindus, 25 Muhammadans, and one was a Native Christian. Sixteen of the 25 Muhammadans came from Dacca or its neighbourhood. "I do not believe that ganja smoking is an incentive to crime. In the records of this asylum there is no mention of any crime having been committed while the individuals were under the influence of hemp. "In a special report forwarded to Government in December 1871, it was shown that of 99 criminal lunatics admitted between 1861 and 1870, 39 had their madness referred to ganja smoking; but that in no instance was it alleged that the crime was committed while the individual was under the effects of ganja. "During the past year, four criminal lunatics were admitted whose insanity was referred to ganja smoking. They were all Hindus. One was charged with rape, one with theft, one with murder, and one with grievous hurt. "That many ganja smokers become criminals is not to be wondered at. "Few, if any, dacoits are to be found who do not make use of the weed to inspire them with false courage, but it is because they are thieves that they do so and not because being smokers of ganja they are thieves. The history of the use of the hemp corroborates this. It has invariably been used to nerve a man to perpetrate a deed which he has already resolved on doing, and, as the Ramawats hold, to impress on the memory a train of thought that has already been pondered over." (James Wise, M.D.—Annual Report, Dacca Lunatic Asylum for 1872.) The Annual Reports for the following 20 years repeat these opinions. From these extracts it will be seen that for a period of 30 years hemp drugs when abused have always been credited with the power of producing an insanity of various types. Generally a transient mania or melancholia or an acute dementia (Dr. Wise, Ex. 17). Before formulating any definite conclusions on this question, if such be possible at all, I would like to point out some of the difficulties under which all Superintendents of Asylums have suffered with regard to patients admitted for "Ganja-insanity." The patients belong nearly always to the lower and grossly ignorant classes, to whose minds the relations of cause and effect except in very ordinary affairs of life are more or less unknown, and anything outside their ken is generally given up as unknowable. When pressed for reasons they give such as are foolish or wilfully untrue. Little then is likely to be obtained in the way of information from the friends of the lunatics, if indeed they are ever questioned. In certainly over 50 per cent. of the insanes admitted into Asylums as wandering lunatics under sections IV and V of Act XXXVI of 1858, or as so-called criminal lunatics under the provisions of Act X of 1882, the descriptive rolls contain no mention of relatives. The descriptive rolls (Forms 3 and 4) are filled up, as a rule, by a native police inspector on the information of a native policeman. These men know from experience that unless they make these rolls fairly presentable they will be returned from the Asylum to the committing Magistrate or Commissioner of Police, and that these officers will in their turn call for more information from their subordinates. To escape trouble and worry the police are therefore averse to entering the names of relatives (who might be called upon to contribute to the maintenance of the insane person), and are in the habit of accepting ganja, bhang, etc., as convenient causes of insanity which have long been permitted to pass as probably correct. The Medical Officers in charge of lunatic asylums have long suspected this to be the case (Ex. 1, 2, 8, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21); Let it be granted, therefore, that want of accuracy in ascertaining a cause renders about 50 per cent. of the cases of ganja insanity doubtful: it is not necessary to suppose that these insanes never used hemp drugs at all. They may, and probably do, represent persons insane from other causes who are known to have used hemp drugs occasionally or even habitually. In a certain proportion, too, it is not improbable that, owing to the fact that these persons are of a neuropathic diathesis, and in them a tendency to insanity exists, and has always been latent, hemp drugs in excess, or even in quantities which would not damage a man of robust nervous constitution, have acted as an exciting cause, making manifest a mental weakness which might not have shown itself in the absence of such indulgence. " What is one man's meat is another man's poison." Granting all this, we are still left with a number of cases in which the abuse of hemp drugs, either alone or combined with dhatura or spirits, has produced a violent and prolonged intoxication followed by a demented, maniacal or melancholic condition (see extracts and asylum cases). In these cases recovery takes place in a very short period indeed, in many of them the individuals are sane when they reach the asylum. (Ex. 13, 14, 20, etc.) A nominal roll has been prepared in the Dullunda Asylum for the past five years, and from it I find that of the 108 persons admitted whose insanity is put down to ganja or bhang, 8 are distinctly stated to have been sane on admission to the asylum. All these persons remained sane. I have investigated particularly the cases admitted during 1891 and 1892 and am further of opinion that the number given (8 for five years) does not represent the total of those who were sane on admission, and that therefore there can be no doubt that a certain proportion of the cases admitted are not cases of insanity but, if rightly reported in the first instance, merely cases of intoxication which should never have been sent to an asylum at all (see extracts). Although, as I have already admitted, we seldom have good proof that the so-called "Toxic insanity" is due to the abuse of hemp drugs, there is another feature in these cases which points to a causation which is transient, and from which recovery is rapid. The average period under treatment in the asylum at Dullunda of 55 cases discharged cured during five years (1888-1892) varied from 3 to 10 months, and many of these were kept under observation for some time after they had been pronounced sane. Of the 108 cases admitted more than half recovered very quickly, and this points to some cause easily removable. These figures include a few re-admissions of persons previously treated for insanity, due to the abuse of hemp drugs (Ex. 9, 12, 16). With regard to the patients who do not recover, I think they probably represent, as pointed out by Dr. Wise (Ex. 10.), a number of insane persons who may or may not have used hemp drugs. As to my personal knowledge of the effects of hemp drugs, I have already given instances to the members of the Commission who visited the Dullunda Asylum on the 14th and 18th of August 1893. It would serve no useful purpose to quote the cases again. In conclusion I think it may be fairly stated:— 1. That hemp drugs are very largely used throughout Bengal, smoked as ganja and charas; drunk as bhang and siddhi or eaten as majum. The smoking of charas and the eating of majum are not common. 2. Among healthy persons ganja, smoked alone with tobacco or with a very small addition of dhatura (two or three seeds), produces a condition varying from mild exhilaration to marked intoxication. The violent intoxicating effects are less marked, or not seen at all, in persons having a regular and wholesome supply of food (Ex. 21). Much the same may be said of bhang, etc. 3. Among persons of weak mind or with a marked neurotic tendency even a moderate quantity of hemp drugs may so increase the insanity evident or latent as to make such persons violent, morose or melancholy according to the neuropathy with which we start. The presence of adulterations, such as dhatura, will increase these effects. 4. Abuse of hemp drugs, especially when adulterated with dhatura, will produce, even in healthy persons, a very violent intoxication simulating mania, or may lead to a morose melancholic condition with outbreaks of irritability. These conditions are generally of short duration and the patient ultimately recovers. So common is absolute recovery that I think when a patient, confined in an asylum for the treatment of insanity said to be due to the abuse of hemp drugs, does not recover within 10 months, the drugs were possibly only the exciting cause, and that we are dealing with an individual who was either insane previous to his use of intoxicating drugs, or with one in whom latent insanity has been roused into activity by the irritating effects of excess of ganja, bhang, etc. Further Statement put in by DR. WALSH. As regards the post mortem appearances in cases where the insanity has been ascribed to the abuse of hemp drugs, I find that from the beginning of 1890 to the present time four deaths have occurred among supposed "ganja-insanes." 1. Ratigen Gossain, aged 31; admitted into the Dullanda Asylum 5th May 1890. Was violent, dangerous and dirty in habits, but fairly coherent at times. He did not improve; and though the acute maniacal stage passed off, he remained always silly, demented, dirty in habits and somewhat uncertain. In his descriptive roll he was stated to have been insane for 13 years. The paroxysm of mania which caused him to be shut up in the Dullanda Asylum in May 1890 was possibly excited by abuse of hemp drugs; but I think there can be little doubt that the abuse of hemp drugs was not the original cause of his insanity. A more careful search into the history of such cases is desirable. In 1893 his bodily health became very bad, though no marked symptoms of disease were noted. He died on the morning of the 26th March 1893. Post mortem.—Feet and legs œdematous; body very thin and emaciated; about 4 pints of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Heart small, and muscular tissue somewhat pale; valves normal. Lungs signs of old pleurisy and adhesions over right lung; lung tissue normal; left lung not adherent. Some hypostatic congestion at the bases of lungs. Liver contracted; Glisson's capsule generally thickened and increased fibrous tissue shewing signs of cirrhosis. Spleen hard; otherwise normal. Kidneys: right kidney pale and undergoing fatty degeneration. Pyramids apparently healthy; capsule thicker than usual, but not adherent; left kidney as right. Intestines generally very pale; one or two congested or faintly ulcerated patches (the man had passed some round worms in February 1893) in the small intestines; no entozoa. Brain.—No thickening of the meninges and no signs of meningitis; brain tissue somewhat soft but otherwise normal; no hœmorrhages or local changes; grey matter in normal proportion. Weight of organs.—Brain, 49 oz.; right lung, 14 oz.; left lung, 13 1/2 oz.; heart, 5 oz.; liver, 22 oz.; spleen 6 1/2 oz.; right kidney, 3 oz.; left kidney,2 1/2 oz. Cause of death; cirrhosis of liver and anæmia. As regards this and subsequent cases I must mention that no microscopic examinations were made. The Superintendent rarely has the necessary leisure for such important work, while his assistants do not possess the necessary knowledge of histology and technical microscopy. 2. Mougla alias Mohomed Syed, aged 45; admitted 22nd June 1892. Said to have been insane for four months and his insanity was stated to be due to "ganja smoking." There was nothing very noticeable about his case. He was in bad physical health, and died on the 22nd August from the results of a bad attack of dysentery. His brother removed the body and declined to allow a post mortem examination to be made. 3. Mihir Lal De, aged 22; said to have been insane for eleven months; cause ascribed "ganjasmoking." Was convicted of theft and sent to Hughli Jail, where his insanity became marked and led to his transfer to an asylum. Remarks on certificate of insanity:—"(1) General vacancy of appearance; (2) uncleanliness in habits; (3) destructiveness of Jail property; (4) at times silent, muttering fits; (5) occasionally boisterous, incoherency of speech." The man while in the Dullanda Asylum, into which he was admitted on the 30th September 1892, was melancholic, sometimes with mild outbursts of excitement or weeping. The case did not improve. He died of cholera on the 4th January 1893. Post mortem.—Body well nourished; rigor mortis slight in upper extremities; well-established in lower. Brain.—Weight 43 oz.; both membranes and substance of brain congested; lateral ventricles contained a very small quantity of fluid. Brain substance firm. Heart weighed 8 oz.; chambers of both sides contained dark blood and clots; valves healthy. Liver weighed 35 oz; gall bladder full of bile, normal. Spleen weighed 8 oz., slightly enlarged; right kidney 2½ oz., left kidney 2½ oz., slightly congested; capsule easily separated. Bladder contracted and empty. Intestines: congestions all along both small and large intestines, except portions of upper and lower ends. Small intestines contained thin, yellow offensive fluid; large intestines thicker, darker and larger quantity of fluid than the small intestines. No worms. Lungs both adherent to chest walls; gorged with dark blood. 4. Bolai Chand Dey, aged 27; addicted to excess in ganja and alcohol for 18 months. Sent to the Dullanda Asylum 20th May 1893. Remarks on certificate of lunacy:—Talks incoherently. Is at times violent. Is at times very boisterous. He is indecent and dirty in his habits. Has a biting propensity. On admission to the asylum the man was noisy and violent, sleepless, and refused food. Treatment with sulphonal and morphia calmed him somewhat, but he passed into a state of low delirium and died at 5 P.M. on the 23rd of May. He was removed to the hospital on admission. Post mortem.—Body well nourished; rigor mortis well marked. Lungs, both congested. Right lung 39 oz., left lung 26 oz. Heart 10 oz., normal; valves healthy. Ante-mortem clot of small size found in the right ventricle passing into the pulmonary arteries. Liver 57 oz., congested; otherwise normal. Spleen 6 oz., normal. Both kidneys (right 5 oz., left 5 1/2 oz.) congested; capsule easily removed. Intestines slightly congested throughout. No ulcers or parasites. Brain 46 oz.; membranes deeply congested; sinuses full of dark blood; brain also congested. Punctœ well marked; no other signs of disease or any lesions of brain substance. The cause of death appeared to be in this case acute meningitis. The following notes are taken from his hospital bed-head ticket:—Temperature on admission 99° F.; violent and excited; struggled when fed and became unconscious with shallow respiration. Ice was applied to his head and a castor-oil enema given, and the man recovered consciousness after a few minutes. His conjunctivæ were congested and his pupils contracted. His temperature rose to 102° F. The enema acted and brought away lots of scyballæ. He remained in a somewhat comatose condition from the evening of the 20th, and on the 21st was treated with bromide of potassium, ice to the head and ice water enemata. On the evening of the 21st his temperature had gone down to 100° F. On the 22nd his condition seemed somewhat better. Temperature 99.6° F.; took some food and spoke, but was incoherent and delirious; sordes on teeth; at 12 A.M. the temperature rose to 102° F. Quinine and antepyrine were added to the bromide mixture and slowly the pyrexia abated; at 3 P.M. the temperature was 101.8° F.; at 8 P.M. 99.6° F. On the 23rd the temperature again rose to 102.4° F.; pulse soft and compressible; breathing difficult; the patient died about 4-45 or 5 P.M. The symptoms all pointed to meningitis and the congested state of the vessels of the brain and membranes prove, I think, that the diagnosis was correct. The question now arises as to a cause. Was it ganja or alcohol, or the two combined ? Could there be any other cause ? I am inclined to think that this was a case of delirium tremens with pyrexia, and that ganja, if used, may or may not have added to the violence and excitement present on admission to the asylum. I am bound, however, to record certain other features connected with this case. When the patient was admitted, the Hospital Assistant who examined his body found the following wounds and contusions on him:—(1) Contused wound about 4 inches long on the right shoulder; (2) circular contusion right upper arm; (3) five contused wounds varying from 1 1/2 to 3 inches on the back of the left shoulder; (4) one contused wound about 1 1/2 inches long on the left elbow; (5) six irregular bruises on the back; (6) bruises on the right side of the abdomen and another on the left thigh; (7) a small swelling over the left parietal eminence. How he came by these injuries (some looked like contusions and abrasions from ropes) I cannot say, but he had evidently at some time received a blow on the head, and this might be succeeded by congestion of the brain and may have increased the gravity of his condition. As regards the general appearance of the various organs of the body, and especially with regard to coarse lesions of the brain, these cases show nothing which could be ascribed to the action of ganja more than to other causes present. It is probable that as the insanity produced by ganja is never very prolonged, the hyperæmia occurring during the stage of excitement leaves no permanent mark on the brain tissue or membranes. Oral evidence. My length of service is ten years, six years of which have been in civil employ in Bengal. I have been Superintendent of the Bhawanipur cum Dullanda Asylums for two and a half years. I have had no special training in insanity beyond that acquired by a student attending his lectures in London. Apart from my asylum experience and my knowledge of the tincture of Cannabis indica as used in medicine and the two experiments with bhang related in the Journal of Medical Science for January 1894, I have no knowledge of the effects of hemp drugs. As to literature, there are O'Saughnessy's Bengal Dispensatory, the Records of Macnamara's Experiments, brief and casual references to hemp drugs in works on insanity, and so on; but I know of no work in which hemp drug insanity is systematically treated. In regard to dhatura, the Hospital Assistant, Trailakyanath Banerji, had told me, what I had heard from others, including lunatics, that it was customary to mix two or three seeds of dhatura with ganja for their use by smokers who use the drug to excess. I asked the Hospital Assistant to obtain me a sample of the mixture as actually sold to be smoked in this way. He brought me a small packet, and said he had bought it in the bazar in the shop. The packet contained just enough to fill one chillum and be one smoke for a person accustomed to this use. It contained dhatura seed. There were two seeds so far as I remember. It was shown as given to me to a Committee of this Commission at the asylum. A man named Tulsi Malak was brought into the asylum on 13th August last. He was not insane when admitted. He told me that he had purchased a mixture of dhatura and bhang to use it in a debauch with some fakirs. The result was insensibility, in which he went into a shop, where he was found sleeping and arrested. He was certified insane by the Civil Surgeon of Barrackpur and sent into Dullanda. This is also a case showing the preparation of this mixture for sale. I should divide the effects of excess of ganja on the brain into these classes:— (a) Intoxication. (b) Mania. (c) Melancholia. (d) Dementia. One cannot always say whether ganja alone produces these conditions or ganja with adulterations. The condition that would be exhibited would depend very greatly on the nature of the person taking the drug. This refers to the stages (b), (c), and (d), not to the stage of intoxication. In my asylum practice I do not often see the intoxication stage. That and the minor stage of mania are, no doubt, the condition of the cases which reach me sane, as well as of cases which, having recovered, are not sent into the asylum. Such cases are found chiefly in jail or the Campbell Hospital. I have, however, cases in the asylum. The intoxication of ganja seems to me different from that of alcohol, in that the former does not make a man "fuddled." It is rather a perversion than a suppression of the faculties. It would not last more than six or eight hours. This opinion, however, is based on very limited experience. (b) The acute mania from ganja is brief, sometimes only two or three days; sometimes a week or longer. The limit is difficult to state; but a man generally recovers under two months. There is nothing diagnostic about the symptoms in these cases. So far as I know, you cannot distinguish it from any other form of mania. It is this stage which I compare with delirium tremens. I have no proof one way or other as to whether this would ever result from one dose of ganja; but I think it extremely unlikely. I think the only analogous symptoms in this mania and delirium tremens are the excitement and loss of control over the intellect. I have not noticed the delusions which are so common in delirium tremens. I do not remember that any instance has come under my notice in the asylum of a patient suffering from this mania having suicidal or homicidal tendency, but the certificates that accompany these men contain facts indicating such tendency. I think it would be extremely difficult, except from objective symptoms, such as smell of alcohol and finding it in urine, etc., to differentiate this mania from delirium tremens, although there are usually special delusions in the latter. I do not think that cases of transient mania attributed to hemp drugs can be differentiated from those due to other causes in any way except by enquiry as to history. There is nothing special about the symptoms of the melancholia or dementia attributed to hemp drugs by which the cause could be determined. After the acute stage is past, the recovery passes through a stage of depression which is melancholic in character. The melancholia may be a stage in recovery, or the stage in which the patient is when he reaches the asylum, and which, in that case, would be shown as the initial stage in our books. I do not think that the acute mania settles into any form of chronic mental disease where there is no factor or predisposing cause other than the ganja. So the mania, melancholia, and dementia to which I refer are all temporary. When I find a chronic case in the asylum attributed to ganja, I believe there is another factor existing in the subject. These chronic cases may be chronic mania, chronic melancholia, or chronic dementia. This opinion as to causation of these is based on my knowledge of the drugs and also on analogy with alcohol. We know that alcohol is far more likely to produce insanity in a subject with a tendency to nervous diseases than in a healthy subject. Each of these three classes of chronic mental disease attributed to ganja exhibit the same features as the same class when due to other causes. I do not think that the presence of ganja as a factor in insanity makes the character of the inmates of asylums in this country differ from those elsewhere, except perhaps in the proportion of rapid recovery. The racial conditions alter the characteristics of insanity in different countries. Taking the general appearance of an asylum here, and contrasting it with asylums at home, you would be struck with the quiet and tractable demeanour of the patients, only a few may be laughing or shouting, but quietness prevails. It is cheerful and despondent quietness in equal degrees perhaps. Chairomania or "Happy Mania" is exceedingly rare in our asylums in India. The principal difference between English and Indian asylums seems to me to be that in the former the character of the insanity is more marked, the melancholia is more melancholic, and the mania more violent. I speak only from knowledge of Bedlam at home and my own European asylum here. In regard to intoxication I have strongly expressed my view in my paper that the law should differentiate between intoxication and insanity from ganja, and that ganja intoxication should be treated as alcoholic intoxication. I do not regard the asylum as a punishment at all; and I do not think that a man who committed a criminal act under the influence of a drug taken voluntarily should be there. It is not my opinion from experience that it is either dreadful in itself or possibly disastrous to a man's mind, to have to herd for years with lunatics though sane. And it is not on that ground that I propose the change. As to procedure in reference to cause I have stated my views very fully in my paper. I have only to add that at present Statement VII showing "Cause" is based entirely on the statements in the descriptive rolls, and on these alone. The entries in regard to type in Statement VI are from the asylum register, and show the type under which I, as the Superintendent, classified the insanity. As to cause I have no opportunity of judging beyond what the descriptive rolls give me. I have no opportunity of inquiry, and there are no diagnostic marks. I diagnose "toxic insanity" solely from the descriptive roll. I put the word "toxic" before mania or melancholia or dementia, as the case may be, from the history of an intoxicant as the cause. There is a strong desire to keep the entries under "Unknown" in Statement VII as few as possible. I may add that revised forms of Statements VI and VII have been drawn up by a committee of which I was a member and are now under the consideration of the Bengal Government. I have stated in my paper that the Statement VII shows the number of ganja smokers in the asylum rather than the number insane from the use of ganja. By this I certainly do not mean that ganja may not cause insanity; but that practically all the information I get from the descriptive roll is that the man used the drug. This statement that a man is addicted to the drug is not itself wholly trustworthy. By that I mean that a man inquiring might make a mistake about any fact about a lunatic. My opinion in regard to this would depend on a consideration of all the circumstances under which the information was collected. My experience leads me to conclude that amongst the classes from whom the patients in our asylums are usually taken there would be no hesitation in admitting the use of the drug. My attention has been directed to hemp drugs ever since I have been in the asylum. My attention was specially given to the matter of types some years ago. But my attention has been specially directed to the subject generally, and I have most carefully studied it, and my views have been formulated, during the last eight months.  - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN J. H. TULL WALSH, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylums, Calcutta


Bhang is said to impair the moral sense, induce laziness, and lead to habits of immorality and debauchery as well as to deaden the intellect and produce insanity. I do not believe that it does anything of the kind if taken in moderation, and am convinced that much confusion has arisen in considering this subject from the fact that the lazy, immoral, debauched, or criminal sections of the community are largely given to the use of bhang. I have not met with any case of insanity in my own experience, which appeared to be due to the use of bhang or ganja. In the cases of insanity with a ganja history that have been considered by me, I have never been able to find out whether ganja or bhang was accused, and have been of opinion that the use of the drug by people whose minds were troubled, or perhaps even diseased, or whose minds were naturally deficient, has not been sufficiently considered - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN D. PRAIN, Curator of the Herbarium, and Librarian, Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta.


[Oral evidence]. I have been in the service as a Civil Surgeon two years, and in India three years. I do not think that I have enough of experience of ganja smokers to be able to give any information of much value regarding the effects of the drug. I have seen a good deal of smokers of late. But that has been only in shops which I have visited, and has therefore been only experience of the habits of those who use the drug as a vice, not those who use it for necessary or expedient stimulant. I speak of them as vicious, because they go to a shop to smoke, and because I was told they were confirmed smokers who took the drug, not morning and evening moderately, but continually. Among these people I have never seen violence or brawling; but I have seen two cases where there was a fantastic excitement which was not very far removed from temporary insanity. I should say the men did not seem compos mentis. I have been told that they belonged to the town and smoked ganja. I have not seen either of them smoke. One of them told me himself he was a smoker; and I believe in the information I have about the other. There is a third man who seems to be a religious mendicant and lies on a tiger skin. I have seen him smoke. He often shouts. I have never seen him violent. But some say he is violent. He has the sympathy of the passers-by. One of the two cases already referred to came under my observation in Jail, but he recovered or cooled down before I had to certify on the case. At first he was excited and his actions were peculiar. His speech was not. He answered rationally. But he cooled down, and I certified that he was sane. His actions were merely throwing up his eyes, contorting his body, and conducting himself like a fool. He could not keep still. But there was no violence. I believe he was a ganja smoker, because he was known to be so and because he said so. He was charged with theft. Apart from this case of temporary excitement, I have never had a case of ganja insanity. I am unable to say anything about the habits of the people generally in regard to the use of the drug, although I have toured about in the district. The ganja question has never obtruded itself on me. It has only come to my notice in connection with a vaccinator giving information about illicit possession of ganja in Khorda. The sub-divisional officer told me he was an informer; and I made inquiry, and had to order him to desist from this owing to the unpopularity which such action would bring. It would damage the work. It was told to me because the sub-divisional officer thought it was very inexpedient, and I concurred. -  Evidence of DR. CHARLES BANKS, Civil Surgeon, Puri.


46. It may also weaken the intellect and produce insanity. The mental disorder is usually of a violent character, and may sometimes develop into confirmed (permanent) mania. In cases of temporary insanity the symptoms may be reinduced by indulgence in the drug after liberation from restraint. - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon RAI TARAPROSANNA RAI BAHADUR, Baidya, Chemical Examiner to the Government of Bengal, Calcutta.


45. Excess causes a peculiar kind of delirium and catalepsy, though it is a well-known fact that habits of intoxication, when persevered in, have a great tendency to affect the nerves. Ganja-smoking has a more powerful tendency in bringing on the attacks of insanity Question 45.[oral evidence]—In the last sentence of this answer, I am comparing ganja-smoking with opium and alcohol; and the statement is based on the returns of lunatic asylums and the cases of gentlemen who have been inveterate ganja-smokers and whose minds more frequently become deranged than those of inveterate consumers of alcohol or opium. The cases, however, are very few. The derangement to which I refer does not amount to insanity, but they have hallucinations. Cessation of the ganja habit and good nourishment remove these hallucinations. I have seen cases in which the habit has been reduced, but not cases in which it has been altogether abandoned, and by cessation of the habit therefore I mean cessation of excess. This peculiarity of ganja I attribute to the peculiar action of the drug on the nerves. Though the excess of ganja is more likely to produce insanity than the excess of alcohol, still I regard alcohol as more disastrous to society, as excess in it induces various diseases which have a tendency to shorten life; whereas ganja, so far as I know, does not shorten life. In my experience the people of this country have undoubtedly a difficulty in sticking to the moderate use of alcohol. The strictly moderate use of alcohol has its benefits. In comparing the general effect of the drugs on the population, it should be remembered that the consumers of alcohol are most numerous, of opium fewer, and of ganja fewest. The ganja consumer requires oleaginous food, the opium consumer milk, and the alcohol drinker meat. I should think that the amount of harm which results from opium is rather less on the whole than that which results from ganja, but there is little to choose between them. - Evidence of RAI BAHADUR KANNY LOLL DEY, C.I.E., late Chemical Examiner to the Government of Bengal, Calcutta


46. I believe habitual moderate or excessive use of ganja, like other forms of self-indulgence, grows into excess, and continued excess impairs the nervous system, throws the mind out of balance, and causes temporary insanity and undermines the constitution. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON UPENDRA NATH SEN, Officiating Civil Medical Officer, Malda.


45 Ganja produces insanity (mania) both temporary and permanent. In temporary variety the symptoms were seen to recur on use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The typical symptoms of insanity are excessive talking, constant motion, insomnia, incoherent trembling and: violent screaming. The insanes generally confess to their taking the drug. [oral evidence] As to ganja producing insanity, both temporary and permanent, I only knew one case apart from my experience in the Dullunda Asylum. That was in my village. This man was a very excessive smoker. He was sent to the Dacca Asylum, and died there after two or three years. This was when I was a school-boy. I have no experience of temporary insanity, except in cases in Dullunda with ganja history. I base my remarks regarding insanity and the symptoms on text-books verified by my three months' experience in the asylum and my recollections of this case. "The typical symptoms of insanity" does not mean in my answer hemp drug insanity, but symptoms of insanity generally. There is no text-book that I know that tells the symptoms of hemp drug insanity. By insanes confessing to taking the drug, I mean insane people who have also a ganja history.   - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON BOSONTO KUMAR SEN, in Civil Medical Charge, Bogra.


45. (f) No - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON NORENDRA NATH GUPTA, Baidya, in Civil Medical charge, Rangpur.


46. Excessive use of ganja may produce noxious effects,...and even insanity.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon CHOONEY LALL DASS, Teacher of Medical Jurisprudence and Therapeutics, Medical School, Dacca


46. Habitual excessive use sometimes produces insanity, and causes most of the evil effects referred to in question 45.  - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON PREONATH BOSE, Teacher of Materia Medica and Practical Pharmacy, Dacca.


45.  I do not know of any instance of moderate use of hemp drugs producing actual insanity. But it should be remembered what I call moderate use, i. e., two or three times a day. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history do confess to the use of the drug. This confession comes when the patients are calm enough either to understand or to listen to what is said to them; otherwise nothing can be got out of them, even whether they are hungry or not. The other portions of this question will be answered in reply to the next question. I know of persons becoming insane after the use of intoxicating drugs, and ganja especially, and they had no hereditary predisposition. I do not know of any case in which insanity predisposed to the use of it. Persons deficient in self-control through weakened intellect will take to any intoxicating drink that they have facility to get, and will contract the habit of using it more easily than any other person. Hemp, like other narcotics, is not used to soothe the brain. Dr. Reynolds speaks highly of Indian hemp as sometimes altogether removing pain in the head from a rare disease, cerebral tumour. 46. Since 1884 I have been in charge of the ward where lunatics are treated. During this period I had a large number of cases of insanity under my observation, and I have given below the statistics of 263 cases in a tabular form, showing how many of them were addicted to any intoxicating drug, and that in excess.
Hindus Muhammadans Christians Other castes Total
No history of Intoxicating drugs could be obtained 96 36 6 25 163 Ganja 40 7 0 2 49 Ganja and Opium 13 4 1 2 20 Alcohol 12 6 1 2 21 Senile dementia 7 0 2 1 10 TOTAL 168 53 10 32 263
In my ward there is no voluntary admission of lunatics. They are brought in by the Police whenever they are found to wander about on the streets of Calcutta. Sometimes the patients are perfect strangers, consequently no previous history can possibly be obtained. I do not draw any conclusion from the large number of patients, having had no history of using intoxicating drugs. Ninety of the total 263 cases did give history of using some sort of intoxicating drugs, and which were stated to be the causes of insanity. Of those 90, 69 used either ganja alone or with another narcotic. This will show that the number is not few. Amongst the ganja-smokers no history of hereditary taint is obtained. An exceedingly small number of patients did give such history, and they are included with patients mentioned in the first heading. Character of insanity caused by ganja varies, but the majority of them become violent. From my hospital records I find that out of 49 purely ganja cases 24 were violent, 7 boisterous, 6 talkative, 1 suicidal, 9 had large delusions, and 2 were religious maniacs. The practice in the Campbell Hospital is to send away lunatics to Dullunda, or to make them over to their relatives when they have lucid intervals, so re-admissions are not very frequent; but in my private practice I have found relapses always follow whenever the old habit of using hemp drugs is resumed. I know of people who when very young, about 17 or 18 years old, contracted the habit of smoking ganja, and within a short time they became inveterate ganja-smokers. After some four years or so they became insane temporarily. There was no family history of nervous disease of any sort. Question 46.—I have before me the bed-head tickets on which I base my figures in this answer. I was assisted in preparing the figures by my students. I made the entries as to cause when the patients were under my treatment. I have charge (under the Superintendent) of the pauper insanes who come to the Campbell Hospital. The Superintendent is also Police Surgeon. These entries were made on each case in reference to that case alone, and not in pursuance of any general enquiry. They were made in connection with the reports which I have to make on such cases to the Superintendent, with a view to his deciding how they are to be disposed of. These entries are based (a) some on the information supplied by the police on the descriptive roll, (b) some on information given by relatives or friends; this is a small proportion of the cases, as most of the insanes are strangers to Calcutta; and (c) some on information given by the insanes themselves. No entry of information based on the last two sources of information would be entered in the descriptive rolls. It would not go out of the Hospital. I have no authority to make entries in the descriptive rolls. It is not part of my duty or of the duty of the Police Surgeon to certify as to cause. I invite attention, as an example, to the bedhead ticket of Dharma. In this case I ascertained that the lunatic used ganja and bhang. Because I ascertained this I put this down as the cause of insanity. It is not put down how much he used, but it was said that he used it often. This is not put down, but this is my impression. If a man used any intoxicating drug often, I would accept that as a cause of the insanity; not necessarily the only cause. I should not consider it necessary to prove actual excess. If he took it habitually, that would be enough. The reason is that I have seen people of weak mind, who, if they take any intoxicating drug, go to excess. Hence, when I get the history of any insane taking these drugs, I do not stop to enquire whether it is in excess or not. If there were any peculiarity in the insanity, I should go on to enquire as to other causes, but not otherwise; for it is not my duty to do more really than ascertain the fact of insanity. By "peculiarity" I mean suicidal tendency or religious mania or monomania or dementia. I would go on to further inquiry as to these cases; because they are the cases which are generally hereditary. Apart from hereditary tendency, ganja cases are simply violent, and have not those characteristics so marked; but they exist. It is a mere matter of degree. The only causes shown in the 263 bed-head tickets are drugs of various kinds and epilepsy. There were six cases of epilepsy. In all of these cases the patient had a fit in the ward. This tends to show that it is impossible for me to find out any cause that I do not see. That is the case. By enquiry I may ascertain the use of a drug; or by seeing a fit of epilepsy I may find out that cause; but, apart from that, it is almost impossible for me to ascertain a cause. I know of no literature dealing with hemp drug insanity. I am teacher of Medical Jurisprudence, Campbell Medical School. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON DEVENDRANATH ROY, Brahmin, Teacher of Medical Jurisprudence, Campbell Medical School, Calcutta.


It does not deaden the intellect or produce any real insanity. I know of some cases in which it produced some insanity which appeared to be merely an exciting cause and of a temporary nature. I had no opportunity of seeing the symptoms re-induced by the use of the drugs after liberation from restraint in the cases that I saw. The symptoms in such temporary insanity are not at all typical. They consist only of some excitement of the brain, with either loss or increase of appetite, from which he recovers shortly after. I have not seen or heard of any case in which there existed any connection between insanity and the use of hemp. What it produces is only some temporary disorder of mind and no insanity in its true sense or literal meaning. I wish to illustrate this fact by an example, which will throw some light upon the subject. A respectable friend of mine was once given some sherbet to drink in which a large quantity of bhang was mixed. A few minutes after be felt as if he were once lifted to heaven and thrown down again on the earth. His whole body, especially the head, became hot, and his eyes reddened and seemed as if they were shooting out. His senses became very acute. He laughed at one moment and cried at another, and passed a whole night and half of the next day in this condition. The symptoms then passed away and he came to himself again. His mind was all the while quite clear. One who had no knowledge of his previous history would not but call him insane if he saw him in the condition described above; but this was no insanity. It was only a temporary excitement of the brain, which passed off after some hours. Hence I am
inclined to believe that there is no connection between permanent insanity and the use of hemp. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON AKBAR KHAN, Teacher, Temple Medical School, Patna.


Habitual moderate use of any of these drugs is not known to have deadened the intellect or produced insanity. 46. The drugs, when excessively used, prove more or less injurious to the consumers; and the nature and magnitude of the evil effects depend much on the mode of living and individual temperament of these persons...The intellect at times is deadened and insanity may be produced. This, however, is not a frequent occurrence, and may happen in those peculiarly susceptible to the toxic action of the drug. During my service of 28 years, I saw a few cases of insanity, or rather mental aberration, in persons who had been addicted to ganja smoking; but I cannot say whether there had not been a predisposition to insanity, or that other narcotics had not been used with ganja. Insanity, as met with in ganja smokers, is of a peculiar type closely resembling delirium tremens. It is a sort of dementia, characterised by a peculiar gait, a cunning look, constant giggling and rubbing of hands. The subject is at times violent, and exhibits signs of excessive hunger or sexual excitement. Insanity of this kind is generally of a temporary nature, readily cured under proper restraint and treatment, and said to be as readily re-induced by resuming the use of the drug. Most of these men confess to the use of the drug; some deny. I know of no case of brain disease or mental anxiety where persons took ganja for relief and became insane; nor do I know, on the contrary, of insanes taking to ganja, because of deficient self-control and weakened intellect. Question 46. [oral evidence]—In my comparison with delirium tremens, I am discussing the acute form of insanity. It is due not to an occasional bout (I have never heard of such a case), but to continual smoking. It resembles delirium tremens in the sleeplessness for nights together, the seeing of phantoms and running at them, the trembling and some such symptoms resembling delirium tremens. The peculiar gait, cunning look, constant giggling, and rubbing of hands mentioned in my written answer are additional symptoms. All the above symptoms are of a temporary nature. Sometimes they last for a time; sometimes they rapidly recover. Sometimes they only last twenty days or a month, or even sometimes for a less period. From one excessive indulgence there would be violent intoxication, but I have no experience of this. All the cases that I have known have been of the habit, though in the case of some young people these symptoms have been developed from only a short period of the habit. They were cases seen in the asylums, of which I was official visitor, and also cases I have seen outside in private practice. Sometimes long lingering cases of insanity are attributed to ganja, but I have no personal knowledge of this matter. There is a great deal of difference between alcoholic delirium tremens and the ganja temporary insanity I have been describing and they are easily distinguished. In the case of alcohol the man speaks sense, but has occasional and particular delusions. He has clear mind otherwise. The ganja man has always hallucinations. The trembling of hand and tongue is not so much in the case of ganja as in alcoholic delirium tremens. Besides the giggling and other additional symptoms mentioned above are not found in alcoholic delirium tremens. The duration of the latter is also shorter than in the case of ganja.   - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon SOORJEE NARAIN SINGH, Kayasth, Bankipur


46. The habitual excessive use of ganja ...produce insanity of delirious type and also roughens the temper and deadens intellect.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon NEMAI CHURN CHATTERJI, Brahmin, Bhagalpur.


45. (f) I think that ganja-smoking deadens the intellect and produces insanity—mania. Several insanes confess to the use of ganja. (g) I have no special knowledge. - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon BEHARI LAL PAL, Sadgop, Krishnagar, Nadia.


45 (f) It does not deaden the intellect altogether. It produces insanity of a violent type, which generally has a religious element in it. It is often permanent. (g) A man takes to ganjasmoking not with a hope to obtain relief from mental anxieties, but for forgetting his physical wants when he is ill-fed and hard-worked, or for driving away the heaviness from an unoccupied mind, or for stimulating the carnal desires when he has got more than enough to enjoy. 46. Excessive ganja-smoking would occasionally cause temporary insanity, a mania of homicidal character. A man would commit murder under its influence. The habitual excessive use completely ruins a man: his intellect is gone, his moral faculties are dead, and his constitution is a wreck. The effects of bhang-drinking on a man, who never had it before, are horrid. He never forgets them after he had experienced them once.  Question 46. [oral evidence]—The latter part of my answer 46 is based on my own experience. The drug was once administered to me when I was 12 years of age. The effect was bad. On another occasion the drug was administered to me without my knowledge in a cake, and the effects were alluded to in the answer. I did not drink it on the latter occasion. It is not my recollection of the bad effects which has made me avoid the drug. I avoid everything that is unpleasant to me, and I have no attraction for bhang.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon HARI MOHAN SEN, Baidya, Chittagong.


Insanity produced by bhang is mania and temporary, and that by ganja is melancholia. The last type is also temporary, but liable to become permanent in a few cases. Symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. Insanes sometimes give history of ganja and bhang where there is no record of them.  - Evidence of Civil Hospital Assistant TRAILAKYANATH BANERJI, 24-Parganas.


45. nor does it deaden the intellect or produce insanity. I have had no opportunity of personally coming across such cases of insanity with which the connection of use of hemp was alleged. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja...deadens the intellect and has a common tendency towards producing insanity, but neither of these evils results from such use of bhang. - Evidence of Civil Hospital Assistant MEER KOOMAR ALLY, Municipal Dispensary, Cuttack.


I am Overseer of the Dacca Asylum. I have been six years Overseer. I was before that clerk of the asylum for eleven years. I now perform both duties. I have no medical training. There is a Hospital Assistant in subordinate medical charge. The case book is the only register of patients received kept in the asylum. There is first a series of entries giving the name of the patient and certain details, including the disease and the cause. Then there are certain entries giving a history of the case before admission into the asylum. All these details and this abstract are entered by me in the register, except the name of the disease, which is entered by the Superintendent. These entries which I make are copied or abstracted by me from the descriptive rolls received with the patients. I never make any entry differing from what is contained in the descriptive roll. So far as I remember, no alteration of any entry made by me has ever been made by any Superintendent. So far as I know, the Superintendent has always desired simply that my entries should accurately represent what is entered in the descriptive rolls. It is since 1880 that these entries have been made by me. Before that they were made by the Superintendent. But they were made by him in precisely the same way. He copied or abstracted the entries of the descriptive roll received with a patient. He did this on the admission of the patient, or as soon after as was convenient. Since 1880 the work has been regularly done by me. Then this same register contains below these entries the history of the patient in the asylum. This history is, as a rule, wholly written by the Superintendent. The cause is entered in the register from the descriptive roll. The cause was not shown separately in the details at the top of the page until 1890, when I inserted a heading for the sake of convenience. Before 1890 it was shown always clearly in the first entry, copied or abstracted from the descriptive roll. When the descriptive roll showed the cause as "not known," but stated under the heading about intoxicants that the patient used ganja, the insanity was always shown in the asylum books as due to ganja. Dr. French in 1880 gave me an order to do so, and this has been the procedure ever since. I have not referred the point to other Superintendents, but simply followed this procedure. The only other kind of difference from the descriptive roll that I can recall to mind is when an entry of cause, which really means nothing (such as derangement of brain), is put down in the descriptive roll, I refer to the Superintendent as to what I should enter. He would in almost all cases tell me to enter "Not known." These are the only cases in which the register differs from the descriptive roll as to cause, so far as I remember. Cause is never entered in the register from enquiry made after the patient's admission. I know of no case of this being done. The entry made at the top of the page would never be altered. But if any enquiry which I might make showed cause not hitherto known, this fact would be entered in the history of the case. I remember such cases, and I might be able to point them out. But that entry in the history of the case would not alter the cause, as shown in Statement VII of the annual report. That statement is filled up only from the entries made in the descriptive roll as copied into our register. I would mention to the Superintendent that in conversation with the lunatic I had ascertained that he took ganja, or that he had asked me for ganja; and the Superintendent would enter that fact in the history of the case. Not even where the cause is left blank would any entry ever be made afterwards on that subject among the entries taken from the descriptive rolls. I know of no use to which the Superintendent would put the information I thus gave him, beyond the advantage of knowing more of the case. It would not be used in compiling Statement VII. I compile that statement, and have done so for seventeen years. I have spoken to the friends of lunatics about the cause of insanity. But I do not think I have ever reported to the Superintendent anything told me by friends. I have never kept friends for the Superintendent to see. - Evidence of BABU RAMES CHANDRA SIB, Overseer, Lunatic Asylum, Dacca


I question much, if taken in moderation, that it speedily leads to insanity. I have only seen one case of insanity said to be brought on through its use, and I was not at all convinced that the insanity was produced by the use of the drug. I think it requires great excess to produce insanity, but on unstable brains probably any intoxicant would produce insanity. There are many brains that cannot bear excess of stimulation without showing symptoms of derangement. I am not prepared to say how far this may account for the high percentage of insanity in asylums in India attributed to ganja. I know that those who have gone wrong or are considered mad from ganja in this town are simply "sots" who are always under its influence, but I have seen no violent deeds done by such. I am informed that a lunatic in the Rajshahi jail is there for murdering a ganja shopkeeper at Nator who refused to supply him with ganja. 46. My deliberate opinion is, after giving the matter considerable attention, that the insanity produced by the drug has been overstated. The irritability of temper produced by the want of it is a fact; and that it gives a fearless courage—a courage that does not see the dangers or results of the course of action followed—is also, I think, fairly established. I can quite understand that a naturally unstable brain under such stimulation might suddenly develop into acute mania of a homicidal nature. I am, however, of opinion that sufficient discriminating attention has not been given to this matter (such as the insanity produced by excessive indulgence of the sexual desires produced by the stimulation of ganja) by Indian physicians who have opportunities of studying the matter in lunatic asylums. I am also informed that if the drug is kept from the subject, the maniacal symptoms pass off and he regains his reason. I do not think people suffering from mental or brain disease take to ganja to allay their sufferings. I rather look upon it as the natural proportion of weak-brained humanity, who have, like others, taken to ganja from the influence of example. As the habit spreads, the proportion of insane will be found, I believe, to bear a close relationship to the proportion of unstable or weak brains in the community from which the ganja khor or smoker comes. It is of course true that deficient self-control in a smoker leads him to go to excess more speedily than the man with vigorous intellect and possessed of self-control. The weaker will yield first in all such cases, and is less liable to recover himself. I am convinced that ganja weakens the will-power, making the man liable to be influenced by others from without; and, if so, more liable to be influenced from within in moments of anger or under provocation or delusion.  - Evidence of REV. D. MORISON, M.B., C.M., M.D., Medical Missionary, Rampur Boalia.


45. It produces insanity, generally mania. Delusions of senses, a sort of dual consciousness, give succession to unsound mind. Healthy boys have been attacked after a debauch, and restored to health on discontinuing it. I have also seen a menial spending his last pie in the ganja shop. 46. Excessive smokers generally ruin their health sooner, hastening their death or soon getting into a state of non compos mentis, and become inmates of lunatic asylums, whose statistics will amply show the truth of the assertion. Question 45. [oral evidence] —The moderate use does not produce insanity. The words "delusions of senses, a sort of dual consciousness, give succession to unsound mind," come from Ringer's or Hughes' Therapeutics. I have never observed these effects myself. I had to treat a boy whose insanity was caused by ganja-smoking. He was under my treatment for three or four months. He was nineteen years old. I know another case of a beggar who got his insanity from ganja-smoking. Whatever he got by begging he spent in the ganja shop, instead of buying food. I did not know the beggar before he became insane. The boy was a student at the Bogra school. I knew him then, and he was in sound mind. He left school and fell into the company of debauchees, who were bad characters of immoral life. They drank occasionally, but smoked ganja principally. I never heard that the boy drank. I knew the boy's family, and there was no hereditary taint. I knew his father and uncle, but not his grandfather. I asked the uncle if any of the family had been insane, and he said none. I did not enquire particularly about the grandfather. The mother is living, and I have not enquired about her family. The boy was insane for one and a half years. He did not go to an asylum. For some months before the case came to me, the boy was under the treatment of kabirajes. He was under my treatment only during the last three months of his insanity. The boy took my medicines, and after some days came without showing any symptoms of insanity. I gave him sedatives. He was not epileptic. I read a Materia Medica by Dr. Durga Das Kar, written in Bengali, in which it is stated that Dr. Simpson had taken a census of the Dacca Lunatic Asylum in 1862, and found that 48 per cent. of the lunatics were addicted to ganja. This was what led me to think that ganja produced insanity, and my opinion was confirmed by the case I have described - Evidence of PYARI SANKAR DASS GUPTA, Baidya, Medical Practitioner, Secretary, Bogra Medical Society, Bogra.


45 No, it does not. In my practice amongst people who use bhang or ganja, I have never met with a single case where ganja or bhang was the cause of insanity. There were a few cases of insanity amongst my patients who were habitual ganjasmokers, but on close investigation it was known that ganja was not the direct cause of their mental derangement, for they had other constitutional vices which might as well derange the functions of the brain. Besides, in two or three cases there was a family history. It was only very recently a case of insanity was brought to me for treatment, and the friends attributed that the derangement was due to ganja-smoking, a habit he contracted from his frequent association with the religious mendicants; but minute history revealed that some twelve years ago he suffered from insanity and when there was no history of ganja-smoking or bhang-drinking. Question 46. [oral evidence] — My answer to this question is embodied in my answer to Question 45. I have no experience of the effects of excess except what is stated in this place. My experience is not to any large extent what I have gathered in my practice, but rather what I have learnt from smokers.- Evidence of KAILAS CHUNDRA BOSE, Kayasth, Medical Practitioner, Calcutta.


45. Insanity often results from excessive and not from moderate use, and where such is the case, hemp drugs appear to me to be the exciting and not the predisposing cause. The insanity is not always of the same type and is often temporary and may be re-induced by the use of the drug. 46. I have known of several cases where persons became insane through excessive use of ganja. In fact, excessive use of either ganja or charas may lead to all the evils enumerated in the previous question.  - Evidence of MOHIM CHUNDER, ROY, BRAHMIN, Medical Practitioner, Nator, Rajshahi.


45. I do not think moderate use of ganja has any tendency to induce insanity; it is, I think, only the habitual excessive use which induces it. I am sorry I have not much information to place before the Commission in the precise way in which the question is put as to insanity. I have not yet had under my immediate care any case of insanity induced by ganja-smoking. I have, of course, heard of many cases of insanity induced by ganja, but I do not think it proper to place unsifted material before the Commission. I have heard the story of a case, which appears to me a typical case of ganja insanity, and I place the story on record simply because I think the case to be a typical one. Bhairaba Nath Sanyal of Puthia, District Rajshahi, now deceased, became insane through the effects of ganja-smoking; when insane he was kept under restraint and he got better; when liberated, he again took to ganja-smoking and his insanity reappeared. This process of cure and relapse happened several times, and every time the fit of insanity was preceded by excessive ganja-smoking. During one of those fits he happened to be at Bilmaria, District Rajshahi, where he killed a boy by a lathi-blow. He was prosecuted but was let off on the ground of insanity. I am sorry my other engagements prevent me from making enquiries and obtaining fuller information about the case. I humbly request our worthy Collector to institute enquiries about this case to test its validity if he should think necessary.  - Evidence of KEDARESWAR ACHARJYA, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Rampur Boalia.


45. The intellect is deranged, sense of right and wrong is impaired, and in confirmed habitual smokers of long standing insanity may be the final result. In my village I know of a case in which immoderate use of ganja has given rise to insanity. In this case the drug acted as an exciting cause, there having been no predisposing cause to account for its occurrence. The insanity produced in this case was at one phase of its existence of a violent nature, with tendency to do injury to those about him. The man was put under restraint, and the use of the drug was interdicted. His health, however, commenced to fail, and he was allowed a moderate use of it. When the violent phase of the disease abated, restraint was withdrawn; and though the man again resorted to the free use of the drug, the violent phase has not returned, and I think this is due to his having refrained from excessive indulgence of the drug. There still remains in him a great eccentricity of habits and manners, and a glance at him is sufficient to show that his intellect has not regained its former equilibrium.  - Evidence of MOHES CHUNDER GHOSE, G.M.C.B., Kayasth, Medical Practitioner, Ramnagar, 24-Parganas.


45(f) Yes. In cases known to me, it is the exciting cause of insanity generally of a violent type. Temporary at first, but might be permanent. Yes, the symptoms may be re-induced. Furious and dangerous if let alone. (g) Not always. So far as is known to me, none. - Evidence of TRAILOKYA NATH MAJUMDAR,* Baidya, Medical Practitioner, Bankipur.


45(f) It deadens the intellect and produces insanity only in those who are predisposed to it, or whose nervous system is weak and excitable. The insanity is, as a rule, of the violent type, and is temporary. The symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. A murderous propensity is a typical symptom of this form of insanity. Yes, insanes confess to the use of the drug, though they have no recorded ganja history. (g) Yes. No. 46. The bad effects are more marked. Most cases of insanity are to be attributed to the habitual excessive use of ganja. - Evidence of PRASAD DAS MALLIK, Subarnabanik, Medical Practitioner, Hughli.


45(f) Yes: they deaden the intellect and produce temporary insanity.   - Evidence of NIMAI CHARAN DAS,* Vaidya, Medical Practitioner, Chittagong


45(f) and (g) Moderate use of the drug, particularly ganja, continuously may not utterly deaden the intellect, but certainly it is impaired considerably. It is an established fact, and supported by many an Indian authority on the subject, that ganja is one of the chief causes of insanity; in my opinion, it appears to be an exciting cause. Generally it produces insanity of a violent type. Majority of habitual consumers become permanently insane, never to be cured. Some become temporarily so, and become sane on breaking off the habit. In cases of temporary insanity symptoms are apt to be re-induced on resuming the habit. I am aware of one person, by name Bhakta Poddar, in this district, who was a confirmed ganja-smoker, to become insane under its continuous use, and he was not fit for any duty in life, but after some years I found him sane. On enquiry I learnt that he gave up the habit of smoking ganja. In his case, on enquiry, I came to learn that some mental anxiety about some family matters tended to give rise to indulgence in the use of ganja. I am not in a position to declare positively whether this question has been sufficiently considered in explaining the connection between insanity and the use of ganja. I cannot say whether insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug. I think there is evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. - Evidence of TARA NATH BAL, Kayasth, Medical Practitioner, Mymensingh.


45 It produces illeffects on the brain, producing insanity. It might prove as an exciting cause of insanity where there is heredity of the disease. - Evidence of NOCOOR CHANDER BANERJI, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Bhagalpur.


45. It also produces insanity, which has been mentioned above. I am told a man in the habit of smoking ganja murdered his mother just after smoking, and afterwards, when the reaction set in, looking at the stream of blood flowing from his wounded mother, went to murder the man by whom he was induced to the habit of smoking ganja. Question 45. [oral evidence]—Moderate use of ganja leads to the excessive use. The habitual moderate consumers, as well as the excessive consumers, suffer in their lungs and become insane. My definition of a moderate consumer is a man who takes as much as his habit has enabled him to stand without becoming insensible. A man who takes 2 pice worth is moderate, and a man who takes 2 annas worth may be moderate for him,—i.e., if he can stand it. No intoxicant can be taken in moderation except when administered medicinally.   - Evidence of LUCKHMY NARAIN NAIK, Mahanyak, Medical Practitioner, Cuttack.


45 (f) No. The moderate use of any of these drugs has not appeared to me to be the exciting cause of the insanity. 46. In many cases known to my experience it has appeared to me that the habitual excessive use of these drugs, especially ganja, has been the exciting cause of insanity. Question 46. [oral evidence]—The insanity caused by the excessive use of ganja is sometimes permanent and sometimes temporary. I have treated two cases of permanent insanity due to ganja as the exciting cause. I cannot say whether there were other causes. I have treated three or four cases in which the insanity was temporary. The insanity lasted one or two months, and when the habit was dropped the insanity was cured. The symptoms in permanent and temporary insanity from the hemp drugs are the same, except that the symptoms in permanent cases are more severe. The symptoms of hemp drug insanity are the same as those of any other sort of insanity.   - Evidence of GURU CHARAN GHOSH, Medical Practitioner, Monghyr.


46. Persons smoking ganja excessively and habitually are known to have been affected with insanity - Evidence of ANNADA PRASANNA GHATAK, M.B., Private Medical Practitioner, Arrah.


I do not share the opinions of those who say that moderate ganja-smoking is always productive of mental derangements. The Indian fakirs or religious mendicants are proverbially ganja-smokers, but they never show symptoms of insanity; on the contrary, they are generally quiet and inoffensive. Moreover, they assert that they can concentrate their attention better after a ganja smoke or bhang drink. Those that are the offsprings of parents who are themselves liable to brain disorders suffer from mental aberrations when they contract the habit of ganja-smoking. I know a man who worked as an assistant to a respectable merchant of this city lose his job for this habit. His hallucination was that he had become a mahant, and that every one would pay respects to him for his dignified position. Gradually his smoking was reduced, and he is now free from that mental aberration. From this and other similar cases, I have come to the conclusion that smoking of ganja is not the sole cause of madness.  - Evidence * of RAKHAL DAS GHOSH, Private Medical Practitioner, Calcutta.


45 (f) Yes. It is only after a long use. I saw only one case. It is of a permanent type. Temporary type is not rare. A man often forgets of his action under ganja when in sane moments. 46. I have seen some 20 persons who became insane under excessive ganja smoking. Some of them are raving mad. The madness is permanent. They get temporary excitements. Somewhere these excitements were due to the temporary abstinence of the drug and somewhere to their excessive use. In the neighbourhood of my residence a woman of middle class died from dysentery and was a hard ganja smoker. Her one son, a hard ganja smoker, became stark mad, and another son, a very good intelligent man, a few years since has become insane. They keep up intelligence and reasoning power except during excitement, but are incapable to conduct business and to manage their own affairs and cannot be in any way trusted. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I have in one case seen that the moderate use produced insanity of a permanent type. The insane I refer to is still living. His father and mother were both ganja smokers and sane, though they were irritable, excitable, and hottempered. As far as I could tell, they were quite sane and their excitability was not like insanity. They are a family of zamindar's amlas. It was six years ago that the man was found to be insane, but for three years before that, he had been eccentric. He is now 58 or 59 years old. I cannot say when he began to smoke ganja, but I know he is a ganja smoker for I know the whole household and the persons who used to bring him his ganja. He was a very reliable man of business up to the time he left the zamindar's service about ten years ago. He now smokes in excess. When he began to be insane we discovered that he was smoking to excess. From enquiry, I learned that he smoked moderately before that. I enquired when he became insane what amount he was in the habit of smoking, and his servants and other amlas of the zamindar told me that he was smoking moderately. I did not enquire what actual quantity he used to smoke. He smoked two or three times a day. I never saw him smoke. Ganja is taken privately. I never attended him professionally, nor do I know that he was ever attended by any medical man. His father died sixteen to eighteen years ago when I was a student in Calcutta. His mother died two or three years after his father before I left college. I remember that she was of an excitable and irritable temper and that all the people of the village used to fear both father and mother. If there had been any other cause for insanity, I should have learnt it for he was my neighbour. I made enquiry in his house about cause to ascertain whether the insanity was from ganja or anything else. The people in the house said it was ganja. I enquired for family troubles, but discovered none. I recollect now that he used to take liquor. I made no further enquiries because his house adjoined mine, and I knew all about him. His caste is Baidya. His brother who is dead was stark mad. My belief is that he went mad from ganja also. Question 46.[oral evidence]—The persons mentioned in this answer were not all of them under my treatment. Two of them only were so. None of these 20 persons went into a lunatic asylum. They belong to different villages, only three, i.e., one besides the two mentioned above, to mine. Of some I only heard that they were insane from ganja smoking. I know the facts personally about five of them, i.e., two besides those in my own village. I have seen more than 60 or 70 insane persons in my profession and ordinary life. Of the three in my village, two are the brothers of whom I have already spoken. The other two insanes lived in villages at a little distance. One of the latter, a boy living in a village two miles off began smoking ganja at 8 years old. He has been mad nearly four years and he is now 16 years old. He was a bad boy, no doubt. He is still mad and still smokes. I know his family intimately. I cannot say whether there was any hereditary taint or not. The other man of my village is now 50 years old. He has been mad ever since I can remember. In the village it was stated by all that he had gone mad from ganja, and he still smokes. I cannot say if there was any insanity in his family. I am not very intimately acquainted with the family. I do not know what his habits were before he became insane. The fifth case is now sane. He lives in a different village. He was mad for six months. I know his family well, and there was no hereditary taint. He did not take liquor. His father and brothers had occupation in my village, so I know all about him. It was fourteen years or so ago that he became mad for six months. I am in charge of a private dispensary at Tangail. One of the two cases which were under my treatment was that of the lad of 16. He was an outdoor patient. He had syphilitic ulcers in the arms. That indicates unnatural offences. The other man who was under my treatment was the man of 50, who has been mad ever since I can remember. I treated him for asthma. In neither of these cases did I treat the patients for insanity. In fact, I have never treated any case of insanity due to ganja.  - Evidence of DURGA NATH CHAKRAVARTI, Brahmin, in charge of Tangail Dispensary, Mymensingh


45. It may also produce insanity both temporarily and permanently, but such insanity in
most cases may be cured by giving up their use and by proper medical treatment. The use of these drugs by persons suffering from mental anxiety does not produce good effect, and the use of these drugs by those suffering from brain disease is injurious. The persons deficient in self-control through weakened intellect should not use any intoxicant ingredients as these, as indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by such persons may create many diseases. - Evidence of BIJOYA RATNA SEN*, Kaviranjan, Kabiraj, Calcutta.


45. It does not. 46. [The excessive use of ganja and charas] affects the intellect, and produces temporary insanity of mild type, but not necessarily in all case. In cases that came under my notice, where it has produced temporary insanity, it appeared to me that the excessive use was the exciting cause. The symptoms of insanity may be reinduced by the fresh use of the drugs. In such insanity there are no typical symptoms. Insanes having no recorded history very rarely confess to the use of the drugs. But the excessive use of bhang does not produce any of those bad effects enumerated above, except that it brings in a temporary stupor. - Evidence of GOPEZE MOHUN ROY, Baidya, Kabiraj, Calcutta.


45. I have come across several cases in which the excessive use of ganja and siddhi has produced insanity. In those cases it has appeared to me to be both the exciting and the predisposing cause. Insanity produced by it is of the same type as ordinary insanity. In some cases it was temporary, and in others permanent. The symptoms may be re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation or restraint. Yes; persons deficient in self-control, through weak intellect, are most apt to get insanity by the use of hemp drugs.  - Evidence of PIYARI MOHAN KAVIRAJ, Vaidya, Native Physician, Calcutta.


45. Habitual moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46. The excessive use of these drugs brings on insanity and kindred diseases, and deadens the intellect. In my experience, a Brahmin of the name of Harihar, a resident of Orissa, had taken an excessive dose of siddhi on the fourth day of the Durga Puja and ran mad within an hour, and the next day lost the power of speech, and subsequently died of the same disease.  - Evidence of BINOD LAL SEN,† Baidya, Kaviraj, Calcutta.


45. Its use according to Sastra does not deaden intellect. 46. I have seen that the excessive use of any of these drugs against the rules of Sastra impairs intellect and produces permanent insanity. Consequently there is no doubt that it causes temporary madness. Temporary insanity may be recurrent by the repeated use of this drug. The forms of insanity being numerous I refrain from dwelling on them. I do not know whether those who do not know the use of ganja will agree to the use of it or not - Evidence* of RAM CHANDER GOOPTA, Kabiraj, Barisal, Backergunge District


45. The use of these drugs is common among the lower classes of people of this part of the country. Certainly this noxious habit, to a very limited extent, is observed among the higher classes of people as well. Upon such people they have very very little demoralizing effect, as mostly they are well brought up and have social connection and regards, which prove as protective against any demoralizing effect The case is quite different with the lower classes of people. Moral is affected by the contagion of bad societies. It is natural with the consumers of these drugs to associate with one another and thus form a society, ignorance being the moving spirit and poverty constant attendant, when the brain becomes weakened by the constant use of them and poverty cannot withstand the tempting call of these devils (drugs). It is very natural that the members must have tendency towards immoral actions. The consumer of any of these drugs becomes emaciated and languid if not properly fed. Even the moderate consumer loses his appetite, and power of digestion is gone to a considerable extent. The answer of paragraph 5 of the question has been sufficiently given in the first paragraph. It muddles the brain and makes the intellect blunt, and in certain cases produces insanity. I have treated cases of insanity produced by these drugs, and I have ascertained to my best abilities that there has been no other predisposing cause of insanity. The insanity produced by these drugs is mostly of a permanent nature. In cases of temporary insanity the use of the drug after liberation from restraint calls up the symptoms again. The typical symptoms of the insanity produced by ganja are the following:— (a) The patient makes much noise and asks for ganja every now and then. (b) Secretion of tears passes out of the eyes. (c) Becomes a man hater and peevish. (d) Feels less sleep than one whose cause of insanity is something else. (e) The lips get dry. Question 45. [oral evidence]—There have been four or five cases of insanity treated by me. One or two would occur in a year. The last was eight or ten months ago. The duration would be one month or two or three months. Besides these one or two remained for a day or two and went off uncured. But the four or five men whom I treated were treated for periods varying from one to three months and were all cured. They were in their own houses, but were under restraint. I visited them. I treated them with cooling applications to the head and the exhibition of cooling draughts. The ganja was stopped. Without that cure would have been impossible. I have had no experience of any case of a permanent nature. All were cured; and my belief therefore is that the insanity due to ganja is of quite a temporary character. I do not give hemp for cases in which the brain appears affected; but I do give it for colds in the head. I do not know whether people troubled in brain take it for relief. In my books there is no special mention of treatment of diseases due to ganja and bhang; but there is mention of diseases due to intoxicants. Dr. Flood Murray asked me to show him cases of insanity due to hemp drugs. I could not. But I said I had two cases of asthma, and I showed them to him  - Evidence of BRAHAM DEO NARAIN MISRA, Vaid, Arrah.


45. It may deaden the intellect and produce insanity. I think it is the exciting cause in some cases. In one case at least I can very strongly say that ganja smoking was the sole exciting cause of insanity. This insanity is generally of a violent character and of a permanent character. When temporary, which is very rare, it is re-induced by smoking again. Insanes that have become so by ganja smoking are violent, raving, etc. Such insanes confess that their insanity was the effects of ganja smoking. I am not of opinion that persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease may get relief by ganja smoking. I think that persons deficient in self-control through weakened brain, having indulged in hemp smoking, turn insanes. I know of a man who, not having sufficient self-controlling power, was occasionally in the habit of smoking ganja. At last he became a regular smoker and turned insane. Question 45.[oral evidence] —It is the excessive use that deadens the intellect and produces insanity. The habitual moderate use has not these effects. The one case I give is a case of excessive use. By saying that ganja was the "sole exciting cause," I mean that there was no other cause whatsoever. I treated the case for four or five months. The man was not cured. He was then removed from Calcutta. It was four or five years ago. He was a Birbhum man, and was about 24 or 25 years old. I did not know him until he was brought to me. But I had seen him before several times when he came as a visitor to his uncle in Calcutta, whose family I attended. I did not know the youth's own family before he came down here. He told me he had indulged in ganja for three or four months only. He was a lunatic when he told me. I ascertained nothing about his habits of life, because I had no idea then that I should be called here as a witness. I cannot say whether he had indulged in drink or in excessive sexual intercourse. I cannot say whether any of his relations were insane. I say that ganja was the sole cause becauase he was quite sane when I previously saw him visiting at his uncle's, and because he smoked to excess. He told me that he smoked "often," and therefore I concluded that it was to excess. This is the only case of insanity of any kind that I have ever had under treatment. So all my remarks about ganja insanity are based on my experience of this case. I know that there may be a hereditary predisposition to insanity; that is, that a man may be sane up till a certain period of his life and then become insane simply because his father was insane. In this case I made no inquiries as to cause, because it would not have affected my treatment of the case; I did not expect at that time that I should ever be asked about the cause. In this case I know that the father and mother were sane when they came down to take away their son.  - Evidence of MADHAB K. DAS, Kayasth, Private Practitioner, Calcutta.


45. Ganja has been known to produce insanity, but it is only when taken for some time in excess, or by boys or young men not sufficiently strong to withstand its effects.  - Evidence of RAJA PEARY MOHUN MUKERJI, C.S.I., Zamindar, Uttarpara, Hughli.


45. Moderate use of the drugs does not produce insanity. It sharpens, then deadens, the intellect. 46. All the harmful effects may be produced by excessive use of these drugs.  - Evidence of MAHARAJA GIRIJANATH ROY BAHADUR, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur.


45. The excess in practice of it produces insanity. - Evidence of RAJA MAHIMA RANJAN ROY CHOWDHRY, Zamindar, Kakina, Rangpur.


45. It produces insanity. - Evidence of RAI RADHA GOVINDA RAI, SAHIB BAHADUR, Kayasth, Zamindar, Dinajpur.


45. Sometimes ganja does deaden the intellect and produces insanity of milder type, and such insanity sometimes becomes temporary and sometimes permanent. Such temporary insanity may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. I do not know about any typical symptoms. Sometimes insanes confess that the use of the drugs has made them so. Question 45.—My statements regarding insanity are based partly on what I have heard and partly on what I have myself seen. I have not studied medicine and am not aware of all the causes which may produce insanity. Some of the insane persons whom I have known were ganjasmokers, I have seen men who were sane smoke ganja, and found them afterwards to be insane, and therefore I put down the ganja-smoking as one of the causes. I have known ganja-smokers who did not become insane, and these were the majority. I could not profess to be competent to decide the question whether ganja produces insanity or not. My reason for connecting ganja with insanity, and not, for instance, an innocent thing like rice with insanity, is the general belief that it may cause insanity.  - Evidence of RAI BAHADUR RADHA BALLAV CHOWDHURI, BAIDYA, Honorary Magistrate and Zamindar, Sherpur Town, Mymensingh District.


45. In Rajnirghanta it has been said that it gives good memory, increases the power of speech and makes a man strong and stout. 46. When the drug is used in excess the effects are quite opposite; it then produces noxious effects. By the immoderate use of this drug the temper generally becomes irritable. According to Hindu medical writers the excessive use brings on stupor and useless talk.  - Evidence of BABU HARI KRISHNA MAZUMDAR, Baidya, Zamindar, Islampur, District Murshidabad.


45(f) Bhang use does nothing of the kind, but ganja use may sometimes deaden the intellect, but cannot produce insanity. A chela (disciple) of Mahant Ganesh Dass, the Mahant of Maniari, District Muzaffarpur, grew insane, who was a habitual excessive consumer of ganja, which he even consumes while being insane, but there is no certainty of the fact that this insanity is due to the consumption. The other insane persons I have met were not ganja-smokers. 46. There are many eminent sadhus who are habitual excessive consumers of ganja, but no kind of injury has thereby been done to them. But others (besides great sadhus) who are excessive consumers of ganja are more or less injured, but excessive habitual consumers of ganja are mostly found among sadhus.  - Evidence of BABU RAGHUNANDAN PRASAD SINHA, Brahman, Zamindar, District Muzaffarpur.


45 (f) Yes. - Evidence of BABU SURENDRA NATH PAL CHOWDHURY, Zamindar, Ranaghat, District Nadia


45. Ganja in some cases produces insanity, and the symptoms are likely to be reinduced by the use of the drug after abstinence. The consumers perhaps do not admit it. This is a difficult question to answer, for I have known persons who are excessive consumers of ganja to be of jovial temper. I have knowledge of a Sub-Judge, who had a good reputation of his judicial capacities, a more than a moderate consumer of ganja, and who retired from service on full pension, and lived to a good old age. I have also known persons who have turned insane by ganja smoking, and it is quite possible that persons predisposed to insanity on account of weak intellect and weak health, incapable of keeping the use of the drug within moderate bounds, have developed into insanity. - Evidence of BABU RADHIKA CHURN SEN, Kayasth, Zamindar, Berhampur.  


I believe the effects of a moderate use: of bhang on the mental faculties are to produce partial stupor or sluggishness in their action. Of excessive habitual use the mental effects may be partial idiotcy and melancholia. Ganja is physically harmful even in moderate quantities if taken habitually. Sooner or later it produces chest or brain complaints. If used in excessive quantities, these complaints are produced more rapidly. But cases may be found of moderate consumers who escape any harmful physical consequences with impunity. These consequences are undoubtedly hastened and aggravated by want of rich farinaceous and oily foods, and, on the other hand, if not wholly prevented, considerably delayed by the use of such foods. On the mental faculties the effects of ganja, unlike those of bhang, are rather exciting than soporific. Cases of insanity are known to have arisen from even the moderate use of the drug. Question 45.[oral evidence]—In saying that there are no bad moral effects from excessive use of hemp, I mean that it does not lead to noisy behaviour, abuse, and fighting as the use of alcohol does. I have only seen a very few excessive consumers. Insanity arises from the excessive and not from the moderate use of the drug.  - Evidence of BABU RUGHU NANDAN PRASADHA, Zamindar, Patna.


45. Excessive use of these drugs deadens the intellect, and sometimes produces insanity.  - Evidence of BABU NUNDO LAL GOSSAIN, Brahmin, Zamindar, Serampore.


45. The matters referred in this question are more in the sphere of medical men than that of mine to answer. - Evidence of BABU JAGAT KISHOR ACHARJEA CHAUDHURI, Brahmin, Zamindar, Muktagacha, District Mymensingh.


45. I think this is intended for medical men. 46. The general opinion amongst the sober and educated men is that excessive smoking of ganja has a tendency to insanity. - Evidence of BABU KRISHNA CHANDRA RAI, Baidya, Government Pensioner and Zamindar, District Dacca.


45(f) Ganja does so. The insanity it produces is of a permanent character, and in some cases temporary; in the latter case people become free from it when they are restrained to use it. Many discontinue at once the use of ganja after liberation from restraint, such as prisoners when liberated from jails. People do not get relief from mental anxiety or brain disease by the use of hemp, rather the diseases are aggravated by it. - Evidence of BABU BEPIN BEHARI BOSE, Kayasth, Zamindar, Sridhanpur in Jessore.


45. it deadens the intellect and makes men excitable, and sometimes produces insanity, temporary and permanent. The patients are easily irritable and the insane confesses the use of ganja. - Evidence of M. KAZI RAYAZ-UD-DIN MAHAMED, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera.


45. (f) Yes, it deadens the intellect. 46. The habitual excessive consumers of these drugs, especially of ganja, lose all heart, morality and intellect. There is nothing bad in this world which such a man can't venture to do - Evidence of SYAD ABDUL JABBAR, Zamindar, Commilla, Tippera.


45. I cannot connect insanity with moderate consumption of hemp. There are constitutions, however, which cannot stand the moderate use even. In such cases persistent and habitual use of hemp or any other such drug may cause serious injuries of different types, according to constitution and predisposing causes. It is not possible for medical men even to say with what effect a particular drug will act upon a particular constitution. I cannot believe that permanent insanity can result, as a rule, from the use of hemp, however, excessive it may be. So far as I understand, its habitual excessive use leads to dysentery, bronchitis, asthma, or consumption even, rather than to insanity. - Evidence of BABU JOGENDRA KISHORE RAI CHAUDHURI, Zamindar, Ramgopalpur, District Mymensingh.


45. Use of ganja produces insanity both temporary and permanent. We cannot answer the rest.  - Evidence of BABU KALI PRASAD SINGH, Rajput, Zamindar, District Bhagalpur.


46. The intellect is not deadened, nor insanity produced [from habitual excessive use]- Evidence of MR. L. H. MYLNE, Zamindar and Indigo-planter, Justice of the Peace, President of Independent Bench of Honorary Magistrates, Chairman of Jugdispur Municipality, District Shahabad.


45. I never met any one insane from the use of these drugs.  - Evidence of MR. JOHN D. GWILT, Tea Planter, Longview Company, Limited, Darjeeling.


46. Smoking ganja strong does produce temporary insanity, as also does strong bhang mixture.  - Evidence of Mr. A. G. M. WODSCHOW, Assistant Manager, Indigo and Zamindari, Dumur Factory, Purnea.


There is a popular idea that the drug produces insanity. I have not seen the asylum returns, but I heard something of the subject from Dr. Wise, who thought he had traced some connection between the drug and insanity. The popular belief would cause the parents in a respectable family to view with alarm the adoption of the habit by any member of the family. The regular consuming classes would have no such fear. I have not myself formed any opinion on the subject. I have seen lunatics about whom it was said that ganja was the cause, but I am unable to say what ground there was for the statement. - Evidence of Mr. H. L. WEATHERALL, Zamindari Manager, Dacca


46. An excessive smoker of ganja is generally found to possess a very furious temper and get morally debased. He indulges in these drugs only with a view to satisfy his evil propensities, and thus makes himself an object of hatred by the general public. Here it might be said that in the cases of sanyasis and jogis, no such evil effects, as described above, are manifest. This difference might be explained thus:— Sanyasis and jogis, who cut all connection with society and devote their lives entirely to the contemplation of the Divine Being, do not trouble themselves with evil thoughts regarding worldly affairs. They take to this drug solely with the object of bringing their thoughts to a focus. Such concentration of mind about an edifying and ennobling theme tends to keep the religious smokers, so to say, above the vicious atmosphere which envelops the amateur excessive smokers. The informations I have gathered with regard to this point lead me to hold that insanity is one of the direct and natural consequences of excessive hemp smoking. Being no expert, and having never been to any lunatic asylum, I cannot say to which type or class of insanity, that, brought on by hemp smoking, falls. Without sufficient knowledge of medical science, and vast and varied experience of such cases of insanity, it would be too risky to make an attempt to answer the remaining part of this question. - Evidence of BABU SASI BHUSAN ROY, Manager, Dubalhati Raj Estate, Rajshahi District.


45. (f) Yes. Yes, may be temporary if taken care of and treated properly, and the use stopped as soon as signs of insanity are manifested; if continued still insanity becomes permanent. Insanes do not confess. 46 - Evidence of BABU AGHORE NATH BANERJI,* Vice-Chairman, Serampore Municipality, District Hughli.


45 (f) If taken for a sufficiently long time in excess, it is sure to produce insanity with ordinary diet; but if large quantities of sugar and milk are taken by the smoker, he may hold out little longer. The insanity at first temporary soon fixes itself permanently. The person runs about shouting, grins, laughs and cries in a most unnatural and diabolical way. I do not think the hemp drugs have any medicinal properties to relieve mental anxiety or cure brain disease. I do not think that an insane person who is not in his senses and not master of his own deeds would often take to ganja-smoking. It might be accidental in some extremely rare cases. 45 [oral evidence] Every time I have visited the Sonpur mêla I have seen four or five persons gone mad from ganja. I have had them under my notice for 10 or 12 days together. Some were sent to asylums. They were not personal friends of mine. I was told that their insanity was due to ganja. - Evidence of the REV. PREM CHAND, Missionary, B. M. S., Gaya.


45 (f) Yes. The insanity in some cases is not permanent; but I believe the system suffers a permanent injury. One young man I knew was twice insane and twice recovered. But he will never be the bright fellow he was before. Moreover, a serious uncertainty is introduced into his whole life. The suggestion quoted by the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal (Excise Report, 1891-92) "that it is as reasonable to suppose that excessive ganja smoking may be due to insanity, as that insanity may be due to excessive ganja smoking," strikes me as very unworthy of the gravity of the subject. In my own intercourse with superintendents of asylums they seemed very confident as to the cause of insanity. A fanciful witticism is scarcely the kind of thing to use at this crisis for minimising the evils done by a dangerous drug. The question suggested is about as difficult as could be proposed; meanwhile the possible welfare of thousands is jeopardized by the suggestion. Even granting any soundness to it, why should the predisposed to insanity be helped to it by Government cultivation and sale of ganja? I believe that this question of insanity from the use of ganja is a very serious one. The effect of the drug is so powerful that in some cases just once using it has produced insanity. Judging from the ordinary effects of this drug, as described by one long its victim, insanity would appear as the natural and almost inevitable result of excessive indulgence. It creates such horrible visions, intensifies so unnaturally all the powers of mind and body, exhausts physical and mental energy, and places its victim in the direct line for the mad house. In the special case of insanity that came under my own notice, the youth was formerly very bright, and seemed among the last about whom such a future could be expected. Question 45.[oral evidence]—With reference to insanity, I was thinking of the immoderate use. I am not prepared to say anything about the moderate use, but it is the excessive use which I believe to produce insanity. I believe the moderate use does frequently develop into the excessive. My impressions regarding insanity caused by the drugs are based on what I have heard from Superintendents of Asylums. I give the case of one young man which has come under my personal observation outside the asylums, and it is the only case I have experience of. I heard from native members of my Mission of a case in which a single use of the drug had produced insanity. I cannot say whether it had come under their actual observation. It was upon their statement that I framed my answer about the effect of a single dose of the drug. The young man described in the previous paragraph of my answer used to supply me with milk at Azimganj when I was itinerating. I knew him before he became insane, and when I heard he had become insane and enquired the cause, I was told that it was ganja.  - Evidence of the REVD. W. B. PHILLIPS, Missionary, London Missionary Society, Calcutta.


(f) Sometimes. Boisterous type of a temporary nature. Yes, there are typical symptoms. The man becomes boisterous and sometimes turbulent. (g) This question is not quite intelligible to me. An account of the cases with which I am acquainted. 1. Sriram Singh, an up-county man, residing at Khulna as a ferry lease-holder, contracted the habit of smoking ganja at an early age and died before he attained his fortieth year, of dysentery and asthma. I believe his premature death was due to his excessive use of ganja. 2. One Jhani, chaukidar of Khulna, died of dysentery, which I believe was owing to his habit of smoking ganja. 3. In one of my preaching tours last year at Daulatpur I met with a lunatic whose insanity I learned was caused by the excessive use of ganja. I also learned from the people that there were twelve other men of the same kind in and about the place, all suffering from the same form of insanity in consequence of their smoking ganja. 4. Jay Sing, a boatman of mine, was addicted to smoking ganja; he died of dysentery. 5. Two of my preachers in their younger days used to smoke ganja moderately. Few months after they got colic pain. The cause was ganja. They gave up the habit and got well. 6. A Malda man, Prem Chand, nick-named Amira, employed in a pleader's lodging here, used to smoke ganja. Of late his brain became disordered, and he wandered about like a madman for some time. Having given up the habit, he became better and attended to his usual avocations. He has, however, reverted to his old habit and is. again becoming worse. 7. I am told that a rich landholder of a neighbouring village, Rakhalgachi, who was an excessive consumer of ganja, died suddenly while actually engaged in smoking the drug. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I believe Sriram Singh's premature death was due to ganja, because I see that people who take ganja get dysentery and asthma and die. It was not my belief alone, but that of all Khulna, where the man was well known. One of his relatives told me this was his belief, just before I started for Calcutta to give evidence. No professional man saw the case. Jhani chaukidar came to me for medicine, but I could do him no good, and he went elsewhere for advice. I think his death was due to ganja, because he is an habitual smoker. I did not know the lunatic (case No. 3) at Daulatpur. I saw him, and people told me that his insanity was caused by ganja. Jay Singh's death was, I believe, due to ganja. His wife and relatives thought so, and I accept their view. I have seen him smoking. The two preachers mentioned under Case No. 5 are those to whom I referred in my answer No. 26. I do not remember Prem Chand, nick-named Amira. I know nothing about the case myself, and got the information from one of my friends. I do not think the cases of dysentery I have given were due to hard life. Boatmen in our district are not hard-worked. Dysentery is very common in my district. I do not remember to have known any other cases than those named. These men got dysentery without any previous illness. I have known cases of dysentery following on fever and spleen, many of them. My conclusion that the cases of dysentery I have named were caused by ganja is based on the fact that there was no spleen or fever.  - Evidence of the REVD. G. C. DUTT, Missionary, Khulna.


45. The aforesaid effects follow both moderate and excessive use of ganja. Even habitual moderate use produces some sort of temporary insanity. But excessive use generally produces temporary insanity, and, in many cases, lasting and permanent insanity. The symptoms of insanity are of a violent character. The person affected is subject to fits of anger, when he forgets himself entirely. The power of reasoning is gradually lost. When the fits pass away, I have found some affected persons repentant and amenable to reasoning. 46. In the case of insanity which I have noticed, weakness of brain had been previously induced by debauchery, and smoking of ganja affected the weak brain. My impression from about a dozen cases known to me is that a person not given to sexual excesses may become violent in temper by excessive or moderate use of ganja, but they do not become insane. But when debauchery is accompanied with excessive smoking of ganja, some sort of insanity, temporary or lasting, follows.  - Evidence of BABU PURNENDU NARAYAN SINHA, Kayasth, Pleader and Zamindar, Bankipur, District Patna.


45. I am not aware that the use of bhang has produced insanity, nor that of ganja, although it is a widespread belief that the use of ganja produces insanity. I have not come across with such a case.  - Evidence of BABU MAHENDRA CHANDRA MITRA, Kayasth, Pleader, Honorary Magistrate, and Municipal Chairman, Naihati, 24-Parganas.


45.  especially ganja, when used in excess, tends to produce insanity.  - Evidence of BABU RAM DHARI LALL, Assistant Government Pleader, Darbhanga.


45 and 46. Yes; but, as I am not a medical man, I am not in a position to discuss the question in detail. -  Evidence of SYED RIYAZ UDDIN QUAZI, Pleader, Bogra.


45 (f) It deadens the intellect and produces insanity. I do not know what type of insanity is produced, and whether it is temporary or permanent. (g) Not known.  - Evidence of BABU PARAMESHWAR DAN, Kshetrya, Pleader, Judge's Court, Vice- Chairman, District Board, Dinajpur.


45 (f) No. when used in moderate quantity. I have not come across with such an instance, but some insane persons are found to have recourse to ganja-smoking, but no cause is traceable of their being attacked with the disease. - Evidence of PUNDIT RAKHAL CHUNDER TEWARY, Brahmin, Pleader and Honorary Magistrate, Diamond Harbour, 24-Parganas.


45. It is believed (in the case of ganja) to produce insanity in the long run, even if the use is not excessive. It produces temporary insanity; at any rate, the common belief, so far as I am aware, is so; but cases of permanent insanity have been reported to me. They are very few. - Evidence of BABU SASADHAR ROY, Brahmin, Pleader and Honorary Magistrate, Rajshahi,


45. The insanity so produced is generally of a temporary character, curable by abstinence, and is likely to be re-induced by the use of the drugs. It is only habitual excessive consumers and sometimes also habitual moderate consumers who are attacked with insanity. All bad results overtake them. Unless thoroughly reformed, the ganja smoker seldom finds fault with his habit and does not make any sort of confession. It is doubtful whether moderate use of the drugs in the case of persons not suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease can bring on insanity. Such a constitution may stand the effects of the habit. But in a person who is suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease the habit is highly injurious and ends in bringing on insanity. Such men are usually prone to indulge in excess. There are instances of men deficient in intellect, who are induced by somebody else to the habit. In course of time the habit is formed. It is no longer kept in due bounds, and the ultimate result is insanity or half-insanity. Precisely is the case with those suffering from any mental anxiety. - Evidence of BABU JADUNATH KANJILAL, Brahmin, Pleader, Judge's Court, Hughli.


45. (f) Ganja produces insanity when taken to excess or by a man of weak constitution. But ganja pagals are seldom violent. In many cases stoppage cures insanity. It is curious that ganja smokers are unwilling to confess that they are such. I have seen insane men discharged as cured become again mad by reverting to its use. Men suffering from anxiety or brain disease often give up ganja under medical advice. Moderate use even in such cases leads to evil. I have seen some instances in which the smoker gave up the habit after some family bereavement, loss in trade, and a criminal prosecution. - Evidence of BABU BEPRODAS BANERJEE,* Brahman, Pleader, Newspaper Editor, and Chairman, Baraset Municipality.


46. That the abuse of ganja produces insanity in special cases is a fact; constant use of ganja without good food leads to fatal consequences. It has been seen with men who indulge in ganja to render themselves subject to the fatal diseases of consumption, dysentery and insanity, etc., as an eventual consequence. - Evidence of BABU NOBO GOPAL BOSE RAI CHOWDHOORY, Kayasth, Talukdar and Judge's Court Pleader (late Munsiff of Nator), Memari, Burdwan District.


45. It also deadens the intellect and makes the man devoid of common sense and reason, if not insane. I am not aware of any instance in which the habitual moderate use of ganja, charas or siddhi has made the man insane. If want of common sense and sometimes of reason is insanity, then certainly does the habitual moderate use of ganja produce insanity. But this is an insanity of a very mild type which can be cured by giving up the habit and again induced by taking to it. Habitual moderate consumers have lucid intervals, that is to say, when they are not under the influence of ganja, then they behave like ordinary men. 46. The habitual excessive use of all of these drugs ruins the man for ever. Physically, mentally and morally, he is lost for good. I have seen insane persons who are habitual excessive smokers of ganja, but had no means to judge whether keen mental anxiety or brain disease had anything to do with it. These men are always violent and do not know or cannot comprehend what they do. Hence, they behave like mad men. I should like to do away with both habitual moderate and habitual excessive use of these drugs. I have no objection to people's occasional moderate use of them. Question 45.[oral evidence]—It is not the habitual moderate, but the habitual immoderate use that produces the effects mentioned in the first five sentences of this answer. The next sentence is right. The seventh and two following sentences refer to the excessive or immoderate use. The kind of excessive use to which I refer in answer 46 is the same as the excessive use I now speak of. There is great difficulty in distinguishing between moderate and excessive use. What is moderate to one person is excessive to another. I have seen a man to whom a very small dose, which would have been very moderate to another, was very excessive. This was the origin of this confusion. In other words, I was thinking of a certain amount, and I remembered that that might be excessive to some people, though moderate to others. It was not that the only effects I had seen were cases of excess; and that it was these cases I had in my mind. Neither was it that I was only thinking of ganja generally and merely copied in the words "habitual moderate use" from the question. I was thinking of a special amount, viz., four chillums every day; and I gave it this name "habitual moderate use." But I now mean to say that, though that might be "habitual moderate use" to some, it would be too much for others; and it is only these others, to whom it would thus be too much, who would suffer the ill effects described in this answer. I was thinking of ganja-smoking as meaning four chillums a day. Question 46.[oral evidence]—When I said I should like to do away with both habitual moderate and habitual excessive use, I was animated by the impossibility of distinguishing definitely what is excessive from what is moderate. And I was not thinking of the habitual moderate use of the drug by agriculturists and other labouring classes outside the town of Bankura. It is not my opinion that ganja should be prohibited.  - Evidence of BABU ABINAS CHANDRA DASS, M. A., B. L., Pleader, Judge's Court, Bankura.


45. I have known of very strong men as well as men of weak intellect getting insane on account of the excessive use of ganja. Sometimes temporary insanity is produced. In East Bengal many of the insane persons become so on account of the use of too much ganja, which affects the brain injuriously.  - Evidence of BABU ANANGO MOHAN NAHA, Kayasth, Judge's Court Pleader, Comilla, Tippera District.


45 and 46. Yes, it occasionally produces insanity, both temporary and permanent. Excessive indulgence only produces insanity.  - Evidence of BABU KAILAS CHANDRA DUTTA, Baidya, Vakil, Judge's Court, Comilla, Tippera District


46. But the excessive habitual use of ganja affects both the mind and the body injuriously. It often brings on insanity - Evidence of BABU MOHINI MOHAN BURDHAN, Kayasth, District Government Pleader of Tippera.


45. It certainly induces laziness, and its worst effects manifest themselves in insanity. In fact, a very large percentage of insane persons is referable to this cause.  -  Evidence of BABU AMVIKA CHARAN MAZUMDAR,* Vaidya, Pleader and Zamindar, Faridpur.


46. Ganja.—The habitual excessive use of the drug...deadens the intellect and produces insanity, both temporary and permanent.  - Evidence of BABU BHUVAN MOHUN SANYAL, Brahmin, Government Pleader, Purnea.


(f) It deadens the intellect. Moderate use of ganja scarcely culminates in insanity, temporary or permanent. 46. Habitual excessive use of ganja and charas generally produces insanity, either temporary or permanent.  - Evidence of BABU AMRITALAL RAHA, Kayasth, Pleader, Judge's Court and Talukdar, Khulna.


45. (f) Ganja hardens the intellect and produces insanity of a violent type though generally of a temporary character.  - Evidence of BABU JADUBANS SSHAI, Pleader and Vice-Chairman, Arrah Municipality.


46. I have already said I know of two cases. In one case the ganja-smoker, a tailor, used to get periodic fits of insanity lasting each time for a week or so, at intervals of two or three months. After some years the fits came at longer intervals till he died at the age of about 40 years. The other ganja-smoker was a moharrir in the court. He suddenly resigned his post and became insane. After a few months one of his friends kept him in custody in his house for two or three months and was not allowed to smoke. He got well. One day he went out and smoked ganja and became as insane as before. He is still alive and lives by begging. - Evidence of BABU GOWREE SUNKER ROY,* Kayasth, Secretary, Cuttack Printing Company, Cuttack. * Was invited to attend at a meeting of the Commission for oral examination, but failed to appear.


45. The habitual moderate use of ganja...produces temporary insanity. - Evidence of BABU GURUDAYAL SINHA,* Kayasth, Honorary Magistrate, Municipal Commissioner and Secretary, Total Abstinence Society, Comilla, Tippera


45. Ganja has been known to produce insanity, but it is only when taken for some time in excess or by boys or young men not sufficiently strong to withstand its effects. - Evidence of RAI BAHADUR RAJ KUMAR SARVADHIKARI, Secretary, British Indian Association, Calcutta.


45 (f) No. 46. Excessive use of ganja...deadens the intellect and sometimes produces temporary insanity. The symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drugs after liberation from restraint, I know of a particular case in connection with this subject. Bhang also affects the brain if taken excessively. - Evidence of UMAGATI RAT, Brahmin, Pleader, and Secretary to the Jalpaiguri Branch, Indian Association.


45. The intellect is more or less affected from the beginning of the habit, and as the poisoning goes on from day to day the votary gradually begins to live more and more in the land of hallucinations, till the intellect loses its elasticity and produces insanity. The physical effects of habitual use of ganja come very soon to be observed by the neighbours. A beginner in a family, however carefully he may try to conceal his newlyformed habits, is sure to be found out by his family members. The mental derangement produced by the constant use of ganja takes some time to appear as a permanent trait, but a long continued habit of this nature generally ends in insanity...The history of a ganja-smoker, collected and kindly placed in my hands by Dr. Rogers, Civil Surgeon of Rajshahi, is quoted verbatim to show how far the mental derangements, once produced by ganja, last even when the votary has been placed under restraint and how far the habit induces tendencies of a criminal nature. "Facts concerning prisoner Hanif Shah, lunatic, while under observation in the (Rajshahi Central) Jail— " Struck an overseer with a brass cup on 15th March 1893. "Attempted to strike an overseer with an axe on 14th July 1893. "Talks at random and is very excitable and dangerous. "Convicted on 30th June 1892 of having struck with a knife a ganja vendor, who refused to give him ganja on credit, and caused the vendor's death. Sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment. "A confirmed ganja-smoker outside, probably got ganja inside, as only lately a prisoner was found with a quantity of ganja in his possession in the Jail. "This is a case in confirmation of the generally accepted opinion that ganja-smokers are liable to fits of uncontrollable passion, which render them most dangerous. "The lunatic in question has been transferred to Berhampur." I do not know anything definitely about the effects of charas. Bhang physicially induces laziness and produces an intoxication that may last for a period above 24 hours; it makes the intellect dull and stupid, and thereby induces intellectual degradation; morally, this drug is believed to excite immoral tendencies in its votary.  - Evidence of BABU AKSHAY KUMAR MAITRA,* Secretary, Rajshahi Association, Pleader, Judge's Court, Member, Rajshahi District Board, Commissioner, Rampur Boalia Municipality


45. No - Evidence of MR. A. F. M. ABDUR RAHMAN, Honorary Secretary, Muhammadon Literary Society, Calcutta.


45 (f) Excessive use may lead to insanity, temporary as well as permanent. Yes, may be re-induced. Their eyes get red and contracted.  - Evidence of BABU KAMALA KANTA SEN, Kayasth, Zamindar and Pleader, President of the Chittagong Association.


Statement VII, of the reports of the lunatic asylums in Bengal for the years 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892, shew that of the total admissions, 26.72 per cent. in 1889, 25.38 per cent. in 1890, 24.88 per cent. in 1891, and 23.49 per cent. in 1892, are attributed to Indian hemp. So in the opinion of Surgeon-Colonel J. G. Pilcher, F.R.C.S., Officiating Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals in Bengal "the use of ganja or other preparation of Indian hemp is by far the most fruitful cause of admissions throughout India. The next potent cause is spirit drinking, .... while the use of opium seems to give rise to comparatively little insanity in the community . . . ." (paragraph 19, Lunatic Asylums' Report, 1889),—vide also paragraph 14, paragraph 15, paragraph 12 of the Lunatic Asylums' Report for 1890, 1891, 1892, respectively. Mr. C. J. O'Donnell, Superintendent of Census Operations in Bengal, 1891, thus observes in respect of the use of ganja in his census report, Volume III, page 240: "Although it is possible that there may be a racial strain towards insanity in Northern and Eastern Bengal, it is very probable that the greater preference evinced by the people for toxic drugs, such as ganja or Indian hemp, must be taken into account. The intoxicants in use in Behar and Chota Nagpore, a dilute form of spirit obtained from the flower of the mohua tree, the fermented juice of the Palmyra palm and rice beer are all comparatively weak liquors and never known to induce mental disorder. Ganja, on the other hand, is unquestionably very deleterious, being recognized throughout Bengal as a brain excitant of a very dangerous kind." Benjamin Ward Richardson, M.A., F.R.S., thus observes: "We have, however, sufficient evidence of bad effect to be certain that the peculiar intoxication induced by the narcotic (hemp drug) is certainly destructive to sound mental life " (Abkari, January 1892, page 10). Brigade-Surgeon R. Pringle, M.D., in his note on ganja says: "the action of ganja on the system, when taken alone and without any controlling power, is very remarkable, and but little known on account of its rare occurrence, and appears to resemble that of no other drug in the absence of all narcotism, but yet combined with strange temporary loss of will power and that of memory, with inability to concentrate thought." Statement VII of the Lunatic Asylums' Report shows also the amount of crimes committed under ganja influence. A full and complete return on that head is not available. In Rajshahi (specially in Puthia and Nator) and Hughli districts most of the pilferings are imputed to the ganja and opium smokers. At the Faridpur Sessions during the current year two cases* of brutal murder (one of murdering a wife and child and the other of murdering a lame boy) have been tried, and the criminals declared to be insane, the cause of. insanity being attributed to ganja smoking. All these and the criminal propensities of the ganja. smokers lead to the irresistible conclusion that ganja is a real evil, not to speak of an annual drain of about 22 lakhs of rupees on the povertystricken and half-famished people of Bengal. [oral eidence] As regards the two cases quoted in paragraph 7, in which brutal murder is alleged to have been attributed to ganja-smoking, which brought on insanity in the criminals, there was evidence in the records of the cases that ganja had caused the insanity. In saying this I act upon information. I have no personal knowledge. I told the Association about these cases. When I submitted my draft I explained these cases. So far as I recollect, the Sessions clerk, who is a member of the Band of Hope, was my informant. I had heard rumours of these cases, and that led me to enquire about them. I do not know whether the Sessions clerk was aware, at the time I made enquiries of him, that his information was to be used * See note appended to witness's evidence in the Association's letter. I could not have taken any further steps to ascertain the facts of the cases. I did not attempt to see the records, because I believed it would be useless for an outsider to apply. I wanted simply to give the Commission a clue that they might find out the truth. I did not, however, recommend that the Commission should send for the records. I simply stated the cases as facts. When I found that the Commission was going to hear evidence, and not merely act upon the written statements, I attached less weight to written statements. I have, however, no accurate information now to give about these two cases.
Note by the Commission appended to the evidence of BABU PURNA CHUNDER MAITRA. (1) Madhab Nagarchi. Madhab Nagarchi was tried by the Sessions Judge, Faridpur, for murdering his wife and child and was acquitted on the ground of insanity on 10th July 1893. The only mention of ganja in the record is in the evidence of Mohan Nagarchi, uncle of the accused, who stated that " Madhab smokes ganja." This was before the Committing Magistrate. It was not repeated in his evidence before the Sessions Judge. This Mohan Nagarchi was alleged by the accused to have had an intrigue with the murdered woman, on account of which the accused took her life. Mohan Nagarchi and two other witnesses stated that the accused had been mad several years before and had then injured his mother; and six witnesses (including the above) stated that he had been mad for a day or two before the murder. He had also had a quarrel with his wife the day before. The Committing Magistrate attributed the crime to jealousy; but the Judge, to insanity. Neither mentions ganja. The Asylum papers show that "the lunatic's father had tendency to insanity; and that the probable cause of Madhab's own insanity was "natural tendency possibly made worse by smoking ganja." (2) Dhopai Khan. Dhopai Khan, apparently without motive, murdered a cripple boy on 20th October 1889. He was insane and not fit to be tried until 1893. The Sessions Judge acquitted him on the ground of insanity on 9th May 1893. There is no mention of ganja in the record, but the Judge states a letter from the Jail Superintendent in 1889 had given the "probable cause of insanity as ganja smoking:" the grounds for this statement which appears to have been made by an Assistant Surgeon are not apparent. The papers received at the Asylum from the Magistrate of Faridpur in 1890 show that the lunatic was not addicted to ganja or other intoxicants and that no cause could be assigned for his insanity. The Asylum Superintendent stated that the cause of insanity was unknown, and that the man was subject to relapses. - Evidence of BABU PURNA CHUNDER MAITRA, Secretary, Band of Hope, Faridpur.


45. I would like to see ganja made inaccessible to lunatics and youths up to 16 at least. Government should not allow them to use any. I am not prepared to say that Government should lock up all lunatics. I have seen the patient I was talking of going to the shop morning and evening. There should be a prohibition against sale to a lunatic. I have no other suggestion to make in regard to the administration.  - Evidence of BABU GIRISH CHANDAR DE, Delegate of the Total Abstinence Association, Bhawanipur.


Dr. Chevers, in his standard work on Medical Jurisprudence in India (p. 504), writes as follows:— "Late in their miserable career the ganjasmoker and the opium-eater become utterly shattered, alike in mind and body The ganjasmoker and bhang-drinker often remain chronically inebriated and are sometimes excited to acts of frantic violence. A madman, who had used ganja, would probably continue insane for months, if merely confined without medical treatment." Again (p. 541)— "It is a matter of popular notoriety both in Bengal and the North-West Provinces that persons intoxicated with ganja are liable to commit acts of homicidal violence; hence we find several cases in the Law Reports in which the accused urged the plea of intoxication by ganja in mitigation of their crimes." Dr. Chevers also mentions several cases of "running amuck," as it it called, where a man madly attacks and stabs every person whom he meets whilst he is in this state of frenzy. Dr. A. Hilson, late Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, thus wrote in his Annual Reports of the Lunatic Asylums in Bengal (1890, p. 5), Statement VII, para. 14:—"Causes of Insanity.— one of the chief features in this return is the evidence it affords of the potency of ganjasmoking in the production of mental disease " Again (1891, p. 4) Statement VII, para. 15:— "As usual, this return shows that ganja smoking is the most potent cause of lunacy. The general opinion confirms this, and I am inclined to believe it." It has been ascertained that nearly 26 per cent. of the inmates of lunatic asylums are recruited from ganja-smokers.  - Evidence of the INDIAN RELIEF SOCIETY, Calcutta.


45 (f) It certainly deadens intellect. I have seen persons not exactly insane, but have become idiot. The latter part I can't answer with certainty. (g) I cannot correctly answer to this, but I have seen insanes smoking ganja, and their insanity had burst to highest pitch at the time. 46. I am of opinion that all intoxicating drugs act upon brain. And brain being the seat of all nervous action, nervine prostration will necessarily follow when the brain is overworked by habitual excessive use of the hemp drug. The abnormal; functions of all organs lead to the premature decay of health; therefore it is not strange that the habitual excessive use of hemp drugs will produce the same consequence by working in the brain and exciting the blood. It is true that the re-action follows, but to bring back the system into its normal condition the consumers again have recourse to the drug without seeking any other means to have the desired effect or without suffering the delay for the recovery by means of nature which would bring the system into its former tone. And therefore a continual excitement and action of brain is kept on, without knowledge of the consumers that great danger they are running into; idiocracy, insanity, brain and chest disease with their concomitant maladies gradually invade the system impairing both body and mental faculties. The feelings are blunted and reasons diminished...in habitual excessive consumers of hemp and other intoxicating drugs. - Evidence of BABU NITYA NANDA ROY, Teli, Merchant and Zamindar, Chittagong.


45. with hard smokers sometimes produces temporary insanity, but not of a very offensive type. Possible; not known to me. But bhang does not produce insanity at all - Evidence of BABU NOBIN CAHNDRA SARKAR, Kayasth, Wholesale and retail vendor of ganja and bhang, Barisal.


45.  nor does it deaden the intellect or produce insanity. Bhang has no injurious effects. 46. Excessive consumption does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. I am not aware of the effects of excessive consumption of bhang.  - Evidence of BABU DHANI RAM SAHA, Excise Vendor, Mymensingh.


45 (f) Does not produce insanity. I cannot say if it deadens the intellect. - Evidence of BABU RAM NIDHI SHAHA, Excise Vendor, Mymensingh


45.(f) Excessive continued use deadens the intellect. Insanity is met with among the consumers of the drugs, but the question whether it is due to the intemperate use of the pure drugs or to predisposition has not been authoritatively stated. The insanity is of a temporary character and is confined chiefly to boys and youths of an excitable nature. The likelihood of the occurrence of insanity in moderate consumers of the drug is according to the duration of the pratice. The adulteration of the drugs with poisonous ingredients is said not unfrequently to induce insanity, in which case the malady will probably not recur provided the pure drug be used. It is, however, advisable not to resume the practice at all. 46. Habitual excessive indulgence leads to the various evils enumerated in the above question. Its immediate effect, if temperately taken, is to produce the curious mental frenzy which causes Orientals to run "amok." - Evidence of the DISTRICT BOARD, 24-Parganas (Sub-Committee).


45. It does not bring on insanity. 46. By excessive use...cases of insanity do occur, but very rare.  - Evidence of the DISTRICT BOARD, Patna.


45(f) It is refreshing, and makes the consumer all life and vigour for the moment. Cannot say is it produces insanity. Moderate use of these drugs never makes the consumer insane unless excessive use is resorted to. 46. Habitual excessive use of ganja or bhang is a fruitful source of brain disease. It brings on torpor, and insanity is its inevitable result.  - Evidence of the DISTRICT BOARD, Mymensingh (Sub-Committee).


45. If used in excess deadens the intellect and produces insanity of a permanent type: sometimes with melancholia, at other times with a homicidal tendency. - Evidence of the DISTRICT BOARD, Monghyr (Sub-Committee).


46. The excessive use of ganja has most pernicious effects, and it must be remembered that what is a moderate quantity for one person may be an altogether excessive quantity for another. It leads to insanity, temporary and permanent; but I have made no special study of the subject. Question 46.[oral evidence]—My opinion that ganja leads to insanity is based on personal experience and hearsay. I have come across cases in the jails in Assam of persons whose insanity was said to have been caused by ganja. Such people would recover under confinement, and I have known them come back again in the same condition. I cannot say for certain that I know of any case of permanent insanity from ganja. Such cases will probably be found in the Lunatic Asylum at Tezpur. I had no occasion to make particular enquiry regarding the cause of insanity in the cases I saw in the jails. I speak only from hearsay as to the cause.  - Evidence of MR. G. GODFREY, Commissioner, Assam Valley Districts.


45 (f) I cannot answer this. My own opinion is that the connection between the use of ganja and insanity is much exaggerated, and is a good deal due to the fact that the police in the case of a lunatic have to fill up a form and state the supposed cause of insanity and they give the popular reason—use of ganja. 46. [oral evidence] I must leave this for a medical expert. Question 45.—As a rule, a lunatic is sent in (say) by a planter with a letter telling of his violence. The man is put in the jail for observation, and the police are ordered to make enquiry. They do so, and submit information in a prescribed form. The cause is a point they have to inquire into. If a man does not enter cause, I know by experience that the District Superintendent of Police gets a slip telling him to send a more experienced man, or fine this man for carelessness. The man must, therefore, look out for a cause. The readiest is ganja. There is another difficulty here, viz., that many of the lunatics are from other provinces, and nothing is known of them. The safest thing to say is "ganja." The police know that no further enquiry will be made, so they stick it down. I think also that a policeman would naturally tend to think rather of physical causes than of moral causes. If he did not see an injury to the head by a blow or otherwise, he would naturally look for something else that but a man's head wrong. I think that this consideration may also, to a certain extent, explain the popular idea. Ignorant people would look most naturally for physical causes. I think the causes assigned by the police here are generally incorrect (1) because I do not think the police have the ability required to make this enquiry, and (2) because they so seldom see people who are able to give them information. We have similarly unreliable information about vital statistics. There is no popular idea among the Assamese that ganja causes insanity. But among planters and others there is. This is due, I think, to the old official idea, which is due to custom. The constables of the force are mostly Assamese. I have never had a case of any kind in respect to ganja or bhang, so I know nothing of their effects, on the force. We have no excise establishment apart from the police. So also in regard to the jail population the matter has not come up. - Evidence of MR. J. J. S. DRIBERG, Commissioner of Excise and Inspector General of Police and Jails, Assam


45 (f) Excessive use of any hemp drug is commonly supposed to produce insanity, but excessive use is rare. Apart from cases collected in asylums, only one case has come to my knowledge in which a man lost his mental knowledge in consequence of excessive ganja-smoking, and he only lost it (temporarily) when he got an opportunity of smoking after several days of forced abstention.  - Evidence of MR. E. A. GAIT, Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Assam.


45. I have known a few cases of insanity attributed by medical men to the excessive use of ganja.  - Evidence of MR. G. GORDON, Deputy Commissioner, Goalpara.


45 (f) Excessive use is said by some to produce insanity. I cannot answer more than this. - Evidence of ISHAN CHANDRA PATRANAVISH, Bengali, Brahmin, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Sylhet.


45. During my experience as a Jail Superintendent, cases have frequently been sent to me as dangerous lunatics (to be passed on in due course to the lunatic asylum). Such lunacy being the result of the long-continued and excessive use of ganja, these cases invariably recover in Jail within ten days. This variety of delirium is generally of a noisy, violent character, the patient being much exhilarated. I never knew of any other treatment than total deprivation of the drug having been tried; this, however, was uniformly successful. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I myself know of no case of permanent insanity produced by ganja. I know of one case in which ganja was alleged as the cause, and not improbably it was the cause. But I could not certify to that as the sole cause. This man was sent to the Tezpur Asylum some three or four months ago. The temporary cases I describe in my answer are attributed to ganja, because the police reports described the men as ganja-eaters, and they themselves confessed it while in jail. The violent delirium in hemp cases differs from the delirium due to other causes. Some jailors can infallibly tell you what is a ganja case. The ganja patient has a very high idea of himself. He is somebody very great or very sacred, far and away removed beyond ordinary people. This is the one symptom I found always constant in these cases There were no after-symptoms that I noticed, except very violent, very excited, and generally a dangerous class of persons to deal with. As a rule, these symptoms do not occur in insanity due to other causes. In other cases, the insanity assumes nearly always the form of depression. I think that the short duration of the cases is a diagnostic mark of hemp drug insanity. If I had a case of these symptoms and a short duration and no ganja history, I should in this country be very slow to believe that it was not due to ganja. I should regard these symptoms as proof positive that it was ganja intoxication. I call it intoxication for want of a better word. It is more like delirium tremens and produced in the same way, only the character of the peculiar insanity being different. I believe that permanent lesions occur in ganja as with alcohol; but it has not fallen to my lot to have any proof of this placed before me. I think there must be permanent lesions, because that condition of things could not, in my opinion, be frequently produced in the human brain without producing permanent lesions. Question 45.—The temporary cases I have described here recover in jail and never proceed to the asylum. The cases are not common. At Dibrugarh, where I am now, the population take ganja largely. I have there about one case in six months perhaps. As a rule it is the foreign element that take ganja largely; and in the Dibrugarh district there is a larger proportion of foreigners than in any other district in the valley. There are a large number of insane persons sent to the Tezpur Asylum from my district, Dibrugarh, probably more than from any other district I have served in. The cause of this is that there is a large tea garden population. In other districts there are families and friends who look after them. But in Dibrugarh they are not so looked after. They are foreigners. When they become insane an effort is at once made to get rid of them. They have therefore to be taken by the police. I do not believe that the insane population is larger in Dibrugarh than elsewhere. These cases are sent to me for observation. The Senior Magistrate at head-quarters sends them to me. He sends a short account—any statement of the nature of the man's insanity which he may have happened to receive. It is in a printed form. It is only sent for the information of the Civil Surgeon, and does not go further than the Civil Surgeon. It is generally very meagre, just the name and description of the man, and the place he has been sent from, and some statement about his character, as violent, etc., or any act of violence or mischief he has done. The cause of insanity is hardly ever given. As to the descriptive roll there is no hard-andfast rule. It is sometimes filled up by me. Sometimes only parts of it are sent to be filled up by me. Sometimes it is filled up from information supplied by me. It is a joint production of the Magistrate and Civil Surgeon. I write out a regular report. This is divided into two parts. This medical certificate is invariably written by the Civil Surgeon. It contains (a) facts known to the Civil Surgeon personally, and (b) facts communicated by others. Both these sets of facts are simply evidences of insanity. They are afterwards used to fill up parts of the descriptive roll. I am not responsible for any thing which is not contained in the medical certificate. And my responsibility in regard to the descriptive roll is limited by the medical certificate. I supply nothing in the descriptive roll beyond that. It is my duty to state anything that I can ascertain as to the cause of insanity. Thus, if I ascertained that a man had received an injury to his head or was addicted to the use of ganja, it would be my duty to report it. That report would be contained in the medical certificate. If there is no mention of cause in the medical certificate, it means that I have ascertained nothing satisfactory connected with the case. I cannot say, therefore, what was the cause of insanity in the case of the woman Kitni sent up in 1892. I had not seen the descriptive roll before I dealt with the case. But now I see from it that nothing was known of the woman. I remember the case of Akhilananda (1892) very well. It was suspected at the time that it was ganja. I heard about ganja at the time. But I had no positive evidence at the time as to whether he took ganja. He was a man difficult to get anything out of. He remained silent and morose From this I rather disbelieved the account I got that he took ganja. In my opinion, the symptoms were inconsistent with ganja. On that account I disbelieved the statement made to me. I do not remember the case of Chadi (1892). The noisy and violent character is consistent with ganja. I cannot now say whether the symptoms were typical. I do not remember the case of Khadu (1892). But my certificate shows symptoms which are inconsistent with the ganja theory. I remember the case of Jaganath (1892). I learned afterwards that the man suffered from epilepsy; and his case is one of that variety of insanity which is associated with epilepsy. I ascertained that he had had epilepsy in the jail. I remember I had heard that he used to take ganja; but I had rejected that in certifying to his case. I did not think his symptoms consistent with the ganja theory. Besides, he had a curiously malformed head, and I associated his insanity with that. It is possible that the adjectives and expressions used in a brief certificate might be the same while expressing what would appear to the observer different symptoms. Thus "noisy" and "delusions" might be used. But the character of the noise and of the delusions in ganja insanity are peculiar in themselves. All I had to certify was enough to show the man insane, so I did not go into detailed distinctions. All that is required is to leave no doubt in the Magistrate's mind that the man is insane. You would, of course, in such cases, omit any doubtful matter. I remember the case of Saheb Ram (1892). I knew the garden well, and got a full account of the case. It was a case of religious mania only, and there was no suspicion of ganja in the case. The symptoms were not consistent with ganja insanity. I do not think so. I remember the case of Bapu Ram very distinctly. It had a very tragic ending. The man was discharged cured from this asylum, and cut off his wife's head a fortnight after. He was sent back. He was suffering from phthisis at the time, and whether he is alive or not I cannot say. I do not think ganja had anything whatever to do with his case. He had been a head constable in Sibsagar, and had been discharged for insanity many years ago. I formed no opinion as to the cause. He had a remarkably small brain development, and a curiously smiling expression constantly on the face. The symptoms I have described as characterising temporary insanity or intoxication from ganja would, I believe, be found in a modified form in permanent ganja insanity. I think that, in the acute stage, experience is most necessary to enable a man to diagnose a case from the symptoms. Even then it is not easy, though some old jail officials hardly ever make a mistake. After the acute stage has passed, diagnosis from symptoms would, I should think, be impossible. Note by the Commission appended to Dr. Mullane's evidence. The records in the two cases referred to in Answer No. 52 were sent for. 1. Empress versus Ramchandra Puri. In this case the accused, a religious mendicant residing near Gauhati, had a quarrel with the deceased in the middle of the night, and caused his death by a blow with a dao. In his charge to the Jury, the Judge (Mr. Ward) said: "The prisoner was at the time, I have no doubt, under the influence of ganja, but this is a point which you need not consider in giving your verdict." The man was convicted and sentenced to transportation for life. This was in 1885. 2. Empress versus Jadu Murha. This man, a garden coolie, was charged under section 325, Indian Penal Code. He had suddenly attacked people in the Dumduma Bazaar with a dao and wounded some thirteen persons. The wounds were slight. There was some evidence as to his habits. The Native Doctor, who was one of the wounded, said: "I have known him two years. He has been two years on the garden* * He eats opium. He drinks like other coolies. I never knew him take ganja. I have seen him buy opium; and people said he took opium* * At the time of the attack I do not know if he was drunk. I did not smell any spirits about him. I did not make out he looked mad; but I was in fear of my life." This evidence was corroborated by some other witnesses. The prisoner himself said, "I had drunk nothing, nor touched opium, nor any other drug." In his charge to the Jury, the Judge (Mr. Luttman Johnson) said: "He says he had not been drinking that day, or eating opium; and there is no evidence to disprove his statement* * He admits he went to the bazaar to cut people." The man was convicted and sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment in March 1891.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR J. MULLANE, Civil Surgeon, Dibrugarh.


45. In extreme cases insanity result. Of 102 lunatics now under my charge, the insanity in two cases is said to have been due to bhang. Sixteen cases are believed to have been caused by ganja smoking, while opium is held responsible for six. It is noteworthy that two of the latter are females, whereas no female apparently has become insane from the use of bhang or ganja. I think there is no evidence to show that the hemp drugs are resorted to, to gain relief in disordered mental states, and I think that they are generally fairly credited with being the initial exciting cause of insanity. I have seen more than one case of a single booze causing violent acute mania of a month's duration. The insanity is often permanent. If temporary, it may be re-induced. No typical symptoms. Yes, insanes confess to having used the hemp drugs when they have no recorded history. Question 45. [oral evidence]—As regards cases which used to come to me as Civil Surgeon in Sylhet (for example) a man would be sent to me with a letter to keep him under observation and report on him on a fixed date. I had to report as to his state of mind (if a criminal), as to whether he was fit to make a defence, or (if not) as to whether he should be sent to the lunatic asylum. With that letter I would receive information, as a rule, simply as to the facts which led to his being under arrest. That was all. But as a good many of these cases came from tea gardens, I got more detailed information regarding the circumstances leading to the arrest. But it was most exceptional to get any past history of the man. As to his habits with regard to intoxicants, I do not think it was ever given. Sometimes I would get an account of the facts which led to the attack of insanity. I would get that through the Sub-divisional Officer, prepared by the police. It was sent usually after the man had come, because it took time to make the enquiries. Very often we had to send the man on to the asylum without the form, because it was not received. This information might be of value to me in forming a diagnosis of the insanity if it told me, for example, of any relative being mad. There is a heading for "Supposed cause." It is the police who supply this information, and relatives of the man, if he has any. I think it is fairly reliable if there are relatives for the police to inquire from; for the police have no object in making wrong statements. But it is of little value to us; for I usually decide the question of insanity on the merits of the case, the man's own acts and symptoms, quite apart from history. That is all I have to do. I have only to submit the medical certificate containing facts indicating insanity. I do not certify to cause of insanity as Civil Surgeon. The information regarding cause is obtained by the police, certainly not by the District Superintendent of Police, but by some subordinate. I do not know who it is that gets it. My idea of the reliability of the information rests entirely on the fact that the police have no inducement to report falsely. As a rule, though not, I think, always, a man of technical knowledge is required to ascertain cause. I say "not always," for the cause may be obvious, as losing all friends, having an injury to the head and never recovering, having a bad fever and never recovering, or excesses of liquor or ganja. All these are easily recognizable by an ordinary person. As to these intoxicants, I do not think the police would be in a position to discriminate between the moderate or excessive use. I do not think I could do it myself. I think the police are usually guided by the fact that the man had only one "spree," one casual indulgence. If a man were found to be a habitual user of the drug, I think they would write down ganja, without any reference to any special outburst of indulgence, if they could get no other cause. I think they would be ready to jump at a conclusion. But, of course, I cannot personally say with certainty what the police would do. I do think that an intelligent policemen would put down ganja as the cause merely because it was mentioned that the man used the drug. He would enter "unknown" under cause, if he did not conclude that the insanity was really due to ganja. I know Mr. Driberg's* view of the unreliability of the police information; but I find in the asylum that some lunatics whose insanity is put down to ganja by the police admit that they have taken ganja outside and that it drove them mad. When I wrote my answer to this question, I called up all the men whose insanity was ascribed to ganja. Some refused to answer. But some said their insanity was due to ganja. I do not think any said it was not. I do not remember how many said their insanity was due to ganja. Of course, if such men got a hint beforehand that I was going to ask about ganja, they might say ganja, whatever the facts were. The men I examined were the sixteen men then shown on my register as ganja insanes. They were not promiscuously selected. I have asked other insanes whether they used ganja outside. They usually say "no," even those who did use it. I did not ask any other insane whether his insanity was due to ganja. The fact that all of those sixteen who answered said they used ganja, and that other lunatics denied it even when they had used it, does not lead me to conclude that the former had got a hint, for I sent for them one by one. I am not prepared to say that I knew that any of those who denied it had really used it outside; but I say they would deny it even if they had used it. On the whole, then, I think that when the police ascribe insanity to ganja it may be fairly accepted as reliable. When a man is received at the asylum, I receive with him the medical certificate and descriptive roll. The cause is entered in the general register from the police statement, i. e., from the descriptive roll. We have nothing whatever to do with it. It is entered by the overseer in charge of the asylum, and ought to correspond with the entry in the descriptive roll. I compare it when the page of the case book is being prepared. I never compare the entry in the general register. Where the descriptive roll showed that the man was addicted to ganja, but that the cause was "unknown," "unknown" should be entered in the general register and case book. For these books are filled up when the man comes in. I never alter any entry in the general register. The statements of the annual report are prepared from the general register by the asylum overseer. I have no doubt that the statement* of asylum procedure given by the witness, Betha Ram Surma, asylum overseer, is quite accurate. If the Superintendent tried to keep the register, it would be constantly in arrears when he was out; so the overseer must be held responsible. I certainly do not approve of the procedure described. I think that, whatever is entered in the papers, should be put on the books; and nothing should be altered except by the Superintendent. The thing goes on now as it did. There is no order for change. But if I found out that such alterations were made I should have forbidden it. I have no reason to think that the register entries are at present more in accord with those of the descriptive rolls than they were in 1892, for the two men are the same. I think that the register entries are inaccurate as they stand. The entries of the descriptive rolls should have been copied. It is wrong to enter cause merely from the statement of habits in the descriptive roll. If, on the other hand, the overseer were to alter an entry from enquiry from the lunatic, that would make the entry in the register more accurate if the original entry were "unknown." I think the lunatic's opinion as to what made him insane would be well worth having. If the man admitted the use of ganja it would be nothing; but if he attributed his insanity * Read over to witness. to ganja it would be of value. I do not think we ever discover the cause of insanity in the asylum, therefore we never alter the heading in the register. The register does not concern me in the very least as far as the point of cause goes. There are no typical symptoms of hemp drug insanity. We never diagnose the cause in the asylum. The diagnosis of cause is wholly based on information received in the descriptive roll. We have nothing to say to it once the man is admitted. I sometimes make enquiries as to cause, such as asking a man about his habits, and so on, for my own satisfaction in regard to the case before me. But I make no record of them at all. I think the "general register" of the asylum very inaccurate, and that any return prepared from it would be very inaccurate. Even if the entries in the register had corresponded with those in the descriptive rolls, I think the returns would not form a sound scientific basis for any theory regarding the connection of hemp drugs with insanity. There is nothing scientific about it. At the very best the information is from miserable units, the police enquiry or the statements of lunatics themselves at the best. The views that I have set forth regarding insanity of a permanent nature resulting from hemp drugs are based solely on my asylum experience and my knowledge of the effects of these drugs. My opinion, based on asylum experience, is that insanity of a permanent type may be produced by ganja. The asylum experience I refer to is my conversation with lunatics every day. Some of the hopeless cases in the asylum are, so far as I can judge or ascertain, truly ganja cases. I base this on the statement of the lunatic alone. This is the sole basis of my opinion as to the cause; and I know one case of permanent insanity where the lunatic says it was due to ganja. There is no other case. In regard to the effects of the drugs, I mean what I have seen in people taking the drugs just as I know the effects of alcohol. I have never seen a man actually take the ganja, although I have tried to get people to do so. I have only had the statement of the man himself as to having taken the drug. This experience is outside the asylum. I have not had the cases for observation for any length of time, not more than half an hour. The result of any observation is that he is like an ordinary drunken man. He yells and shouts and gesticulates wildly, and is often violent to those about him. I have never heard of any of these cases becoming insane. My own personal experience, therefore, does not prove to me that the drug causes insanity. I never saw any man take the drug; and I never had a man sufficiently long under observation to see the development of insanity. I do not think I could distinguish between the intoxication of liquor and ganja from the appearance of the man. Smell of course would show. I think a little touch of dhatura would not be at all unlike ganja intoxication. Dhatura might lead to insanity. I had a case of a man in Sylhet who became insane from dhatura. I do not think that dhatura insanity could be distinguished from ganja insanity. But it would be possible to diagnose dhatura intoxication from hemp drug intoxication. The dhatura case above referred to had gone past the intoxication stage and become chronic. My statement as to there being no case of a female whose insanity is due to ganja is based on a census I caused to be made in the asylum. I told my overseer what I wanted, and sent him round to make it out. I was not aware that there were three females in the returns for 1892. These had all been released before I made my census, and there were none then under my charge - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR J. W. U. MACNAMARA, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Tezpur.


45 (f) No. 46. Habitual excessive use of ganja thoroughly impairs the constitution; it often brings on in its train one or other of the following diseases: dysentery, asthma, bronchitis, hœmoptysis, hœmatemesis; it thoroughly impairs the moral sense and makes a man lazy and addicted to all kinds of debauchery. It blunts the intellect and brings on eventually a kind of insanity called dementia. Here is a case in point. Juma, a native of the town, started life as a cook, smoked ganja excessively, became a syce, was obliged to leave that occupation, now walks the streets a helpless pauper suffering from dementia; his constitution is perfectly broken up; he is dirty, talks incoherently and is ever ready to put his hand to any kind of dirty job for the sake of a few coppers to procure ganja. My experience of insanity is connected largely with cases which have come under my observation as Civil Surgeon. On the average 30 or 35 such cases come before me during the year—some are sent to the asylum and some are made over to their friends. I do not treat them; I merely prevent their doing harm, and sometimes give them a sedative when they are violent. My duty is to ascertain their state of mind, and to forward them to the Deputy Commissioner. I should say about 20 per cent. of these cases are due to pure ganja, and of the rest some are due to ganja with country liquor. The police send a report with the man. This always gives information about cause. Pretty often the man's friends come to jail to enquire about him and get his release. This occurs in about half the cases. I see the friends myself in the majority of the cases in which they do come when I am in the station, and I always ask them about cause. They come to ask me about treatment, and what is to be done with the man, and whether the disease is temporary or likely to be cured. I ask the friends because I do not regard the police reports as good enough. I ask the friends without regard to the fact that the statement of cause is contained in the police report. If it is given in the police report, I ask so as to have it confirmed. If the police reports showed ganja as the cause, I should ask what kind of ganja he smoked and how much, and whether he was in the habit of taking other intoxicants, such as country liquor or opium. In fact, I should go mainly for ganja and not make any detailed enquiry into other causes. That is what I do if they put down ganja. If they do not, I try to find out other causes of insanity, such as grief, shock, etc. If no cause is shown, still I make special enquiries about ganja, country liquor, and opium, as well as other causes, including heredity. The information is better and more satisfactory than that given by the police, because it is more full and I know how to question them. I think that the conclusion thus arrived at as to cause is in many cases different from that reported by the police, that is to say, in nearly half the number of cases. The police make mistakes in about half the cases. When I speak of what I receive from the police I include what I receive from sub-divisional officers. The people from whom I get my information are the same ignorant class with whom the police have to deal, but I can get more out of them owing to my professional knowledge. I prefer my diagnosis to that of the police, and I am fairly satisfied with it because it is assisted by personal observation of the case. There is no special differential diagnosis between insanity caused by ganja and other insanity, but I see that the symptoms do not conflict with the history. As, for example, if I get a history of excessive ganja-smoking and the man is raving mad, I put the case down as "excessive ganja-smoking." If I found the same symptoms without a ganja history, I should try to discover another cause. There must be a history of excess of ganja-smoking to justify this diagnosis; the mere mention of ganja would not be enough. I have always discriminated between moderate and excessive use of ganja, at least ever since I was transferred to the Civil Department. In the regiment I did not. It took me about a year to learn what was to be regarded as excess and what not. I should say that in Assam one to two chittacks a day of the Bengal ganja was excessive use. If the friends admitted the use of half a chittack, I should put the cause down to ganja, but not for less. Many people admit that amount of use, and generally the quantity in chittacks is mentioned, but some say only "bahut pita." In my written answers to question 28 I have entered nine chittacks per mensem as the average allowance of the habitual excessive consumer. This was done after enquiry and is right. I have now stated only what I thought, and I am prepared to alter the quantity to one-third of a chittack. Notwithstanding the discrepancy which has been pointed out to me, I still maintain that in diagnosing the cause, I enquire as to the probable amount in chittacks which the man has been in the habit of consuming and form my opinion accordingly. If the police report mentioned ganja without stating the amount used, and no friend came of whom I could make enquiries, I should reject the police entry and send up the case with cause of insanity unknown. If the police report said "bahut" I should accept ganja as the cause. Then it is the information gathered from the police or the man's friends that I send to the Deputy Commissioner. Having taken such pains to ascertain that the consumption in a ganja case was
excessive, I should enter excessive in certificate which goes to the Deputy Commissioner. What I have stated above describes my procedure. I have read the abstract of my reports in the case of Madharam Deo in the memorandum of cases admitted into the Dacca Lunatic Asylum in 1892, and I see that in this case I did not follow this procedure, inasmuch as I appear to have entered "consumption of ganja" without the word "excessive" as the cause upon the information "that the lunatic used to take ganja." I am unable at present to explain why I should have departed from my usual practice. The above procedure relates to cases arising  when I am in the station. I am absent from my station about ten days in each month. In my absence a case would be investigated by my subordinate after my own method, and the papers would be left for my signature on my return, and occasionally I sign them hurriedly. I did not know Juma until he was in the condition described, viz., a helpless pauper suffering from dementia. I learnt his history from people in the place. He had probably been in that condition for some time when I came to know him. The case never came under my professional notice. The case of Babu B. Sen did not come under my professional notice. He had recovered and was in practice six years before I knew him. I got his history from himself and others, including Dr. Sanyal. I accepted the statements of these persons, and consider that they justify me in forming the opinion that the case was one of ganja. I attach special weight to the gentleman's own statement and that of Dr. Sanyal, who, however, did not treat him professionally. Golak Chandra Das was unable to make his defence, and is now in the Dacca Lunatic Asylum.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. C. BANERJI, Civil Surgeon, Sylhet.


I have been in the Uncovenanted Medical Service since 1868 in India. I have had no special experience in insanity. I have not made it a special study, nor have I had any special charge connected with insanity. I am now Civil Surgeon of Cachar. My service, all but two years, has been in Assam. I have had considerable experiences of cases of lunatics under observation. The case is sent to me with an order from the Magistrate to observe the man and state whether he is sane. This contains only a few words containing a short summary of the case. It is generally sent by the Deputy Commissioner, but occasionally by a Subordinate Magistrate. I have no recollection of receiving any paper filled in by a police officer. What I get is in the form of a docket from the Deputy Commissioner. In almost all cases there is a statement as to violence and so on; but in most cases it is impossible for me to ascertain from the papers what the cause is. As a general rule, then, I have no material at the first to judge of cause. I get no descriptive roll or anything more than the letter. I have to fill in the cause of insanity in the "Medical History." I do not see the man when he comes; and I never see friends or others accompanying him. I know nothing of the Hospital Assistant seeing the friends. I go down to the jail in the morning and see the patient who was brought in the day before. If the docket shows cause, well and good. If not, I ask the Magistrate if he can give me any information. As a rule, the result is rather negative evidence. You do not get much information as to the cause. Sometimes the cause is shown, but sometimes only as a possible cause not strongly put. I should simply put that down and say "possibly from such or such a cause." If in any case ganja was put down either in the original letter or in any paper afterwards received through or from the Magistrate, I should enter it as the probable cause. If ganja was not assigned as the cause, but it was stated that the man used ganja, I should enter ganja as the probable cause with a query. It is never stated how much the man takes, except that it is occasionally put that he is "a confirmed ganja-smoker." The amount can never be found out. I do not consider that I am called on to make further enquiry, and I never do make any further enquiry. I think this procedure is fairly satisfactory. I have no better information. I do not think that the information is very reliable. I believe that it comes from the friends of the insane and from police enquiry. The friends will give the cause as far as they can judge. I think they can fairly well judge. The ordinary constable, so far as I know, conducts the enquiry. I am not certain who does it. I think he can pretty fairly judge. The form I use contains the words "probable cause." It is only that that I have to certify. I do not think that it is fair to put down ganja as the cause of insanity merely because a man is a smoker, but it is done. I would do it if I could find no other cause. I do not think that ganja frequently causes insanity—certainly not more frequently than drink in this country. I think drink is more liable to produce insanity than ganja. But I should prefer to enter ganja as the cause to saying "unknown," because there must be some cause and ganja may have been the cause; and it looks better in my view to enter the cause as stated by the Magistrate. In the two cases of Monuhar Mahanti and Narayan Nawa sent by me to the Dacca Asylum in 1892, I entered under habits "Addicted to ganja" and under cause "No other cause is known except what is mentioned above." By that I meant not that I had ascertained that ganja was the probable cause, but that I had ascertained no other. I therefore, as said above, entered ganja with a query, as it were. I think that it is very probable that the grounds on which ganja has been assigned as the cause of insanity are in very many cases inadequate. If I had to judge scientifically of the connection of ganja with insanity from the certificates I have myself given as to "probable cause," I should (I think) have to discount many of them. I have never discriminated between the moderate and excessive use of the drug. I have never seen any evil effects from the use of the drug except in the cases sent to me for observation in the jail. I may have seen smokers: I may have seen moderate smokers: I may have seen excessive smokers; but I have no means of knowing that a man is a consumer until he is thus brought before me for observation. The effects apart from that have never attracted my attention at all.  - Evidence of DR. T. D'O. PARTRIDGE, Civil Surgeon, Silchar


45. The drug tends to produce insanity if used in excess. This is curable, but the use of the drug again may re-induce insanity.  - Evidence of DR. J. MCNAUGHT, Civil Medical Officer, Nowgong.


45. Moderate habitual use has not, I believe, much to do with dysentery, bronchitis, asthma, or insanity. But immoderate habitual use sometimes brings on these diseases, especially the latter. In cases of insanity personally known to me, it appeared to me to be the exciting and not the predisposing cause of the disease, and the disease pertained to the characters of mania. I have seen both permanent and temporary mania resulting from the use of ganja. In temporary cases the symptoms may be re-induced by the use of the drugs after liberation from restraint. The symptoms are in most cases those of mania, and have no speciality apart from that. Yes, insanes having no recorded history confess to the use of the drug. I have never come across any cases in which insanity has resulted from the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to relieve pain; neither am I in a position to produce any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs, etc., etc.  - Evidence of ATUL CHANDRA ROY,* Bengali Vaidya, Assistant Surgeon, Emigration Department, Tezpur.


45. Yes, it produces insanity. In one case brought to me last year the exciting cause was ganja smoking. In two others there were hereditary taint of insanity from the parents. The first one is still insane and had no lucid interval since the onset, because he is always smoking ganja. I met with a fourth case in which the type is a melancholic kind of mania. The subject has taken to ganja smoking afterwards. 46. Excessive use undoubtedly produces insanity which is generally of a violent nature. There was lately a case here in which an insane caused the death of a native gentleman by striking him with a piece of wood on the head. But this insane person is not only a ganja smoker but also a drunkard.  - Evidence of BAIKUNTHA KUMAR NANDI, Hindu Kayasth, Assistant Surgeon, Nayasarak, Sylhet.


45. Yes. Insanity has always appeared as from the effect of smoking. The insanity from ganja is milder, and sometimes temporary and sometimes permanent in some cases. Melancholia as well of a violent type; in some cases permanent and in some cases temporary. Yes; it may re-induce. Yes, they sometimes confess. In case of brain disease or mental anxiety it does not give any relief. Yes, it produces insanity in a person who is naturally of weakened intellect. There are few men still in a state of insanity under the influence of ganja smoking, and they seem to be permanent and harmless. 46. Those who use the drug excessively and habitually, it may sometime in some cases produce insanity, other sickness, and poverty.  - Evidence of AZHER HOSSEIN, Hospital Assistant, Gauhati.


45 (f) No.  - Evidence of LATCHMAN PERSHAD, Kayasth, Hospital Assistant, Manipur State


I am overseer of the Tezpur Asylum. I have been in the asylum since 1881. I was jemadar up to 1884, when I was promoted to be overseer. I have had no medical training. There are two general registers of patients in the asylum—one is called the "General Register of Lunatics," the other is called the "General Case Book." The other registers are special, viz., Hospital Register, Death Register, and Solitary Confinement and Employment Registers. In the "General Register" entries are made from the Descriptive Roll. They are ordinarily made by the jemadar, Tuakanta Goshami, who knows English well. He copies the entries from the Descriptive Roll. I merely compare the entries made by the jemadar with those of the Descriptive Rolls; and fill up blanks if he leaves any. He leaves blank spaces when the Descriptive Roll does not contain the required information. I enquire in such cases from the lunatics and fill in the entries. In those cases I fill in the information with my own hand. I have the general permission of the Superintendent to do this. I asked Dr. Borah, and he said I might do this; so I always do it. I do not now ask anybody's permission in any particular case. What the lunatic tells me, I enter on my own judgment. I make the entry. I do not intimate it to the Superintendent. The jemadar has no authority to do this. All his entries are merely copied from the Descriptive Rolls. I obtain my further information from the lunatics only. I very rarely see friends of lunatics. The lunatics are some from tea gardens, and some from other districts than this; so it is very rarely that friends come to see a lunatic. I do not examine them when they come; nobody does so. Any friend would have to go to the Superintendent for permission to visit the lunatic. But I have never heard of the Superintendent examining any friend; and I have never got any order to make any entry in consequence of any such examination. The Superintendent himself never makes any entry in the General Register. Nor does he ever alter any entry in it. Sometimes, when a Descriptive Roll has not information, we send it back to the Magistrate to be filled in under Rule 8 of the "Revised Rules for Management of Asylums in Bengal." We only send a Descriptive Roll back when the entries are left blank. If the word "unknown" were entered, we should not send it back. This has been my practice all along. It is from the entries in the General Register that the statements in the annual report are filled up. Statement VII is filled up from column 11 showing "alleged cause" and Statement VI about type from column 9. On looking up the admissions for the year 1892, I observe that in the case of Akhilanand (No. 12) the Descriptive Roll shows both the habits of the man and the cause of insanity as "unknown." Yet the jemadar has entered ganja smoking as the cause. He is present now, and says he thinks he must have asked the lunatic when he was received into the asylum. All such entries are made then. He has not authority to act thus. His duty is to enter what is on the Descriptive Roll. I find that similarly the cause is entered by the jemadar as "ganja" in the cases of Mussamat Bedoma (No. 2), and Mussamat Kitni (No. 11), though the Descriptive Rolls show the cause as unknown, and there is no mention of ganja in the papers. I see that the jemadar has made the entry of "ganja" in the case of Uchit Ram (No. 8). The jemadar says he took it from the entry regarding habits in the Descriptive Roll. I think, on the whole, that he ought not to have done this when the Descriptive Roll distinctly said "No cause can be ascertained." But at the same time, if a man takes ganja, it is possible that he may become insane, and this is why the entry was made. It is better to enter a possible cause than none at all. The Superintendent was not told. I find also that entries have been similarly made by the jemadar in column 11 (cause) from the entry in the Descriptive Rolls regarding habits in the cases of Sahebram (No. 15), Jagannath (No. 17), Khadu (No. 19), Chadi (No. 23), Jogai Surma (No. 28), and Mussamat Major (No. 1). The jemadar did this on his own responsibility. In another 1892 case, that of Kristo Dass (No. 20), I find ganja entered in my handwriting as the cause. The Descriptive Roll shows smoking dhatura leaves mixed with ganja. The jemadar was sick that day, so I made the entry. I saw ganja mentioned, so I entered that. I did not think of the dhatura specially. I understood that ganja was the cause. Thus, out of thirteen cases shown in the returns for 1892 as the ganja cases admitted that year, there are eleven in which the entries do not correspond with the Descriptive Rolls. Of these, ten were made by the jemadar on his own responsibility, and one by me. The only two cases in which the Descriptive Rolls show ganja as the cause are those of Jalim (No. 14), and Bapu Ram (No. 26). Dr. S. Borah was in charge of the asylum in 1892. But no change has taken place in our procedure since he left in May 1893. In the General Case Book the entries at the head of each case are made by the jemadar or by me from the General Register. The history of the case after admission is all that the Superintendent writes. He writes that in his own hand always. - Evidence of BETHA RAM SURMA, Overseer, Tezpur Asylum.


45. Does not deaden intellect or produce insanity. 46. All the evil effects mentioned in question 45 are caused by the excessive use of these drugs. The insanity produced is exciting and temporary. - Evidence ofP ROSUNNOK OOMARD AS, Baidya, Medical Practitioner, Silchar, Cachar.


45. (f) Both, and the symptoms may be re-induced. These are boisterousness, desire to beat, kill or murder. Some confess, some not. I know of a man about 50 years old, not very far from my house, who was a moderate habitual smoker of ganja. His head somewhat turned, and he began to smoke excessively, and was an insane in a few days, with a propensity to annoy and beat passers-by. Was sent to the Lunatic Asylum, Dacca, where he remained for about six months and made a thorough recovery. He returned home a sane man, and did not smoke ganja for some time. He then began moderately again, and again became insane, with a murderous mania. He struck a blow with a lathi in a temporary fit on the scalp of a relation of his, which was fractured, and caused his death. He has again been sent to the Lunatic Asylum. 46. Habitual excessive consumers of ganja are more prone to commit mischief, and become more disorderly than habitual moderate consumers. - Evidence of KRISHNA CHANDRA SANYAL,* Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Sylhet


45 (f) Yes; it does, if taken to excess for a long period, produce insanity, but of a temporary character, and can be checked or cured, so far as I have seen, from forced abstention. Insanity may be re-induced by use of the drug. I know the case of a cooly on my tea garden who was temporarily insane from using the drug, was kept in the Lunatic Asylum at Tezpur for six months, returned quite cured, and has had no relapses since. (g) Have no information, but there is evidence that insanity may tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. Note by Commission appended to MR. MORAN's evidence. EMPRESS VS L ALAK AMAR. There is only one mention of ganja in this case, and that is in the evidence of a witness, Mohidhar, who stated both before the committing Magistrate and before the Sessions Judge that the accused was sometimes "like a man who takes ganja." On the other hand, it is in evidence (Mr. Moran) that accused and his wife "had frequent quarrels;" also (Mohidhar) that he was "imprisoned for assaulting her" on a previous occasion, two years before, on which (Puttu) "he was drunk." To this is added: "He is not a drinking man; he drinks sometimes." Mr. Moran, in a long statement made before the Magistrate giving a detailed history of the prisoner, made no mention whatever of ganja. - Evidence of MR. F. C. MORAN, Tea Planter, Khoniker, Lakhimpur.


45 (f) It produces insanity if taken to excess. Temporary, if the ganja is kept away from the patient. (g) No. There is no evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. - Evidence of Mr. ALFRED SPICER,† Tea Planter, Pathecherra, Cachar.


I hear there is a case of a lunatic who was in the Tezpur Asylum and said to belong here, whose lunacy was ascribed as due to ganja-eating. The man I know, but he never belonged here, and was merely employed as a ticca carter, and lived some distance from here, and so I know nothing of his habits.  - Evidence of MR. W. SKINNER, Manager, Tezpur and Gogra Tea Company, Bindukuri, Tezpur, Darrang


45. No case of insanity produced by the moderate use of ganja has come under my notice. 46. I have observed that excessive use of ganja ruins body and mind. I have heard of several cases of insanity produced by the excessive use of the drug (ganja). Yesterday I read in paper some cases of insanity produced by excessive use of ganja. I have also observed that excessive and habitual use of ganja has produced the aforesaid noxious effects within a shorter period of the indulgence.  - Evidence of BABU ABANTINATH DATTA, Kayastha, Pleader, Judge's Court, Cachar.


45. I have known of instances in which ganjasmoking produced insanity, and the patients have generally been violent. [oral evidence] The cases of insanity which I have known, I have assumed to result from excessive use. I can recollect about five cases that I have seen in my whole life, and I am 44 years of age. The last case occurred about 16 years ago. I can only remember three other cases of insanity not due to ganja. Ganja would, I believe, be more fatal to life than alcohol if it were used by the higher classes. The lower classes who consume it are better able to withstand the effects of ganja. I know of no case in which I can ascribe death to either ganja or liquor as the principal cause, but I know of one ganja-smoker who was reported to have died as a consequence of taking ganja. By principal cause I mean the immediate cause. I am not prepared to say that I know any case in which death is to be ascribed directly to ganja or liquor, except one, where the man died under the intoxication of liquor; but I do know cases in which ganja or liquor has apparently caused diseases which have resulted in death. There is no particular case in which I can say that ganja or liquor was the cause, and that other causes did not produce the disease.  - Evidence of BISHUN CHANDRA CHATTOPADHAY, Pleader, Dhubri.


46. The effects are more visible in this case. Insanity has been known to result from ganjasmoking.  - Evidence of KAMINI KUMAR CHANDRA, Kayastha, Bengali, Pleader, Silchar.


45 (f) It deadens the intellect and produces insanity. It produces permanent insanity.  - Evidence of GANGADHAR SORMAH, Brahmin, Pleader, Jorhat.


45 (f) I have known several cases of insanity arising from it. Some have a fit of temporary insanity every time they take ganja; others are permanently insane from it. (g) The cases I have known could not have had any mental anxiety; it was solely from ganjasmoking. For at times they would improve and again become insane when taking ganja. - Evidence of REVD. J. P. JONES,* Missionary, Sylhet.


45. It does not produce insanity. 46. Habitual excessive use...[s]ometimes deadens intellect and sometimes produces insanity. Persons suffering from mental anxiety and brain disease easily fall victims. - Evidence of HARIBILASH AGARWALA, Merchant, Tezpur.


46. Excessive smoking produces insanity. I know of one case in which a man of this district having taken to excessive ganja-smoking became insane; he survived the lunacy for seven years, during the last four years of which he was in the lunatic asylum, and he died of dysentery before recovery. - Evidence of LAKSMIKANTA BARKAGATI, Brahma, Secretary to the Tezpur Raiyats' Association, Tezpur, Darrang.


45, One of my cousins, who took to the habit of smoking ganja when a school-boy of some twelve years of age, became a permanent insane of the worst type and died ten years afterwards, and I know many other similar cases. Question 45. [oral evidence]—My cousin was a student, and mixed with mendicant fakirs and other bad companions, and learned to smoke from them. He is the case mentioned by the witness Jadu Ram Barooah. He died a year ago. He was about thirty years old when he died. He took to the use of the drug at about twelve years of age at school. Aboutf ivey ears later he became insane. He was insane for ten years, and died about a year ago. His companions were fakirs and people who were idle and lazy. I do not mean that his bad companions were vicious. There was no insanity in his family. I do not know whether the companions of the boy took dhatura. It is believed that fakirs do; but I do not know in this case. The boy, as a little boy of twelve, smoked hard. His parents tried to stop him in vain. He smoked all day, and neglected his education at school. The other cases I refer to in this answer were two: (1) A tea garden cooly was charged with murder of another cooly, and I was present in Court as juryman, but not in the jury. The prisoner pleaded insanity, and verdict was "temporary insanity from ganja." The year was 1890 or 1891. I do not remember the name of the accused. The Judge was Mr. L. Johnson. (2) The other case was Nukul Chandra Goshami, who is now in the Tezpur Asylum. He killed a man. He was tried in Dibrugarh seven or eight years ago by Mr. L. Johnson and pronounced insane. These are all the cases I know of hemp drug insanity. - Evidence of RADHAN ATHC HANGKAKOTI,B rahmin, Proprietor, "Radha Nath" Printing Press; Municipal Commissioner; Member of Local Board; Secretary to the Upper Assam Association; and Secretary to the Government Girls'  School, Dibrugarh


45. It does deaden the intellect, and eventually produces insanity to those with weaker brains, I witness two cases of two youths of respectable Assam families becoming insane by smoking ganja for pleasure; one since died after ten years' lingering and the other still alive. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The Kayasth was 28 years of age, and the Brahmin 18, when they became insane, They knew English and were very promising. The Brahmin learnt to smoke from an upcountry, i e., Hindi-speaking fakir, who used to live at his house. He died a year ago after being mad for ten years. The Kayasth youth was appointed Sub-Overseer in the Public Works Department and sent to Manipur. He learnt to smoke ganja there, and became insane and was brought home to Sibsagar, He lately came to Dibrugarh, where I saw him. His servants, who were in Manipur with him, said he had gone mad from smoking ganja, and his father brought him from there. He is constantly repeating "Bom Mahadeo," an invocation used by ganja-smokers, and he carries a bael fruit in his hand. I know another case of an Assamese who smoked ganja with Hindi-speaking fakirs and has become half-cracked. These are all the cases I know.  - Evidence of JADU RAM BOROOAH, Assamese Kayasth, Local Board Member; Pensioned Overseer, Public Works Department, Dibrugarh


45. . I have seen in lunatic asylums a good many individuals who were said by the officers in charge of the asylums to be the victims of ganja, and some of these persons were cured after a time and discharged. But if ganja was the cause of their temporary insanity, it is strange that the same person was not again and again received in the asylum, for on discharge he would in all probability return to his old habits ; it is hardly credible that his wish for ganja would have been destroyed or that his self-control would have become so strengthened. Other lunatics were also returned as victims of ganja, but in most cases in our asylums the cause of insanity is not really traced, and very little of the previous history of the lunatic can be ascertained. Even were it found, however, that the use of ganja was the immediate cause of a man becoming insane, the fact would not suffice to condemn the moderate use of the drug, and I do not know that any attempt has ever been made to compare the number of lunatics whose insanity is traceable to ganja with the number of ganja smokers. Religious mania is far from an uncommon form of insanity, and yet no one would condemn religion on that account. - Evidence of MR. J . W. NEILL, Judicial Commissioner, Central Provinces.


45. As regards insanity, I would say that the popular belief certainly is that the excessive use of ganja does produce insanity, and in some cases in which the insanity was purely temporary, and which came under my observation in our lunatic asylums, ganja smoking certainly appeared to be the exciting cause of the insanity ; but I have always myself been inclined to doubt whether ganja smoking will of itself produce insanity, and whether in most cases at least there may not be some previously existing brain disease which has led to the excessive indulgence in ganja. It is always very difficult, and often absolutely impos -sible, to obtain any really reliable information as to the previous history of the insanes brought to the asylums ; and I cannot myself remember a case in which it was clearly shown that it was ganja smoking alone which led to insanity. I am clearly of opinion that the question of the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety and brain disease has not been sufficiently consi-dered when ganja smoking has been alleged as the cause of insanity.  - Evidence of COLONEL M. M. BOWIE, Commissioner, Nerbudda Division.


I have never met a case of a man whom an excess of ganja had excited to passion or crime; but I have known superintendents of lunatic asylums describe the abuse of ganja as a cause of insanity ; and as their records of causes of insanity are based upon enquiries made of the patients' relatives, it may be that ganja is popularly believed to produce madness, if taken in excess. This is not surprising, for if tobacco is indulged in unduly, it affects the nerves and nerve centres. My belief is that ganja consumed in moderation is not more unwholesome than very strong tobacco. I cannot enter into details as to the action of ganja on the digestion, on the bodily organs, and on the constitution generally, as my duties as Excise Commissioner did not directly lead me to a study of the pathology of the drug ; and any statements on the subject which are not based on accurate observations, scientifically made and recorded, would be worse than useless.  - Evidence of MR. L. K. LAURIE, Officiating Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, General Department.


45. Ganja smoking has a tendency to deaden the intellect and produce insanity. Bhang drinking does not, I believe, produce these effects. I have known a large number of bhang drinkers. among Brahmans who are well known as reciters of the Vedas. Their intellect does not appear to have become blunt. They all look healthy. From a few instances I have seen it appears that insanity, which was the effect of ganja smoking, was produced in the first stage of the persons using the drug excessively. It was temporary. They became quite sane after having been kept under restraint for some months. If such persons be again allowed the use of the drug, they will again become insane. 53. The excessive indulgence in ganja smoking incites unpremeditated, violent crime. Recently I saw a case of a man who went mad owing to excessive ganja smoking, and in that state of his mind he killed his own uncle who had remained to watch him. There was no ill-feeling between them. There was no motive of the murder except perhaps the uncle did not allow him the use of ganja. The story is that after the man having gone mad, the murdered man and his brother sat to watch the murderer. In the meantime the former slept near him telling his brother to keep a watch. Shortly after the murderer told the latter to go to sleep, saying that there was no necessity of a watch as he had become quite sane. On this the man went away. The murderer then got up, brought an axe from inside a room, and struck a blow with it to his sleeping uncle, and ran away, and concealed the axe and washed his wearing clothes. He confessed all these facts to the police, and other persons the following day. He, however, denied subsequently all knowledge before the magistrate. There was no other motive for this murder, which, I believe, was due to homicidal frenzy. Question 45. [oral evidence]—The case given under answer No. 53 was the only instance of insanity from ganja smoking, as referred to in answer No. 45, the details of which I can give. In that case, the man was found not to be insane, and was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Question 53.[oral evidence]—In this case the man was first acquitted on the ground of insanity by Diwan Banmali Misr. The Commissioner of the Division quashed the proceedings. The Raja and I tried the case and convicted the man and sentenced him to imprisonment for life. He had become violent from the use of ganja a fortnight before, and his uncle put him under restraint and refused him ganja. Suddenly he planned to get his uncle asleep, and then killed him. There was no enquiry as to any madness in the family. His uncles were not mad. I think his frenzy was due to previous ganja smoking. By homicidal frenzy, I understand a desire to kill a man, no matter who it might be. The man's name is Khairuth.Napatti, convicted October or November 1892.  - Evidence of TRIMBAK RAO SATHE, Extra Assistant Commissioner, and Diwan of the Sonepur State.


45. (f) It deadens the intellect, but I know of no case where moderate, habitual use of these drugs had led to insanity. It certainly makes the person hot tempered and easily excitable. (g) I know of no such case. 46. Brings on dullness, laziness, and insanity, in cases of young men, by causing heat to the brain. I had seen no cases of insanity from this cause, and am unable to discuss the matter fully.  46 [oral evidence] I knew a case of dhatura making a man insane. The general actual result is that the majority of mode rate smokers do not go to excess. I do not think that the habit does harm to poor persons who have to work hard and to endure exposure. - Evidence of RAGHUNATH RAO, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Damoh.


45. It deadens the intellect and produces insanity : one intoxicated is always half mad. In the beginning the insanity is temporary, but in the end it becomes permanent. The symptoms can be reinduced by use of the drugs after liberation from restraint. Question 45. [oral evidence]—One case of insanity is that of Augat Pande, a man well known to me, who took both ganja and bhang. He had taken ganja for three years, and bhang from the time he was 14 or 15 years old. His father died young, and I knew his grandfather. There was no insanity in the family. I know of no epilepsy in the family. His elder brother taught him to drink bhang. He learnt to smoke ganja from his schoolmaster, aged 30, and other people also. Augat Pande became quite mad and recovered somewhat. He then relapsed, and now I hear he has died. He was mad for 6 months, well for a year, and then again went mad and never recovered. He died at the age of 22. He was a Brahmin by caste. I can't be certain there was no other cause contributing to insanity. The people of the village believe it was due to ganja. It is believed that ganja sometimes produces insanity. The man whose case I have described above belonged to Bijeragogarh. Dr. Rice saw him when he was mad, as well as I recollect. That was in 1884 or 1885. I know the cases of two brothers, Ram Datt and Dev Datt. These did not become quite mad. They took ganja and bhang. They became weak in mind, and it became a question of allowing them to take possession of their estate, which was in charge of the Court of Wards. It was however released on its being shown that they were not mad. Ram Datt took to liquor and has recovered. Dev Datt did not take to liquor and is still short-witted. Their father was weakminded and set aside. He was not a ganja smoker as far as I know. I know of no more cases of insanity. - Evidence of SYED MOHAMED HUSAIN, Extra Assistant Commissioner; Diwan, Khairagarh State.


45. ) The moderate use has no such effect as far as I am aware. (g) No such cases are known to me. - Evidence of RAM KRISHNA RAO, Brahmin, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Bhandara


45(f) No. (g) Not come under my observation. 46. I have come to know by observation that the habitual excessive use of ganja is very injurious. I think of all the intoxicants ganja is said to be the worst. I have known cases that by excessive use of ganja the consumers who were very healthy in their youth have become totally blind. Many cases have come to my knowledge of insanity, both temporary and permanent, produced by excessive use of ganja...I have seen excessive smokers of ganja to become cranky and not affectionate to their wives and children, and quite indifferent to their affairs. In short, the excessive habitual smoker of ganja becomes quite useless to himself and to society.  - Evidence of BATUK BHARTHY, Superintendent of Kalahandi State.


45. . I do not think that its moderate use will cause insanity, but this is the question which does not fall within my province. I have not seen its effect to such an extent. 46. Excessive habitual use of ganja is certain to produce insanity. Men using ganja moderately often take recourse to excessive use, simply sometimes to relieve them of their mental anxieties. It deadens their intellects, and for want of self control, induces them to indulge too much in its smoking. - Evidence of ALAM CHAND, Superintendent, Bastar State.


45 and 46. [N]ever heard of its [habitual excessive smoking] inducing madness. Question 45 [oral evidence].–I have not seen any cases of people becoming insane through ganja, nor heard of any. The intoxication lasts but a short while. Consumers are affected in their intellect, but it does not go as far as madness. I have never heard of people becoming insane through use of dhatura, but the intoxication of dhatura is very violent. I have heard of men getting tremblings from liquor and even dying.  - Evidence* of MUNSHI THAKHT SINGH, pensioned Tahsildar, Bata, District Damoh


45. It deadens the intellect if excessively used, and causes temporary , change in disposition. It as well causes tempo, rary insanity. If the restraint be removed and the use of ganja allowed, the symptoms of insanity reappear.  - Evidence of CHINTAMANI NAND VIDYÂ BHUSHANA, Uria Brahmin, late Tahsildar, Sonepur, Sambalpur.


45. Generally the excessive use of hemp dries the body and makes the sense defective, and when a man does not get ganja, dullness prevails over him and blunts his memory and he becomes insane. But the dullness and insanity disappear when he gets ganja to smoke. Its visible signs are that the eyes are always red, and a roughness appears on the face. Excessive use of the drug makes one insane. The intoxication of the drug is very injurious for a person who is troubled by headache and mental anxieties. - Evidence of ANANDI PERSHAD, Excise Daroga, Hoshangabad.


46. It [habitual excessive use] produces insanity, sometimes permanent, sometimes temporary. The madness is of all kinds. The symptoms may be reinduced when temporary by excess in use after recovery. There are no special kinds of types of mania. I have no knowledge to answer the rest of the question. As to bhang the bad effects are similar but less severe. I have observed cases myself. I cannot think of any particular cases.  - Evidence of BRIJMOHUN PATNAIK, Mahanti, Treasurer, Sambalpur.


45. I have never found ganja smoking stand in the way of my work, and I have never had to take sick leave on account of ill-health. I never heard of anybody going mad from ganja smoking, - Evidence of UMA CHURN MUKERJEE, Brahmin, Government Clerk, Jabalpur.


45. Yes, it deadens the intellect and produces temporary insanity. Yes, the symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The symptoms are of a mild nature in the use of bhang, but more violent in the use of ganja. No, I do not think that insanity tends to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs. Question 45. [oral evidence]—My opinion is based on the effects of the drug on two servants of mine, a tent pitcher and a sweeper. These men did not admit the admixture of nux vomica, or dhatura. My observation showed they were weakened generally. The tent-pitcher, a middle-aged man, is asthmatic. He is lazy, but not immoral. He does not shew any tendency to insanity. For the rest of my answer I depended on general enquiries. The sweeper was a great ganja-smoker, but a bad lot all round. I cannot attribute his bad qualities to ganja.  - Evidence of MR. A. E. LOWRIE, Officiating Deputy Conservator of Forests, Chanda.


45. [oral evidence]  I do not think the moderate use of ganja is more harmful than the moderate use of tobacco or liquor. I think, however, that more men lose their reason from ganja than from liquor. In fact, the first question I ask about a lunatic is whether he takes ganja. I was in Bilaspur three years as District Superintendent of Police. I had six hundred men under me. One man was dis missed for excessive ganja smoking during that period. He went off his head and became violent for a fortnight at a time two or three times. He was a Brahman and a wrestler, a very powerful man. The dismissal was reported, and the cause was probably also reported, to the Inspector General. There was a case in which my predecessor at Saugor, on 25th June 1890, reported a constable as having become insane, and had his name struck off as he had escaped from hospital and gone off to Rai Bareilly, I produce the report in which my predecessor attributes the insanity to ganja. There have been two other dismissals within the last three or four years, which, I am informed by the Inspector, were due to insanity attributed to ganja. One of the men is still at Saugor in a semi-insane state. The Saugor police are one thousand in number. My experience is that about one such case occurs in two years in such a district as Saugor. We have many cases of insubordination from ganja. I think ganja is a more frequent cause of dismissal and punishment than liquor. The effects of excessive use of ganja are longer in duration than those of liquor. A man who is off his head from drink is generally all right next day. With ganja it sometimes takes a fortnight. This refers to excessive indulgence. Saugor is a particularly bad district for ganja, being on the borders of Native States. Many of the police are up-country men, Purbeas, etc.; but I do not think that more of them use  hemp drugs than local men. In fact, I think low caste local men are more given to these drugs. I should think that the consumers of liquor in the Saugor police are about equal in number to the hemp drug consumers. - Evidence of COLONEL H. HUGHES HALLET, Officiating Inspector-General of Police and Prisons. Central Provinces.


45 (f) I don't think moderate smoking produces any of these ill-effects. Were it so, the effects of the large amounts sold by contractors would manifest themselves more fully amongst the people. Inordinate smoking may produce insanity, I have no doubt, and I have seen cases attributed to the abuse of the drug. But I am of opinion that it is not the habitual steady consumer who is likely to become insane ; it is the young man beginning, or the older consumer who in times of excitement, like festivals, indulges to excess, that has his reason upset ; and these cases partake of the nature of acute mania from which recovery takes place in a short time. The older and heavier consumer may sink into incurable lunacy. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The opinion which I state regarding the connection between ganja and insanity is based on my experience. There was a case in Sironcha. A Native Christian named Francis was a constable about twenty-three or twenty-four years ago. His case stands out in my memory, for I knew him well. He had no liquor habit. He took to smoking ganja. I saw him one day dancing about outside kacheri in a very excited state. He had to be put under restraint. He was (as far as I remember) sent to the Nagpur Asylum, and I lost trace of him. He was only 21 or 22 years of age. I knew a little of the family ; and I did not know of any insanity in his family. I do not remember his parents. I knew him in hospital. He had no epilepsy or syphilis to cause insanity. I knew nothing of any admixture being used. I had had complaints of the man's use of ganja. I do not remember how long he was under observation before being sent to the Asylum. I was then doing magisterial work as well as my own duties in Sironcha. I remember a case of two baniyas who were travelling. They met people who induced them to smoke ganja in a friendly way ; there was no crime in this case. The baniyas had never smoked before. One of them disappeared. He had gone into the jungle. Search was made. The man was found three days later quite off his head. He was off his head under my observation for about a week also. He recovered gradually and completely. The other man was not affected. The affected man was incoherent, but not violent. When he recovered, he remembered the smoking but nothing later. This case was over twenty years old. The man was about 26 or 28 years old, a strong and well-developed man, with no appearance of being accustomed to the use of drugs. I can give no recent instances of a man going off his head from ganja. The case above recorded is the only case of insanity in a constable due to hemp drugs that has come before me in my service. I know of no cases of dismissal from the force arising from men going off their head from ganja. I have no doubt whatever from my Indian experience that ganja may be a cause of insanity. I believe the two cases I have given above to have been due solely and entirely to the use of the drug. The diagnosis of ganja insanity is attended with great difficulty, for there are no characteristic symptoms I believe. I could not diagnose a case of ganja insanity with the aid of existing literature on the subject. I do not know the physiological action of the drug experimentally. Ganja insanity is looked on as a variety of toxic insanity. Insanity caused by a poisonous drug is toxic insanity. Alcoholic insanity is another example. In it there are tissue changes in the brain. I have no experience such as would enable me to say whether there are such tissue changes with ganja or not. Nor can I say whether there would be any particular symptom or group of symptoms running through a series of cases. The diagnosis of ganja insanity would be based on a combination of symptoms and the history of the case. In asylum cases we get (1) the statement of the Civil Surgeon as to (a) what he has observed himself, and (b) what has been communicated to him by others; and (2) the Police report forwarded by the Magistrate in a prescribed form. It is filled in by the police. In the case of sending a lunatic to the Civil Surgeon for observation the Magistrate sends an order with the form or statement filled in by the police. Then the Civil Surgeon fills in his medical certificate. The same police form is sent with that medical certificate to the asylum when the man is sent there. I have never, as Civil Surgeon, seen any necessity to alter anything in the police form. I attach no importance to the form as enabling me to decide the question of the man's sanity or insanity. It may throw side light ; but the opinion of the police has no weight with me whatever. The Civil Surgeon's certificate refers to the man's condition during the period of observation only. The Asylum Superintendent has nothing to go on in regard to the history of the case prior to that period except the police form. In assigning a cause to madness, the previous history is of course the most important matter. As a rule, the Civil Surgeon would not make inquiry into matters beyond the form or statement referred to. But I have often made inquiries from relations who have come with a case so as to try to get some history. I think the form is generally signed by the police. I would not accept without question the police statement that ganja was the cause of insanity in cases when the form showed no other cause. I would accept it provisionally or tentatively. I would not order further inquiry. I would not attribute the insanity to anything else unless something occurred to show that this was clearly not the cause. I think that there is a tendency to assign causes too readily ; and I quite agree with what Dr. Rice, then Civil Surgeon of Jabalpur, said in the Lunatic Asylum Report of 1880, regarding the untrustworthiness of the material at our disposal. In cases of rapid recovery I should be disposed to assign ganja as the cause of insanity if there was any previous history of the drug. I would not accept the theory that ganja is only an exciting cause of insanity in persons already predisposed to insanity. - Evidence of BRIGADE-SURGEON–LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. B. GAFFNEY, Civil Surgeon, Jabalpur.


I do not think the asylum is the proper place in which to study the effects of ganja smoking. Out of 155 inmates there are only 19 where there is a doubtful history of ganja smoking, and I have the names of 22, more who say they have smoked the drug, that gives 41 out of the total, or 26 per cent. The people who could give the best information would lie the malgluzars of the different villages, for there is no doubt that there are a very great number of cases of temporary insanity lasting a. week due to the smoking of ganja, of which we hear nothing. The drug is doubtless an exciting cause of insanity along with drink, but I am inlined to believe that in India it is more the cause of crime than drink is, owing to the sudden and excessive excitement which is one of the first symptoms. In very few of the cases admitted as from the effects of ganja smoking have we a positive proof that the man ever smoked the drug. Take the case of Bairoo ; he was admitted on the 18th July 1570 ; was found wandering about and was supposed to be dangerous. Hem had just been deserted by his wife. He was discharged three months after and was re-admitted in 1874 ; supposed cause ganja, but in this case the desertion off his wife vas the immediate cause which unhinged his brain, He has never been violent, and I should say that this insanity was not due to the drug. Case No. 2.—We have a history of ganja smoking, and unnatural and irrational violent excitement, the period of excitement being an utter blank. Case No. 3 - .There is no reliable history of ganja smoking. Case No. 4.—Is certainly very doubtful. She is practically dumb and has a small deformed head and is evidently deficient in intellect. Ganja may have been the exciting cause. Case No. 5.—Mussammat Shaishama.—There is a history of ganja smoking', and this may be the cause. Case No, 6.— He is intemperate and dissolute, and also a great ganja smoker. This latter drug may have helped to produce insanity, and I dare say it was under the influence of the drug that he attempted to throw his brother's child into the well. Case No. 7 is doubtful, and so is No. 8. No. 9 is due, I think, to the immediate effects of ganja, except in this case the man knew that lie had committed some offence, for lie ran away. 10. Atmaram.—This man states that he now and then smoked ganja. He has apparently been insane for seven years. There is no history of vialem'e or very unusual excitement, and I very much doubt doubt if ganja smoking has had anything to do with his present condition, It is very doubtful it he even ever smoked ganja, for it is utterly impossible to believe what he says. 11. Tajoodin.—There was no history sent with this man, and very little that is reliable can be obtained from him. The Magistrate says that the cause of insanity was unknown. The medical officer of the dispensary, Kamptee, says that is supposed to be a great ganja smoker. The mar has occasional fits of excitement followed by depression, and he has lately become very suspicious shies at every thing he passes. Here again the ganja smoking is doubtful, He has apparently been known to have been insane for five years, and during that time there is his history of violence. 12. Itwagir.—No history was sent with this man. He is a beggar. He was admitted into the asylum violent, noisy and filthy, abusive and incoherent. Beyond the man's own statement it is not certain that he ever smoked the drug. Akbar Khan.—This man was also a beggar ; used to sit at a certain spot in the city, and had been doing so for years. He is supposed to be a gaup, smoker, but there is no evidence beyond his own word that he ever smoked the drug. He is a great talker, very abusive, but is never violent. Rudraya.—This man is also a beggar, and has no friends or relative. The supposed cause is excessive ganja smoking. He certainly when admitted showed signs of violent mania, which may have been caused by smoking ganja, but there is little known about him before he was found sitting on the banks of the river. Kalekhan.—There is here a history of gania smoking, but can we put clown the ganja as the predisposing or the exciting cause ? He was very depressed with occasional fits of excitement the first few days of admission, and these fits of excitement continue, but with longer intervals. Case No. 14.—Was not due to the effect of the immediate consumption of ganja, for the attack was premeditated. Case 15 is very doubtful. Case 16 is Dore. of a religious mania. Case 17 is no doubt a ganja smoker. Case 18 is due possibly to ganja, for he does not realise what he is doing. Out of these 18 cases, only 3 or at the Most 4 can be put down as the result of ganja smoking. Ganja smoking would, I think, have more effect on the poor, especially the beggar class, and so cause insanity, but poverty and want of food and ill-usage must also be taken into account.
Lunatics at present in the Asylum who are declared to be ganja smokers by either the Police or _Magistrates. 1. Bairoo—Was deserted by his wife, and was admitted for acute mania. Was discharged a few months after cured. Three years after was re-admitted for chrome mania. The warrant states that lie is a ganja smoker. Remark.—I cannot think this case cat be put down to ganja ; the primary cause was the desertion by his wife. 2. Dyaram.—I think this a genuine case of l ganja smoking, There is no history of this man previous to his committing the crime. The symptoms are those I should put down to ganja, that is, a sudden fit of paroxysmal insanity and forgetfulness of what had been done. 3. Pancham Chamar—Was admitted into jail and diagnosed as acute mania, Is supposed to be; a ganja smoker, but I do not think the symptoms [    are those of ganja smoking. is . Mussamat Morki—Was first admitted Ain    1872, and was then considered to be congenitally deficient in mental power; power of speech imp, perfect. Five years after she was discharged, and 27 days after was re-admitted for chronic dementia and the supposed cause majum. She certainly had not had majum when in the asylum, and the only opportunity she had was during the 27 days. This is a very doubtful case. 5. Mussamat, Shaishama.—There is a history of ganja smoking, but the symptoms in thi; case are in no way different to those of a Eurasian female, Mrs. Inglis, who certainly is not a ganja smoker, nor given to excesses of any kind. Ganja perhaps in the case of Mussamat Shaishama is the exciting cause, but I cannot help thinking that she was predisposed to insanity, and any excitement would produce the same result. 6. Jairampanth—Was first admilted as acute dementia, cause unknown, was discharged one year after, and re-admitted for chronic dementia due to ganja smoking; but there is no certain evidence that such is the case. 7. Balkrishna —Supposed cause is ganja smoking. This I think is a case of a paroxysmal insanity due to some neurosis and possibly congenital. S. Sh,coram.—Beyond the man admitting that he used to take ganja I do not think there is any other reason for connecting the insanity with the drug. 9. Balli Soonar.—This is, I should say, the result of ganja smoking. Sudden violent paroxysm and forgetfulness of what was done. 10. Atinaram.—This man appeal's to have been sane until he went to jail at the age of 20 and became insane in the jail and has remained so ever since. Supposed cause " perhaps ganja.." There is no history of the man ever having smoked ganja, and his symptoms would not lead me to suspect it. 11. Tajdin.—Supposed cause ganja. Here again the symptoms would not lead to me respect ganja. There is not that sudden violent excitewent which one associates with the use of the drug. 12. Itwargir—Admits having , been a ganja smoker, and perhaps this case might he put down to the drug-, but it, is not a characteristic case. 13. Akbar Khan.—This man has been a lunatic for years and will admit anything, but I cannot include this case. 14. Rudia Mehra.—This man is a begnar, and has apparently been insane for years. I do not think his symptoms would lead me to say that ganja was the cause. 15. Dhan, Singh—Admits being a ganja smoker, and the insanity may be due to the drug, at least ganja may have been the exciting cause. 16. Chouth Mutt.—Religious mania. 17. Kale Khan.—Says he has smoked ganja, but the symptoms do not lead me to suspect that ganja has had anything do with the insanity. 18. Ramsha.—May be due to ganja, but it is a doubtful case.then who acknowledge to have smoked ganja daily; but not admitted as toxic insanity. 1. Kishna.—This man says he smoked several ehillums a day, but the symptoms shewn by him are not I think symptomatic of a ganja smoker. 2. Ando.—I would not put this case down to ganja. 3. Maha Singh.—Admits being a ganja smoker and the insanity may be due to the drug. He suddenly had a fit of violence and in the fit killed his child, and recollects nothing. 4. Rajaram.—A confirmed ganja smoker, but from his symptoms I do not see any cause for thinking the insanity is due to the drug. He is suffering more from religious mania. 5. Thaysa.—Epileptic insanity. 6. Ganga Dbur Rao.—Says he smoked ganja twice or three times a year, but I cannot attribute the insanity to the drug. 7. Laxooman.—I. think the murder in this case was done under the influence of ganja. There is the sudden violent excitement and the forgetfulness of everything that occurred during the fit. 8. Peeroo.—I cannot put this down to ganja, because he appears to have known what he did and made excuses. He has occasional fits of excitement preceded by injection of the conjunctivæ.
9. Vittoba.—This man says lie smoked several chillums daily, but I do not think his insanity is due to the drug. Question 45.—I have had twenty years' experience in India. I was two or three months in Cumberland Asylum before coming to India as Officiating Assistant Superintendent. I did not specially study the subject of insanity. I have been a year and-a-half in charge of the Nagpur Asylum. Before that I was three months in charge of the Jabalpur Asylum. I know of no literature dealing with special forms of insanity seen in India. My experience leads me to think that climate does not modify the symptoms of particular types of insanity. Toxic insanity is used to denote that the insanity has been produced by some such drug as alcohol, ganja or opium. Any insanity produced by any drug would be called toxic insanity. This may include dhatura. The question, of course, first to be decided, is whether any drug produces insanity. I am not prepared to say that hemp drugs produce insanity, i.e., that they are ever the predisposing cause of insanity. Dr. Hack Tuke's remarks on toxic insanity shown to me, indicate that the name is applicable to dementia, mania and many other types of insanity. It is a name given to insanity owing to its supposed cause, not owing to its symptoms. Alcoholism might attack so many parts of the body that one might have different symptoms in a series of cases. But in case of alcoholic brain mischief one would expect to find the same symptoms running all the way through the series. So also one would expect to find one or more symptoms in the case of toxic insanity from hemp drugs. In such cases I find that a man has a sudden fit of insanity, he comes to his senses a short time afterwards, and the previous period of his insanity is a perfect blank to him. The case of Maha Singh in the Nagpur Asylum is a case in point. He says he smoked ganja. He has no recollection of the death of his child, which he had himself caused. In regard to ganja cases, I am unable to point to any symptom which I regard as diagnostic, except the suddenness of the attack, i.e., the sudden paroxysm. There are no objective symptoms. When a case comes to the asylum, it sometimes happens that the man is sane. He is sent (e.g., Baliram) as ganja insane who has (as in that case) committed murder. The history of the case determines the diagnosis in such a case as that. If the alleged ganja lunatic comes into the asylum insane, I keep him under observation and then proceed to diagnosis. That would be based on the sudden paroxysm in which the man has no delusions and the suddenness of the recovery. Such paroxysms may recur without a fresh dose of ganja. It can only be regarded as a supposition that ganja has produced the insanity. I am not prepared to say that I am satisfied that hemp drugs ever produce insanity, i.e., that they are ever more than the exciting cause. The entry of ganja as a cause is generally due to this, that it is the custom to copy on the top of the history sheet the entry of "supposed cause" made by the magistrate or the police; and this entry is copied into the returns. We are not in a position to judge of this, to disprove it, or to correct it. We do not consider it right or necessary then to dispute it. In criminal cases, the cause is taken generally from the judgment of the court. I have never ascribed the insanity to ganja from diagnosis of my own motion. We have to accept these police or magisterial histories; for we have nothing else. Within the last five or six months it has been ordered that we are to receive copies of judgments and any thing in the police reports throwing light on the cause of insanity. Before that no steps were taken to elucidate the history of any case. I have prescribed Cannabis indica. I give this as a nerve tonic. I have no other experience of the physiological action of the drug. I mean I have no experience of that action apart from the use of the drug as a remedial agent. I do not know what the physiological action of hemp preparation is. I do not think that redness of the eyes is of the slightest value as a diagnostic mark of ganja. I have seen cases of insanity in which the periodical fit is preceded by redness of eyes. One case is that of Peru, whose insanity is not alleged to be due to ganja. This redness of eye may be regarded as associated with brain mischief. I do not know any case of ganja being used to alleviate the symptoms of approaching brain mischief. I have never come on a case of insanity from belladonna, nor from dhatura. I do not remember having read of any such cases. I do not think that the symptoms of dhatura poisoning are the same as those of ganja. The former would act more upon the larynx, etc.; the latter on the brain more immediately. Hemp drugs could not in my opinion excite insanity in a healthy brain. Therefore, when I speak of hemp drugs as an exciting cause of insanity, I imply some predisposition towards insanity. Sometimes patients ask for ganja. I have noted that there are three patients who have undoubtedly the ganja habit. These include those who ask for it. To give such a man tobacco satisfies him. He knows, of course, that he will not get ganja; but there is no great craving for ganja. I think that if ganja were able to cause insanity in healthy subjects, we should have far more of it. We have 10,000,000 (ten millions) of people in the Central Provinces; and here and in Jabalpur we have not more than three dozen people whose insanity is ascribed to ganja. The history in these cases even is doubtful. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. K. MCKAY, Civil Surgeon, Nagpur.


46. The excessive use of the drug appears to deaden the intellect and to produce a condition of stupefaction in which the person thinks of and cares for nothing. Sometimes tremulousness of the muscles occurs. Bronchitis is not uncommon among those who indulge excessively; but this may be owing to neglect and exposure. Insanity must be a rare consequence, else one would expect to find most of the sadhus insane, which in my experience is not the case. Cases of insanity associated with the excessive use of Indian hemp. Case I.—Udai Ram, age 47, Tahsil Jamadar, Burhanpur, in which place he has lived for 20 years; caste, Chhipa. History.—He was brought to Khandwa in February 1891 suffering from sim -ple mania. His first symptoms were an increased excitability and irritability, he becoming very angry about trivial matters, abusing people with-out reason in the bazaars, and interfering with their property, neglect of his duties. He com-menced riding about the country on a pony, which he eventually lost. He was foolishly extravagant, purchasing useless articles at high prices. At Khandwa he was excitable and indignant at being kept under restraint and not allowed to go home. He was constantly in motion, walking round the station two or three times a day with his attendant, and at other times performing rather ludicrous gymnastic exercises. He was loquacious, talking to every one he met, sometimes incoherently, but at other times sensibly enough. One of his delu-sions was that he had been appointed "diwan" to a certain Raja, and that he had boundless wealth at his disposal. The man was transferred to the Jabalpur Lunatic Asylum at the end of March 1891. The Civil Sargeon writes that he died there on the 7th September 1893 of general para-lysis of the brain, but that no post-mortem ex -amination was made. In this case there is no hereditary history of insanity or nervous disease. The most important point elicited was that the man had been a ganja smoker for many years, and latterly to excess. He was also addicted to bhang drinking a nd majum eating; and of the latter substance about half a seer was found in his house. This majum he usually obtained from Ujjain. The two causes, singly or combined, that are chiefly said to produce general paralysis of the brain among Europeans are sexual excesses and in-temperance, especially if impure and bad alcoholic drinks are used; and there is no reason to suppose that Indian hemp consumed in excess might not play the part of alcohol in the production of the disease among the natives of India. Case II .—Abdul Rahman, a Pathan, aged 32, a resident of Raver, a village 10 miles from Bur -hanpur. His father died when he was a child; his mother is still living. His relatives are petty shop-keepers, selling cloth, bangles, etc. Abdul himself has not followed this occupation, but ap-pears to have led a somewhat idle life, occasionally keeping a small village school for the instruction of Muhammadan children. The form of insanity from which he now suffers is simple mania, and the history of the attack is as follows:—About a year ago he went to the Berars to visit a fakir and became initiated as his disciple. After his return he resumed his duties as teacher, and no symptoms indicating mental disease were at first noticed for a couple of months until he took to ganja smoking. It is stated that he con-tinued this practice to excess, and finally, in the course of a few months, his first symptoms showed themselves. His people attribute the insanity to excessive ganja smoking, and he himself admits that he uses it. There is no history of heredity, of opium eating, or other cause. His symptoms are, an aimless desire to leave his home and wander into the adjoining villages, entering other persons' houses uninvited. He is sometimes irritable, and he is easily excited by opposition, when he becomes very abusive and even aggressive. Ordinarily he is quiet and talks sensibly; but in the course of any conversation he generally becomes incoherent and wanders away to irrelevant subjects. For instance, when I was speaking to him regarding his usual mode of life, he suddenly began to talk of the sun and moon. As I mentioned before, there is no known or admitted heredity; but natives will not readily disclose such facts. Question 45.[oral evidence]—You have not had charge of a lunatic asylum or had special opportunities of making observations with reference to insanity ? Answer.—No, I have mentioned the only two cases I have observed. I have been fourteen years in service, and served in Madras and Burma. Question.—You have not had any ganja consumer under long-continued observation? Answer.—No. Question.— On what ground do you state that moderate use is harmless? Answer.— I have seen many consumers and noticed no bad effects. Question 46. [oral evidence]—In the two cases of insanity you have described, are you able to say that the insanes had not indulged in alcohol or dhatura? Answer. — I am pretty confident that in the second case nothing but hemp had been taken. His people were very positive on the point. In the first case also I am sure alcohol had not been taken. Question 46.—Do you attribute the paralysis of the brain which is described in the first case under question 46 to the use of hemp? Answer.— Yes; at the same time I have reason to suppose that the insane had been given to sexual excess as he was affected with a disease which follows syphilis. I ascertained by enquiries from persons who had treated the insane that he had suffered in this way. Question.— Do you consider that hemp was the exciting cause in these cases? Answer.—That is a difficult question. Question.—Do you think excess in hemp might cause insanity in a man with healthy brain? Answer.— Yes; it might. Question.—On what do you base that opinion? Answer.—Structural change in the brain might result from the excessive use of the drug. I do not base this opinion upon any case actually ob-served. Question.—Can you refer to any recorded cases in which structural change has been discovered by post-mortem examination? Answer.—No. Question 46.— How did you ascertain the fact in the cases described in question 46, that the men had been smokers of ganja for many years and latterly to excess?
Answer.—By enquiries from relatives and the men's own statements. Question.—Were there any symptoms to indicate the connection of ganja with these cases? Answer.—There were none.
 - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. A. QUAYLE, Civil Surgeon, Nimar.


It over-excites the intellect and produces insanity; but deadens pain, and induces insanity of the type "mania," temporary or permanent. It can be reinduced by its use. The typical symptoms come on generally suddenly— delirium, excitement, restlessness, and attempts to violence. The insanes, when recovered from insanity, do confess to the use of ganja drugs; but some are ashamed to confess the cause. I do not consider it gives relief to persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain diseases, but rather excites them. In my experience, I have not found that any person suffering from either mental or brain diseases has brought on insanity by taking hemp drugs for relief, or that persons of weakened intellect, deficient in self-control, have taken them to cause insanity. The consumer's temperament is also to be considered. I have observed those of nervous temperament to be more prone to insanity in the use of hemp drugs. Of all the intoxicants used by the people of India, none are so baneful as the hemp drugs. The pleasurable feeling of intoxication lasts for about three hours, and requires gratification and longing, and there is a tendency to its increase. The consumers at this state talk much and largely and their intentions in doing much, but never perform them; least unpleasant act or talk irritates them to anger and abuse; in such fits become lunatics, and commit violence and murder or suicide. During my Civil Surgeoncy of Sambalpur, I met with many such cases. 1. I have a man at present in employ who had become temporarily mad from smoking ganja. 2. The zamindar of Sanda Chukly, in Sambalpur, a smart, handsome man, took to ganja and madak smoking, became insane, and was put under restraint. He got well and was removed to his home, when he again took to his old habit and became insane, and died of dysentery. 3. His younger brother also took to the same habit of ganja smoking and madak and became insane, and died in this place from fever and head affection. 4. A man living in Burra Bazar of Sambalpur, vendor of native drugs and spices, had a family of a wife and two grown-up children, boy and girl, aged about 19 and 16, respectively. The boy got into the habit of ganja smoking, and had fits of insanity, destroyed things in the house, and beat the people. When he was put under treatment and restraint, he quite recovered, and was removed to his home by his father. He was taken great care of by the parents, and not allowed to go about or smoke ganja. One day the parents and his sister were away from home, the boy being alone, strolled about the house and espied an old leaf pipe charged with ganja stuck in the thatch of the house. He removed this, and lighted the same from the cooking place, and was immediately affected with a fit of insanity. He saw his father's sword hanging on the wall. He un-sheathed it and walked about the room. His sister coming in with a vessel of water, he at once attacked her, cutting her fearfully over the head, face, arms, chest, and back, for which she was about two months in hospital, and the boy continued insane, and was transferred to the lunatic asylum, and probably may be there yet. 5. The Mahunth of the temple in this place had been an inveterate ganja smoker. He was troubled with severe cough. One day he suddenly fell down and died, and a quantity of blood poured out of his mouth. 6. When I was attached to Her Majesty's 82nd Regiment, located at Delhi, a few years after the Mutiny, a private soldier, strolling about the ruined native building near Cashmere Gate, was invited into a house by some native females, and was given to drink a cup of bhang sherbet, and was afterwards picked up by some of the men of his regiment outside of the place in an insensible condition. While bringing him to the hospital, he awoke in a fit of madness, and was so violent that six of the men could hardly keep him down. An emetic of sulphate of zinc and a cold douche to the head restored him, and he gave the story of his drink. This man suffered for some time with headache and confusion of thoughts and sleepless nights. Question 45.[oral evidence]—Ganja is worse than bhang in its effects on the brain. Case No. 1.—The man here is a Brahmin lad. He was doing carpenter's work for me when I wrote my answers. He is 20 years old. He learned ganja habit from the carpenter that taught him his trade. He had no liquor habit. The carpenter did not use dhatura, I believe. The fit of madness was while the lad was in my employ. It lasted a few days. He is not now mad. He is not now in my employ. He has since taken, I hear, to opium. He was only once mad. It was about three or four months ago. I know of no family history of madness or epilepsy. I stopped his ganja while he remained with me. Case No. 2.—The zamindar in this case used ganja and madak together, mixing them in the same pipe. I think madak and ganja together a most deleterious mixture, worse than either alone. Ganja alone is, I think, worse than madak alone. Case No. 3.—In this case the patient died of delirium. His fever had slightly abated ; and he took his drugs again and brought about delirium and died. One cannot distinguish between the delirium due to drugs and that due to fever. I do not know of any other member of that family that is insane except these two brothers (cases No. 2 and No. 3). Case .No. 4.—There was no hereditary taint in this case. No liquor or other vicious habit in this case. When I say he had fits of insanity, I mean fits of passion : the time when he attacked his sister was the first time he was insane. It was about three months after his last attack of violence. It was about fifteen years ago. Case No. 5.—I attribute the cough in this case to ganja. Death was due to bursting a blood-vessel. This was caused by a fit of coughing, and the cough was due to ganja. I think that the vessel must have been a weak or dilated one, and that its weakness was due to ganja. I do not think that the use of tobacco would cause this. I think the drinking of bhang might cause aneurism or weakness of heart. I do not think liquor does. I have never diagnosed a case of aneurism in a bhang drinker. I base my view on the weakliness of ganja smokers. Case No. 6.—This man was not a drunkard. I ordered an emetic to remove all the contents of his stomach. I thought it was a case of dhatura poisoning. I found there was bhang, and the man told his story. I therefore made no examination for dhatura. I have seen dhatura used to strengthen toddy in this way. A chatti is inverted and dhatura burned under it. It is then turned right side up and the toddy poured in and shaken up. I do not know of this being done in this case to strengthen the bhang. It is a common thing to mix madak and ganja in my part of the country. I have heard of aconite and arsenic being mixed, but not jowari root nor cobra saliva. At the age of 19 years I was at one time at a nautch. I was offered sweetmeats. I took four lozenges. They contained majum. They produced happiness and exaltation. I laughed at every thing immoderately. When I got home I could not take off my studs. My mother suspected what was the matter and put me to bed. All night I felt a sensation as though I were being moved up and down. For three days I had a bad head. I wonder I did not become mad. I do not know of any thing else than hemp being in the majum. 46. The habitual excessive consumers. The answers as above apply to the same questions with this class. The insanity produced is generally permanent. - Evidence of HONY. SURGEON-MAJOR J. E. HARRISON, Retired List, and Civil Surgeon, Kalahundi


45(f) The habitual, moderate use has no such effect. (g) No such cases are known to me, but I have seen young lads who contracted the habit about the age of puberty and who afterwards became insane. Deficient self-control may have been hereditary or produced by excess in other directions. 46. The habitual, excessive use of any of these drugs would necessarily prove harmful and, in my opinion, would be more productive of insanity than other forms of intoxication. The insanity produced was dementia with timidity, at first temporary, I believe. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The cases to which I refer at the close of my answer were cases in which the youths had probably contracted the excessive habit and were addicted to other vices, besides being of weak physique. One was admitted to the Nagpur Asylum from the Bhandara Jail about 1889. The other was a Punjab case. The vices, especially sexual excess, might produce insanity without the stimulus of ganja. There were no special symptoms which led me to suppose that ganja had been used. Question 46.[oral evidence] I have not followed up cases of ganja insanity One symptom is timidity. When permanent changes in the brain have occurred, there can be no cure. The two cases mentioned under question 45 are those on which I base the description of ganja insanity given in question 46. -  Evidence of APOTHECARY J. PRENTIE, Civil Surgeon, Bhandara.


45. The intellect is permanently impaired, and insanity sometimes produced. Two cases recently came under observation where acute dementia resulted from ganja excess, and, in both, the drug was the predisposing cause. Young and strong, with no history of family trouble or sickness, these police constables developed insanity after prolonged excess in ganja smoking. The prominent symptoms were despondency, incoherence, moroseness with occasional maniacal paroxysms, and a profound aversion to movement or activity of any kind. Both recovered under treatment, but a temporary relapse followed renewed indulgence in one case. This man's second attack resembled a subacute melancholia without any very violent fits of mania. Question 46. [oral evidence]—The two cases I refer to came under my own observation. Neither has been in the asylum. Sheoparsad was one of them—a Purbia, a Police constable. He became insane at Gugari and was sent to me by the Deputy Commissioner to be kept under observation in the jail. He had smoked ganja and drunk bhang to excess with a fakir at Gugari. I inquired about admixtures, and was told that there was no dhatura or other poisonous drug used. The brother told me that there was no family history of insanity. The man was insane when he came to me. He was sent in twenty-four miles and was in Mandla for a few days. I probably saw him a week after the excess. He was morose and irrelevant, and was inclined to beat people. I wanted to send him to the asylum; but his brother took him to the NorthWest. He returned a year after and seemed still wild of appearance. He hung about the ganja shop and assaulted a public servant, and was sent to jail for six months and a year more in default of security. I did not think him insane, and therefore he was convicted. There was no insanity, but a tendency to irritability and temper, and a wildness of eye. On the first occasion (a year before) he was insane, suffering from dementia. The " relapse " I refer to in the fifth paragraph is the wild appearance and violence described above as leading to his imprisonment for assaulting a public servant. This man is now in the Central Jail at Jabbalpur. He had been a man of good character ; and had been only three months at Gugari. There was nothing else than ganja to which I could attribute his insanity. The other case was a Head Constable. I forget his name. He said he had family trouble; but I believe that was a hallucination. He took to ganja privately. He refused to work and asked for leave. It was refused, as I could not find any illness. He tore up some papers in the office. He was sent to me for observation in the jail. He was in the jail for three days. The family took him away ; but he came with his friends regularly to the dispensary. He was insane. He had been kept from ganja for two weeks before the outbreak. Therefore it was not intoxication. This man is now sane and at work as Head Constable. I have seen many ganja cases in my asylum practice. I cannot say that these two cases are typical cases. I had more complete history in these cases than we used to have in the asylum. There are no such typical symptoms of ganja insanity as to justify its diagnosis apart from case history. I have never seen any cases of insanity from dhatura. I have seen cases of dhatura poisoning. I cannot say whether the symptoms bear any resemblance to ganja cases. - Evidence of APOTHECARY GEORGE MURPHY , Civil Surgeon, Mandla.


45. It generally deadens the intellect, as a remote action, and in rare cases produces insanity, which is generally temporary, the typical symptoms being a playful mirth, inducing the victim to fits of laughter. He would frequently play with imaginary objects. And in those rare cases the use of hemp is de facto the only or one of the principal predisposing causes.  Question 45. [oral evidence]I have seen no case of insanity from moderate use ; but I know cases from excessive use. I remember a case in my own village in Bengal of a man who used the drug (ganja for smoking) and became insane. He was cured in some four or five months. He resumed his habits on release and was back in the asylum in six months. I have not heard of his release. I have seen him smoke ganja regularly. I cannot say whether he took dhatura. He was a hard ganja smoker. He therefore possibly took dhatura, for hard smokers mix dhatura to increase the effect occasionally. This is the only case of insanity that I personally know from hemp drugs. The man was a neighbour. I know of no member of his family being insane. I do not know of his having epilepsy. He was forty-six years old when first insane.   - Evidence of DOORGA DAS SEN, Baidya, Assistant Surgeon, Warora.


45. the consumer becomes peevish, dull of intellect and memory, and loses mental faculties, and adheres to immoral character and habit, because he likes the society of bad characters and indulges in luxury. The ultimate result of all these is insanity, either acute or chronic, permanent or temporary. If a consumer leaves it after a long use and takes it again, he is likely to be affected by temporary insanity ; contrary to this, if a man use the drugs continually for a long period without restraint, he is sure to be affected by permanent insanity. Typical symptoms of acute mania or insanity are :—The passion, the intellect and emotion are all affected. It is generally preceded by a period of incubation which may vary from a few days to some years ; and when it is fully developed, the patient exhibits paroxysmal violence both against himself or others. He cannot fix his mind to any work, and becomes of highly irritable temper, He will tear his clothes, and drink or eat voraciously, or hate food altogether. He undergoes an amount of muscular exertion without sleep, apparently without fatigue. His face becomes flushed, eyes wild and sparkling, and complains of ringing in the ears, pain, weight and giddiness in the head. Illusion, delusion, hallucination, monomania, kleptomania (propensity to theft), dipsomania (craving for drink), satyriasis (excessive sexual desire), homicidal or suicidal melancholia. Some of the above mentioned symptoms appear singly and sometimes conjointly. Yes ; some of the insanes who have no recorded history very rarely confess use of the drug. Question 45.[oral evidence]—By " sure" I mean " likely " in the end of the first paragraph. I have seen cases of insanity from excessive ganja smoking. One was the man Udairam, the Burhanpur Tahsil Jamadar, elder brother of the municipal clerk, Gangaram of Khandwa. There was no other cause apparent. I knew nothing of any admixture. The case was treated by Dr. Quayle. He often asked for ganja in hospital, saying it would cure him. He was about a month in hospital. He did not recover. He was quiet sometimes from sedatives, and then was violent. He was sent to the Jabalpur Asylum, and (I hear) died there, He was sent there (I think) in 1891. He was talkative, violent, singing occasionally. The pupils were dilated. This is the way with ganja as well as with dhatura. I have observed the pupils of ganja smokers when smoking. They are dilated. There was no reason to think that this man took dhatura : that is not common. There was no insanity in the family, nor had the man epilepsy I do not know the father's name. I remember also a Muhammadan fakir being brought to hospital at Wara Seoni in a state of insanity. His previous history was not known ; but we knew he took ganja. He was filthy in habit, liked to go naked, assaulted women. He was sent to Balaghat. I do not know what became of him. The second part of my reply to question No. 45 refers to insanity from all causes. Some of these symptoms appear singly or conjointly in ganja insanity. I have myself seen them. I do not know any typical symptoms of ganja poisoning except the dilated pupils. This would also be caused by dhatura; but dhatura insanity is of a more temporary character than that arising from ganja. The asking for ganja would also be a typical symptom. I think ganja injurious, and bhang, though less powerful, is of the same character. I think that if a man takes ganja long he is likely to be insane. I think that it makes madness more likely ; I think 50 per cent. of the insanes in the Jabalpur Asylum were from ganja. This was in 1882, I think. It is long ago and I cannot accurately remember the proportion. It was large. I was only temporarily there as a a substitute. Therefore I have not very effective experience. I had only just left college a little before. I had never seen a case of insanity before. Question 46.[oral evidence]—I think that those who remain moderate consumers, and do not fall into the excessive habit, are few. This is in my opinion true of all intoxicants. I have served in cities and towns, and have not experience of village life. I have seen two or three cases in my hospital practice of men attributing loss of appetite, etc., to ganja. One man was brought to me (a fakir) insensible from ganja, and a man with fever once asked me if I could give him something to cure a tendency to impotence. I have never seen any other cases of illness ascribed to ganja. I have seen cases in which the administration of cannabis as medicine in dysentery led to violence and a form of intoxication. In mania it is a sedative. 1 have not found ganja to be a cause of disease. Beyond what I have said, it has never come before me. I have never seen an asthma, bronchitis or dysentery case arising from ganja. I have only had one case of insanity in my hospital practice.  - Evidence of MUHAMMAD HABIBULLA, 1st grade Hospital Assistant, Seoni.


45. Yes, ganja and bhang deaden the intellect and produce insanity. I, while in charge of the Lunatic Asylum, have marked that more than 50 per cent. lunatics are caused by ganja and charas and bhang. They cause mostly permanent insanity, and that insanity is very violent in the beginning, and lastly he becomes an idiot. The insanes do not confess to the use of the drug, if they have no recorded history of ganja. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The percentage of insanes I have mentioned is according to the registry, based on police reports, and I consider that that information is the best that can be obtained as to the causes of insanity. Very few ganja insanes were discharged cured. In the report for 1880, the percentage of ganja insanes is entered as 46. I left the Asylum in August 1881, and know nothing about any special enquiries made by Dr. Rice and subsequent fall of percentages.  - Evidence of MIR ZAMIN ALI, Pensioned Hospital Assistant, Jabalpur.


45. I have known hundreds of ganja smokers and I smoke it myself. I have never known a case in which it did any harm. I give it as a medicine for diarrhoea. I do not believe that ganja causes the illness called " damma." It is as common amongst people who never touch ganja. Question 45.—My age is 55 years. I have smoked ganja for thirty-five years. I learned it in the society of fakirs or mendicants wandering about who came to Jabalpur. I only occasionally take bhang. I take ganja regularly. I take tobacco with it. I sometimes add musk, nothing else. I do not know about admixture of poisons ; but I have heard of its being done. Old ganja does not intoxicate enough. I smoke six to eight or ten chillums a day. The labourer smokes alone. But we do not smoke alone. Four or five of us smoke together. Two tolas suffice for three or four chillums and will go roundas many as fifty people. In a tola of purchased ganja three-fourths will be real ganja (leaving sticks) ; but the present ganja is bad and only yields onehalf. A tola of ganja will give four chillums for single consumers or for two or three people at a time. I think that the consumption has decreased owing to the very high price and, the age of the
ganja sold. I have steadily smoked for thirty years, and have good health and always appetite. I have no asthma, nor have I any cough that troubles. I have never been intoxicated, i.e., insensible, from ganja. The baluchar ganja makes the head swing. It is stronger than the other. I have never seen a ganja smoker grow mad. I have seen B.A.'s and M. A.'s go mad, but no one from ganja. I can bring two hundred old men who are hale and hearty, who have smoked fifty years. I do not take liquor except occasionally as medicine. Ganja has a bad name. People who do not take it call us " ganjeri," as I should call a man who takes liquor " sharabi," and a charas smoker " charasbaz." The man who does not use an intoxicant calls the moderate consumer a debauchee. The poor man really requires it, as also the fakir for his exposure : to the rich it is luxury and so a vice. It is since Mr. Nicholas was here that the great set was made against ganja. If a man takes ganja excessively, he will have a bad name, he will become weak and thin ; but he will not become insane; neither will he become insensibly intoxicated (as in the case of liquor), however much he takes. He will not go about smashing things and behaving like a mad man as he would with too much liquor. Ganja tends to religious meditation...I know Hindu books on medicine. They never ascribe insanity to ganja. My sons died young and therefore never took ganja. I am a Brahmin and priest or preacher. I am also a wrestler. -  Evidence of FAKIRCHAND, Brahmin, Baid and Pandit, Jabalpur.


45(f) The excessive use of the drug, but not the moderate use, impairs the intellect and produces insanity. I have seen many lunatics who have become so thus.  - Evidence of KHUSHALI RAM, Honorary Magistrate, Chhindwara.


45. In the case of weak persons it results in making them insane. Moderate ganja smoking does not produce insanity. Excessive smoking produces insanity, but, as a rule, it necessarily produces this effect after some time in the case of persons who smoke it with bachnag,  arsenic, kuchla, and dhatura. It produces temporary insanity upon persons who are moderate smokers, but who have a weak constitution and a weak intellect. Weak persons making an excessive use of such admixtures become permanently insane. The insanity caused by pure ganja, even if it takes place, is not of a serious nature; it only deranges the mind for short intervals. Question 45.[oral evidence]—Opium does more harm than ganja, because it is smoked, and in that form does much harm. The eating of opium is confined to people who are of better means and are able to afford good food, and so mitigate the evil effects. In those who are physically or mentally weak the smoking of ganja produces an effect on the brain which is like insanity, and lasts only for a few hours. It passes off and returns with the renewed use of the drug. I knew of a case of a man of weak mind who became insane about four months after giving up the drug, and his insanity was ascribed to ganja. I do not know whether he may have used the drug secretly. He recovered and had relapses. The temporary insanity to which I referred is not the same as intoxication. It has differed in the delusions regarding relations and surroundings, and in duration sometimes lasting for a month or two. I have known cases of insanity among mendicants, but not from pure ganja, only from admixtures with dhatura. The comparative prevalence of insanity among the higher classes which I have observed in the census report seems to indicate that ganja is not a general cause of insanity. Redness of eyes is a sign I have noticed among persons both intoxicated and insane from ganja. The same symptom exists in both. The intoxication of liquor is much greater than that of ganja.
 - Evidence of GANGADHARRAO MADHO CHITNAVIS , Honorary Magistrate, Nagpur.


45. It does not produce madness, but does cause insanity (not permanent). - Evidence* of MIR IMDAD ALI, Honorary Magistrate, Damoh .


Question 45.—I have never had personal experience of any person suffering severely either in health or in pocket from smoking ganja. - Evidence of CHAUDHRY UMRAO SINGH, Honorary Magistrate, Jubbulpore


45 (f) No, as regard all three drugs. 46. All these drugs in excess cause insanity of a permanent nature. The persons who become insane from their use are noisy and wander about, but are not violent unless interfered with. I know of no typical symptoms. - Evidence of SETH BACHRAJ, Honorary Magistrate, Wardha.


45. It does not impair the habit of debauchery, nor produces insanity, but to the impairing of senses weakens the intellects. 46. Sometimes habitual excessive consumers get a kind of senselessness.  - Evidence of MODAN MOHAN SETH, Honorary Magistrate, Jubbulpore.


45. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I know a case of a man who took ganja to excess and committed an offence under intoxication. I am not prepared to say that a man can get insane by excessive use of ganja. I never heard of such a case. A man may become intoxicated, but cannot be rendered insane by the use of the drug, moderate or excessive. I never heard of any lunatics being admitted to asylums on that account. Nor have I heard a common rumour of such insanity having occurred. Liquor and opium also produce intoxication, but not, as far as I know, insanity. Dhatura produces violent intoxication, but not permanent injury to the mind. I know of insanity as a form of disease, but such disease is not produced by the drugs. I have not read of insanity caused by the drugs. - Evidence of KAPUR CHAND, Honorary Magistrate and Gumasta, Raipur.


45.  I have not noticed any evil mental or moral effects. - Evidence of RAGHOBA MAHADIK, Malguzar and Honorary Magistrate, Rajim.


45. It deadens the intellect and produces insanity. When it produces insanity, he who is affected by it is always inclined to do what he is generally addicted to, but it is temporary, No symptoms of insanity appear as before if the drug is used after liberation from restraint. No one recommends that persons of unsound mind, who never use ganja, should use it. I would not recommend the use of ganja by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief. The intellectual power of a man of weak intellect cannot be increased by the use of these drugs. 46. The habitual excessive use results in brain diseases and commission of thefts, dacoities, debaucheries, etc., and produces insanity. - Evidence of HARI HAR SINGH, Zamindar and Honorary Magistrate, Sambalpur District.


45. I never saw a man permanently insane from their use. The immediate effects of immoderate use are stu pidity and insensibility, not violence in any way. One case I have seen is an exception to this, in which a boy, not used to ganja, killed his father while in intoxication from it.  - Evidence of DIWAN PREM SINGH, Zamindar, Bilaspur District.


45. Question 45.—I know of no case of insanity from hemp drugs. Intoxication produces tempo -rary alienation of mind, but it passes off. No insanity is produced. The use of ganja weakens the blood and makes men weak and wanting in character. - Evidence of LALL UMED SINGH, Zamindar, Bilaspur District.


45.(f) Ganja smoking tends to deaden the in -tellect, and very frequently causes insanity. It may even do so, though practised in moderation. Bhang eating does not produce insanity. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I have seen a fakir (Musalman) who had become insane from the use of the drugs. That was 5 or 6 years ago, but I cannot remember his name. He was simply a beggar. I have heard of other cases. - Evidence of CHANDI PERSHAD, Brahmin, Malguzar, and President, Municipal Committee, Chanda.


45(f) Yes; it produces insanity. It produces violent insanity. In some cases the insanity is permanent and in others temporary. Yes ; after liberation from restraint symptoms will be reinduced. The eyes become reddish and inflamed and appear vacant. Spittle trickles from the mouth. Yes; many have confessed that they became insane through ganja smoking. (g) Cannot answer this question. 46. It brings on insanity and causes loss of appetite; it injures digestion and impairs the moral senses, and leads to crime and immorality. - Evidence of THAKUR MAHARAJ SINGH, RAI BAHADUR,* Malguzar, Saugor


45.  The habitual moderate use is not known to have produced insanity. 46. Physical effects of the moderate use of ganja are still worse when it is taken in excessive quantity. It does deaden the intellect and produce insanity. The type of insanity is mania; as a rule insanity is temporary. The symptom is re-induced after the use of the drug is again commenced after liberation from restraint. The typical symptoms of insanity from these drugs are the following:—The persons so affected have loss of will power. They abuse any one they meet with, would at times stuff their stomachs with excessive meals; would not mind doing harm not only to their relations but to others. They look very fearful, their eyes being prominent and red.  - Evidence of RAO SAHIB BALWANTRAO GOVINDRAO BHUSKUTE, Brahmin, Jagirdar of Timborni, Barhanpar, Nimar District


46. It [excessive use] deadens the intellect and produces temporary insanity. Sometimes insanity takes the form of quarrelling; sometimes the insane person is silent and only mutters. There is no particular symptom of having insanity. The symptoms may be reinduced by using the drugs again. I cannot answer the remaining questions. These remarks apply to both ganja and bhang. I speak from what I have heard. - Evidence * of DAMODHAR DASS, Brahmin, Mafidar, Bargarh, Sambalpur District.


45 (f) Ganja smoking, it is said, deadens the in -tellect and is a potent cause of  - Evidence of the REV. I. JACOB, Church of England Missionary, Chairman, District Council, etc., Chanda


45 (f) It deadens the intellect, but does not induce insanity if used moderately. If used immoderate -ly, it induces temporary insanity. Yes; the pupils are dilated, sensibility is diminished, there is delirium of a boisterous nature, followed by sleep. I never met with such a case. (g) I do not think so. Never having kept histories of such cases, I am unable to answer this question satisfactorily.  - Evidence of the REV. O. LOHR,* Medical Missionary, Bisrampur, Raipur District.


45. In a very great majority of cases I have noticed that persons who could really be called intelligent have not only become perfectly stupid but insane. The insanity is temporary, but if a person once cured uses it again, insanity appears again, and it is then hard to cure it. 46.I would not be wrong if I say that our lunatic asylums would be found to have persons, 35 per cent. of whom were victims to this drug. The symptoms are dilated pupils, black lips, offensive breath and vacant look, also muffled, hoarse, husky and sometimes nasal voice. That the brain is affected is apparent from the fact that when a ganja-smoker or a bhang-drinker talks to you he is obliged to shake his head to arouse his brain nerve, which becomes inert, if not diseased and incapable of acting as when in a normal state. It follows from what I have submitted that when ganja works such a change on a perfectly healthy brain, its work on the brains of persons who are troubled with mental anxieties or worries must not only be precipitate but certain. Question 46.[oral evidence]— I get the figure from the work by Lyons. An excessive ganja smoker has dilated pupils. I have particularly observed this. This symptom is apparent when the smoker is under the influence of the drug. The effect of dhatura is, I am told, exactly the reverse (contraction).  - Evidence of ADHAR SINGH GOUR, Kshattri, Barrister-at-law, Hoshangabad.


45. I have seen three cases of young men who became insane through excessive ganja smoking; two were Brahmin lads whom I knew from infancy. There was no hereditary taint at least in one of them. Both the men were fine, well-grown, healthy people, with decent education in their vernacular, and with some knowledge of English. They were between 16 and 20 when they took to ganja smoking. Both the men were in Government service, and both of them smoked excessively; both became insane within 5 years; one died of dementia, not speaking a word or taking the least heed of his surroundings for 18 months that he survived the first attack of the disease; the other still enjoys a small pension that a kind District Superintendent of Police procured for him, and goes about catching imaginary thieves and fighting fancied dacoits—the wreck of as fine a young man as I have seen anywhere in the Bengal Police. The third case was that of a Bania young man who was at school in his boyhood, but who took to his ancestral occupation while yet young. He fell into evil company and became a ganja smoker at the age of 18 or 19; he went raving mad for about a year, was put into a lunatic asylum by his people, and is now a thriving stall keeper in the New Market, Calcutta, never caring to touch a chillum again. I shall state another case which occurred some 18 years ago. J.—was a clerk in the Registrar's Office, High Court, Calcutta, for over 25 years. He was a man of a retiring disposition, spoke little, minded his business, and was believed to be respectable by all his acquaintances. He used, however, to beat his children unmercifully, and people who knew him well said that he smoked ganja in secret. In 1876, I think, about the time that he was to retire, information was received by his family that he had suddenly become insane. He was brought home raving mad, talking incoherently, singing, shouting, sometimes striking people or repeating the forms of decrees and judgments that he used to copy. His people found it necessary to put restraint on his movements. He received a small pension and lived till some time in 1891. With increasing age he ceased to be violent, but he never recovered his reason completely. I do not know if he continued to smoke ganja after he became mad. He however had a hankering for it and never missed an opportunity to indulge in it. I could give a few more cases ; but I think the above are sufficient. I believe that in the acute stage of the disease there is hope of cure by complete abstinence and freedom from excitement of any sort. I have seen both amentia and dementia resulting from the use of ganja ; the former more frequently than the latter. In the cases that came under my observation there was no mental anxiety or brain disease, as far as I know, to account for the habit. I do believe, however, that men of weak understanding, and especially those whose will power is weak when they once get into the habit soon become excessive smokers and gradually drift towards insanity after a time—the original weakness of the head helping to bring about the result. ch cases they walk tenderly. Question 45. [oral evidence] —The ganja smoker is unreliable and bad tempered. He cannot be trusted to obey orders or keep his engagements. In reference to my remark regarding hereditary taint in one of the three cases, I would say that in the second case there was information that the father of the boy who became insane was at one time himself insane. Both the Brahmin lads took alcohol. I don't think the Bania did or the man in the fourth case. I cannot speak about the habits of these boys with reference to profligacy. I cannot be certain that the boys smoked pure ganja. They did not smoke in my presence, and would not be likely to tell me what they smoked. The one who died of dementia was never violent. He tried to commit suicide. I knew him well, but lie would not look at or recognize me. I am not aware that during 18 months he ever recovered his senses. I was told of no such temporary recovery. I saw him some months after he had been brought home in the state of dementia. I am sure of the hallucinations I described in the other case. I have met this man lately; and could not find out if he still smoked ganja. The Bania went to the Murshidabad or Dullunda Asylum. I met him in Calcutta in 1890 or 1891, and he is doing very well. His name is Romesh or Romsha, and lie keeps a stall selling vegetables. I cannot say if any of these cases was preceded by mental trouble. One of them was idle and fell into the company of ganja smokers. He was not criminal or vicious.  I am usually certain that the Bania had nothing serious on his mind. The fourth case did not go into the asylum. There was no history of epilepsy in the family of either of the four cases. I have known some two or three dozen of cases of people who went insane from various causes. I remember the case of one young man in Raipur who went insane from ganja. I don't think this young man was given to drinking. I use the terms "amentia" and "dementia" as I find them in books of Medical Jurisprudence and similar works. If " amentia" means congenital idiotcy, it should be changed to " mania " in my answers.   - Evidence of MR. TARA DASS BANERJI, President, District Council, Raipur.


45. Gauja may cause insanity of a temporary kind. 46. I can only guess that the effects will be proportionately aggravated. The excessive use of ganja (habitually) brings on insanity of a permanent kind.  - Evidence of BABU KALIDAS CHOWDHRY, Brahmin, Pleader, Hoshangabad.


45. It has the effect of deadening the intellect, but I have not seen a case of moderate smokers becoming insane. In excessive smokers it certainly leads to insanity of a temporary character, and the symptoms do come on by the use of the drug, I know of only one case, Em-press vs. Amdoo, No. 12—1892, dated 9th May 1892, for attempting two murders, under section 307. In this case although temporary insanity was pleaded, yet from the admission of the father of the accused, I learnt that the fits of insanity used to come on on the use of ganja smoking. His father told me that these fits were induced by excessive ganja smoking. The accused was under observation of the Civil Surgeon, but no such fits were observed just because he was not allowed to smoke ganja in jail. The accused in this case ordered one of his servants to tie his bullocks and the servant not having obeyed him immediately, he committed a most murderous assault by a hatchet, giving him four blows ; and then he ordered another servant to catch him and immediately assaulted him also, and it was with difficulty that the hatchet was taken away from his hand, and afterwards he absconded. In defence a number a these fits of insanity were put forward, which I believe were all cau sed by ganja smoking to the excess. 46. I am of opinion that the excessive use of ganja does impair the constitution, injures the digestion, and causes loss of appetite, causes bron-chitis and asthma, and impairs the moral sense and intellect, and causes insanity of a temporary nature. I know of another ease of Nilkant Bhicajee Joshi who served as Station Master at Khandwa and other stations of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. He became addicted to ganja smoking for keeping up on night duty. Afterwards his brain was so much deranged that he was kept under observation at the Civil Hospital at Bhandara. He was not admitted in the Lunatic Asylum as his insanity was of a temporary nature. He never recovered, and died in the same temporary insanity kept up by ganja smoking. I learn that the late Station Master of Kamptee, Balajee Gunputh, died by excessive smoking of ganja at Nagpur. 45.[oral evidence] Amdoo was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. The plea of insanity being in the family was raised, but failed. The father said the accused smoked ganja to excess, and that he learned it from farm servants. He did not drink. I knew him personally before the case. The accused pleaded insanity ; but ganja was not mentioned in the case. I was specially instructed not to mention the ganja. The father did not volunteer the statement about the ganja. I asked him when the ganja marks on the hand were seen. I never asked about dhatura. The accused was about 29 or 30 years old.  - Evidence of RAO SAHIB RANGRAO HARRY KHISTY, Pleader, Bhandara


45. Yes ; it does produce insanity, by causing ab -normality in the quantity of blood supplied to the nerve centres. The insanity takes the type of partial monomania ; it may be temporary or permanent ; and the symptoms may by re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. - Evidence of Mr. J. A. MAUGHAN, Manager, Central Provinces Collieries, Umaria, Jubbulpore District.


45 (f) No; in moderate use. 46. A habitual excessive use of ganja and charas deadens the intellect and produces insanity of a temporary type, if the use of these drugs is discontinued. If not, the effects of insanity become permanent. The typical symptoms are —(1) the pupil of the eye is dilated, ( 2) the insane is harmful, and (3) appetite is lost. People suffering from mental anxiety, or brain disease, if habituated to these drugs, may find temporary relief, but in the long run they must suffer from insanity. In one instance I have seen a well educated young man, by the excessive use of the ganja, subject to temporary insanity. In another instance a man suffering from mental anxiety could hardly find relief unless he was under the effect of this intoxication.  - Evidence of LALA NIINDKESFIORE, * Agartcal, Merchant, Banker, Contractor, Malgoozar, Honorary Magistrate, Secretary, Municipal Committee, and Member, District Council, Saugor.


45. The habitual moderate use of ganja is general in this district, and it has no injurious effect on the constitution; nor make our labourers and artizans lazy or immoral; nor affect their intelligence or produce insanity. Question 45. [oral evidence]— I have never seen any person become insane from ganja. I have seen people talk nonsense from ganja smoking, but I do not call that losing their heads. 46. I have heard of people going off their heads from excessive indulgence in ganja; but such cases are very exceptional. None has ever come under my personal observation. - Evidence* of GIRDHARI LAL, Oswal Bania, Merchant and Banker, Seoni-Chapara.


45. I believe it is only persons of sedentary indoor habits, and indulgers in ganja to excess who become insane from the effects of ganja. I have no personal knowledge of such cases. 46. The excessive consumer goes off his head, and speaks nonsense, and becomes violent and aggressive, and his constitution becomes enfeebled, and he coughs day and night.  - Evidence* of ONKAR DAS, Agarwalla Bania, Mahajan, Seoni-Chapara.


45.  Neither does habitual moderate indulgence affect any one's reason. 46. Excessive indulgence in ganja does impair the constitution, including the digestion and ap petite, and causes asthma and dysentery and inabi lity for labour, and sometimes produces insanity. Those who work off the effects of the ganja with hard labour do not suffer so much. They can stand much more ganja than the sedentary classes.  - Evidence* of HUSEN KHAN,† Pathan, Abkari Contractor, Seoni-Chapara.


45.  neither it deadens the intellect or produces insanity.  - Evidence of COWASJEE MEHERWANJEE HATTY-DAROO, Parsi, Merchant and Abkari Contractor, Seoni-Chapara


45. (f) No. I don't know whether insanes confess to the use of the drug. ( g) No knowledge.  - Evidence of BIJRAJ, Marwari, Wholesale ganja vendor, Kamptee, Nagpur District.


 - Evidence of BABU MUNA LALL, Ex-Contractor of Ganja, Jabalpur.


I can tell nothing of the effects of the drugs on the health of the people. The subject in this Presidency is quite immaterial. My impression is that there is a widely diffused consumption of hemp on a very small scale. I have seen no effects. I have no reason to believe that it has had any effects on the health of the people. It has never been mentioned to me in this connection. I have heard that insanity is attributed to hemp. I have read this in the papers for many years, But I have never come across a case. This is due, no doubt, to the peculiarly limited consumption in this presidency, and I know that the reports as to the cause of insanity have to be taken with a considerable grain of salt. In regard to alcohol as contained in distilled liquor, I can say I have seen very bad effects on health among the degraded portion of the community. In "degraded" I include not only the lowest of the people, but others also. I have seen cases of very bad effects. No such case has ever been brought to my notice in connection with hemp. - Evidence of THE HONOURABLE MR. C. S. CROLE, Member, Board of Revenue.


45. M. R. R. P. Theenathayalu Naidugaru answers all the questions in the affirmative. Mr. Walter Francis answers the questions in the negative. Smoking is said to cause some throat affections. 46. The first named officer mentioned in the answer to question 45 says : " Produces all the above effects." The second named officer says : " Habitual excessive use has been known to impair the intellect." - Evidence of MR. E. TURNER, Collector of Madura.


45. The eventual evil consequences are weakness of digestive organs, quickness of the action of the liver, emaciation, indecision of mind. - Evidence of MR. C. B. MACLEANE, Collector of Nellore.


45. One Tahsildar of much experience says that moderate consumers find that the drug excites the mental faculties and enables a man to concentrate his attention on a subject that he wishes to study. Similarly it is said to be of great effect in enabling a religiously-minded man to concentrate his attention on religious subjects, and isolate his thoughts from things around him. 46. Habitual and excessive use produces all the bad effects mentioned in question No. 45. It produces languor and insensibility to what is going on. I have frequently spoken to men, as witnesses, or in village streets, who seem unable to understand questions or frame answers, who seem as if their faculties were all asleep, and this has been accounted for by the remark by a bystander, or some one in court, that the man is under the influence of ganja or bhang.  - Evidence of MR. R. SEWELL, Collector of Bellary.


45. (f) I am unable to offer any opinion on the remainder of this question. Question 45 [oral evidence] —I don't think I have ever come across any case in which the hemp drugs have produced any injurious effect ; but the matter has never been pressed on my notice before. I could not say the same of alcohol. I don't think I have noticed any injurious effects from opium ; but on this point I don't wish to speak positively. From reports which I have received during my enquiries for the Commission, I have framed my answer to question 45, and I have nothing to add to it.- Evidence of MR. W. A. WILLOCK, Collector, Vizagapatam.


45(f) The District Medical Officer says :" The moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. "It is a predisposing cause of insanity. I saw two cases of insanity produced by ganja being used in excess. In both cases acute mania was present, and in both it was permanent." 46. The District Medical Officer's opinion :" Ganja produces loss of appetite and strength, trembling and much mental weakness;  excessive use produces moral inertia, a desire not to do any kind of work, mental or physical, and this state gradually leads on to cerebral softening."  - Evidence of MR. J. THOMSON, Collector of Chingleput


Note by the Commission appended to Mr. Stokes' evidence. [Three cases tried by the Sessisons Court, Salem, and mentioned by Mr. Lowe, Inspector of Police at Salem, as attributable to hemp drugs. Only the High Court Judgments have been received in cases 1 and 2.] Case 1.—The accused (Mutu Chetty) had kept a woman (Thayammal) for ten years as his concu-bine. She quarrelled with him and left him and went to her mother's house and refused to return to him, though it was arranged by a Panchayat that she should do so. The accused took an occasion to follow
Thayam-mal and murdered her. The defence was an " alibi," which was pronounced by the High Court to be unreliable. The accused was discovered (having fled the village and escaped to Burmah) through an intercepted letter, in which he made what was " possibly an allusion to the crime he had committed." This allusion was " owing to the unsettled state of my mind I did this act. It thus happened." There is no mention of hemp drug in the judg-ment. The sentence of death was affirmed. Case 2.—The accused (Madhan) cut his wife's throat, with intent to kill her, and afterwards attempted to cut his own throat. The refusal of the wife to return to the husband or the refusal of her relatives to allow her to return was held to have led to the commission of the offence. The accused pleaded that he was not in his right senses, but no defence based on insanity was put forward. The prisoner was " addicted to drink and to taking bhang." On this the judgment of the High Court says : " This is no legal defence in answer to the charge, but it may account in some measure for the despairing state of mind on which the refusal of his wife to return to him operated. The prisoner had provocation, and seems to have been sincerely desirous to live on terms of affection with his wife, and was also eager for her return on account of his children, who were helpless without her. Though these matters did not constitute a legal defence to the charge of murder, we think we may take them into consideration in determining the sentence." Accordingly the capital sentence was commuted to transportation for life. Case 3.—The accused killed his wife, and grievously wounded a farm labourer who interfered and protested. After summing up the evidence the Sessions Judge proceeds : " Accused pleads irritation by reason of his wife's abusing him in unbecoming language, and refusing to supply him with the morning meal. I believe this account of the matter. In the first place, when confront-ed with his statement to the police, the 5th prosecution witness (the head constable corroborates him) admits that accused gave him and witnesses 4 and 6 a similar version as he went along the road, which version he afterwards repeated in the station. Secondly, he is the only living person who can speak to what occurred prior to the kill-ing, and there is thus no one to contradict him. Thirdly, both the 1st and 2nd witnesses told the Magistrate that accused and his wife used to quarrel, especially (1st witness says) when he was under the influence of bhang." The provocation received by the accused was allowed by the Court as a reason for not passing on the accused the sentence of death. He was transported for life.  - Evidence of MR. G. STOKES, Collector of Salem,.


45. Reports are conflicting. - Evidence of MR. G. S. FORBES, Collector of Tinnevelly


Question 45. [oral evidence]—I can say nothing whatever about the effects of the drugs. I have only found one man who admitted being a consumer. I believe that the general impression is that it is disrepu dable to use the drugs. The subject has never been brought before me in my magisterial capacity, either in Malabar or anywhere else. It has never been brought to my notice in connection with insanity . The District Magistrate does not send men to the Asylum or deal with their cases. They are inquired into and the orders are passed by the Divisional Magistrate. I have had no official duties in connection with insanes as District Magistrate except as a visitor to the asylum. I was only a Junior Magistrate for seven years, and after that had no magisterial work for six years. Alcohol has certainly not come to my notice in connection with insanity, and I have no recollection of its being connected with any crimes of violence. I can remember no ill-effects coming to my notice in regard to natives. I have no reason to believe that either alcohol or ganja is doing any harm in my district. I allude here only to crime, not to physical effects. I have made two tours in the Wynaad, where the drug is mostly used. I have asked my subordinates to find men who used the drug. They brought up men; but when I asked them, they all but one man denied it. These were not jungle men, though it was in the Wynaad; but jungle men are not the only consumers there. The Wynaad was the only part I visited after getting the Commission's questions. Before that I had never endeavoured to find out in the district whether ganja was used. I had when I was Secretary to the Board. I do not know that a considerable percentage of insanity is ascribed to ganja in Government reports. I have not studied lunacy. I know that the people will not admit using the drug, and take that to be a popular feeling against it; but I do not know of any feeling among the people that it is injurious. I know nothing of injurious physical effects from ganja; but I have seen a few natives in hospitals whose ailments were ascribed to alcohol.  - Evidence of MR. HERBERT BRADLEY, Acting Collector of Malabar.


45. Only bad ganja, and not what they call in Cuddapah mulki ganja, causes dysentery and bronchitis or asthma. It induces laziness, but not immorality; it improves the mind if food is taken after it; otherwise it may lead to an inoffensive sort of irrecoverable insanity. Three or four people were said to be so affected in Cuddapah; but this was not admitted by all. They all agreed that if a man once went insane through the use of ganja he never recovered. 46. To this question I copy out the replies of the Chitvel Hospital Assistant:— " Case from habitual excessive use.— One native, Sudra by caste, private Tamillam agent in pro-fession, in moderate well-to-do circumstances, lived in one of the petahs in Madras. He had one bad practice to attend the bhangikhana, which was in front of his house, every now and then, and became a beginner in ganja smoking. For three or four years, as long as fortune was for him, he lived in peace and harmony with his wife and had three female issue. His age would be 35 or 36 before this bad habit was acquired. He had some of his children lost. Children grown, family multiplied, then poverty slowly crept in by his neglect of work. In the mean-while he became a pucka smoker. Family disputes and confusion arose. Seeing this, he deserted them and led a lazy, secluded, and vagabondizing life. After a full smoke, laughter, religious singing, with frequent cough would follow, and sometimes very bad abusive talk at the sight of his wife and mother, who in turn abused him for having left them in a miser-able state. Sometimes his temper was so much irritated that he would pounce upon his wife with an attempt to kill her by biting her throat. This showed a tendency for homicidal frenzy. At last excessive smoking and starvation rendered him impotent, and in a few days after insane.    This case I saw about twenty-five years ago."  - Evidence of MR. C. H. MOUNSEY, Acting Collector of Cuddapah.


45 (f) I know of only one instance where its habitual use has caused temporary insanity A Muhammadan peon in Anantapur, suffering from its effects, saw a man on the road, a cooly. Shouting out he was a pig, he rushed at and killed him, and was convicted of murder. I have been sixteen years in India.  - Evidence of MR. F. D'A. O. WOLFE-MURRAY, Acting Collector of the Nilgiris.


45. I have no satisfactory information. Some consumers stated to the Head Assistant Collector that, as long as the consumer has sufficient nourishment, no ill-effects follow. But if food is insufficient insanity may follow. I know of no case.  - . Evidence of MR. L. C. MILLER, .Acting Collector of Trichinopoly.


45(f) Ganja smoking might bring on insanity, at times violent, but generally consisting of delusion generally connected with religious subjects, generally permanent, no particular typical symptoms. (g) The drug is taken to relieve mental anxiety or brain disease, and there is tendency to go to excess and produce insanity. - Evidence of MR. K. C. MANAVEDAN RAJA, Collector, Anantapur


45. In my experience as a magistrate, I have on several occasions had lunatics brought before
me and their insanity has been ascribed to the use of hemp drugs. In one case, which came particularly under my observation, the lunatic recovered very shortly after he was placed in confinement, I cannot say if the lunatics were habitual moderate consumers or excessive consumers.  - Evidence of MR. C. J. WEIR,* Acting Collector, District Magistrate, and Agent to Govr., Ganjam



45(f) Yes ; insanity is caused in exceptional cases. Temporary. Yes. Lately a person who was rendered insane by the frequent use of ganja was produced before me. Enquiry showed that the cause of insanity was ganja, and he was a person to be detained in a lunatic asylum for treatment. The insanity was, however, of a temporary nature, as a few days' restraint resulted in a perceptible improvement in his state of mind.  - Evidence  of  MR. J. G. D. PARTRIDGE,  Assistant collector, Ganjam.


45. I can give no satisfactory reply to this question, as I have not studied the effects of the use of the drugs in any particular cases. I believe that their habitual moderate use induces a habit of laziness. 46. The effects of the excessive use of ganja are said to resemble delirium tremens, resulting from excessive indulgence in alcohol. The first indication of the, activity of the drug is a childlike gaiety and tendency to find comical resem -blances and contrasts in the surrounding objects. A phase of pleasant humour and urbanity succeeds this state of feeling, and is followed by an interval of tranquil rationality, which is a pre -lude to further excitement. No instance of fatal poisoning by this drug has been heard of. - Evidence of MR. H. CAMPBELL, Acting Sub-Collector, Guntoor.


45. (f) No. It dulls the intellect temporarily only during the lethargy consequent upon it. 46. No cases of any injury are here ascertainable. It is said that habitual excessive use has been known to impair the intellect. -  Evidence of MR. W. FRANCIS, Acting Head Assistant Collector, Ramnad.


45 (f) Deadens intellect Ganja produces insanity when taken in excess. (g) Not used to relieve mental anxiety. - Evidence of MR. R. E. GRIMLEY, Acting Head Assistant Collector, North Arcot.


45 to 48. My knowledge of the effects of the drugs is not so extensive as to permit me to offer an opinion on these points. - Evidence of Mr. H. F. W. GILLMAN, Acting Head Assistant Collector, Nilgiris.


45 and 46. The excessive use of ganja makes a man lose all self-respect, abandon his usual business, and live by begging. It also brings on insanity. A peon of this department from being a moderate habitual consumer, became an habitually excessive consumer, was dismissed, and is now wandering about Kurnool begging what food he can and spending any money obtain ed in ganja. A man of the Balija caste of Atmakur was sent into Kurnool insane from the same cause. He was kept under observation in the Kurnool jail and recovered in about a month. After his liberation he took to the drug again, and now is quite off his head again wandering about Kurnool. A police constable, Tippana, is also wandering about begging in Kurnool insane from the same cause after deserting his appointment. Another man of the Balija caste, Kulanagalingam, went off his head from ganja smoking, was kept in the Kurnool jail for three months without any good results, and was afterwards sent to Madras, whence he returned cured. After nine or ten months he took to the drug again, with the result that he is again insane, begging about. This man was a fairly well off trader before taking to ganja. Question 45. [oral evidence]—The cases of insanity quoted here were merely reported to me by my Inspector at Kurnool. I have not seen any of them. The Inspector has no medical knowledge. - Evidence of MR. J. H. MERRIMAN, Deputy Commissioner of Salt and Abkari, Central Division.


Question 45. [oral evidence] - If used in excess the drug produces weakness and emaciation, and causes laziness and loss of temper, and even in extreme cases, insanity. This excessive use is very uncommon in these four districts, and I have only seen the bad effects in two bairagis who came from the north. I remember seeing two such men, one at Chicacole and one at Ellamanchali, who were behaving in an insane manner. The people standing about in both instances said the men had been taking ganja. These are the only cases in which I have learnt of such serious results occurring.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR  R. DHARMARAO, Deputy Commissioner, Salt and Abkari, Northern Division


45. (f) Deadens the intellect, but does not produce insanity. 46. The moderate use brings on mischief as above, to say nothing of the consequences of any excessive use. - Evidence of P. PUNDARIKAKSHUDU, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Venukunda, Kistna District.


45 (f) I have no special knowledge. 46. Habitual excessive use affects a man in a short time, makes him impotent, emaciated, and may probably become insane in the end.  - Evidence of  D. JAGANNADHARAO PANTALU, Brahmin,Deputy Collector, Anantapur.


45 Mental.—It does not deaden the intellect though it makes him lazy; excessive use does lead to temporary insanity, but moderate use does not do it. The first symptom of insanity is worldly renunciation; there are no typical symptoms. I know nothing about the confessions of insanes. I know of no cases of insanity. 46. Mental.-May produce insanity; deadens the intellect.  - Evidence of M. R. R. DEWAN BAHADUR S. VENKATA RAMADAS NAIDU, Deputy Collector, Godavari.


45 (f) Causes insanity, deadens intellect. The insanity is in some cases temporary and other cases permanent. 46. Habitual consumers are subject to fatal diseases to which they succumb. Question 45.-The moderate use of the drugs does not cause insanity ; it is only the excessive use does so. Question 46. [oral evidence]-I know many excessive consumers. Only a fortnight ago, the police brought before me an insane who had been taking ganja. He was sent to the Civil Medical Officer for observation, and he will shortly be sent to the lunatic asylum. A barber, who used to come to my house in Madras, became insane from ganja smoking, and his brother told me a few days ago that he was still insane. He was barber in my family for three or four years. He is being looked after by his relatives. I don't know when he became insane, but I learnt in September 1892, when I visited Madras, that he had become insane. I only come to Madras during holidays and on special occasions. I was told by his own brother and several other persons that his insanity was due to ganja. I never saw him take ganja or smoke it. I enquired into the first case here mentioned in my capacity as Magistrate, and ascertained that he was a ganja smoker. I did not myself examine witnesses. The enquiry was made through the police and the Subordinate Magistrate of Chittor, where I am stationed. The police produced the man, and I ordered enquiry to be made. I gave orders to the police who reported directly to me. I think I issued order to the Subordinate Magistrate to enquire for the man's relations. I don't recollect whether the Subordinate Magistrate touched upon any other point in the case, but I recollect that the police reported that the cause of insanity was ganja. The station officer of the place where the man lives wrote the report. The station officer is the head constable in charge of a division. The report said the man was a great ganja smoker, that his insanity was due to it, that he was dangerous, and his relations declined to take charge of him. The report covered, I think, one page of a printed form. The report contained no account of the way in which the enquiry had been conducted, no separate statement
of the witnesses, a mere statement that such and such information was given by the relatives, and the result arrived at. I learnt from the report that the head constable had personally made local enquiry from relations and others at the place where the insane lived. What I received was a summary of the result of that enquiry. I wrote a letter to the District Surgeon which mentioned the facts gathered in the enquiry, and requested that the insane should be kept under observation, but I did not forward the police report. This is the usual procedure, When a case goes to the asylum, the Medical Officer has to prepare forms A and C. Ganja-smokers and eaters become generally enfeebled and emaciated, and get cough, and die of asthma and general decay.  - Evidence of M. AZIZUDDEEN, SAHIB BAHADUR, Deputy Collector, North Arcot.


45. It deadens intellect, but does not produce insanity. 46. Excessive habitual use of this drug is injurious to mental, moral and physical powers. It impairs constitution, injures digestion. Smoking brings on diseases. Eating and drinking impairs moral sense and induces laziness or habits of immorality or debauchery and impairs the intellect. Eating and drinking produce temporary insanity in some cases, the symptoms of which may be reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The typical symptoms are cowardice and whirling sensation in the head, which will create a desire to be whirling round and round. The insane will confess to the use of the drug. In my opinion the use of the drug. by persons suffering from mental nxi brain disease explains a connection between insanity and the use of hemp drug. There is evidence to show that insanity may often create a strong desire to the excessive use of the drug. A Brahmin of 30 years to my knowledge was indulging in eating majum to an excess. He became insane, and never walked straight without turning hims elf round and round like a wheel as he went from street to street, and felt that he was going round and round even when stopped ; but his inclination for majum ball unfortunately became stronger during his insanity. There was also another case in which a man suffering from mental anxiety became insane by an excessive use of the drug.  - Evidence of B. NARAYANAMURTY, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Ganjam.


46. In very rare instances the habitual excessive use of bhang and ganja are known occasionally to have made people temporarily insane - Evidence of K. NARAYANA IYER, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Gooty.


45. It deadens the intellect or produces insanity if excessively used. The insanity is temporary. The symptoms may be re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. - Evidence of M. R. RY. P. VEERASWAMI NAIDU, Deputy Collector, Masulipatam.


45. No. - Evidence of TADEPALLI SIVARAMAYYA, Brahmin, Pensioned Deputy Collector, Chatrapur.


45. Moderate use is said to produce all the good effects mentioned. It does not produce insanity. 46. Excessive use produces effects contrary to the benefits described in the previous answer.  - Evidence of M R. W. E. GANAPATHY, Retired Deputy Collector, Palamcottah, Tinnevelly


45 It produces laziness, but certainly does not induce immorality.  -  Evidence of P. S. SINGARAVELU PILLAI, Tahsildar of Erode.


45. (f) No, Moderate use does not produce any of these results, It is only excess use that is likely to produce such results. 46. By excess use men do not stand in need of food. They keep up without nourishment. The result is that physically and mentally the men get impaired. So much so that some get insane. The insanity is however temporary. In the case of two of my peons they had become practically insane owing to indiscriminate and excessive smoking of ganja. They are both doing well now. One has rejoined his appointment. - Evidence of S. VASUDEVA. RAO, Tahsildar, Tadpatri


45. A moderate use does not produce any bad effects. On the other hand it fixes the attention of the consumer on objects over which he wishes to devote his time. It keeps down manly power and that is the reason why sanyasis take to it. The consumer is quiet and appears to be in a contemplative mood. -  Evidence of T. KODANDARAM NAIDU, Tahsildar, Hospett.


45. First it acts like a stimulant and then as a sedative upon the nervous system. - Evidence of M. BIMACHARI, Tahsildar, Rayadrug.


45. I did not observe any change either mental or moral when compared with non-consumers.  - Evidence of MUNSHI S. MOHAMED UNWUR SAHIB, Tahsildar, Suthanapully Taluk, Kistna District.


45(f) It produces insanity in some cases.  -  Evidence of ADAKI JAGANNADHA RAO, Brahmin, Acting Tahsildar, Hindupur, Anantapur District.


45. There used to be two peons in my father's service for about 12 years. They were both addicted to smoking ganja. They were at first smart and good looking, and by smoking ganja gradually acquired an emaciated countenance, timidity, and were gradually bent down, and became very weak and unfit for active work, and were ultimately discharged. When in school, two boys of my class who belonged to the native regiment stationed at Vizianagram, acquired the habit of smoking ganja and maddak from a bairagi, who used to frequent their house. These two boys were at first very smart and intelligent, and used to get up their lessons very well ; but within a year and-a-half after they learnt smoking ganja they became languid and drowsy, and gradually gave up their studies and left the school. A few more cases may be mentioned, but their history is the same. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I do not know how the two peons learned the habit of smoking ganja ; but probably it arose out of their association with sepoys of the Maharaja of Vizianagram. They gradually increased the habit until they smoked a pipe every hour or half hour. The Maharaja's sepoys with whom the peons associated were men of Hindustan. They were men of bad character. The boys were about 10 years of age, sons of sepoys. They did not learn to drink. They continued to use the drugs as long as I knew them, that is, until they were 18 years of age. They began taking the drugs stealthily ; but after four years they took them openly. Their fathers, who belonged to a British Native Regiment, were alive, and must have known what was going on. Their mothers had died, and they used to smoke in the presence of other female members of their families. They lived in adjoining houses. Such case are not common. - Evidence of CHAGANTI SOMAYAJULU, Brahmin, Acting Tahsildar, Palakonda.


46. In the case of habitual and excessive use of these drugs, the effects are appalling. It produces also temporary insanity. I will give one instance when answering Question 53. 53. A police constable, a Mahratta in the g Kollegal taluk, Coimbatore district, was transferredbto Martally or Nadukaval, a very unhealthy station on the borders of that jungle taluk, Having little or nothing to do there, the constable took to smoking or eating bhang to an immoderate extent ; the result was that in a short time he became a very violent insane, tried to break the iron bars of the sub-jail in which he was kept for safe keeping, became very abusive, and several times attemped to dash his brains by striking against the walls. When he was sent to Coimbatore Hospital, he became cured of it. I now hear that he now leads a quiet life as a cultivator as he was dismissed from the service when insane. Question 45[oral evidence].—I know people who take small quantities who suffer in this way. I know many who do not so suffer. It is a matter of temperament. It is the weak constitution people who suffer. Strong people can bear the drug. Bairagis are excessive smokers. Rajputs, Mahrattas, and others who remain stationary are, as a rule, moderate. Those who have work remain moderate smokers without becoming excessive consumers. It is the idle, those who have little to do, that go to excess. Many Bairagis suffer from asthma. They wander long distances and have no homes. Question 53.[oral evidence]—The constable referred to used to take the drug in small quantities, and when he went to this unhealthy place, he took the drug to excess. I was there as Tahsildar, so I know the case. The man did not drink. I saw him in his violent state. He was sent to Coimbatore Hospital and cured in a few months. I knew this man only as a policeman ; he was my orderly several times. His two brothers were my peons ; and he used to come to see them. No inquiry was made as to the cause of his insanity. He was merely sent to hospital, not the asylum. He was dismissed from the police owing to his insanity. I never saw his father. One of the brothers was a very sensible man ; the other an ordinary peon. The dismissal was after the man was cured. I do not know the cause of dismissal definitely. - Evidence of M. SESHACHALA NAIDU, Baliya, Pensioned Tahsildar, Vellore.


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46. It deadens the intellect altogether and produces insanity. It leads to insanity, which may he cured by a gradual but thorough change of habits. The symptoms may be reinduced by the use of the drug. Typical symptoms are that the persons are always harmless and jovial. They have, as a rule, thin and emaciated constitution. I know instances of people of weak intellect having gone mad on account of the use of this drug ; but I have not had any confessions made to me by them. Yes; I have considered the subject of persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease using the drug to obtain relief. In cases of mental anxiety or brain disease due to other causes than the use of the drug, a moderate use will afford relief ; but the consequences of a habitual use are more serious. I am acquainted with some cases ; but I am not able to enumerate them for want of a particular record of them. - Evidence of K. NARAINASWAMY NAIDU, Velama, Huzoor Sheristadar, Masulipatnam


45. No. It does not produce physical, moral or noxious effects. The cases of bairagis (wandering Hindus) or fakirs can be taken for instance. - Evidence of P. LAKSIIMINARAYANA, Brahmin, Manager of Court of Wards' Estate, Nuzvid.


46.  It deadens the intellect and produces insanity. Temporary mania is produced and the symptoms are re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The typical symptoms are neglect of the person, restlessness, timidity, vacant staring expression and want of appetite. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history readily confess. When spoken to about ganja they at once go through the motions of cleaning and preparing the drug, and seem to derive pleasure in discussing it.  - Evidence of MR. G. CLONEY, Superintendent of Jail, Tanjore.


45(f) Yes. 46. The habitual use in excess of these drugs produces marked symptoms of mental and physical deterioration very rapidly. [Oral evidence] My answers No. 46 and No 51 are based in part on observation of men in the regiment who . are excessive consumers; but mainly on enquiries from and conversation with Native officers. These answers deal solely with excessive use of these drugs. - Evidence of COLONEL II. S. ELTON, Commandant, 16th _Regiment, Madras Infantry, Bellary.


45(f) If used in excess. 46.  See above. - Evidence of SUBADAR MAJOR MAHAMMAD MURTUZA, 1st Madras Pioneers, Trichinopoly.


Question 45. [oral evidence]—My experience is that it is a very rare thing to meet with any case in which the hemp drug has caused evil effects on the health of the population. Apart from insanity, no evil effects have been brought to my notice. The statistics of the three lunatic asylums in the presidency show the connec -tion between the hemp drugs and insanity. As to whether these statistics are trustworthy, I should rely entirely on the opinion of the medical officers in charge of the asylums, with the exception of certain district officers. Other information gathered from the Police or other lay sources I would not accept as reliable. The statistics of the lunatic asylums are, as I under-stand, based on professional opinions. And these opinions are based on the medical officers’ observations in the asylums, the facts furnished by in sanes in lucid intervals, and the statements of friends and relatives of the insanes. The medical officer might get at the information regarding the hemp drug habit in the same way as he might ascertain whether the insanity was due to loss of money or friends, disappointment in love, or quarrels, so he might find that he had the habit of charas or ganja smoking. I have never had charge of a lunatic asylum. The practice which I have described relative to the enquiry as to cause of insanity is the practice which I know to he followed by the Superintendents of Asylums. In each case in which the cause of insanity is given in the returns furnished to me, I accept that cause as based on sufficient data. In cases where the Superintendent himself has had no opportunity of examining the friends or relatives of an insane, and the cause is entered on information furnished by the Civil Surgeon, the certifying officer, I should consider the statement of cause reliable, if the Civil Surgeon had had the case under observation long enough. Where the Civil Surgeon had no information, and the cause was entered on information furnished by the district officer, I should think the statement of cause decidedly reliable in some cases. In the last category a reliable case would be one in which a European officer certified the cause from personal observation or enquiry conducted by himself in person. I should think a European district officer would be well acquainted with the products of his district, and the drugs of the country, and would therefore he able to form a reliable opinion on the effects of the hemp drugs in any given case. That is the reason why I issued a circular to Superintendents of Asylums, directing that when Form C did not mention the cause of insanity they should apply to District Magistrates for that information. I should say that a Superintendent who considered himself bound to accept the cause given in Form C, and to enter it in his Register and annual statement VII as the cause of insanity, was labouring under a misapprehension. If I found that the entries in statement VII were based on Form C, I should not regard them as reliable ; they might be correct, but they would require corroborative evidence. If I found further that the enquiry in regard to cause was never made by the district officer, but by a Subordinate Magistrate or through the Police, I should regard the cause assigned as much less reliable. As Surgeon General I have had no opportunity of making enquiry regarding causation apart from the statistics supplied to me. Diagnosis of hemp drug insanity does not depend solely on history. I consider that it is the duty of the medical officer to observe the case, and base his diagnosis on the facts he observes, and those he may elicit from the insane in lucid intervals. - Evidence of SURGEON MAJOR-GENERAL W. F. DEFABECK, Surgeon-General with the Government of Madras.


Question 45.[oral evidence]—I put in printed copies of my letters to Dr. Warden of 6th and 20th October 1893. I adhere to the views therein expressed as to the generally untrustworthy character of the statements of Medical Officers, Medical Subordi-nates and Magistrates, as to the cause of insanity (vide letter of 6th October). As to my letter of 20th October, by saying that “I am responsible" for the entries as to cause, 1 mean that I did not leave the entry of cause to be made from Form C by subordinates. Whether I wrote it myself or not I was responsible that the cause entered was what I myself decided to be the cause, and not merely what was entered in the papers. In my letter of 6th October I say that “I must assure myself that the cause has been entered in my own handwriting." When I got to the asylum, I found that it had not been entered in my handwriting in the general register, but in another book (in an index) in pencil by me : an index in which names are entered as patients come in. I thought I had entered it also in the case book, but I had not done so in all cases I find. I find some such entries. My "reasonable belief" as to cause was based on reading the papers and seeing whether they showed a probable cause of insanity, and on inquiry from the lunatic. I see the case of Kamil Saheb shows him as having shown no signs of improvement and as having nothing ascertainable as to history. The case book shows nothing. I must have found out from him, 1 suppose. I must have found that he took ganja. I presume that if a man in his state said he took ganja it would just be as reliable as if he were sane. I know nothing at all about what would be the moderate or immoderate use of the drugs. The admission of the habit was therefore as a rule quite sufficient for my purpose. I have no knowledge whatever of the extent to which the drug is used. There are not, I think, any typical symptoms of hemp drug insanity. I really do not know any typical symptoms. These cases are mostly cases of acute mania. If I had a case of acute mania and the admission of the ganja habit, and other causes were unknown, I should have no hesitation in ascribing the insanity to hemp drugs. Causes are nearly always unknown as a matter of fact. That is, people enter causes readily enough; and ganja is frequently entered. Ganja has a bad name, and when people find a lunatic takes ganja they stick it down. But trustwortly statements as to cause are generally wanting. In cases where I find an alcoholic habit I should assign the insanity to alcohol if I could reasonably do so. That is I should do so in the absence of any other cause; for alcohol is a most notable cause of insanity. Case No. 11 of the 1892 cases is one which might be ascribed to either ganja or alcohol. In the case of alcohol I should of course discriminate between the moderate and excessive use. In the case of ganja I could not. It is much easier for a European to judge of alcoholism. than of drugs. I therefore feel very little confidence in the diagnosis I have made, ascribing these cases to hemp drugs. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL S. L. DOBIE,  Principal Medical Storekeeper,  Madras.


45.(f) As to exciting cause, etc., ride answer No. 39. Insanity following use of ganja is, in a larger number of cases than those of ordinary type, curable. Insanity is usually induced by a relapse of the habit. (g) Cases certainly occur where the drug is taken to assuage anxiety, but they are so rare that the effect on the total is not worth taking into consideration. Whilst admitting insanity may induce its use, I think the usual history is that the debauchee, a man deficient in mental control, takes ganja till he becomes insane, as a result of constant and undue excitation of the nervous system. 46. The mental faculties of the man who is addicted to the use of the drug to excess are always impaired, and it becomes rather a question in considering such cases as to what is insanity and what not. The action of the drug in relation to insanity I believe simply to be wearing out of that part of the nervous system supplying imaginative faculties by over-excitation, the action being on a par with the induction of more or less complete impotence by over-excitation of the sexual organs. Question 45 [oral evidence]—I refer to the habitual or continued moderate use when stating that the drug impairs the moral sense, and induces laziness, im-morality, and debauchery. The portion of my answer relating to insanity, including the reference to answer 39, contemplates the excessive use. I have known the moderate use in cases of sepoys and one private servant. I have seen sepoys smoking ganja, in the lines, and known from hearsay that it was ganja they were smoking. Besides the above direct observation, I have derived general impression. Question 46 [oral evidence] My general experience of the effects of exces- sive use is based on cases in the lunatic asylum, and also upon observations among the class of fakirs and bairagis who use the drug largely in the course of my dispensary practice. I have seen large numbers of such persons in my hospital practice, as well as during my inspections of towns. In the latter case the men were, of course, not under my treatment; but I must have conversed with such persons. I have also had a private patient who had the drug administered to him in an excessive dose. This is the case mentioned under question 50. This is the extent of my experience. I understand by immoderate use, use for the purpose of intoxication. By intoxication, I mean the exhilaration, which is all the intoxication that can be got by an immoderate consumer. I regard the use as immoderate in every case in which it is not medicinal. There are moderate consumers who smoke for the purpose of exhilaration in the ordinary sense, which is a different thing from the exhilaration of the immoderate smoker. As regards insanity induced by the drugs, I allude to cases I have seen in the asylum. I have no doubt had to deal with other cases ; but I cannot recall any of them. I believe the hemp drugs to be the exciting and not the predisposing cause of insanity. The insanes I have seen have come from the classes of sepoys and Bairagis. Bairagis live poorly; but I do not know anything of their character as a class. There are no characteristic symptoms of hemp drug insanity. All the symptoms which occur in such cases may be due to other causes. The diagnosis is based purely on history. I should not necessarily ascribe the insanity to hemp drugs, because the insane's history shewed the hemp drug habit. I should select the cause which appeared in the history to he most prominent. The histories as given by natives are fairly reliable if they allege ganja ; they would not be able to differentiate other causes so readily. If heredity appeared in a history and the ganja habit as well, I should ascribe the insanity to heredity as the predisposing cause and to ganja as the exciting cause. I believe that such a case would appear in an asylum register under the head of “Toxic insanity " under ganja. I cannot remember the number of insane cases in the asylum due to ganja when I was in charge, nor the number of relapses. I have no instance of relapses of insanity due to relapse into the ganja habit. By " wearing out " in question 46, I mean that the nervous system requires rest for correct nutrition, and in the presence of over-stimulation this nutrition cannot be secured. The case is not exactly analogous to that of alcohol, because in the case of alcohol I believe you will have, besides effects of over-stimulation, physical changes produced in the nerve tissue, whereas in the case of ganja you will not, as far as I know, have such changes. I can give no reference to a post-mortem examination of a ganja consumer in which any tissue change in the brain has been recognized. My statement regarding the absence of change in nerve tissue is merely my impression, gathered from the fact that my attention has never been arrested by any such change in such an examiation.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. G. KING, Acting Sanitary Commissioner, Nadias.


45. Seven males out of 33 in the Waltair Asylum are said to have been ganja smokers. Question 45.[oral evidence]—In cases sent to me as Civil Sur -geon for observation, and also in cases sent to me as Superintendent of the Asylum, I receive information in Form C from the Magistrate. This is based on inquiries made by him. I have to accept this, as I have not, except in cases of residents in the town, opportunities for making the inquiries. Frequently the entries regarding cause, occupation, etc., used to be unknown. But Government have issued an order that every effort should be made to obtain information. The Government were dissatisfied with the defective character of the information given and the number of cases in which the cause was unknown. We often send back cases accordingly to the Magistrate when the cause is not given or information is otherwise defective. As a rule, we accept what the Magistrate assigns as the cause. We should enter "grief" or "liquor" or "ganja" according as the Magis -trate had entered it. We presume that he has made inquiry. Even when an entry had been made by the Magistrate, I should send for the relatives if in the town if there was any point on which I wanted more information. I have done so in one or two eases where the Magistrate had shown a cause, because I wanted to look into heredity. Even in the very rare case of relatives coming with a lunatic, I should not make any inquiry from them unless there was a point on which I specially desired information. Thus, if the entry regarding hereditary history were blank, I should take every opportunity that offered of inquiring into it, because the chance of recovery depends so much on heredity. As a rule, and subject to these exceptions, the entries are copied at once into the general register from the Magistrate's papers. If I found a more probable cause than that assigned by the Magis -trate, I should alter the entry. I do not remember ever altering an entry in this Asylum. But I remember making such an alteration several times in Madras. I remember specially the case of a Eurasian who had hereditary taint in the Madras Asylum. But it is much more difficult to get such information in the case of a native; if any one could get it. I remember getting information from an old woman (mother or grandmother) of the lunatic P. Narasimham, admitted in 1892, that the patient's grandfather was insane. I think it would have been more valuable to have shown that as a case of heredity than of ganja insanity ; but I observe that the latter entry has not been altered in the register. The point, of course, is chiefly one of personal interest to me in the treatment of the case. An entry was made on the papers. I omitted to alter the register. At the same time I think that the register should have been altered, as the question of recoveries from certain types is important. I do not think that the entries in the Form C as to cause are reliable. The relatives are not generally able to give valuable information, and the Magistrates who get the inforation are not able to judge what is valuable information. I might illustrate this by saying that it is not unusual to find that a lunatic who comes in with cause "unknown" or some other cause assigned is an epileptic. Epilepsy is most important as a cause and also in relation to cure. I think also that if a Magistrate hears any mention of ganja the cause goes down as ganja. I do not, therefore. think that Statement VII appended to the annual report can be regarded as at all a satisfactory basis on which to rest any conclusion as to the connection between hemp drugs and insanity. I have not given any replies in my paper to questions 45 and 46 as to the effects of hemp drugs, because I do not know them. I have failed to observe any physical signs in those who use the drags. While in charge of the Madras Asylum, I endeavoured to ascertain typical symptoms of hemp drug insanity, but failed. I have said that I place little reliance on the cause of insanity as assigned by the Magistrate. I should say that the diagnosis of hemp drug insanity in any case must be based solely on cause. By that I mean that without a history of the drug there can be no such diagnosis. I attach specially little weight to the allegation of ganja as a cause in Form C, because there is a popular idea that ganja causes insanity, and if the Magistrate heard of ganja he would probably enter it at once. I should myself have put down ganja as the cause of insanity in any case where I examined the friends, if they merely said the man used ganja and I could get no other cause, as I did not discriminate between the excessive and moderate use. I should go much more carefully into the matter now, since I have, in the course of the present inquiry, learned so much more about the use of the drugs. Question 45.—Explanation.—The Hospital Assistant informed me that each of these seven men smoked tobacco in a way that indicated that he was a ganja smoker. There were, therefore, seven men who were ganja smokers; but I did not mean to say that the insanity in these seven cases was due to ganja. There are only three patients now in the asylum who are shown in the registers as having their insanity due to hemp drugs. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL A.H. LEAPING-WELL, District Surgeon, Vizagapatam.


45. The insanity that is produced by ganja may be temporary or permanent accord. ing to the previous habits of the smoker. If the man had been a smoker for a few months only before the insanity appears, there is a chance of his recovering. In the case of an old ganja, smoker becoming insane, the insanity is almost sure to be permanent. I don't understand the latter part of the question. Question 45.[oral evidence] —What I have said here is based on personal experience of sepoys who are smokers, though they would not acknowledge it, as it is contrary to military orders. I could almost spot a man who was a confirmed smoker. As a professional man, I cannot say I am sure. I know that the opinion of skilful men is opposed to this view ; but I am morally certain that I could spot a man who bad long smoked immoderately. One case of ganja smoking I watched since I joined the 13th Regiment in 1882 until the other day. Up to 1892 he never smoked immoderately. There was no physical or mental deterioration until 1892. In 1892 he went on leave and lost some relations from cholera. He then took to immoderate smoking, which resulted in madness ; so that when he returned from his furlough he was a raving maniac. He had six months' furlough and overstayed his leave. When arrested he was a raving maniac, violent, obstreperous. The man never said he was a ganja smoker, but he asked for ganja in hospital. In this man's case I put down the cause as "the sudden loss of relations and probably ganja smoking." He did not become mad under my observation, so I could not know the actual cause. We have to give a cause if possible. This man was sent to the Madras Lunatic Asylum. The second man was also sent to the Madras Lunatic Asylum. The case contained the entry that the disease "was due to his own imprudence." There was no entry whatever in the whole case in any of the papers of the use of hemp drugs. Because it could not be proved, and as it is an offence to use ganja, we did not mention it. The only thing that connects the case with ganja is that the man when insane asked for it. The Deputy Surgeon General did not think that sufficient ; for he said : "Would you put down ganja as the cause of madness because the madman asks for it ? Would you put liquor as the cause if he asked for liquor ?" I would. But we did not enter ganja as the cause. I knew nothing of the man's smoking ganja before the become mad. I never saw him smoking, and there was no evidence that he did so. These are the only two cases that have ever come before me in the course of my experience where a man became insane and the insanity was attributable to ganjasmoking. There is no proof in either of these cases except the man's own admission, and When a man is out of his mind, I do not think his statement is worth much. With the exception of these two cases. I have observed no other physical effects on the sepoys under my charge which I could attribute to ganja, in any particular case. I cannot, in the case of any sepoy, attribute thinness or cough to ganja, for I cannot be certain. I have no proof ; and I could not charge a man with ganja smoking without proof, for it is a military offence. What I have said in my written answer about thinness and cough is my impression ; but I could not assert it about any particular case. The thinness might be due to underfeeding, which is also a common offence among sepoys, and is difficult to prove. But the bloodshot eye would, where it exists, indicate the use of intoxicants. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR CHATTERJIE, Medical Officer in charge 13th Madras Infantry, Cannanore.


45 (f) I do not think a moderate use will produce insanity. In the cases I have met, although the persons were said to be habitual ganja smokers and knew how to prepare the drug, it could not be clearly ascertained whether the habit was the cause of the insanity, or was resorted to to check the brain disturbance that precedes insanity. The insanity is of the maniacal type. One of the early symptoms noted in the case of men suspected and afterwards detected was a peculiar bloated appearance of face and general anæmia, with a general dull appearance. The insanity produced is of a temporary character, and the symptoms appear when the drug is used after a period of intermission. A case that came under my notice is that of a convict in the District Jail, Tanjore, who owns to having indulged in the use of ganja for the past nine years. He says he was employed as a shipping lascar, and from seeing others indulge in the practice, began to smoke ganja. He found that it inured him to fatigue and promoted digestion. I cannot ascertain if there is any family history of mental aberration. He craves for the drug now, but its withholding does not seem to affect him, except that he is very restless and suffers from insomnia. Another case of a convict warder, who, for no apparent reason, was seized with furious maniacal delirium. He was concerned in a ganja case, and it was supposed he had taken some of it. By care, rest, withdrawal of drug, etc., lie recovered, and did not afterwards exhibit the same symptoms. Some men who have no recorded ganja history do confess to the use of the drug.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. A. F. NAILER, Acting District Surgeon, Tanjore.


46. It has been the exciting cause of insanity (homicidal mania) in two cases under my observation in hospital. There have been also five cases of insanity under my observation in the Central Jail, and the type has been that of mania with homicidal tendencies. The insanity is in many cases temporary, but it may be reinduced by a return to the use of the drug. No doubt of this. The symptoms are violent, and there is a tendency to homicide. Insanes do not usually confess to the use of the drug. I have noticed in several cases that the patients were suffering from old standing disease, chiefly stricture. Question 45. [oral evidence]—The cases mentioned under Question 39 are the same as those mentioned under Question 46. I have had no opportunity of noticing the effects of the moderate use of the hemp drugs. They have not come before me. Question 46.[oral evidence]—My answer regarding the effects of the excessive use (excluding insanity) are based on my inspection of smokers in the ganja shops and the opinions of Muhammadan private practitioners whom I have consulted. So much of my answer, therefore, is not the outcome of my professional experience gained in the course of treatment. The examinations at the shops were made only with a view to answering the questions of the
Commission. I did not find men actually suffering from any of the diseases named, but I found them in broken-down health. There was a large proportion of men in broken-down health, but I only paid three visits in all to the shops, and the same man did not come under my observation a second time. The men in broken-down health were decidedly poor people. Their physical condition may have been in my opinion to some extent due to their poverty: it is the drug of the poor man. Except the five cases of insanity and two of homicidal mania, I have not in my twenty years' experience ever had the evil effects of the drug brought to my personal notice.
All the seven cases of insanity I have mentioned were ultimately transferred to the lunatic asylum. The two eases (homicidal mania) first mentioned occurred in the Military Hospital at Nellore. One of them was a case which occurred the very day I took charge from Dr. Pemberton. The man was sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment. The man was sent ultimately to the asylum in 1891, because he became insane again, apparently from using the drug, for he was found. in possession of a bundle of ganja which had been smuggled into the jail. The other was the case of a sepoy who was admitted one night into the Regimental Hospital because he had been found in the regimental lines behaving in a violent manner, striking and beating people. He was in a state of violent delirium when brought in. His brother and other relatives told me that he had been smoking in a ganja shop that night ; that he was a quiet man at other times, and that this condition was due to ganja ; that he was in the habit of taking ganja ; that this was not the first time lie had become violent. After about two days he became quiet, and was sent for further observation to the jail, as I could. not keep him in the Military Hospital any longer. At the jail also he was under my observation. I reported upon his case as District Surgeon, with the result that he was sent to the lunatic asylum. He tried to strike the Hospital Assistant and his relatives, and therefore I have called his case one of homicidal mania. In the jail the type of his insanity changed, and he became more or less imbecile. It was the fear of his breaking out again which induced his relatives to ask me to send him to the asylum, as he had six children at home. I had a good deal of communication with the relatives about this man. I reported the case as due to ganja. I enquired into the cause of his insanity. The history as well as the marks on his hands showed it to be a case of ganja insanity. I asked the relatives what the cause of his condition was, and they told me he had been to the ganja shop. That was the enquiry which I made, and which led me to attribute the case to ganja. I asked no other question with regard to cause, as the relatives gave a complete history of ganja. I cannot remember now, but I must also have asked if there had been family troubles. I looked upon ganja as the exciting cause; I cannot say whether any predisposing cause was present. Any cause which would drive a man to smoking, such as sorrow, poverty, I should regard as a predisposing cause. I did not make enquiry regarding heredity in the case. I cannot remember if notes of the case will appear in the books of the Military Hospital. The SubCollector sent the man up and issued the warrant for his detention in jail for further observation. The military authorities moved the civil authorities to take action in the matter. I am doubtful if the case was entered in the military book. The other five cases of insanity were cases which came under my observation in my capacity of District Surgeon, and which were sent to the lunatic asylum on my report. The last sentence of my written answer refers to eight patients who came to the Jail Hospital suffering from strictures and fistulas of long standing who were reported to be ganja consumers. They were prisoners. Their being ganja consumers was brought to my notice by their asking for ganja. The connection of ganja with these cases was that the drug had in my opinion been taken by these persons to relieve pain. It could not of course be the cause of stricture or fistula. They were satis -fied with tobacco, and opium. I am not allowed by rule to give ganja in the form in which it is sold in the bazar, and opium is in my opinion a safer drug. I am not allowed to give ganja in any form, but I am allowed to give opium to be eaten, and I gave it in that form. As Medical Officer in charge of the Jail Hospital I am not at liberty to give ganja or tobacco to the patients even as a mode of treatment without the sanction of the Jail Superintendent. I have not prescribed the smok -ing of ganja for tetanus or for any other complaint, but have prescribed the tincture and extract of Cannabis. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR JOHN LANCASTER, District Surgeon, North Arcot.


45. The general register of the Asylum is written up by the Hospital Assistant in charge of the papers in the case of each lunatic. I do not see this register unless I specially call for it, or special orders are required on any point. I never have as Superintendent of the Asylum made any enquiry regarding the cause of insanity, and there are not, as far as I know, any orders requiring me to make enquiry. The Civil or District Surgeon is the officer who ought to make any enquiry that the medical officer has to make. He is the officer who signs both Form A and Form C. As Civil Surgeon I have to enter cause of insanity in Form C. This cause is often entered as unknown. I cannot recall the precise orders on the subject, but as a matter of fact I always do make enquiries, questioning the insane himself, and sending to the Magistrate if I cannot make a shrewd guess as to the cause from my own enquiry. In referring to the Magistrate I send Form C marked with crosses opposite the heads under which I want information. Sometimes I make general enquiry in the Sub-Jail, asking if the police or others can furnish any information. But no information is ever obtainable in this way, and to the best of my recollection the friends of the insane never attend. I never go beyond such general enquiry in the Sub-Jail. Generally therefore when a cause is entered in Form C it is entered on the authority of the Magistrate. When I form an impression or guess as to the cause, I generally use the word "probably." An entry made by the Magistrate on the other hand is always definite as far as my memory servesme. Before joining the Asylum I suppose I must have seen a dozen or so of cases and not more attributable to drugs in the whole course of my service. The insanity in this district is far greater than in any district in which I have served, and I do not think I have seen more than two or three drug cases here. I include opium, but not liquor, in the term "drugs" in the above answers. I think the hemp drug cases generally come from the wandering mendicant classes of the population. Regarding typical symptoms of hemp drug insanity I have rightly or wrongly got it into my head that there is a peculiar expression on the countenance of every such insane, which I cannot define, but which once seen can hardly, I think, be mistaken. This expression is almost as pronounced as the expression that is present on the faces of patients suffering from uterine disease. I think the expression is absent in cases of insanity from other drugs, that is, presuming that I have any knowledge of the subject, which I am prepared to admit I have not. As far as I have seen, hemp drug insanes are voluble and excited, and inclined to be a little bit violent, lapsing into the sulky state. In one or two cases sent to me for observation I have seen patients after a few days' restraint reverting into a perfectly rational condition. These last cases appear to be cases of intoxication rather than insanity. The type might, I think, be described as acute mania. I have not the least idea what the duration of such cases is, as I have had no experience until recently, the patients only passing through my hands in my capacity as Civil Surgeon. In a case of acute mania, where the typical expression I have described was present, I should enter it in the certificate as probably due to hemp drugs. I do not think I know enough about the subject to say what circumstances would enable me to assign hemp drugs definitely as the cause of insanity. In cases which come before me, the causes, as I have said, are generally unknown; where they are known, the statement of cause is based on facts of which I am not cognisant and for enquiry into which I am not responsible, and I therefore accept them. Should a man be sent to me suffering from insanity, the result of drink, my impression is that I should have less hesitation in assigning the cause. My position as Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum requires me to take charge of insanes when they are sent in and retain them until they are fit for discharge. I am simply keeper, and incidentally medical attendant, and not responsible for any statements and certificates received with the patient as long as they are in order. The cause of insanity is a fact worth knowing for the treatment of the insane. I therefore keep it in view. But I make no alteration of the cause in the asylum register, which, by established practice, is derived from the certificate, Form C, which comes with the patient, and is written up by the Hospital Assistant as described above. The entry in annual statement VII is founded on the entries in the General Register, and may therefore be said to be based on the Magistrate's enquiries. I do not consider myself responsible for it. Whatever my opinion may be, I am not entitled to alter a statement based on fact with which I am not acquainted. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. ST. C. CARRUTHERS, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Calicut.


46.  I have seen one case of temporary mania as a result of habitual excessive use. There were no typical symptoms. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR K. C. SANJANA, Parsi, District Surgeon, Tinnevelly


50. Excessive habitual use.— Most of the cases of insanity that have come under my observation as due to this cause have been of a temporary nature, maniacal delirium and hallucinations; and the return of such cases would imply that the symptoms were reinduced by a renewed abuse of the drug.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. O ' HARA, District Medical and Sanitary Officer and Superintendent of Jail, Bellary.


45.My acquaintance with the use of the drug is too limited to enable me to answer this question.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR G. L. WALKER, Civil Surgeon, Ootacamund.


45. Though I have not seen any marked cases of lu -nacy arising from the use of ganja, yet I believe that insanity is often due to its use, as may be seen on a reference to the return of any Indian Lunatic Asylum.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR S. C. SARKIES, District Surgeon, Nellore


45. (f) The moderate use does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. It is a predisposing cause of insanity. I saw two cases of insanity pr o-duced by ganja being used in excess. In both cases acute mania was present, and in both it was permanent. 46. Ganja produces...much mental weakness. The excessive use produces moral inertia—a desire not to do any kind of work, mental or moral—and this state gradually leads on to cerebral softening. Question 45. [oral evidence]—When I was with the 17th Regiment at Trichinopoly, I had to treat three cases of ganja-poisoning. These men drank liquor and indulged in ganja. In all these cases there was congestion of the lungs present. The men were all suffering from the effects of ganja when they came to me, and they all eventually became insane and were sent to the Madras Asylum. These are the only three cases in which evil effects of the drug have come directly under my notice. The symptoms, in all three cases, were the same and, for that reason, I concluded the pulmonary affection to be result of the drug. I have learnt by enquiry from medical subordinates and people in villages, that dysentery, bronchitis and asthma result from the drug; I have no personal experience on this point. The two cases of insanity mentioned in my written answer are among those referred to above. I did not mention the third case in my written answer, because I had no notes of it. I have not brought my notes of the two cases. I am not prepared to give details of the cases. The notes are those made by me in the hospital books. To the best of my recollection there were in all three cases restlessness, a quarrelsome tendency, desire to fight, weakness of memory, inability to converse coherently or follow an argument. I noticed these symptoms before I made up my mind to send the men to the asylum. One of them certainly suffered from impotency, and an utter disinclination to work. It was in the hospital I diagnosed the impotency. The man, in answer to my question, told me he had sexual desire, but was unable to gratify it. I noticed no other symptoms. Those I have mentioned are, I should say, the characteristics of the hemp drug insanity. I should expect to find impotence as a general rule in cases of the excessive use of the hemp drugs. To the best of my recollection this symptom was absent in the other two cases. The symptoms of hemp drug insanity are those of acute mania, and may arise from causes unconnected with hemp drugs. Impotency is a typical symptom of hemp drug insanity, and I can't mention any other symptom which is typical. In the two cases in which this symptom was not present, I made my diagnosis on history. Besides the three cases mentioned above, I have had in the course of my service one case of melancholia, and no other cases of insanity. I have not made a special study of insanity, and I do not profess to be able to give evidence of special value regarding it. I have not seen cerebral softening in the post mortem examination of a ganja consumer, nor have I had any case of the sort to treat. The opinion I have stated is based on hearsay, not on any case shown or quoted to me. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. F THOMAS, Acting District Medical and Sanitary Officer, Chingleput.


46. Injures the constitution as well as mental faculties. - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN C. F. FEARNSIDE, Acting District Surgeon, Ganjam.


45. (f) Yes; in large doses, especially to those who are not accustomed to take the drug regularly. The insanity is generally of a temporary nature, lasts a few hours, and the symptoms would be re-induced in the case after liberation if the drug was again taken in excessive quantity. The insanity in these cases is a fit of delirium, and while it lasts, the man is not answerable for his actions. Question 45.[oral evidence]—My answer is based on experience gained on service with troops and during my civil employment in Ganjam between 1887 to 1889, where the drugs are consumed to a large extent. This explanation relates to the whole of my answer, none of which is based on Cochin experience. I have observed the effects described in this answer in the persons of sepoys. An habitual ganja smoker was always known in the regiment; but I could not tell that he had the habits from his appearance. Such men were much more frequently in hospital than other sepoys. The cases were entered in the case books. The probable cause of their illness was not entered; it was so well known. I have never known of a man being punished for using hemp drugs. A man is not liable to punishment merely for the use of ganja. When the persons I have been speaking of were admitted to hospital, I was in the habit of examining them particularly in order to ascertain if their illness was
due to ganja. If it had been, I should have reported them. I never reported a man, because I was never certain that his illness was due to ganja. The cause of illness is always entered in the cause book, with a view to judging of a man's qualification for pension. Ganja was, nevertheless, never entered for the reason I have already stated. My statement regarding insanity caused by ganja is founded on two cases within my own experience. It is only the excessive use which, in my opinion, causes insanity. A ganja smoker usually smokes once or twice a day, and I call that a moderate use. If he indulges to a larger extent, I should call his habit excessive. I cannot give the weight of ganja represented by such moderate use. I call it temporary insanity, even though the insanity lasts a few hours only. There is more violence in such cases than is consistent with the state of intoxication. In one of the two cases I have referred to, the insanity lasted only one hour; in the others, three or four hours. In the former case the man had had a previous attack of temporary insanity from the same cause, as I ascertained afterwards. In both these cases I am confident that the insanity was due to the hemp drugs and nothing else. In the case which lasted only an hour the man was brought to me in a state of doubtful sanity to the Detail Hospital, which was in my charge. He was cured in two or three days, but still under observation, when the orderly gave him some ganja. From the effects of smoking this he was attacked with a fit of temporary insanity, in which he stabbed the orderly. He spoke to me quite rationally a short while afterwards, saying that he had stabbed the orderly because he would not supply him with a sufficient quantity of ganja. I made enquiries, which satisfied me that the condition in which the man was when he was first brought to the hospital was due to ganja. This information was given to me by the native officers, who said that he was frequently excited, and that his excitement was caused by ganja. He was transported for life by a civil tribunal, the Sessions Judge of North Arcot. The case occurred between 1885 and 1887. The orderly was not killed. The en-quiry I made satisfied me that I had correctly as-certained the cause of his insanity, because he was quiet while under observation at the hospital. He was sent to the hospital, was violent, and therefore kept apart for some days. But he there became so quie a admitted him to the general wars, only telling off an orderly to watch him. I excluded all other causes of insanity. I gave evidence before the Magistrate who came to the hospital to take the wounded man's dying declaration. I was under orders of transfer, and as Dr. Lancaster had taken charge and knew all about the case, he appeared in court in the subsequent proceedings. I do not remember deposing to the state of the man's mind. I did depose about the nature of the wounds.
I did not enter anything about the hemp drugs in the case book, because I was not certain whether the man was insane or not. I never certified him insane because he was under observation all the time he was in my charge, and I gave over charge of the hospital on the day the offence was com -mitted and left the station the same day. When the offence was committed, the native officers came on the spot and said the man was a ganja smoker and excitable. I also knew that he had been sup-plied with ganja, and he alleged the want of a suffi-cient supply of ganja as the reason for committing the offence, and I was therefore satisfied that his insanity was caused by ganja. I did not enquire about hereditary insanity. I saw him within an hour after the attack, and he was then quite sane. I don't think it was a case of mere rage, because if it had been, I think the fit would have lasted longer. But it is difficult to express the difference between the two things. If there had been no ganja history, I should not have described such a fit as insanity. I cannot say why I should not have done so, except that, apart from the ganja history, there was no proof of insanity.
In the second case to which I have referred, it was known that the man had taken ganja just before he committed the crime. It occurred in Burma. I gave evidence, and the man was transported for life. I gave evidence that the man was sane. The case was tried in the Sessions Court in Tounghoo between 1881 and 1883. I gave evi-dence that the man had smoked ganja; that he had injured the two men; and that when I saw him two hours afterwards he was quiet and in his senses. This is the case referred to in answer to question 53. These are the only cases of insanity that have come under my personal observation. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR R. PEMBERTON, Civil Surgeon, Cochin


45. In time, I believe, it leads to mental and moral degradation. It lowers the brain power. No; on the contrary, increases the appetite considerably. Yes; those who get habituated to its use usually give up work. This is the case in this presidency; in the north all the dooly-bearers take it as far as I know. Yes, it causes acute mania, which is usually temporary first. A person who enters an asylum has to stop the drug, and he begins to  improve; when he leaves, he generally reverts to the habit and comes back worse; in time, I think, his brain gets into a state which can never improve. I think it is the exciting cause of insan -ity. Yes; many used to say that they took ganja. There may be isolated cases where this would apply, but in the vast majority it is an easily learned vice, which a person may not be strong-minded enough to refrain from. It is a question whether a drunkard (alcoholic) or a ganja smoker is not a weak-minded person. I look upon both these as men with weak intellects; they know alcohol and ganja  are very bad for them, yet they will not give them up. 46. It is difficult to draw the line; moderation passes into excess imperceptibly. Many of my answers apply perhaps more to the excessive use than to the moderate. Question 44. [oral evidence]—One case was in the jail at Rajahmandri. A dhobi suddenly became excited. He was ordinarily a quiet character. I went down to him and found him very violent. He kicked at me. Ganja and opium used to be found some times on prisoners. The man afterwards said some one had given him something to eat. The jailor said lie believed it was ganja. He did not see it, neither did I. I concluded it was ganja, because I found nothing else that it could be. They said that it was ganja; the jailor did. But he never found any ganja. I do not think any thing else would cause mania like this. I cannot say how long the symptoms lasted. I began to treat him. I gave him the stomach pump. I found no leaves or smell of the drug. This outbreak occurred at 3 P. M. Next day he was all right. I found no evidence of ganja, but I concluded it was ganja. I used the stomach pump, because there was some warder or some one said something had been eaten. The man himself after recovering said he had never taken ganja before, and that he did not know it was ganja he was eating. This was in answer to an inquiry of mine as to why he had taken ganja. What led me to speak of ganja was that I knew of no other thing that would produce this excitement. I did notice the condition of the pupils. The body temperature was not taken. The man fought so tremendously that we had to have about six men to hold him. The symptoms are like the case of very acute mania. I know nothing about transient mania. I have never seen a case. My second case is of a recruit boy in the 21st Pioneers at Secunderabad in the end of 1891 or beginning of 1892. He was brought into hospital about 11 or 12 at night. I was not called to see him; but the Hospital Assistant described the same kind of violence as in the dhobi's case. I saw him about 6 A. M.; he was sleeping. I saw him a few hours later, and he was quite sensible. He had been quite out of his mind, they said, and re -quired several men to hold him. A sepoy had given him something to drink, the boy said. The boy had just joined. He was eighteen years old. I had no evidence of what the thing was. I could not find out. But the Hospital Assistant and I agreed that it must have been hemp in some form. I cannot say when it had been administered. I asked if the boy had been drinking. They said there was no smell of drink. I did not ask about the smell of ganja. No emetic was given or stomach pump used; he was simply held down. I believed it was ganja, because there was no smell of liquor and no headache, but eyes bloodshot. This symptom of bloodshot eyes also appeared in the dhobi's case. I don't remember anything being noted about the pupils. You see no evidence was particularly taken. The boy would not point out the sepoy that gave him what he took. No doubt ganja and drink were taken largely in Secunderabad. I have never seen a case in which frenzy has resulted from smoking. The above are the only two cases within my personal knowledge on which I base my answer No. 44. Both had taken the drug for the first time. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I have never been into the question of ganja. I never see it scarcely. My first sentence is based on what a ganja smoker said. He said,"It is a bad thing. I should  like to leave-it-off; but I cannot.". I have really no experience as to effects of either moderate or excessive use, except what I have seen in lunatics in the cases • shown above, and in other cases in which I have been told regarding sepoys that they smoked ganja, though I have not been able to verify it or get them to acknowledge it. The man who was found getting ganja in the Chin hills in a parcel from his mother may certainly be confidently regarded as a smoker. He was a worthless man who never did any work. My second sentence is based on asylum expe -rience. I thought that as many insanes confessed to the use of the drug, it was probably one of the causes of their loss of brain power. There was only one case of lunacy that I can recall absolutely attributed to ganja during my five years at Waltair. My fourth sentence is based on sepoy experience of cases in which it was generally believed that men smoked ganja, and they were men who did their work indifferently. On the other hand, I found dooly-bearers who had ganja smoke marks on the hands. These men work well, and are hard worked. They said they took whiffs every now and again to keep them up. Yet the impression regarding sepoys here is that a man who takes to ganja is lost. It may be because the &dooly-bearer takes it to help him to do his work; while the sepoy, though knowing it to be contrary to military order, takes it because he has depraved tendency. I have always understood that a man taking ganja in a regiment is liable to severe punishment. It is so dangerous in a regiment to have a man excited by a drug. I think there is a regulation against all intoxicants read out to recruits on joining. In regard to mania, my remarks are based on my Waltair experience. I cannot say how many hemp drugs cases passed through my hands, i. e.,how many there were in which ganja was said to have helped. Only one case was absolutely ascribed to ganja. I think that in his case it was the exciting cause. He was admitted twice. He admitted the use of the drug. The drug causes mania —acute mania. I never noticed any special symptoms. The man is like the ordinary maniac. The mania only differs from that due to other causes in not being so lasting. I have not been in the habit of discriminating between the moderate and excessive use of the drug. In my hemp drug cases I arriv- ed at the cause chiefly through the evidence of friends. Generally one of the first questions one asks is, "Does he take ganja?"Answer—"Yes. "Question—"Much ? "Answer—"Yes."The mere fact of the admission of the habit would lead to the entry of the words "ganja smoker."This would be the entry whether the admission was made by the lunatic or the friends. If this admission were made, and there was no other cause assigned, the medical officer, as Civil Surgeon, would probably enter the insanity as due to ganja. The Superintendent of the Asylum would probably accept this, if he found it in Statement C, without any question. Given heredity and ganja in Form C, I should enter in the register "Heredity helped by the habit of ganja smoking." And in the annual tabular statement the case would be shown under "Heredity." - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR A. J. STURMER, District and Sanitary Officer, Masulipatam, Kistna District.


45. It deadens the intellect and produces idiocy. Question 45.[oral evidence]—All the statements made here are based exclusively on hearsay. I have not seen any of these ill-effects myself in my practice. At College I learned that half the insanity of the country was due to hemp drugs; but I have not been able to verify that myself. I have had no experience. I have not seen a case. I do not know of any case of illness that has come before me, of any kind, being due to hemp drugs. I never had my attention directed to the drugs or their effects. I have a position somewhat similar to that of a Civil Surgeon and have had three cases of insanity seat to me for observation. In all three cases the insanity was hereditary.
 - Evidence of Civil Apothecary T. M. CHERIYAN, Manantoddy.


45. Once I was called in to see a bairagi, head of a religious endowment. He was a habitual smoker of opium and ganja. He was a ghastly skeleton of bones covered with the skin. As for his mental condition, he was then engaged in litigation. I have no information of his morals.
A boy of about fourteen was one night picked up unconscious by the police from the street. The next morning he was found to be a perfect imbecile, unable to articulate any other words than ganja and fire. He could not recollect even his own name. The previous history of the boy was not known to trace his mental condition either to heredity or to ganja, of which he was smelling when first seen. The formation of his head seemed quite natural. There was an intense craving for the drug. There was no information available as to the daily quantity used. Probably it was excessive, judging from his condition when first found. 53. The first case in this answer was a patient in my private practice. He had swallowed a dose of patent medicine with the object of committing suicide. I was called in, and was told by his friends that he had been taking a preparation of hemp as an aphrodisiac. I don't know what the preparation was composed of. The patent medicine was one for treating scorpion sting, and quite distinct from the aphrodisiac. The patient had previously attempted to commit suicide by throwing himself into a well, I was told he had been out of his mind for three or four days before I was called in. He was under my treatment, as well as I remember, for about a fortnight, and recovered completely. 1 treated him for the poison and not for melancholia. He was impotent by his own statement, and had been in that state for four or five years. He was about 30 years of age. He said the preparation of hemp had had no effect, and he had increased the dose be -cause it had proved inefficient. He was talking nonsense when I first attended him. Though he recovered from the poisoning he did not regain full possession of his will till a month after I first attended him. I knew him before he began to take the hemp drug, and his ultimate condition, after he recovered, was the same as that in which I formerly knew him. I made his acquaintance three or four months before he began to take the hemp drugs. He was then living with his family, consisting of mother, wife, brother and sister. I have not known the suicidal tendency to show itself in persons who supposed themselves impotent. His relations, whose acquaintance I made, were sound in intellect. I do not remem bers enquiring into the history of the patient's family further back than his father, who, I learnt, was a respectable man. I made no other enquiries as to the cause of insanity. The use of the hemp drug was the one fact mentioned to me, and I ac -cepted it. As well as I remember, he had a daugh -ter 6 or 7 years old. I know insanity arises from other causes than ganja, and therefore I think I must have made enquiry whether the insanity was due to other causes than ganja, but the use of the hemp drug was the only fact which made an impression upon me. When I said that I made no other enquiry as to the cause of insanity, I meant no other enquiry regarding heredity, The hemp drug could not have been the only fact mentioned to me, but it was the fact which appeared to me to furnish an adequate cause of the insanity. I do not remember now if I made any enquiry into the cause of insanity. As far as I was concerned, it was a case of poisoning, and I did not treat the patient for insanity. I knew the members of the patient's family, and had already learnt that the father was a respectable man. There was therefore no reason for me to enquire about them, and as well as I remember I did not enquire. The person, the subject of the second cas e de -scribed in 53, was brought into Adirampatnam to his brother, a Salt Inspector, whom I had k nown for one month previously. The man was insane when he was brought in, and I saw him within two or three days of his arrival. During the next month or so I saw him four or five times. He was always in the same condition. The Salt In -spector was then transferred, and took his brother away with him. I heard of his subsequent history. I asked the Salt Inspector the details of the case, and he told me what I have stated in my answer. The hemp preparation was said to be one of the aphrodisiacs commonly prescribed by the native doctors, and I was told that the mental shock was caused by a letter impugning the character of his wife. I don't know how the Salt Inspector got information about the insane's history previous to his arrival at his house. I did not make any enquiry into the cause of insanity beyond asking the Inspector whether the patient was insane from his birth or how, and the inspector told me of his having used the drugs for the purpose described and of the mental shock. I never treated the man at all. I never myself heard him talk of the drug. When brought into Adirampatnam he had been insane for a year and living at Tuticorin away from his brother. During that time I had not seen him, nor had his brother, the Inspector, seen him. I do not remember from whom I heard of his death, for I did not keep up any knowledge of him.  - Evidence of Apothecary K. VASUDEVA RAU, Brahmin, Adirampatnam, Tanjore District.


45 (f) Some cases of insanity are reported as due to the drug.  -  Evidence of Apothecary G. A. W. VELLONES, Chetambaram, South Arcot.


45 (f) It dulls the intellect, producing temporary insanity of a melancholic character; the insanity subsiding with the discontinual of the drug, and reappearing when the drug is again resorted to. 46. The habitual excessive consumer is dull, dirty, and ill-clad; the eyes protrude, cheek bones prominent, the body thin and emaciated, with a pale sallow complexion. Insanity of a temporary nature and melancholic in character has supervened in many instances.
 - Evidence of Apothecary N. H. DANIEL, In charge Police Hospital, Koraput, Vizagapatam District.


45. (f) It does so in course of time. Temporary. Yes the symptoms may be reinduced. The typical symptoms are singing, soliloquy, vocifera -tion, laughing, no idea of dress. Occasionally they do confess to the use of the drugs. (g)No. Cannot give any account.
46. Cannot. 45.[oral evidence] I have no notes of any cases in which the bad effects described in question 45 have resulted from the use of the drugs. I have, however, treated cases of asthma, bronchitis, and the like, which have resulted from prolonged use of the drugs. But I cannot recall any such cases. I have seen a few cases of insanity from the use of the drugs, but cannot recall the details of any of them, as I have taken no notes. I remember two or three cases that were brought insane to the dispensary, but I don't remember their histories, but from the signs and symptoms of their insanity, and the circumstances of their lives, I was led to believe that their insanity was caused by the use of Indian hemp. The circumstances to which I refer were their residence in " mat tams " and their having about them the necessary equipment for smoking ganja. These circumstances, however, I do not regard as material, the principal reason for my conclusion being the signs and symptoms exhibited by them. The signs were dilatation of the pupils, the peculiar breath characteristic of ganja smoking, hallucinations and delusions and illusions, sometimes a peculiar drowsy condition, partial unconsciousness of surroundings, loss of memory, sometimes complete and sometimes partial stammering, incoherence of speech arising from partial or complete loss of power over the muscles of articulation. I think dilatation of the pupils and the ganja breath are the typical symptoms. I should also put down religious hallucinations and grandiose ideas of self as being typical symptoms. These symptoms may be common to insanity arising from other causes. They are typical when taken with the ganja breath, and in association all together they are diagnostic. In the earlier part of my answer, in which I say that permanent mental aberration invariably results, I meant by mental aberration something short of insanity. In the latter part of my answer I state that insanity, i .e ., complete insanity, is generally temporary. I cannot recall any details to substantiate these opinions. They both, as relating to insanity and other diseases, are an undefined impression derived from my general practice. By undermining 'morality' I mean that moral notions are degraded, but not that sensuality is induced. - Evidence of Apothecary MUHAMMAD ASADULLA, Ellore, Godavary District.


45 (f) Yes, it deadens the intellect and produces insanity. The insanity is generally of a temporary nature and would be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. There are no typical symptoms. Not as a rule. (g) I do not think that this question has been sufficiently considered in explaining this connection. Insanity may often tend to indu l-gence in the use of hempdrugs in a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. 46. The habitual excessive use of any of these drugs would tend to insanity. 45.[oral evidence] My statement that insanity is produced refers to the excessive use of the drugs. 46.[oral evidence] When the drug is used in excess it produces insanity in a very short time. The insanity is of a temporary character and generally lasts some months. This opinion is based on cases which I have had to observe in my capacity as Civil Medical Officer. I have also had to treat three or four patients suffering from temporary, insanity. In the jail also I have found prisoners who have been addicted to ganja to show symptoms of insanity of a mild type in consequence of their having been suddenly deprived of the drug. These symptoms do not amount to insanity. With the cases sent to me for observation, a report is always furnished which, if the insane is a ganja smoker, generally mentions the fact. Relatives sometimes give me the information; and sometimes the insanes pray for ganja, refusing to eat until they get it. Sometimes the lunatic tells me of the ganja habit on being questioned. The relatives often come with the insane. I have had four or five cases of insanity of this kind sent to me for observation during my service. I cannot say in how many cases I have derived my information from sources outside the reports. These cases do not remain under observation for more than ten days. I do question the insane while still insane as to the cause of his insanity. I try to get into his confidence, and work round to his liking for alcohol or drugs. To relatives I put questions direct as to the insane's habits. I am not satisfied with the relatives' statement that the insane takes ganja. I seek for corroboration in various ways, both by questioning the man himself and enquiring of my subordinates if the insane asks for ganja. I also enquire about heredity. I enter the cause in Form C, if I am satisfied that I have discovered it. I make the entry and send the form to the Magistrate. If I had proof of the ganja habit and learnt that there was heredity, I should enter "exact cause unknown. "I made that entry in one case, in which the insane's father died insane and in which there was a ganja, history. That was about six years ago. I do not remember the man's name. He was sent to the sub-jail at Parlakimidi, where he stayed about a year, and was then transferred to the district jail at Berhampur. As well as I remember, in the case under notice, I made no mention of heredity or the ganja history in any part of Form C. This is one of the four or five cases to which I have referred as cases of insanes addicted to ganja, who have been sent to me for observ -ation. I learnt the effects of the hemp drugs as a student. In practice I have come across cases and referred to books on the subject. I have not discovered any signs to be typical of hemp drug insanity. Physical signs are emaciation, impaired memory, peculiar expression. The men in jail to whom I have referred had these signs. I have been an inspecting officer of sub-jails. I diagnose a case of hemp drug insanity on the information of the relatives and the admission of the insane himself. I have been in the habit of trying to find out the amount of the drug used when enquiring for causes of insanity. Any thing over quarter anna worth of ganja as a daily allowance I should look upon as excessive use. In my answer No. 28 I was unable to give any quantities for moderate and excessive use; but, neverthless, I have given attention to the point before this moment I would not call half a dozen pipes a day excessive use. The number of pipes a day is generally the form in which answers are given to me when 1 enquire about the degree of an insane's habit. The cases which came under my treatment were not, as well as I remember, under my observation for more than three or four days. The complaint in these cases was generally of loss of memory, and after enquiring the history of the patients and examining them, I put them down as insanity. In some of the cases I had known the patients before they were brought to me. I remember the details of one of the cases showing most clearly that insanity was solely due to hemp drugs. A man, who was suffering from venereal disease and some chest complications was advised by a native practitioner to take hemp. He accordingly took majum for a week or ten days. The relatives noticed that he was becoming quarrelsome, sleepless and abusive, and called me in to treat him. The case occurred about three years ago. I ordered the patient to discontinue taking majum, after exhibiting bromide for three days the above symptoms disappeared, as I afterwards learnt, in about a week. The man was only under my treatment for about three days. He was in -sane when I saw him. He was an intelligent Brahman of 26 years of age. He was suffering from painful syphilitic nodes. Native practitioners prescribe opium also in such cases. 'This man had not been taking opium. I don't remember how much majum he had been taking. His pupils were dilated. This sign is not noticed in all cases of hemp drugs I did not notice high temperature. I am not prepared to say it was not a case of transient mania. I remember that the native practitioner advised the patient to use majum; but, as far as I know, he gave him nothing. - Evidence of DR. ARTHUR WELLS, Medical Officer, Chicacole, Gan jam District.


45. (f) No. 46. Excessive smoking and eating do deaden the intellect and produce insanity. A few cases of insanity, sometimes of a violent nature, caused by excessive smoking and eating, have come within the range of my observation. - Evidence of K. JAGANNADHAM NAIDU,* Medical Officer, Parlakimedi, Ganjam District.


45. Others contradict and say that even the moderate use of any of the drugs...sometimes even amounting to insanity and annihilation of love for kith and kin, and also considerable diminution of nervous energy, etc, But it is pointed out saliently that the habit never leads to intem–perance, but on the other hand produces a kind of antipathy to liquor. Said hardly to impair the moral sense, or induce habits of immorality.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon SALDANHA, Salem


45 (f) No. The insanes who have no recorded history of ganja do confess sometimes to the use of the drug. This is alluded to excessive consumers. (g) In alleged connection between insanity and the use of the hemp, the use of the hemp does give relief to the persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disorders. I don't think that there is any evidence to indicate that insanity or weak intellect will tend to indulge freely in the use of hemp drugs.
I have met with a few cases who suffered from temporary insanity caused by the excessive use of ganja (either by excessive smoking or eating, mostly the latter). Never used indiscriminately without self-control. They may take the drug very frequently, but in moderate quantities. 45. [oral evidence] Native physicians do prescribe the drug in cases of mental disorder. They come and consult me on the subject, and that is the way in which I come to learn this. The drug is used in the form of halwa or majum. They consult me to get my opinion as to the drug being safe or dangerous. I think the drug does give relief in these cases on account of its soporific quality. I am not aware if the drug is used in asylum practice.
 - Evidence of Hospital Assistant T. RANGANAYA KULU NAID00, Rajahmundry, Godavari District.


46. The excessive use of the drug would be sure to originate such of the diseases mentioned in the question in a severe or in a less type. Insanity is another form of disease which the use of this drug m ight produce, either temporarily or permanently. The symptoms may bere-induced by its use after liberation from restraint, and in such cases the disease would be in an aggravated form. Some of the people who are thus subjected to insanity confess to their having used the drug. I have known a person in whom there was deficient self -control through weakened intellect brought on by the excessive indulgence of the drug. 46. [oral evidence] I say that insanity might be produced, because I have not seen any cases. By " deficient self-control " in this answer I mean that time man could not restrain himself and keep to moderation in the use of the drug. - Evidence of Hospital Assistant M. IYASWAMY PILLAY, Saint Thomas' Mount, Madras.


45. As insanity is not produced in all the consumers, I think there must be some pre- disposing cause in the nervous system of hemp insanes. 46. It deadens the intellect. Produces both permanent and temporary insanity. The following shows the types of insanity under my observa- tion : Out of 5 Brahmins, 1 died, 2 recovered, and 2 remaining ; out of 3 Telagas, 1 died, 1 recovered, and 1 remaining ; out of 1 Kapu, 1 remaining ; out of 2 Velamas, 2 remaining. The Brahmins who recovered have resumed the use, but not yet acquired a relapse. They admit that they were using the drug, but not attribute the evil to their habit. Habitual excessive use is undoubtedly injurious to health. It produces, besides the evils from moderate use, anæmia, piles, somnambulism, and emaciation. 46.[oral evidence] I have had cases of insanity under my treat- ment in Bobilli, both at the dispensary and in my private practice. Of the eleven cases I have mentioned, nine belong to Bohilli and one to a village near Vizianagram. There are 14,000 people in Bobilli. The Bobilli cases were cases of insanity lasting for years, and not of a temporary kind. 1 am sure that I treated two cases from outside Bobilli, and five of the cases which occurred in Bobilli itself. I did not know the patients from outside Bobilli before they became insane. I knew three of the five Bobilli patients before they became insane. I have been seventeen years in Bobilli. I do not think that hemp by itself produces insanity : there must be some predisposipg cause. 1 do not remember any predisposing cause in the cases I have mentioned, and I have kept no notes. I see so many consumers of ganja who do not become insane that I think some predisposing cause is necessary to produce that result. Many Brahmin pandits, consumers of the drugs, are acquaintances of mine, and they are all in full possession of their senses. These pandits are as a rule moderate consumers, but some of them go to excess. I see more of moderate consumers than I do of excessive consumers. The number of the latter with whom I am brought in contact is small. Though my experience of excessive consumers is comparatively limited, still I have seen enough to say that I do not think excessive consumption of the hemp drugs can cause insanity without a predisposing cause. My opinion is based on my observation of excessive consumers who have not suffered in their intellect, the number of whom is larger than that of the excessive consumers who have become insane. The reason why I do not refer to the cases I have mentioned of excessive consumers, who have become insane as furnishing the basis of my opinion, is that I have no notes of the enquiries which I made in their cases, and am not therefore prepared with their histories. I think all of these cases must have had a predisposing cause, but I cannot remember.  - Evidence of Hospital Assistant CHINNY SREENIVASA RAU, Prapanna Komity, L. F. Hospital, Bobbili Vizagapatam District.


45. Moderate habitual use of smoking ganja and drinking bhang may deaden the intellect or produce insanity to some people who are especially weak and of bílious temperament, and if taken when the person is much exhausted and tired with fatigue and hunger. Excessive use of smoking ganja will produce insanity. The type may be called as mania, It is permanent, though the person may have tem-porary relief from that insanity in case of his not using the drug for some tune. The following typical symptoms may be noticed in a person who becomes insane by smoking ganja: his countenance will be dull and heavy as a stupid; he will talk much unnecessarily or will be mute; laugh or cry spontaneously; wander much or sit quietly, keeping his head down; have a steady gaze; sometimes suddenly get up and go away for a mile or so talking to himself, have disturbed sleep, but he will not do any harm to others. I have not seen insanes in whom insanity was the result of drink-ing or eating bhang excessively. I believe that an insane who has no recorded ganja history may confess to the use of the drug. As for charas, I do not know. I am of opinion that if a man suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease indulge so much in the use of the drug as to pro-duce insanity, he will become mad sooner than an ordinary man, and the symptoms better developed in him in spite of his getting relief from the disease. I am of opinion that insanity may not necessarily tend to indulge in the use of the drug to one, though he is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. I am not aquainted with any such case; but I have seen many insanes of weak intellect not using the drug.  - Evidence of Hospital Assistant JAGANNATII PANDIT, Uriya, Russellkonda, Ganjam District


45. I observed two cases in this town,—one male, and the other a female, both of them using the drug in excess, and they became insane. The female was found violent, and she was sent to the Madras Lunatic Asylum. She was discharged from the asylum cured after six months. I saw her after she returned from the asylum in good health. The male was a goldsmith, who was kept in confinment by his relatives for some time without being allowed any resort to the drug. He is now perfectly well, and does his work. Under the above circumstances, I am of opinion that excessive smoking or eating of the drug tends to temporal insanity. 45.[oral evidence]—I only know these two cases of insanity attributed to hemp drugs. One was sent to the asylum. The other was a goldsmith, who used to take a ganja pill, and also smoked excessively. The pill is the one described in answer 29. It is the pill consumed in the place where he smoked. His people told me this was its composition. He took no opium or spirits. He was not sexually immoral. He was only a goldsmith by caste. He wandered in the streets and used to smoke with this company. He never lived with his relatives. He always stopped in the house where the smoking was, the small room rented for the smokers. He became an excessive smoker in 1886, and became mad three or four months after. Before 1886 he was all right and used to work at his business. For eight months he went about in the dissipated way I have described. He was insane. He was then confined by his friends for three months and then he became all right. His family are all healthy people. He is not married. I treated him for some slight ailments before 1886. He was not a ganja-smoker then. I do not know why lie took to the drug. His business was not falling off. He never had smoked ganja at all until he took to it in this way to excess. I do not know any -thing about the father or further back relations: not what kind of men they were or what they died of. But I know his mother and sisters; they are all right. I never treated this man for his insanity. I had no reason, therefore, to make further inquiry as to the cause of insanity beyond the ganja. If he had been my patient, I would have asked about whether his parents were afflicted with insanity or addicted to drugs. I did not make these inquiries.  - Evidence of Hospital Assistant C. M. APPATHORAI MUDALIAR, Vellala, Chairman, Union Panchayat, Hindupur, Anantapur District


45.(f) Occasional excessive consumers— Deadens the intellect, and also fits of insanity are common. It somewhat resembes delirium tremens. It is temporary. Yes, the symptoms may be re -induced by the use of the drug. (g) Yes, considered. Never insanity, in my humble opinion, tends to indulgence in the use of the drugs. 46. Seldom are found instances of insanity in the habitual excessive consumers, whether of ganja -smoking or bhang-drinking ; for they are habituated to the excessive quantity which, of course, is their daily dose. With these men there is great impossibility to forego the consumption. They are a lazy set of vagabonds, living at the expense of the public. They pose themselves as pilgrims spending their life in mukkams and muttums. They are found drowsy while sitting or walking under the influence of ganja-smoking. They are easily excitable. 45.[oral evidence]—I have here described the effects of occasional excessive use of the hemp drug. Habitual ganja smoking even to excess does not ordinarily lead to insanity. I have learnt this from other people, and my opinions are not based on personal observation. I have however seen both habitual excessive consumers as well as habitual moderate consumers, but I have not known any of them to go mad. The persons who go mad are those who are not yet habituated to the drug. In framing the opinion I had the example of tobacco in my mind, the occasional excessive consumers of which suffer a good deal, while habitual consumers do not.  - Evidence of Hospital Assistant I. PARTHASARATHY CHETTY, Penukonda, Anantapur District.


45. When a patient is received into the asylum, my procedure has been first to look into the warrant and papers with him and make entries in the General Register. If I find any omission in the certificate I write to the Magistrate who sent the man or to the Civil Surgeon (as the case may be) bringing it to his notice and asking him to furnish the required information. I mean such omissions as the "cause of insanity" or any other particular in Form C. This is in accordance with the Madras Surgeon General's Circular No. 12, dated. 28th September 1891, which emphasises " the extreme importance of making every endeavour to obtain a full and correct history of each case with special reference to cause and previous occupation." In illustration of this, I put in the papers in the case of Neerati Moosan, in whose case the "cause" was not shown. I therefore wrote to the Civil Surgeon of Tedcherry. He wrote to the Joint Magistrate requesting him "to ask the police to furnish information as to cause of insanity at an early date."The Joint Magistrate sent the papers to the Acting Inspector of Police. He reported. "Sir, I humbly beg to state that Neerati Mayan, the uncle of the lunatic, and others state that religious study brought about the disorderly state of mind of the lunatic. I too find on inquiry the same to be correct." This was sent on to the Asylum Superintendent in original ; and I duly entered "Religion" as the "cause." I only apply in this way to the Civil Surgeon in reference to "cause." In all other matters I apply direct to the Magistrate who sent the lunatic. When a lunatic is received, I immediately fill in all the entries in the "General Register" from the papers in my own hand. Column 10, which shows "cause," is at once filled up if there is any entry as regards cause in the papers. If the cause is shown as "unknown" in the papers, I enter the word "unknown" and make inquiry from the Civil Surgeon. But I would not do this if there were friends with the patient who could tell me the cause. If there are friends, I ask them what was the cause. If they give me a reasonably satisfactory cause, I enter it at once. I put them leading questions,—e.g. Has he suffered. from disease? Does he smoke ganja? or take liquor? Has he suffered from grief ?—and such questions. If ganja smoking were mentioned, I would inquire as to the extent and dura -tion of the habit; but if no other cause were shown, I should enter ganja smoking without regard to the question of moderate or excessive use. After such an inquiry as I have indicated I make the entry myself without waiting for sanction; but I show it to the Superintendent for his approval,    He comes as often as is necessary, generally twice a week. I do not keep the friends for him to see; but I merely tell him what have done. In such cases I do not write to the certifying Civil Surgeon about "cause." It is enough that I have got it from the friends. I would similarly take the statement of the police escorting the man as to any fact scertained by them from the man's friends when they took charge of the man. I have been specially careful in thus inquiring into "cause," since the remark in paragraph 5 of the Government Resolution on the Lunatic Asylum Report for 1890 stigmatising this asylum as "the worst" in respect to the average of unknown causes. That resolution was issued in July 1891. There is only one case shown in the register for 1892 as due to hemp drugs. That has been specially treated by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission. There are six cases shown in the register for 1893 as due to hemp drugs. In one of these (Bala Desa Singh, admitted 16th September 1893), the Magistrate's Form C has the entry for "cause " blank; but I entered "ganja smoking," because that is mentioned in the entry regarding "habits or disposition." It was solely on this. He had no friends. He is a wanderer. In the case of Ram Dass (admitted 24th October 1893) the entry in Form C is "probably from smoking ganja." I entered "ganja smoking" accordingly, because it was the only cause assigned. The Case Book has this entry on November 17th: "Asked for ganja. When a cigar was given he was satisfied." There were no friends with this man, In the case of Narayan Nair (admitted 14th December 1893) the entry in Form C is "wandering life and use of ganja." I only entered "ganja smoking," because I do not think a wandering life would make a man insane. These three cases were from other districts, the other three of the six 1893 cases were local Calicut cases. In the case of Ukappan alias Kristian (admitted 29th May), Dr. Carruthers shows the cause in Form C as "abuse of drugs probably." I entered "ganja" after inquiry from his wife who came to visit him. In the case of M. Andikuti (admitted 5th July 1893), Dr. Carruthers shows the case in Form C as "physical, probably induced by abuse of alcohol and drugs." I cannot remember why I entered. "ganja." My first entry was "use of intoxicants." Below that I later on wrote "ganja." I think I must have heard that the man was more addicted to ganja than alcohol; but I do not remember. In the only remaining case, Assistant Surgeon J. J. S. Pillay entered "ganja smoking" as the cause in Form C. He has left the district. - Evidence of Hospital Assistant D. RAJENDRUM, Calicut.


I am Resident Hospital Assistant of the Lunatic Asylum at Vizagapatam. I have been in the ser-vice twelve years, and have been nearly two years in my present post. The procedure in this asylum is that when a lunatic is received I look through the papers and show the writer the Form C which contains the points that have to be entered in the columns of the General Register. The writer then fills in these columns, and I am responsible that the entries are correctly made. I look over the entries he has made. Indeed, since the beginning of 1893 I have made the entries in the register with my own hand. The Superintendent does not compare the register entries with the entries in Form C. I am responsible that this work is correctly done. If anything is found deficient, especially in regard to the occupation of the lunatic and the cause of insanity, I bring the matter to the notice of the Superintendent, so that he may write to the Magistrate for the information. This is in accordance with printed orders of the Surgeon-General. The Magistrate replies; and entry is made in the re -gister accordingly. Whatever cause is shown in Form C, or afterwards communicated by the Magistrate in reply to our enquiry, is entered in col-umn 11 of the General Register. If the Magistrate does not give and cannot ascertain the cause, but says it is unknown, an entry to that effect is made. I then keep the matter before me, and try, when friends come, or by examination of the lunatic when that is possible, to find out the cause, for Government is very anxious to have the cause
ascertained in all cases and makes notices of censure in the annual printed report when the cause is not ascertained in the majority of cases. Before en-tering a cause thus ascertained by me, I would tell the Superintendent. As a rule I also keep the friends for the Superintendent to see. As a rule, we would never enter any cause without first writing to the Magistrate. But in the case of Thottaya, one of the admissions for 1893, the Superintendent has authorised my enter-ing the cause as ganja smoking, because the patient himself says he is addicted to ganja. He does not say his insanity is due to ganja, but he cannot give any cause. He is not quite sane. He was not asked how much ganja he took. We could not await information from the Magistrate, as the annual report was being prepared. In the case of Pasupuleti, admitted in 1892, the cause was entered as "ganja eating alva ," without any further inquiry, because the entry of " moral " by the Civil Surgeon of Rajahmundry was clearly a misconception. He did not enter the particular kind of moral cause. I took the cause therefore from the entry under "Evidence of Insanity "* in Form C. In this same Form C it is entered that it is unknown whether the insanity is hereditary or not. But the mother, who visited the patient in the year 1892, told me his grandfather was insane. I then entered this on the papers, and told the Superintendent. But 1 made no entry in the register, for I could not alter the entry already made there. - Evidence of Hospital Assistant  S.ARUNANUNTHUM, Vizagapatam


45. The habitual moderate use never produces any bad effects, or any impairment of the moral sense or immorality and insanity ; and they confer generally its value than its injuries.  - Evidence of MIRZA DAVOOD BEG, Pensioned Hospital Assistant, Trichinopoly.


45. It does not deaden the intellect, nor does it p ro-duce insanity. In short, the moderate use of ganja is not harmful in any way to the consumer, 46. The excessive use of ganja brings on all or some of the noxious effects pointed out in question 45. It may...also deaden the intellect or produce insanity. - Evidence of H. S. A. M. MUNJUMIAH, Native Medical Practitioner, Cuddapah.


45.  have seen three persons of whom one was a Hindu Marwari and the other two were Muhammadans become mad by its use. The madness of the Marwari was stationary, but of those two Muhammadans was not so. The use of ganja in the beginning gives rise to immoral habits also.
45.[oral evidence] Insanity only results from the excessive use of the drug. I know the Hindu I have mentioned was an habitual excessive smoker of ganja. The Muhammadans were also habitual excessive consumers, sometimes smoking and sometimes drinking the drug. I don't know if the Hindu was sent to an asylum or not. I saw him in Hyderabad. He was attended by S. T. Window, a European medical man who was formerly master in the medical school. I did not attend him, nor was he under my observation. The hospital is next door to my brother's house where I was living, and I saw the Hindu there from time to time during a month. I have no doubt it was a ganja case from the information given me by the dresser and compounders of the hospital. One of the Muhammadans I saw in Hyderabad, the other in Cuddapah. The Hyderabad man, named Amir Ali, was living in the same street as myself. I did not treat him. The people who consorted with him said that he was a ganja smoker. Of course I did not see him taking ganja, but I saw him when he was mad. I did not treat the Cuddapah man. He was a disciple of some members of my family. I heard from his relations that he had the ganja habit, and I have seen him smoking ganja. He would remain insane for periods of 10 to 30 days, and then get better ; but in the intervals he was never in full possession of his senses. He has been in this state for the last 12 years. I can't say how many of these attacks he has had. He did not drink liquor ; he could not afforded to indulge in sexual excess. He has never been violent, or he would have been sent to an asylum. He has all the marks of insanity, except that he is not violent. He still takes ganja. I frequently see him as I go about visiting my patients. I have conversed with him and his father frequently. His age is about 35 or 36. He is continuosly idiotic ; but he is not always in a complete state of insanity. - Evidence* of SAIYID MAHMUD alias HAKEEM NHANNAY MIAN, Medical Practitioner, Cuddapah.


The present system of administration puts restriction only on the sale of the hemp drugs. The result is their cheapness, which is one chief inducement for their free use by the lower classes mostly. The objections are the following :—(1) although these drugs are used primarily as stimulants, yet they have got the intoxicating effect also. In these state of intoxication, the individual is very prone to commit acts of homicidal violence. (2) Frequent use of these drugs leads to the insanity of the person, though under proper treatment he may recover to a certain extent for the time being. It may not be out of place to mention here that the admissions under this heading into the luntic asylums are no more a criterion of the baneful effects of these drugs upon the nervous system than are the hospital returns of the amount of sickness prevailing in this country.  Although the Government has very humanely established three asylums within the easy reach of the people of this presidency, yet the well-known caste distinctions observed from time immemorial are an effectual bar to keep out a large number of lunatics from coming within the observation of the lunatic asylum officials. Still a good proportion of the admissions are due to the alleged abuse of the hemp drugs. 45.[oral evidence] I have seen patients under the influence of ganja. In regard to homicidal violence, I have seen no homicide committed nor homicidal violence; but I have seen violence. I have also known many instances of people accustomed to the use of ganja who have been insane for months together. They have not been sent to the asylum. I know about a dozen cases in respect to which I was told that insanity was due to ganja. I have had no such case of insanity under my own treatment. The cases I knew were in South Canara in my own village eight years ago before I was practising medicine. There were four such cases in that one village. These are the four I know best. I have not been back there since. During the time I have been practising I have never come across a case of insanity produced by the drug. My visits to Canara were only occasional during my five years of study ; so that. my knowledge of these four cases may be regarded as only hearsay knowledge. It is because the facts of a man's life in a village are well known, and because when the ganja consumer is under restraint and cannot get ganja he gets better, it is on these grounds that we think the insanity is due to the ganja ; but in order to come to a perfectly satisfactory conclusion in any particular case, some personal observation would be necessary. I did not make such observation in any case. There are many more lunatics from all causes in the country than the asylum returns show. Therefore there are more lunatics in the country whose insanity is due to hemp drugs than are found in the asylums. I think that you may take the proportion of hemp drug insanes to total insanes in the country as the same as that in the asylums. I think there are 500 to 800 admissions from all causes to the three asylums of this presidency every year. I think those from hemp drugs would be 50 to 60, rather under 10 per cent.  - Evidence of H. RUNGAPPA, Medical Practitioner, Vishvam Baugh, Madras


45.  it weakens the constitution mentally, and it interferes with the brain. - Evidence of TIMMARAZU VENKATA  SIVA RAO., Brahmin, Landed Proprietor and Chairman, Municipal Council, Chicacole, Ganjam District.


45. Mentally it weakens the understanding powers of a man ; e.g., almost all the smokers are not able to grasp or understand without effort what is told them by others. Whenever they are under its influence, their attention is directed to solely any one thing they might have in view, all other things but that one thing in the world making little or no impression upon them. There is a. weaver here who is mostly under its influence, and never directs his attention to anything but the idea uppermost in his mind. He practises yoga. He sometimes looked a mad fellow. He is an ordinary fellow. - Evidence of C. MUTHU KUMARASWAMI MUDELLIAR, Zamindar, Chunampet, Chingleput District.


45. (f) No. (g) No. None - Evidence of AZIZ-UD-DIN ALI KHAN, SAHIB BAHADUR, Jagirdar, Cherlopalle, Gurramkanda, District Cuddapah.


45. By very intemperate use insanity is likely to come on.  - Evidence of SAGI RAMA SASTRY, Brahmin, Inamdar and Native Doctor, Rajahmundry, Godavari District.


45. Not in any instance that has come under my notice. - Evidence of MR. W. TAYLOR, Chairman, Municipal Council, Parlakimedi, Ganjam District.


45. No doubt it deadens the intellect, but does not lead to insanity.  - Evidence of E. SUBRAMANA IYER, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, Conjevaram, Chingleput District


45. its ill effects are chiefly seen in the peculiar imbecility which it produces—an unsteadiness of mind which is its chief characteristic.  - Evidence of the REV. H. J. GOFFIN,*Missionary, Kadiri, Cuddapah District


45. (f) It does deaden the intellect. Produces a mild form of insanity. (g) I can't say. 45. [oral evidence] Moderate consumers do not become insane ; but they are not capable of doing work. They wander about and do not show attachment to their families. The moderate use generally ends in the excessive use. I have seen some 20 consumers, who are idlers, and always ready to smoke and drink; and these are the people from whom my impressions of the effects of moderate use are derived. These persons frequent a building attached to a mosque in Badvel, and their drink is " paraka" a mild intoxicant prepared with a small quantity of ganja. I could recognise a moderate smoker of ganja, even though I did not see him smoke, by the redness of his eyes and a certain stiffness of gait. I cannot say what quantity of ganja or bhang represents moderate consumption. - Evidence of the REV. J, DESIGACHART, Missionary , Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Badvel, Cuddapah District


45. I have seen fakirs and others ruined by ganja smoking. There is a notorious instance in Salem of a man who, through ganja smoking, has a vitiated aopetite. He eats filthy things, and is an awful object lesson on the abuse of ganja. The effect I have observed in other cases is that of imbecility or rather besottedness, mentally and physically, great emaciation, a staggering walk, staring look, and sunken bloodshot eyes. 45.[oral evidence] The man referred to in this answer is one of the five lunatics mentioned in my first answer. I know nothing of the case myself. It was pointed out to me as a case of lunacy resulting from ganja. The second part of answer 45 refers to cases which I have seen in the course of my travels in the district of persons who had the symptoms described. I have asked about them and been told that they were ganja smokers.  - Evidence of the REV. W. ROBINSON, Missionary, London Missionary Sobriety, Salem.

 
45. A young man named Philip, a teacher in a school under my charge, had his constitution completely ruined by indulging in ganja smoking for about a month or six weeks. His digestion was destroyed and some time he had no appetite and felt repulsion at the sight of food. After he had been given strong purgatives, this to a great extent disappeared. When I saw the young man which was about a fortnight after his illness commenced he was very weak and trembled and started from time to time. He seemed unable to look steadily at an object for any time and could not answer my questions intelligently. His mind was permanently affected and he has never since been able to do any work. So far as I could find out he had not used the drug for more than six weeks and had never gone to any great excess. The moderate use of the drug certainly impairs the moral sense and makes a man lazy and useless. When the people speak of a man as " a ganja man," they mean a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow who cannot be trusted. I know a great many ganja smokers, and I believe hardly one of them is capable of distinguishing between truth and falsehood in the narration of an occurrence. As a rule ganja smokers work spasmodically and fitfully and are incapable of prolonged exertion. I have not met any cases of persons who have taken to hemp to obtain relief from brain disease, nor of insanity disposing people to indulge in these drugs. 46. There can be no question of the effect of the habitual excessive use of ganja, I have met with a considerable number of persons who have become insane through such use. In about half of those the insanity was of the dull idiotic type, in half of the active excitable type. One man Shantayya, a village servant, and elder in the Christian congregation in the village of Anamala-gutti, some five years ago began to use ganja in large quantities. Before that he had been a hardworking honest man, but in a few months his character became entirely changed. He stopped work, began to indulge in petty thefts, and before long was put in gaol for attempted arson. His mind has been permanently affected, and he is now wandering from place to place an excitable madman, begging and stealing in order to get a supply of the drug. 45. [oral evidence] Philip was a Pariah Christian. I learnt from himself and the villagers whom he taught that he only used the drug moderately. He did not drink to my knowledge. He was of good character before he took to the hemp, but somewhat lazy. He was not of strong constitution. I did not know any member of his family, except a brother and an uncle, who were strong, and. the former of whom was of good character. I used to visit the village, 50 miles from Cuddapah, where the men worked, three times a year. On one occasion he neglected to come up to one of our centres for his pay ; and when I was travelling near the village a short time afterwards, the villagers brought him to me. There are three or four habitual moderate consumers in the same village. They are Pariahs and Christians, and I know them personally. They taught him the use of the drugs. One of them is at present in jail for house-breaking, and I am not certain that another is not also in prison. They are men of bad character, and I have cut them off from the congregation. They drink liquor at times, as almost all the low classes do. It was from the testimony of the neighbours that I came to the conclusion that lie had indulged very moderately. I dismissed him from the congregation. He was a fairly well educated lad of 25. I have no doubt that I have diagnosed the ease correctly as due to hemp drugs. All my knowledge of his character was gathered from the information of the villagers, the reports of our evangelist, and the state of his school. I could get no evidence of his having been addicted to the habit before. He lived in a quarter of the village which is inhabited by Pariah Christians. The man was never reported to me before he was brought to me by the villagers as having gone mad. I enquired the cause and found it was ganja. That is the first question I should ask in any case of insanity. If answered. in the affirmative, I should conclude that the insanity was in all probability due to ganja. Before arriving at this conclusion, I should make other enquiries as to the man's family, as to his other habits, and as to the time he had been using the drug. If I got information of heredity as well as the ganja habit, I should probably conclude there had been a predisposition, which had been brought on by the ganja. The man always looked poor, weak, and underfed, and that is why I believed it possible that the habit should have brought him to insanity in so short a time. I knew his uncle and. brother alone of the family. I probably enquired about his father, but I can't be certain. I have not heard of him for about a year ; but I believe he is now supported by his brother. The man became useless four years ago, and is still in a semi-idiotic state, unable to do any work and inclined to wander about. This is the only case in which I attribute insanity to the moderate use. So far as I have seen, ganja consumers are inclined to do things by fits and starts. We have no dooly-bearers in any district, and I know of no class who smoke ganja as a class and work like other people. There are, however, individuals who, consume the drugs in moderation and work steadily. 46.[oral evidence] I have made careful enquiry regarding these cases of insanity. I could name some 14 men, who, as far as I could ascertain, have .become insane from the excessive use of ganja. If I set myself down to do it, I could name many more. I can only recall at this moment four cases of insanity brought on by other causes than ganja. With effort I could recall more. No doubt I have been thinking about ganja lately, and the cases due to that cause are therefore more present to my mind ; but I don't think I could possibly recall more than six or seven cases into which I have enquired, which were due to other causes than ganja. Five of the 10 ganja cases, which include the two mentioned in my paper, occurred among Christians, and into these I made careful enquiry ; in the other five cases I simply asked the neighbours generally. I have not treated any of these eases medically. In two cases the insanes came to my notice as being violent ; two others were middle-aged, and their insanity was ra'her of the idiotic type. They were pointed out to me as wise men, perhaps in jest. Having ascertained the ganja habit, I proceeded to make further enquiry as to other causes of insanity in the cases of the Native Christians and in some of the other cases also. The enquiries I made were whether the insane was all right before he took to the ganja habit, and how long he had used the drug. I cannot remember having made enquiry about heredity in any case. So far as my memory goes, I made enquiry regarding heredity in one case. Heredity would be only one predisposing cause. I do not think I ascertained the absence of other exciting causes in a strictly medical sense; but I have enquired of the man and his friends, if anything had happened to him to unhinge his mind. The reason why I made enquiry into other causes besides ganja is that I was anxious to ascertain if the drug was so harmful as it was generally supposed to be. I am a total abstainer, and we have a temperance association in our mission to which I belong.   - Evidence of the REV. W. H. CAMPBELL, Missionary, London Missionary Society, Cuddapah


45. Yes ; little harm physically, mentally, and morally is apparent. We know of two cases in one street (one a Government peon and the other a constable). They have both become insane from the use of ganja. They are mere skeletons and imbeciles. Their insanity is permanent. They used it moderately at first, but now use it very excessively. It produces bronchial trouble in some cases.  - Evidence of the REV. W. V. HIGGINS,* Missionary, Parlakimedi, Ganjam District.


45 (f)It deadens the intellect, and makes users dull and stupid, even though they have been bright and healthy before. (g)  I know personally one case in which a man under the influence of insanity produced by ganja attempted murder. He was a Telugu, who professed conversion to Christianity—a man who had borne a good character, quiet and inoffensive, was baptized by me, and returned to his village. He was driven out, his wife locked away from him, and his child torn from his arms. In an attempt to secure a standing crop some days after, he was violently beaten, being stunned by a blow on the head. A few weeks subsequently he became violently insane, and finally attacked a gang of coolies with an American shovel and a lime-pounder, struck some, and so seriously injured one man that we took his dying deposition. He was confined in jail and became daily more violent, then was sent off in three or four days to the district jail at Vizagapatam, and finally was admitted by Lieutenant-Colonel-Surgeon Leapingwell into the asylum. Being determined on prosecuting the man who had struck him if the blow had caused the resulting insanity, I visited the District Surgeon and learned from him that he was of opinion that the insanity had resulted from the use of ganja. As I knew the man had been using it at the time I let the matter drop. He spent from December 1892 to October 1893 in the district jail at Vizagapatam and the asylum at Waltair. He seems to be quite better now. He is not an habitual ganja user. In this case my impression is that the man sought relief in ganja from his excessive mental trouble, and his mind, not ordinarily very strong or courageous, gave way under the added stimulating excitement, and he became crazy. Colonel Mark Wilks in his history of Mysore relates the following instances :—
Bhang.—Vol 3, pages 118-119. The account of the siege of Bangalore, March 5th, 1891. " During the ineffective cannonade which has been mentioned, and while Lord Cornwallis, accompanied by General Medows and their respective staff, were viewing from a gentle eminence the movements of the Sultan (Tippu Sultan), three horsemen were seen to approach rather closer than usual; but as these troops are remarkable for their skill and boldness of examining an enemy's movements, and are usually scattered over the country in all directions, they excited no attention till they were seen to dash at speed for the person of Lord Cornwallis. Two were killed, and the third also secured and spared. He appeared stupefied, and could give no intelligible account of the enterprise. Conjecture was divided between assigning to them the character of ferocious drunkards or hired assassins. The fact, as related in the Mysorian Army, appears to be that the preceding evening one of them had upbraided the other two with cowardice in the business of the day. After some discussion they retorted that on the next day they would go where he durst not follow. It was agreed that their valor would be put to this issue. Each prepared himself with an intoxicating dose of bhang, and the quarrel ended in the frantic attempt which has been noticed." The writer adds in a foot-note that bhang is the leaf of the Cannabis sativa. The other instance is by the same writer, Vol. 3, pages 237-238, one of the editions published about 1812 or 1817, to be found in the library of the Bowring institute in Bangalore. The incident referred to occurred at the siege of Seringapatam, February 10th, 1892. He writes as follows : — " When the allied armies were before Seringapatam, a detachment of cavalry sent by Tippu Sultan to kill Lord Cornwallis mistook the tent of Colonel Duff, commander of the artillery, and charged that, but were repulsed. * * * The use of bhang or opium among the horsemen of India is a familiar preparation for a desperate charge, mischievous at the best even for that single purpose, but utterly ruinous on any service requiring selfpossession. I am disposed on inquiry to concur with those who attribute the failure on this occasion to intoxication." In a foot-note, Colonel Wilks defines bhang "as the leaf of the Cannabis sativa (hemp plant) used in various forms, green and dried, and sold as an intoxicating substance in every bazaar in India. I certainly would not state the fact if I supposed public brewers to be ignorant of this article of the Materia venenata."
There is still another instance related to me by the District Munsiff of this place concerning a relative resident in the same house with himself in Berhampur, who died insane from the result of an excessive use of bhang. He had been a man of superior intelligence, of very entertaining conversation, and pleasant manners. He was a writer in the Madras Bank and contracted the habit. His custom was to macerate the leaves in water to form a paste ; then to mix this with milk, sugar, dried ginger and aniseed and spices, pouring the whole from one vessel to another, and skimming off with his hand the foam that resulted. When it had got thoroughly mixed he drank it. He gradually increased the dose, lost his situation, but still persisted in the awful habit. He raved like a maniac when deprived of it, and threatened to kill whoever interfered with the exercise of his indulgence. At last he became violently insane, and had to be tied with ropes to keep him from injuring himself and others. He could not put two intelligible words together. He could not distinguish food from filth. He lost the gift of speech and the power of his limbs, and became like some helpless animal. He would use a ball of the paste the size of a man's fist each day. Latterly he mixed dhatura seeds with the other ingredients. He died from the effects of his debauchery. There is another case in which a waterman in my own employ, who was addicted to ganja, impoverished his wife and family and left them in order to follow the life of a wandering sanyasi and is now on the road. The immediate cause of his dismissal was violent and threatening behaviour induced by excess in ganja smoking. Mr. Davis, of Cocanada, reports that one of his preachers, an otherwise kindly, docile, and intelligent fellow, entered his bed-room one night shouting like a mad man. He was under the influence of ganja. He had to be tied up at another time to keep him from killing his wife. He was finally dismissed. He had previously been a sepoy, and contracted the habit in the army. The same authority declares that of other two whom he knew both died, one a carpenter, the other a house servant ; the latter took it for asthma. Another is still living, but is perfectly useless— a moral and a mental wreck. In this last case opium has as much to do with the man's sad condition as ganja. There is still another case in which I remember a travelling sanyasi or ascetic rushed into the bed-room of the wife of one of our missionaries when I first came to the country. He was evidently under the influence of ganja or bhang, and it took about six of his disciples to hold him, he was so violent. Beyond these I know of no other cases. Question 45.[oral evidence]—In the case of the convert, my impression that the man went insane from ganja came to me from Dr. Leapingwell, who had charge of him in the jail and asylum. I knew he took ganja occasionally before I saw the doctor, for I learnt he had smoked when he returned to his village after he was baptized, and was locked out of his house and had his wife and child taken from him. I subsequently questioned the man, and came to the conclusion that he was a ganja smoker, but only indulged occasionally, not habitually. In regard to my waterman, I have no evidence that he smoked ganja beyond the fact that he associated with bairagis at their periodical visits. He was evidently under the influence of some drug when he was violent, and it was certain that he had not taken spirits. - Evidence of the REV. H. F. LAFLAMME, Canadian Baptist Mission, Yellamanchili, Vizagapatam


45. (f) Leads to it. Imbecility in the end, but sanyasis, etc., are said to produce by its use a temporary frenzy simulating possession by the demon worshipped. (g) I think it is the effect rather than the cause. Those who begin are, as a rule, sane enough except so far as the act is insane. As stated in the beginning, I have scarcely any personal acquaintance with cases, and have not had opportunity to observe these few while under the influence of the drug. - Evidence of the REV. J. F. BURDITT, Missionary, Narsaravupet, Kistna District.


45. (f) Deadens intellect generally, but not permanently. As for insanity, the use of the drug is not the sole cause. Generally the poverty of the consumer and his previous indolent habits, ignorance of sanitary rules, and such other things are the causes. The consumer of the drug, if he eats well, will be always strong and healthy. - Evidence of N. KOTHUNDARAMAYYA, Brahmin, Editor of "Suneeti" Rajahmundry, Godavari District.


45 (f ) I have had some servants who smoked the drug, and from my experience of them I believe it deadens the intellect - Evidence of K. VEMATASOOBIAH, Veishya, Trader and Pleader, District Munsiff's Court, Cuddapah.


45. produces also insanity in some cases, though they are few and far between. 46. I have heard of a ease where the excessive use of the drug for a period of five or six years has brought about insanity.Evidence of GANJAM VENCATARATNAM, Brahmin, 1st Grade Pleader, Coconada, Godavery District.


45  f ) Ganja smoking does produce insanity. Only temporary. - Evidence of P. C. ANUNTHACHARLU, Brahmin, Chairman, Municipal Council, and Government Pleader, Bellary.


45  It does deaden the intellect and produce insanity, but such instances are rare. Insanity is observed when it is excessively used, without corresponding nourishment. I beard of one or two insane men in the Gooty sub-jail. Kamsala Ramama, of Putloor, became insane, they say, by smoking ganja excessively. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The moderate use does not, in my opinion, cause insanity. I only know of one case of alleged insanity from the hemp drags. He was in the Gooty Jail under observation, and was sent to the Madras Asylum. The jail authorities told me about him, and I did not see the man myself. - Evidence of P. KESAVA PILLAI, Karnam, Pleater, and Honorary Secretary of the Gooty People's Association.


45 (f) Never. (g) It will not give relief to persons suffering from mental anxiety or insanity - Evidence of CHODISETTY VENKATARATNUM, Merchant, Coconada, Godavari District


45. No - Evidence of KOMMIREDDI NARASINGA Row NAYUDU GARU, Merchant, Coconada.


45.  (f) Yes. (g) I know and have seen parties quite insane who used to smoke ganja. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The bad effects I have described result from the excessive use of ganja. My state ment is based on personal observation and expe rience. The insanes whom I have mentioned became mad from excessive use of ganja. They are travelling bairagis who stay a few days at
Calicut on their  way to certain shrines. None of my workmen have become insane. I know one Brahmin resident of Cannanore, who has become insane from the same cause. These insanes are not violent, but utterly stupid and unable to answer questions. The Cannanore Brahmin I saw frequently. The fact that these persons had become insane from the use of ganja was learnt from other people. I know that the Cannanore man used to take the drug. I have seen the bairagis going round begging and putting up at the chattrams, and they always have the drug in their possession. Noticing that some of them are insane, I have enquired the cause and been told that it is the smoking of ganja. I have not known one of these men as a sane man, nor has any of them become insane within my experience. I knew the Cannanore Brahmin when he was sane, and saw him getting worse by degrees till he finally became insane. I did not know his family. I think they are resident in Cannanore. He is a priest, and receives alms from his "yejman." He lived in a house opposite that in which I used to stay when I visited Cannanore, and I frequently talked with him, and jested with him both before and after his intellect began to give way. He was a respectable man. He never talked with me about his private affairs. It is fifteen or twenty years since he was sane. He was then 28 or 30 years of age. - Evidence of MR. D . MANECKJI, Parsi, Merchant and Contractor, Calicut.


The population of Bimlipatam is about 9,000. The number of smokers will be about 50. Among agriculturists the use is less than among people living in towns. The only injurious effects that have come to my notice are that in the case of three persons steeped in the use of the drugs they have become listless and almost insane. The moderate use does no harm, except that it, tends to the excessive use. This is the only harm. I do not know any moderate smokers who have not shown this tendency. The number of times of using the drug is increased. All this is based on the observ ations of a few months. I have never watched it before. There are smokers whom I have asked who have described this tendency to increase as animperceptible influence. This seems less to apply to bhang. The smoking is more injurious, as more likely to tend to excess. I have seen cases of drinking bhang which have been attended with good results: the bhang has been beneficial. I am not aware of any such case in regard to ganja. I did not know before beginning this inquiry that there were 50 smokers in the town. I have since inquired from the ganja shopkeeper, and visited his shop. I have also tried to find out ganja smokers from one or two other sources. And what I have said above is mainly based on what I have ascertained from, and in respect to, these ganja smokers. Before I began this inquiry I had a general impression that hemp drugs were injurious, but I had no knowledge of any case in which injurious effects had occurred. My inquiries have been mainly confined to the town of Bimlipatam, but I have also obtained some information in Vizianagram. I have made no direct inquiries in villages, but I do not believe there is injuiry in the interior, for the village officials tell me the custom of using the drug has been hardly ever noticed there.  - Evidence of M. R. RY. V. ANANTH  RAO  PANTULU GARU, RAO SAHEB, Bank Cashier, Vizagapatam District.


45. As regards the mind, the habitual consumer becomes imaginative and mad at times after the consumption, and recovers his sense later on - Evidence of  PERIANNA CHETTY, Potter, Ganja Shop-keeper, Kitchipolayam, Salem.
 

45. If immoderately used, it no doubt deadens intellect and sometimes it produces insanity, sometimes temporary and sometimes permanent. The bad effects of ganja can in some cases be cured by administering lime-juce, honey and water. If raw ganja with seeds is used, it may become poisonous.  - Evidence of MULAGULA KONDIAH, Goldsmith, Rajahmundry.


45 (f) Smoking does not, but eating does deaden the intellect; but insanity is extremely rare. I have simply heard of one or two cases of insanity. Such insanes go and ask for ganja from any body. But I know nothing more of this kind of insanity. - Evidence of ANGAPPA GONUDEN, Blacksmith, Salem


45 (f) If no nourishing food is taken, the vital powers of a man are destroyed. If excessively consumed, it no doubt affects the system and may turn men lunatics or affect lungs. - Evidence of SAMDASU BAVAJI, Brahmin, Priest in the Matt of Sri Jagannadha Swamy, Rajahmundry.


45 It may produce insanity if taken to excess. - Evidence of BALDEVDAS, Brahmin, Priest of Hanuman Math, Rajahmundry.


45. It brings on mental injuries when it is taken without being washed ; but not injury is caused when it is taken after washing. - Evidence of SYED SHAH ABDAL HUSAINI, Manager of Pencundah's Dargah, Pencundah, Anantapur District.


I have been told in asylums that some cases were due to ganja. I have also seen dissipated people of the loafer and fakir classes who had the red eyes and generally dissolute appearance popu-larly ascribed to ganja. But I have had no person-al experience in my official capacity of the effects of the drugs among the people. There can be no doubt of the general popular impression which as-cribes this dissipated appearance to ganja, but I have never known any popular opinion ascribing insanity to ganja. I have been told that in asy-lums only. I have had no cases myself in which insanity was attributed to ganja, i.e., in which that connection was brought to my notice - Evidence of MR. G. B. REID, Commissioner, Northern Division, Ahmedabad


45. I have certainly heard insanity frequently attributed to hemp drugs. I cannot specify cases or discriminate between cases I have seen as a Magistrate and those in the asylum. I cannot recall individual cases. I have heard (from asylum records, etc.) that insanity has sometimes been attributed to the different forms of hemp drugs. I have myself made no special enquiry, and have had no opportunities myself of coming to any conclusion on this subject. I have met many lunatics about the country outside of asylums, but I have no reason to attribute their insanity to hemp drugs. I think enquiry was made as to the connection of hemp drugs with insanity in 1873 ; but I am not able to say anything beyond what the papers may show. - Evidence of MR. G. W. VIDAL, Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay


45. In the whole district I am told of seven cases of madness, 57 of addleheadedness, and 124 of impaired constitution, attributed to the use of the drug ; but I have not secured details of the cases for want of time. Question 45.[oral evidence]—I have had no personal experience of the effects of ganja smoking. The subject did not attract my attention until the last two months. I then had a census taken thr oughout the district of the number of persons who consumed the drugs moderately and exces-sively, of those whose health had suffered thereby, and those who had become insane. The propor-tion of smokers to the total population was, as well as I remember, •7, and to the male adult population something under •2. Seven cases of lunacy were reported out of a total population of 850,000, of whom 6,500 were smokers. Forty people were reported to have had their brains affected in more or less degree, and I think about 150 were recorded as having suffered physically. The statistics were collected by the mamlatdars through the village officers. The returns of consumers were approximately accurate as tested by the consumption of the shops. As regards effects, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. I tried to test two or three of the cases by further enquiry without seeing the lunatics themselves, and the reports failed to satisfy me that the hemp drug was responsible for the insanity. I think the returns were prepared with perfect honesty. The matter is looked on with perfect indifference locally, and the enquiring officers were free of bias - Evidence of MR. E. J. EBDEN, Collector, Ahmednagar.


45. hemp Drugs Crime—Kennery Island Case. —The accused was a native of Upper India, a man of unusual size and strength, probably 5 feet 10 inches high, and nearly 11 stone in weight. I forget his name. He was a washerman in the service of the light-keeper on Kennery Island, and got leave to go to Bombay for a few days. On his return he brought a stock of bhang (which he was described as " eating" habitually), and for several days was noticed to be more or less under its influence. Finally, at midnight he forced his way into the English light-keeper's bed-room, where the latter was sleeping with his wife. The lady was awakened by the noise of his forcing open the shut door. Almost instantly he rushed to her bed-side, caught her by the throat, and attempted to strangle her. She was a tall, strong woman and resisted stoutly, arousing her husband. The noise brought down the servants of the lamp from the lantern above, and the accused retreated under the bedstead, a heavy solid piece of furniture, where he detended himself for some time, but was at last dragged out, pinioned, and bound to a verandah post. The light-keeper telegraphed to me, then District Magistrate of Kolaba and resident at Alibag. I came off with the Superintendent of Police and two policemen to the island, and desired the Superintendent to hold his inquiry and proceed according to law. Part of what he and his men did was. to let their -prisoner escape, of which he only took advantage to walk down to a tank, drink and wash himself, and then, when they found him, surrendered quietly. He was taken to Alibag and put under medical observation in the subordinate jail. When reported sane and fit to be tried, he was tried by myself. The medical evidence was that, when admitted, and for some time after, he showed symptoms of being under the influence of bhang, and repeatedly asked for it. I tried him, and sentenced him to 18 months' rigorous imprisonment under section 457, Indian Penal Code. I think I remember getting the warrant returned in the usual way at the expiration of the term of sentence; at any rate I never heard of him as a lunatic or criminal again. Panwell ease.—The accused was a Brahmin of the Panwell taluka in the Kolaba district, a village accountant, always in bad health and in bad odour with his caste, neighbours, and superior officers on account of his dissipated and irregular habits. One morning he was found in a temple with the broken image of a goddess, and was prosecuted under section 295, Indian Penal Code. His defence was that the goddess fell in love with him and invited him to her arms. The medical evidence was that he was insane from the abuse of some preparation of hemp. He was sent to Kolaba Lunatic Asylum, cured and discharged, tried on the criminal charge, acquitted (on the ground of insanity I suppose), and reinstated in the public service. I did not take the case myself, but the papers relating to it necessarily came before me when he was sent to the Lunatic Asylum. Of his return cured, second judicial proceedings, and reappointment to the public service I know only by report, but trustworthy report. I understand that he has since left the service, but am not informed of the manner of his leaving it. Note by the Commission appended to MR. SINCLAIR'S evidence.
45. Records in the two cases called for and read (1) Kennery Island case.—This was a case in which the dhobi of Mr. Dyer, Lightkeeper, Kennery Island, was charged with entering his master's bed-room at night and attempting to throttle Mrs. Dyer. He was sentenced by Mr. Sinclair to eighteen months' rigorous imprisonment, The Magistrate held " that the accused committed the offense when violently intoxicated by some preparation of hemp." One witness, a lascar at the lighthouse, said in evidence : "Accused is a regular ganja-smoker, but I do not know anything about his smoking on that particular occasion." On the other hand, another witness, Mr. Dyer's butler, said in evidence: "I have known accused about four or five months. I do not know any thing about his using ganja." There is no other reference to hemp drugs in all the evidence except in the statement of the Assistant Surgeon, who on 4th Novem ber 1887, said: "I know the accused Kunjandas since the 9th ultimo, when he was lodged in the Alibag jail * * * . I found him on that occasion to be suffering from narcotism ; and from the subsequent observation, I am of opinion that this was produced by the excessive use of some preparation of hemp, probably ganja." This Assistant Surgeon was not examined as to the grounds of this opinion, but generally remarked that "the whole of the symptoms were consistent with a severe bout of ganja-smoking, lasting up to 8th ultimo inclusive." There is no mention anywhere of the prisoner asking for bhang; but in a letter of the Assistant Surgeon (not in his evidence) it is stated that the man asked for ganja and tobacco. (II) The Panwell case.—The accused was a Brahman, said to have entered a temple and "found Parbatti's idol therein so beautiful that he embraced her and threw her down, breaking her into seven pieces." He was then insane and incapable of mak ing his defence. He was tried two months afterwards, and was discharged by the Magistrate, who wrote : " I do not think there is evidence enough to persuade me to put the accused on his defence." Mr. Sinclair is therefore mistaken as to the termination of the case. The man was not acquitted on the ground of insanity, but discharged for want of evidence. As to the cause of insanity, the papers show that the man was "insane for twelve years—an attack every year or two ;" that the attack was preceded by "dissolute life ;" and that its "supposed causes" were "ganja-smoking. Dissipation. Being rejected and deceived by his paramour." It is also stated that his father was epileptic and his own health "below par." - Evidence of MR. W. F. SINCLAIR, Collector, Thana.


46. The Civil Surgeon knows of no insanes due to this, and states, " the moderate consumption would appear to be harmless." I know of no cases of insanity induced by ganja consumption, and never saw one.  - Evidence of MR. F. L. CHARLES, Collector, Belgaum.


45. I have not myself come across any cases of consequent insanity. - Evidence of MR. F. S. P. LELY, Collector of Surat.


45. (f) Not where the consumer takes a proper amount of food. For poorly nourished people it may lead to weakness of intellect and insanity. 46. Excessive use impairs the constitution, causes loss of appetite, and tends to insanity.  - Evidence of MR. W. W. DREW, Acting Collector, Ratnagiri.


45. The habitual moderate use of bhang does not produce any of the first five evil effects re ferred to in the question ; but the habitual moder ate use of ganja produces them all. Such a use of ganja may produce insanity, which is likely to be permanent unless the use of the drug is given up, when there is a chance of the patient reco vering. In the case of a temporary maniac the symptoms may be reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history do at times confess to the use of the drug. - Evidence of MR. C. G. DODGSON, Assistant Magistrate and Collector, Khandesh.


45.  I do not think the mental faculties are generally affected by moderate use, although in some instances men are overcome by the smoking of the drug and temporarily get out of their mind. Insanity, it is said, does not follow the moderate habitual use of the drug. 46.  The excessive use deadens the intellect and frequently produces insanity, first melancholia followed by dementia, which is the common form of insanity induced by the excessive use of ganja. This form of insanity is temporary, and disappears after the habit is broken off. I have had no personal experience to enable me to say if insanes have ever confessed to the use of the hemp drugs. - Evidence  of  MR. A. H. PLUNKETT, City Magistrate, Poona.


45. Habitual moderate use only blunts the intellect. It is not said to cause insanity - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR NARAYAN GANESII DESHPANDE, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Belgaum


45.  It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity if used in moderation. 46. The excessive use of these drugs is also calculated to deaden the intellect and produce insanity. I am unable to say whether the insanity due to habitual excessive use of these drugs is temporary or permanent, as I have seen only one or two cases of this kind. - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR VYANKATESH BAPUJI WADEKAR, Deputy Collector, Ahmednagar.


45. Except when taken excessively ganja smoking does not produce in -sanity, or, except in a few cases, affect the intellect. - Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR DADABHAI DEENSHAH, Parsi, Huzur Deputy Collector and Magistrate, 1st Class, Kaira.


45. I have not seen instances in which the moderate use of the drug has produced i-sanity. Long use produces mental derangement, making the user unfit for any work requiring proper exercise of the intellect. 46. The effects are in the same way more noxious in proportion. The excessive use of ganja by men of weak brains may produce insanity. I know of only one instance of the kind.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR BHASKAR RAO RAMCHANDRA HEBLIKAR, Brahmin, Deputy Collector, Sholapur


45.  It does not induce habits of debauchery, but creates insanity, which is temporary, and which is removable by the discontinuance of the use of ganja. The symptoms of insanity will be reinduced by the use of ganja after liberation from restraint. The eyes of the consumer grow red, and he presents the appearance of one deeply absorbed in meditations. Instances of insanes who have no recorded ganja history confessing to the use of the drug are not known. He who makes use of ganja to obtain relief from his mental anxiety or brain disease is likely to become insane very soon. There is no evidence to indicate that insanity tends to indulgence in the use of ganja by a person of weakened intellect. An account of some cases is given below :— (1) NanesahibaliasHasansab wallad Ghudusab Neeliwale of Dharwar was a peon in the office of the Dharwar Municipality, and was not in good terms with the Sanitary Ins -pector of that municipality. The peon was in the habit of smoking ganja. He was reported to his superiors for some fault. The peon, thinking that he would lose his appointment, proceeded on leave from 1st August 1889, and commenced to smoke ganja intemperately. He began to show signs of insanity in the month of Decem -ber 1889. Nanesahib, being still in the habit of smoking ganja, continues in his state of insanity, and abuses those who speak to him. He is now thirty years old. (2) Haìpa bin Fakirapa was a measurer in the Survey Department of the Bombay presidency. Being of weak constitution, he could not bear the cold climate of malarious districts. He therefore took to ganja smoking as a preventive of sickness. But by degrees he increased his doses, and consequently he became insane. He was therefore removed from service. He now resides at Dharwar and still smokes ganja, and has become a confirmed insane. His age is now about thirty five years. (3) Jinapa bin Appana Upadhya, a Jain priest of Dharwar, was adopted by one Appana Upadhya, who left him nothing. Jinapa, having received nothing either from his natural or adopted father, took to ga nja smoking. As he was not able to recite mantras of the god Jin, he was not employ -ed in performing religious ceremonies. He therefore spent much of his time in smoking ganja. Within six months he became insane on account of smoking ganja. Since the last four years he has been residing at Dharwar. He is now smoking ganja intemperately. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The cases here recorded have not been under my personal observation. What I have recorded about them is received from one who was formerly a ganja smoker, and having been punished for an offence did not resume the habit on release. I can add nothing to the particulars given of these cases. I do not know that the offence committed by my informant was connected with ganja. He gave up the habit because it was broken by his long confinement and for no other reason.  - Evidence of KHAN BHADUR RATANJI ERDALJI KANGA, Parsi, Deputy Collector and Magistrate, Dharwar.


46. Excessive ganja smoking appears to bring on craziness of mind bordering on insanity. I sent one Hari Irimbak Ranade to the Lunatic Asylum, Poona, on the 11th January 1892, He was given to excessive smoking of ganja before his insanity, and this is said to be one of the causes that brought on the insanity.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR BAPUJI MAHIPAT KHARKAR, Kayasth, Huzur Deputy Collector and Magistrate, 1st Class, Satara


45 In giving information on this subject , native medical officer in the Dharwar district states :—" Even the moderate use produces noxious effects, physical, mental, and moral. It...produces insanity in some cases. It causes mostly permanent derangement of the brain." I think that officer's statement, quoted above, applies to ganja. 46. The habitual excessive use of any of the drugs does, in my opinion, produce noxious effects —physical, mental, and moral. Rao Bahadur Rudragowda Artal, District Deputy Collector, Bijapur, in his report on ganja, a portion of which has been quoted by the Commissioner of Customs, Salt, Opium and Abkari in his report No. 4752, dated the 11th September 1893, to Government, on this subject, states :—" Irrespective of the medical opinion or religious view regarding the use of the drug, I humbly beg to state that its use in the manner described by me has produced demoralizing effects upon the physical and moral condition of the ignorant masses, and in some instances to such an extent that I have seen persons becoming lunatics or half mad owing to the intemperate use of the drug, and whose fami-lies have been reduced in many cases to strait. A sort of frenziness or madness gains over the smokers, which makes them indifferent to worldly matters, and all energy and activity are lost for any work * * * . The baneful results have been that some of the smokers, when unable to work and support their families, abandon them to their fate and go abroad as sadhus or fakirs." From what I have seen and heard of the habitual excessive smokers of ganja, I fully endorse the opinion expressed by Rao Bahadur Rudragowda Artal.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR RANGO RAMCHANDRA BHARDI, Deputy Collector and Native Assistant to the Commissioner, Poona, Central Division.


45. It occasionally produces insanity. In some cases it is temporary, and in others permanent. I have seen some persons going mad by the use of ganja. They shout loudly and walk sometimes naked in the open streets, and are quite indifferent to worldly matters. Question 45.[oral evidence]—It is only the excessive use of the drugs that produces insanity. I know four cases of madness produced by ganja. I mean that the insanity in each case was attributed by the relations to ganja; and I accepted their statements. One was my teacher; and I never saw him smoke. But two of the four men I have seen smoke ganja. There is only one case which I know well enough to say positively that the ganja was the cause of the insanity. That case was in 1875 or 1876, when the man became insane. He was not a connection of mine. He was the son of a drummer, who went about with dancing girls. My father knew him. He was a Lengayet and would not use drink. He was a gambler, and was sent to jail in 1878-79 for some offence. A "decoy-powder" (or love -powder) given by a wife might produce insanity: that is the popular idea. Some attributed one case, that I head of, to this. I can give no other causes of insanity in general. My belief is that the ganja caused the insanity in this case. It is a popular belief among the Hindus that ganja causes insanity. I know excessive smokers who are not insane: the popular belief is that exces-sive use may cause insanity, not that it always does. - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR RUDRAGOWDA CHANVIRGOWDA ARTAL, Lengayet, Deputy Collector, Bijapur


45 (f) Such cases are not known to the under-signed. - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR V. H. SHIKHRE, Brahmin, Huzur Deputy Collector, Alibagh, Kolaba District


45 and 46.  It deadens intellect, and sometimes produces perma-nent insanity, though not of the worst type. I know several cases of insanity caused by ganja-smoking. They become violent, and are addicted to raving and abusing. They have not been allowed indulgence in the use of the hemp drugs, and therefore whether their tendency is for the excessive indulgence in the use of the drug is not known. I have not seen any instance of insanity caused by the bhang ghota drinking. Charas is rarely used in this Collectorate, as already stated. Questions 45 and 46.[oral evidence]—Moderate use of the drugs is only injurious to those who do not get good food, i.e., ghi or milk or animal food. Otherwise it does no harm at all, Excessive use alone causes insanity. The causes to which I have referred in my printed answer have not been in asylums. They are not violent, only raving and senseless in talk and business. They are not dangerous. I should like the word "violent" altered into "dangerous." I know three of the cases intimately. The patients are still alive. They are at least void of intellect. They used all to smoke ganja. I do not know whether they took dhatura with bairagis or not. Other causes of insanity are loss of money, loss of wife, or female relative running away. These are the two principal causes. Dhatura also produces it. Also alcohol to some extent, as far as my experience goes. I have known cases of insanity caused by loss of women or loss of property. I do not know any other, except these five—loss of women, loss of property, dhatura, alcohol and excessive ganja smoking. When people go mad from loss of money or loss of women, they repeat the cause. i.e., talk about it in their madness, saying "she is gone !" etc. In all the three ganja cases above referred to, I knew the father, but not the mother in any case. I asked, however, about the mothers, and know that they are not insane: not one of them. I know no other relations than the father and mother in each case. I know nothing of grandfathers, etc., or other relations. One was a Karbari in a Native State; he is a political pensioner. He became mad thirty years ago and has been so since. His madness was attributed to ganja. I do not know whether he had taken dhatura; but people said it was ganja. I had known him as a boy. The second case was an Inamdar's son living in Satara, where I was serving. He is 55 years old. He became mad ten years ago. He had smoked ganja for fifteen years previous to that. Whether there was any other cause, he alone knows. I cannot say whether he smoked dhatura. But I was told his madness was to ganja. He eats opium, dhatura and bachnag now. It is the same person referred to in my answers 49 and 50. He had indulged in sexual excess. He has several children; but he has had none for twelve years; and he says that the reason he has had none since then is that he has no desire now through sexual excess. He now says this. He was renowned for loose character before he became mad. I only knew the father and mother in this case, and they were healthy. The last case is the son of a peon. He is 25 years old. Since I retired I went to the Aundh State, and saw the father for the first time then, two years ago. The patient washes pots as a private servant. He is an idiot. I do not know how long be has smoked. I never saw him until he was brought to me by his father a year ago to be kept in confinement. The father said the insanity was due to ganja. I knew nothing of the case except what the father told me. I kept him a week while he was violent. I then let him go. He is still mad, i.e., half insane, as I have above indicated. In none of these cases can I say whether there was any other cause. I know that, so far as I have been able to ascertain, there has been no loss of women or property in any of them. And I know there was not liquor in the first two. In the third there probably was. Other causes may have existed, such as dhatura or other unknown or secret cause. All the cases were, however, attributed to ganja.  - Evidence of NARAYAN RAO BHIKHAJ1 JOGALEKAR, Brahmin, Pensioned Deputy Collector ; now Karbhari of the Aundh Stale.


45. I am not in a position to say definitely to what extent the use of these drugs is connected with the production of insanity. - Evidence of R AO SAHEB GANESH PANDURANG THAKAR, Deshastha Brahmin, Mamlatdar, Pandharpur, Sholapur District, at present auditing the jamabandi accounts of the Poona  District, Poona.


45. When taken in excess or continued as a habit it has a very prejudicial effect on health and mental faculty. I have consulted a few of my friends in the medical profession, and they are all unanimous in condemn -ing the habitual use of ganja, as being essentially deleterious to the health. 46. In habitual excessive consumers all the symptoms are greatly aggravated, and in addition there is the deterioration of the mental faculties. There is loss of memory, numbness and want of power and control over the nervous system, and helpless condition and complete depression and inactivity. In such cases the abuse of ganja leads undoubtedly to insanity of a serious character, but much oftener to a harmless idiotcy.  - Evidence of RAO SAHIB L. M. DESHPANDE, Brahmin, Mamlatdar and Magistrate, 1st Class, Poona City.


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. On the contrary, it is said that it sharpens the intellect. 46. The insanity produced [by the habitual excessive use of ganja], howèver, is temporary, and may disappear when the use is stopped. But the symptoms may again be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. ^nsanes from ganja-smoking confess to the use of the drug.  - Evidence of BALKRISHNA NARAYAN VAIDYA, Parbhu, State Karbhari of Sangli


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity to the habitual moderate users. It does not produce insanity. The persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease obtain relief from the moderate use of these drugs. As to the latter portion of this query, I am not in a position to answer it better than a medical person. No further account under each of the above points can be given by me, being unacquainted with any of its medicinal effects. 46. The excessive use of these drugs is likewise considered to stupefy the intellect and produce insanity. I am unable to say anything about the time for which the stupefaction or insanity continues  - Evidence of DADABHAI BURJORJEE GUZDER, Parsi, District Abkari Inspector, Ahmednagar.


45.  I have no personal knowledge of any instance where it produced insanity. 46. The habitual excessive use of the drug might probably eventually produce insanity.  - Evidence of MR. J. E. DOWN, Districts Superintendent of Police, Satara


45.  While it deadens the intellect, does not, if used in moderation, cause insanity. An immoderate use of ganja causes temporary insanity, and after recovery the same symptoms may be rein duced by a return to the immoderate use of it. Bhang.—The habitual moderate use of bhang is not supposed to impair the constitution, nor does it affect the digestive organs like ganja. It does not cause dysentery, bronchitis or asthma, but induces habits of laziness, and possibly of immorality. It does not, however, deaden the intellect or produce insanity.  - Evidence of MR. F. T. V. AUSTIN, District Superintendent of Police, Surat.


45.  It also deadens the intellect, but the moderate use of the drug rarely produces insanity, but it certainly does produce insanity when used to excess. 46. Excessive smoking of ganja or charas causes insanity, but I am unable to say of what type.  - Evidence of MR. T. G. FOARD, Superintendent of Police, Cambay.


45. Ganja taken in large quantity for smoking may produce insanity in a few cases.  - Evidence of KHAN BAH ADUR NANABHOY COWASJI, P arsi, City Police Inspector, Surat.


45 (f) In moderate doses ganja and not bhang is known rarely to lead to insanity. Such insanity is more of a temporary nature than permanent. The symptoms are liable to be reintroduced. Insanes often do confess to the use of ganja on recovery. There is good ground to believe that ganja in moderate doses leads to insanity, only if there are predisposing causes. I know of a very recent case where a menial servant who showed symptoms of weakness of intellect and had a bad com-pany turned insane by moderate use of ganja for two months. He has recovered after six months in the asylum. I know of a bhang case, in which a boy aged 18 years first took to moderate drinking of bhang. This was followed by occasional smoking of ganja in moderate doses. The boy went from moderate to excessive use of both and turned insane, and has been suffering for the last eight years. He has not yet recovered; but is showing signs of improvement of late. 46. In large doses ganja and even bhang is known to lead to insanity, which is curable generally. The experience in a lunatic asylum is calculated to demonstrate this clearly. The average of persons admitted in the Ahmedabad Asylum as insane on account of ganja is six per year, calculating a five-year's average. The average per year of such insane ganja smokers cured and discharged is three. This shows that 50 per cent. are curable. Question 45. [oral evidence]—The second case I have described has not gone into an asylum. I have known the lad for the last sixteen years. He was about ten years old when I made his acquaintance. He belongs to the place where I reside, my native town Surat. I am in a position to know him intimately. He began to take bhang in the form of drink at eleven years of age. The people with whom he was living took bhang, and he therefore learnt the practice. His doses gradually increased during five or six years. Then he began to smoke ganja, and gradually exceeded with that drug also. In two or three years he began to show symptoms of madness. He got steadily worse. There was no improvement till recently, during the last six months. He has now left off taking both bhang and ganja. He was indulged with bhang by his friends out of pity after he became mad : but his ganja was stopped. For the last three years the bhang also has been discontinued. The small doses of bhang affected him differently at different times. They sometimes excited and sometimes soothed him. The father and grand-father of the boy were healthy, and the family were healthy. The mother became insane in her later years, when the boy was about fourteen years old. No member of the family took bhang ; but the connections with whom he lived did so, I can recall no other case of insanity which has not gone into an asylum. I have had to hold the police enquiry into one or two cases of lunatics picked up in Broach city. I was Police Inspector there. In those cases the insanes were ultimately handed over to their relatives, who turned up afterwards. The result of the enquiry in these cases was reported to the Magistrate. The report in one case stated that the man was violent, in another dangerous to others. I can't remember enquiring into the cause of insanity in these cases or making any reports on that point ; but the particulars of the man's condition and the necessity for keeping him in custody were stated. This report was not on a printed form, but on the form of an ordinary report.  - Evidence of RAO SAHIB PRANSHANKAR, Brahmin, Inspector of Police, Detective Branch, Bombay.


Question 45 [oral evidence].—I have no personal experience of the effects of the hemp drugs, on the people. Nor have I come to any very definite conclusions re garding the connection of the drugs with insanity. From enquiry of medical officers in charge of asy ums and others I have ascertained that they are said to be a cause of insanity. I believe them to be an exciting if not a predisposing cause of in sanity. I have not given the matter special atten tion lately except in connection with statistics. The statistics show that a considerable proportion of insanes owe their insanity to the hemp drugs. I have no statistics beyond those contained in the asylum reports. The statistics do not distinguish between exciting and predisposing cause of insani ty. It is eight or ten years since I was Inspector General of Prisons. A certain number of prison ers was annually shown as having been transferred to asylums, but the effects of the drugs on crime generally did not come under my observation. I cannot say what proportion of the prisoners so transferred owed their insanity to the hemp drugs. Nor can I say that I remember for certain that any of them were hemp cases. I know the procedure followed by the Civil Surgeon in dealing with cases of insanity referred to him for observation. My impression is that hemp drug insanity differs from other insanity simply in respect to its cause. The cause can therefore be satisfactorily ascertained only by history. This would be true also of all kinds of insanity. To diagnose cause it is essential to have an accurate history. No accurate history could be derived from a man who could not distinguish between coincident and causal connection. I am aware that enquiries in these cases are generally conducted by a subordinate officer of Police. Even if the Civil Surgeon or Superintendent of Asylum finds an opportunity of enquiring for himself, he is at the mercy of absolutely ignorant informants, but it is rarely the case that he has such opportunity. The information obtained in the manner described above has hitherto been accepted and acted upon; but it is not in my opinion a trustworthy basis for any conclusion regarding the connection between hemp drugs and insanity. I think further en quiry is necessary. In my official capacity I have had no opportunity of making such enquiry, and this is the reason why I have used the word "impression" in regard to my views on the sub ject. The enquiry into causation of all diseases is a part of the duty of the medical officer, in order to assist him in the treatment of the patient, but he has not the means of making such enquiry in these cases. The whole history and all facts con nected with it ought at once to be entered in the case book as a guide to treatment. Any fact coming to knowledge should be so entered, and the register ought to be a record of reasonably ascertained facts. It is upon the register that the returns are based. There is a column in statement VII headed; "unknown," which is intended for the entry of cases in which the cause has not been ascertained with reasonable accuracy. If this column was largely used, I should think it would be a matter of censure on the person on whom the responsibility for enquiry rests. I do not think, looking at the present system, that such use of the column, provided it is in accordance with the Magistrate's information, would justify censure on the Superintendent of the Asylum, for he has to accept the material supplied by the Magistrate. But he would not be justified in entering a case as cause unknown if the Magistrate showed a cause, without referring it back to the Magistrate for further consideration. There is no actual rule that the Superintendent must accept the Magistrate's record as to cause; but practically he must do so, unless he has information to the contrary. The diagnosis of course therefore rests with the Magistrate except in those cases in which the Superintendent may have an opportunity of in vestigating the cause himself. I do not think it possible for a lay person to ascertain accurately the cause of insanity. There is too much tendency to jump to conclusions. A joint enquiry by the Magistrate and the Civil Surgeon, if feasible, would be the best possible; but it would be difficult to arrange such procedure.
 - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR-GENERAL P. S. TURNBULL, Surgeon-General with the Government of Bombay


45 (f) Yes. It acts as an exciting cause where there is a predisposition, but in the very few cases I have seen there was no predisposition, and yet it caused insanity, homicidal in character and temporary. 46. I have seen a case of  "running amuck" attri butable to this cause (ganja-smoking), the man running blindly and furiously and shooting at everyone he met on the road. I have seen an other case where a wild maniacal delirium followed the excessive smoking, and the man ultimately became paralysed. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The cases I had in mind in my answer 45 probably include the eases referred to in answer 46, and my answer 45 should be taken as referring to excessive use as regards these cases. I am not prepared with full details of the cases referred to, for I have no record of them. Question 46.[oral evidence]—There were two or three persons whom I had to send to asylums for insanity caused by the excessive smoking of ganja ; but they occurred so long ago that I have no recollection either of the exact number of them or of their details. The lost of these cases must have occurred in 1876 or 1877. As well as I remember, I did make enquiry in these cases regarding predisposition to insanity, and found no such causes, The two cases mentioned in answer 46 were not sent to the asylum, and are distinct from those referred to above. They occurred about the same time as the others, and I can give no more detail about them than is recorded in the answer. I believe they were true ganja cases ; but I cannot be certain that no other drug was used. I cannot be certain that the insanes did not take liquor ; but there was no delirium tremens or other symptoms of alcoholic poisoning. The man who ran amuck was noisy and violent. He first killed the man against whom he had a grudge, and then turned his rifle against any other person he came across. In the other case, there was great violence and delirium, which was followed by great depression, and finally the man became paralysed, as far as I remember. Acute mania was the prominent symptom in both cases. I have not seen acute mania from the effects of dhatura, but am not prepared to say that it does not result. There is a variety of acute mania called transient mania. Ganja-smoking may be a cause of such mania; but it is not necessarily connected with toxic substances, such as ganja and dhatura. I could not diagnose the transient mania that results from toxic causes from that due to other causes. I have never examined a brain of a ganja insane, nor have I read that any lessons are to be found in such cases. I should accept Dr. Warden's statement that they have not been discovered. The ultimate paralysis in one of the cases was not, I believe, due to ganja, and was not consistent with the ganja theory ; but the other symptoms he had may have been caused by ganja. The diagnosis of a case of ganja insanity depends almost entirely on previous history. The suddenness of onset and other symptoms afford little guide to diagnosis. The diagnosis is practically one "by exclusion." In attributing the insanity in these cases
to ganja, I cannot say that I am satisfied that I excluded all other causes, The diagnosis in the two cases rested on statements made by the friends. I had no experience at that time of the moderate use of the drugs. The only cases I saw were those described. Since 1876 to 1877 I have seen no cases of insanity arising from ganja-smoking or the use of the hemp drugs in any form. These last twelve years I have been in civil surgeoncies for three years, and for nine years in charge of the Gokaldass Hospital. This hospital does not admit insanity cases. If we suspect insanity, the patient is handed over to the police, who make arrangements for disposing of him. The man who ran amuck did not come to hospital, and the case was not under my observation. He shot himself. I cannot say exactly whether the man was intoxicated or insane; but it was ganja which upset him. I cannot say whether it is possible to differentiate between intoxication and insanity caused by the hemp drugs, except in the matter of duration of the attack. This attack lasted, as far as I know, only a few minutes. I know nothing of the man's state before he ran amuck except that he smoked ganja. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR D. N. PARAKH, Parsi, Surgeon to the Gocul Dass Tejpal Hospital, Malabar Hill, Bombay.


45. I do not think in moderation it deadens the intellect or produces insanity. It has always appeared to me to be simply the exciting cause of insanity. Of itself, and without any predisposing cause, it never excites symptoms of insanity when taken in moderation, vide paragraph 46. 46. When taken in excess, and long continued, it impairs the brain and intellect, making the person taking it heavy, stupid and listless. I do think that it produces temporary acute mania when taken in very excessive doses, with or without any predisposing cause. This mania, where there is no predisposing, cause, passes off in a short time. Where there is a predisposing cause, it merely excites the disease, which may or may not be per manent. This permanent form may, though com mencing as acute, end in any form of insanity, according to its heredity or predisposing cause. If temporary insanity is caused, the symptoms are undoubtedly set up again by the excessive use of the drug when resumed. There are, as a rule, no typical symptoms to distinguish it from insanity induced by other causes. Many insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug. There is no doubt that there are insanes whose history shows they were addicted to the drug, who have been admitted to this asylum, and whose insanity was not due, in my opinion, to it, and the use of it was either a coincidence or was taken as a medicine for the relief of pain, or to allay mental anxiety and brain disease. I have no evidence to prove that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the hemp drugs by those who are deficient in self-control through weakened intellect; but my opinion is that this is so. Question 46. [oral evidence]—When a man is received in the asylum, papers in forms A and C are received with him. This constitutes all the information we receive as to previous history in respect to cause. Form C is all we have. The medical certificate form A usually deals with symptoms only and does not deal with cause. I find that form C is signed as a rule by the medical officer who examines the patient. He gets his information from various sources, generally from the patient's friends, from personal observation, or any other source available. I have been Civil Surgeon. My experience was that I got the information regarding cause from the friends or from the police. Very often I had cases where no friends came. In such cases I trusted to the police or wherever I could getmy i nformation. At the asylum we supplement this information by enquiry from the patient's friends when they visit the asylum. That is, when no cause is previouly assigned, or where a cause has been given and we are able from the friends to elicit the true facts of the case. We very seldom change an entry of cause already trade from the inform-ation of the friends. The entry in our register is made immediately on the patient's admission. The case is written up then, and the cause is entered. The patient is not kept under observation before entering cause, if any cause is given in the form. Friends come to visit insanes in the large majority of cases. when the patients are from the city of Bombay, but not generally otherwise. Any time between sunrise and sunset visits may be paid ; but generally between one and four. Generally, therefore, the inquiries from friends are made by the senior apothecary (in my absence). He has no instructions, except that he is to make the inquiries where the entry in regard to cause is blank. He works at his own discretion. If the patient's friends alleged the ganja habit, that would be enough to make the entry of ganja as the cause, if we had no definite particulars as to cause from the officer signing the forms. The apothecary would differentiate between the moderate and excessive use of the drug ; but if only the moderate use were alleged, we would probably enter that cause if no other cause were elicited. This has been generally the practice. There is no record of the enquiry except the mere entry of cause.
I think that if dhatura were used to increase intoxication (vide answer 29 (b ), that though generally similar in effect to ganja, it would have a stronger effect in inducing acute maniacal symp-toms, but not in predisposing to permanent insanity. I do not think its effects are taken into account either in the police inquiry or by the apothecary. I do not think that ganja either predisposes to permanent insanity, though it produces symptoms of acute mania. I do not think that a case due to ganja would be differen-tiated from a dhatura case except from the history. The symptoms are much the same. Dilatation of pupils is generally absent, I think, in hemp drugs cases, otherwise there is no differentiation of symptoms. The redness of conjunctiva is also mentioned, and I have, I think, noticed it, though I have not paid attention to these symptoms until recently. I mean it is only in habitual consumers in excess that you have this dull eye with red and congested conjunctiva. I do not mean that this is a symptom of acute mania from hemp drugs. In transient mania you also get dilated pupils ; but I doubt if they would be so much dilated as in dhatura. In transient mania also the symptoms are of short duration. Without a history I think it would be difficult to diagnose between the form of insanity known as transient mania and dhatura insanity. I would not say impossible. Taking hemp drug insanity, dhatura insanity and transient mania, they all resemble each other : to differentiate them would require previous history and (if possible) pumping out of the contents of the stomach. I have once or oftener as Civil Surgeon of Dhulia pumped out the contents of the stomach. That was for treat-ment, not for diagnosis, as I was already in possession of the facts showing that the cases were dhatura poisoning. I have conducted post-mortem examinations in the asylum on deaths in the asylum. Of course we cannot do it if friends object. I have never seen tissue changes in the brain, but I cannot remember any death of a hemp drug case in which I looked for pathological changes in the brain. I cannot refer to a case. I have never heard (I may add) of such changes. I have consulted the pathologist at the Grant Medical College ; and he also has found no such cases, and is unaware that such changes exist. Taking the important place that history bolds in the diagnosis of cause, I think that we have a very unsatisfactory basis. The history is often unreliable. Thus even ganja taken for relief against what is causing insanity may be entered as the cause. We do the best we can; and where a man is given to ganja-smoking, I think it should be put down in the absence of other known cause ; for there we have a tangible fact. I think there is no doubt that ganja in excess does cause transient insanity. I refer only to the excessive use. As a scientific basis of any theory of the connection between insanity and hemp drugs, these histories are unreliable, but they are useful in giving a clue in respect to treatment. I take of the 1892 cases, No. 4, Damodhar. Here I have history (on further inquiry) of ganja, bhang and majum; but nothing was noticed until the death of his wife and child, when he changed his habits and was found to have taken to drugs. There is no hereditary tendency; and I think that the history and symptoms both point to hemp drugs, though the bereavements may have had to do with it. I should therefore say the cause was hemp drugs. In Vithu's case (No. 8) I have been unable to get further information. The man was sane with us; but he had to be shown in our books; and his friends said he had taken ganja. The case looks like it. In case No. 5, Moti Hemrai, I do not believe ganja was the cause: (1) The case was melancholia with excitement, not mania; this might be excited not caused by hemp drugs; (2) He died from dropsy and old age, sheawing disease of kidneys, and possibly consequent disease of the brain; this would be sufficient cause; and (3) the prolonged absence of improvement. Case No. 10, Hirji Makji, is undoubtedly not a ganja case, I think. The man died of anæmia and fatty degeneration of the heart. Case No. 12, Vishnu Laxmon's father, was epileptic. The man ate tobacco very largely, and his brother now attributes his insanity to this. He says he never saw him take ganja, Disappointment is often a cause of insanity where there is predisposition, as in this case from his father's epilepsy. He was also dissolute in life. I do not believe that this is a ganja case. Case No. 2, Yeso Ragho, is probably not a ganja case. The partial paraplegia shows that brain disease is the cause; and melancholia is the natural form for the disease to take in that case. I reject this as a ganja case. Case No. 11, Deolo, is a very doubtful case. I do not believe the insanity was primarily due to ganja, though that may have been the exciting cause. I have been unable to get more information in this case. Cases No. 3 (Motiram), No. 6 (Mahomed Safdar), and No. 7 (Chiutaman) are cases where the cause rests on the statement of friends. In the first of these three cases, I have ascertained from the Aden Staff Surgeon that this man's companions denied that he ever smoked ganja; and the first class Magistrate writes that he cannot ascertain anything about the alleged ganja habit. I think myself that though a case of acute mania, it was not due to ganja, because it came on in a very insidious way which is unusual in ganja, and was preceded by moroseness and tendency to wander. Besides the long period under treatment is against the theory of hemp origin. In case No. 6 no information can be obtained. It is a doubtful case; the man is still in the asylum, and not much improved and denies the use of ganja; but probably as a beggar he did use the drug, and that may have been the exciting cause; but that is only a probability. I would not remove this from the category of toxic in sanity without better information, but I regard it as a very doubtful case. In case No. 7 I think that ganja was the exciting cause of the insanity—the exciting cause only, because there was no improvement in this case. But after his discharge, the man suddenly recover-ed, and has not had another attack up to now. This is another reason for thinking it not a ganja case. If addicted to hemp drugs, he would probably indulge and have a relapse. Case No. 1, Nama's case, is in my opinion a case of acute ephemeral mania due to hemp drugs. I think the outbreak of 26th July was simply anger, and had nothing to do with mental condition. I believe the information about ganja was obtained from his friends.
Case No. 9, Gurudatt, is not a ganja case. The ganja may have been the  existing cause, but not the predisposing cause. We have further information about the ganja habit before he was at present taken ill. But there was previous insanity also. I look on it as a case of tendency to insanity, possibly at the time excited by ganja, but not due to hemp drugs. In case No. 13 there is no further information. The fact of want of improvement is against ganja. I should not put the case down to hemp drugs. As now advised, I would not put it down as a ganja case, although I would still leave it on my books thus, simply as a clue. Though I believe the ganja could only be an exciting cause, if any. Three cases (No. 1, No. 4 and No. 8) out of the thirteen are all that I regard as hemp drugs cases. I therefore have now ground to conclude that out of all the admissions to the asylum in 1892, only three were due to hemp drugs, though hemp to my mind acted as an exciting cause in some of the others as shown above. I would only return these three as real cases of toxic insanity. I therefore regard the system of reporting cases as an unsatisfactory basis for founding any conclusion as to the connection between hemp drugs and insanity; but it is the best we have. I regard it as better not to enter cases in the "unknown" column if we have any sort of evidence as to cause. The entry is only to assist us. This must be borne in mind in estimating the value of our returns. The entry is made to prevent certain evidence being lost sight of, and it is so far reasonably probable and is better than nothing. I think that the hemp drugs have been unfairly charged with causing insanity; the information is largely inaccurate. And when we have no accurate information, we have to accept anything that may seem to be a possible cause. Where a coincidence of ganja-smoking exists, the insanity is generally attributed to it, though in my opinion often very unfairly. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. W. B. BOYD, Superintendent, Colaba Lunatic Asylum, Bombay


45. I have not seen a sufficient number of cases to enable me to give a definite opinion on the subject discussed. That it brings about insanity I have no doubt ; but, as mentioned before, it is the abuse of the drug, or the injudicious use of it by young people unaccustomed to its use, which unhinges the intellect. But the prognosis in these cases of insanity is generally favourable, the patient generally recovering within six or eighteen months when under treatment. Mania is the usual form of insanity, and on recovery the patient is liable to a relapse if he resumes the habit of ganja-smoking. This would lead me to believe that ganja-smoking is the predisposing, cause of the insanity. There are no typical symptoms. When insanity results from ganja, patients on recovery generally attribute the cause to ganja.  - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL M. L. BARTHOLOMEUSZ, M.B.,* Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Ahmedabad.


45. It [moderate habitual use] does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46. The habitual excessive use of bhang or ganja..may deaden the intellect and produce insanity, especially in those predisposed to nervous affections. The type is generally acute mania, and in about 50 per cent. of a temporary nature. Patients discharged cured are liable to a recurrence of mania if the ganja habit is resumed on returning home. The majority of insanes from ganja usually confess o having taken the drug. Question 46. [oral evidence]— I have seen and treated a number of cases of temporary insanity, caused, as I believe, by the hemp drugs, outside my asylum experience, Such cases recover when the habit is discontinued. The longest period such cases have remained under my observation is ten or fifteen days. I cannot give the details of any such case. I don't think these cases would present any phase of the subject of hemp drug insanity which we could not ascertain equally well from asylum cases. When a case comes to the asylum, it is accompanied by a certificate in Form A, a statement in form C, and an order from the Magistrate. I fill up the asylum register from Form C immediately on its receipt. It contains details, from which the different headings in the register are filled up. The register is filled up by the assistant at the time of the lunatic's admission. According to my idea of asylum practice, the entries must be in accordance with Form C. If the cause is entered as unknown, it must be so entered in the register. An alteration probably would be made if information of a reliable character could be obtained, but this is not often done. The alteration would not be made without the permission of the Magistrate. Form C ought to be filled up by the Magistrate. That has been my experience in four other stations. The Civil Surgeon has not the same facilities as the Magistrate for collecting the required information as to history and cause. The case comes to the Civil Surgeon for observation only. As Superintendent of the Asylum, I should not alter the register, of which the entries have been derived from Form C, without reporting the matter to the Magistrate. Any alteration of the kind would have a record in the shape of an erasure and a reference to the Magistrate. The Magistrate has the facility of making enquiry that is supplied by the attendance of the relations in some cases. I don't know the procedure followed by the police. In the case of Guljar Shah the entry in the asylum register is ganja-smoking. That does not agree with head 12 in Form C, where the entry is " The abovementioned ganjasmoking and religious and isolated habits," and the assistant admitted to me that a mistake had been made in not copying the whole entry which appears in Form C. In the case of Rangnath Trimbak, the cause entered in the asylum register is " Drinks bhang," while the entry against head 12 of Form C is " Unknown." It is probable that the entry in the register was taken from the entry against head 6 of Form C, which is apparently copied verbatim. This was not in my time, but I think that if an entry in Form C shows that the lunatic drinks bhang it would be a mistake to put cause unknown against head 12 of the form, even though bhang may not have been the only cause. In the case of Trimbak Vinayak, the entry against head 12 of Form C is " Ganja-smoking and abstinence from food," and in the register the cause is put down as " Ganja-smoking." This occurred before my time. The Superintendent may not have considered that abstinence from food was an existing cause, but I think he was wrong in making the entry he did. In the case of Laxman Nandram, the entry " Ganja and liquor " reverses the order in which the drug appears in head 6 of Form C, and is contrary to head 12 of Form C, where the entry is " Unknown." I can't explain why this was done. In the case of Hari Trimbak, the entry against head 12 of Form C is " Unknown beyond the habit of smoking ganja," and in the register " Ganja-smoking." In the case of Parasram there is no entry of cause in Form C, but against heads 11 and 12 appears : " He had an illness seven years ago, but does not give a clear account." The register shows " Ganja-smoking." In these six cases the register entry does not agree with the Civil Surgeon's certificate, and there ought to be something on the record to explain the difference. I cannot explain the procedure of that time, for Dr. Hughes was in charge and the assistant is dead. It is from this register that the annual returns are compiled which show these six cases as the only hemp drug admissions of 1892. In the case of Guljar Shah there is no further information beyond that furnished in the papers. I think ganja has been properly entered as the cause. It was in my opinion the chief and the existing cause; and I think that, if the man had not taken the ganja, he would not have become insane, although the ascetic and isolated habit may have predisposed him towards insanity. The further information that has been gathered by recent enquiry in the case of Rangnath shows that the bhang¬drinking was moderate, and in accordance with what I had previously been told. But my private opinion is that the bhang drinking must have been greater. As a rule the insanity from bhang drinking passes off quickly, and I think there must have been a predisposing cause in the present case, because the man had previously been insane, and his present attack had lasted two and a half years. I believe that country liquor is more likely to cause insanity than bhang, and I have no reason to doubt that in the present case the man did take liquor, as he himself said. The case may therefore have been due to both liquor and bhang, and liquor may have been the more important factor of the two. The asylum records show that during the last five years there have been 31 admissions from ganja, 1 from bhang, and 10 from country liquor, and I therefore regard liquor as a more prolific cause of insanity than bhang. In the case of Trimbak Vinayak, I think the cause is ganja, the effects of which were increased by the abstinence from food. In the case of Lax ¬man Nandram, the lunatic was insane for two and a half years before he came into the asylum and one and a half years since. I see no reason to doubt his statement that he only smoked ganja occasionally and drank liquor frequently for years. The dose of ganja, as shown in the recent enquiry, is moderate. If the man's statement regarding his drinking is accepted, I think it may have been, as much as ganja, the existing cause, or perhaps the more important cause. In any case, there was probably some predisposing cause. In the case of Parasram, the recent enquiry has not resulted in confirming the alleged ganja habit. But I think nevertheless that the man's insanity was due to ganja, because he admits the practice; and I do not believe that he gave up the habit five or ten years ago. He says this sometimes, but at other times he admits the habit. His appearance also confirms me in my opinion. The fact that in the recent enquiry people who knew the insane say that they never saw him indulge in ganja makes us regard the case as a doubtful one. If I were preparing statistics for the purpose of showing the effects of hemp drugs, I should not class this as a hemp case.* In the case of Hari Trimbak, the Civil Surgeon evidently had doubts as to the cause of insanity. I have never known insanity to arise from cholera, though the disease might predispose it by weakening the constitution. I don't attribute the attack of insanity in this case to the cholera. If the insane had not resumed his ganja habit after recovery from the cholera, I don't think he would have become insane. The cholera weakened the man's constitution and rendered him more liable to the ganja poison. Out of the six hemp cases admitted to the asylum in 1892, I would only exclude the two cases of Rangnath and Parasram for the reasons given above. The usual type of hemp drug insanity is acute mania. Acute mania may be due to various causes. * Extract from a letter No. 112, dated 6th December 1893, from the Magistrate, 1st Class, Bhusawal, Khandesh, to the Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Poona, read over to witness. * * * * * * *
" None of the persons who knew anything of Parasram says that he was ever addicted to smoking ganja or taking any other narcotic or alcohol in any form whatsoever. There is nothing except the medical certificate (copy not retained. here) sent you that he ever smoked ganja at all." * * * * * * * T There are no typical symptoms that I am aware of to enable you to diagnose hemp drug insanity. Ganja cases generally recover rapidly. Cases arising from mental shock are of longer duration. To diagnose by this symptom, therefore, the patient must be under continuous observation. It is nevertheless the practice to enter the cause immediately on the admission of a case to the asylum. But it is supposed that the Civil Surgeon bas had the man under observation for a week or ten days more or less, and has diagnosed the cause. Insanes are rarely cured by the time they reach the asylum. The Civil Surgeon only keeps the man long enough to satisfy himself that he is insane. As a rule the Civil Surgeon's diagnosis is accepted, but if the Superintendent has reason to think the diagnosis is wrong, he ought to change it. As a fact, I have not known of any case of such change since I have been at Poona. The symptoms are of short duration in the majority of cases, about a week or ten dys. If it is a second attack, or the indulgence has gone to great excess, the insanity would last longer. I know the insanity of the kind called transient mania. I believe it to be caused by mental shock or nervous shock, or a debauch of wine, bhang, or other intoxicants, especially by a. person of weak temperament. I have known fever to produce it in the latter case. It is most often due to moral causes, and not to toxic physical causes, though these may produce it. I think that transient mania caused by ganja would be difficult or almost impossible to distinguish from the same form of insanity due to any other case if history were wanting. I think I have noticed that persons insane from bhang have red and watery eyes. This symptom may be produced by fever, but is generally present in bhang cases. The use of hemp is likely to produce contraction of the pupil, but in great excess to the point of intoxication or insensibility it might cause dilatation. I do not think short duration, redness of eyes, and dilated pupils would be sufficient to diagnose a case upon. These symptoms would point to hemp insanity rather than any other cause, but they are recognised as symptoms of transient mania due to other causes than hemp drugs. But I think redness of eyes is more marked in hemp insanity than in other cases. I think an accurate history is essential to diagnose the cause of insanity. Hemp drugs may predispose, but I should rather regard them as exciting cause of insanity. I think the hemp drugs have slightly cumulative effects, but not more so than alcohol. They are not to be classed with digitalis or arsenic in this respect. For diagnosis, duration of the habit, the amount of drug used, and hereditary history are necessary. I think that if the information regarding a man suffering from acute mania were nothing more than that he was ganja smoker, the ganja should be regarded as the existing cause in eighteen cases out of twenty. The mere statement of the ganja habit would be sufficient if there were no reason to disbelieve it. The man whose case is reported by Mr. Fox was brought to me occasionally as an out-door patient a year ago. I have endeavoured to get further information about him, but Mr. Fox is at present in Bombay, and he has not mentioned the man's name. My recollection is that I was informed that his attack was due in great measure to the persecution he had suffered on account of his conversion to Christianity, and that he had taken to smoking ganja in consequence. I only saw the man two or three times as an outpatient, and am unable to exclude other possible causes to account for his mental condition. I remember telling Mr. Fox that if he allowed the man to go on smoking, he would certainly get an attack of acute mania. I formed this impression from the man's looks, which appeared to me to show that he was verging on insanity. The information about the cause of the man's distress came from his friends, who either told me or the house surgeon. I have been observing eases of hemp drug insanity for seven or eight years. I have not observed the effects of the hemp drugs apart from insanity. I have spoken to many people who have told me they were moderate smokers, but seen no effects among such persons. I do not know any excessive consumer, nor have I had to do with any such persons, except in the way of treatment for mental disease. My impression of the connection between hemp drugs and insanity is therefore not based on any knowledge of the general consumption and effects of the drug among the people. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. MCCONAGHY, Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Poona.


Question 45.—When a lunatic is sent to me as Civil Surgeon for observation, he is locked up in
a room, set apart for the purpose, under a proper guard, and kept under observation with a view to report to the Magistrate. At the same time I make enquiries of the police or relations, if any, as to the cause of insanity, not because I have to certify to cause, but to throw light upon the case. The Magistrate sends me a paper containing information as to cause. As Civil Surgeon, I think I should accept that information without further enquiry, if it contained a statement of cause sufficiently clear and definite. I should make enquiry to confirm the information ; but I should not make any with the view of refuting it. The Magistrate's information is usually sent in a printed form (Form C). That form is passed on to the asylum, and the information it contains is treated by the Superintendent in the same way in which the Civil Surgeon had treated it. If the Form C contained a clear statement as to cause, I should transfer it to the asylum register. It would be entered in the register within a day or two of the admission of the lunatic. I would accept it, because I think the Magistrate has greater facilities than I have to conduct an enquiry into the previous history of the patient, and because the diagnosis of cause depends practically exclusively on history. I don't know through what officer the Magistrate conducts his enquiry. I should hesitate to accept the results of an enquiry conducted by a Head Constable unless they had been verified by the Magistrate. I am not aware of the procedure, and cannot say if it is usual for the Magistrate to verify the enquiry. In the case of Dariappa, admitted to the asylum in 1892, I have read the remarks in column 5, and I am inclined to think that though insanity may have arisen from both liquor and ganja, the latter should be regarded as the predisposing cause. I should hardly say that there were any typical symptoms in hemp drug insanity. The symptoms present are generally those of acute mania. It would, I think, be incorrect to say that all the symptoms which I have observed in hemp drugs insanity are to be found in cases of acute mania, due to other causes. The shortness of duration of the attack is, I think, suggestive of the hemp drug cause. To discover this sign the patient must be kept under observation. The cause is entered in the register directly the patient arrives. I do not recollect an instance in which I have found it necessary to alter the cause recorded by the Magistrate. The diagnosis of cause is that furnished by the Magistrate, when it is given. The opinion quoted in the remarks on the case of Raya-bin-Basapa that " habitual use of ganja may weaken the mind, while the occasional excessive use produces acute mania " is mine. I mean prolonged moderate use by the term " habitual use ; " and I think the effect of that is to produce mental vacuity rather than acute mania; but I would not exclude the possibility of acute mania arising from such use. In the absence of any other cause, if the ganja habit were asserted, I should accept that as the cause of insanity.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR H. McCALMAN, Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent, Dharwar Lunatic Asylum.


46. Excessive use is liable to be attended with violent excitement terminating in insanity of an acute maniacal form characterised by a tendency to early recovery on discontinuance of the drug. Sufficient evidence as to hemp drugs being the cause of other forms of insanity does not yet appear to have been adduced. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR D. C. DAVIDSON, Acting Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent of the Jail and Lunatic Asylum, Dharwar.


I am Superintendent of the Ratnagiri Asylum. I have been iu charge just over a year since Novmber 1892. I have had no other experience of a special character in respect to insanity. I had seen a few cases of people affected by ganja in regiments. They were cases of the temporary effects of ganja, rather cases of intoxication from ganja. I do not remember to have seen any cases of insanity. I know of no literature dealing with the subject of hemp drug insanity. When I came here, I arrived at the causation of hemp drug insanity from the history, from such facts and history as I have been able to collect. I could not tell from seeing an insane person that his insanity was due to ganja. There is, I may say, a craving in some cases for the drug which is asked for. I have not recognized any special symptoms of hemp drug insanity. The type is generally a kind of chronic mania with occasional attacks of acute mania at longer or shorter intervals. Speaking generally, in coming to a diagnosis as to cause, I am guided wholly by the history. In inquiring I generally begin by asking the friends or the police if the man is addicted to any bad habits. If they seem to hesitate, I go on to ask leading questions, such as " Does he take liquor ?" or "Does he take ganja?" If they say yes, then I ask, " In what form : does he smoke ? " If they say yes, I enquire as to period and amount to ascertain whether he smokes it in excess. At the same time I inquire whether there is any hereditary history of insanity. I do discriminate between the moderate and excessive use of the drug ; but this is only relative, for what is moderate to one man may be excessive to another. I know from prescribing it that the effects of the drug are most uncertain. If from the replies I found that the evidence showed the moderate habit, and if at the same time I had no evidence of any other cause, I should ascribe the insanity to ganja, disbelieving the evidence that the use was merely moderate. And if I got a history of the excessive use of ganja I should ascribe the insanity to that without hesitatatiou, in the absence of any other cause. I always, however, ask about heredity and the previous state of the patient. If I have a history of heredity and also a statement of the moderate use of the drug, 1 should be inclined to think the insanity was hereditary. I should inquire as to the degree of heredity, and consider the relative strength of these two factors. If it was a case of near heredity and the moderate use of the drug, I should exclude the ganja, and show the cause as heredity. If it were remote heredity and the moderate use, I should do the opposite. Speaking generally, if I had the moderate use of ganja and another cause, I should take the stronger cause. Thus, if a habitual drunkard used ganja moderately, I should show alcoholism as the cause. I could hardly give quantities as to what would be generally speaking the moderate and excessive use in a native. I should depend on what the friends said about the use being moderate or excessive, but I should disbelieve them, as above stated, if they said it was moderate, and there was no other cause of insanity. All the above refers to cases where I have to make inquiries myself ; but I should never make any inquiry if clear cause were assigned in the papers received from the Magistrate. - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN W. E. JENNINGS, Civil Surgeon, and Superintendent, Ratnagiri Lunatic Asylum.


45. I am not aware that moderate use causes insanity. On the contrary, European physicians of repute use the drug medicinally in cases of insanity. Table showing typical cases which came under my observation between 1881–1892, in the Thana Civil Hospital, as the result of ganja-smoking.
No. Name. Sex. Age. Caste. Occupation. Disease. REMARKS.
1 N. R. K. M. 25 Brahman, Deccan. Writer. Acute mania. Smoked ganja excessively for 4 or 5 years ; used to lie insensible after smoking.
2 S. R. M. 30 Maratha Gowli. Policeman ... 24th May 1886, 1st attack.
3 K. M. J. M. 35 Hindu Jungum. Mendicant
4 W. R. P. M. 22 Deccan Brahman. Writer...
5 K. V. S. M. 24 Maratha. Labourer . ...
6 S. R. M. 34 Maratha Gowli. Policeman, now without employ.... 10th October 1890. 2nd attack.
7 N. C. D. M. 48 Maratha    . Labourer . ...
8 G. C. M. 38 Pardeshi , Brahman, Upper India. Labourer . ... Tansa Valley Water Works.
9 Y. R. M. 30 Maratha    . Labourer . Melancholia.
10 S. S. Pardeshi M. 36 Pardeshi, Upper India. Labourer . Melancholia.Tansa Valley Water Works.
11 K. V. S. M. 25 Maratha    . Labourer . Mania    .
12 S. R. M. 36 Maratha    . Unemployed. Mania    .
The symptoms of mania are those ordinarily described in books under that head. 46. The habitual excessive use of ganja does impair the constitution. Young men who have taken to it have either died of melancholia and a general break-up of the system or some other complaint such as asthma or chronic bronchitis. I do not think excessive ganja smoking causes dysentery. The tendency of excessive ganja smoking is to reduce the excretions and secretions of the body by paralysing the sensory nerves, hence the pinched face, dry sluggish eye, often bloodshot, and shrivelled frame. From the few cases I know, I do not think excessive ganjasmokers are given to sexual excesses. Gosains and bairagis who are given to excessive ganja smoking are men whose morals are of a low order, as would appear from the many cases of bad syphilis for which I had to treat them in the hospital. Excessive ganja smoking deadens the intellect and causes insanity. It acts more as a predisposing than as an exciting cause. Men generally suffer from melancholia in the commencement. This is followed by mania coupled with violence. Violence in some cases is more marked in the commencement. In such cases melancholia is absent in the initial stage. In cases which have come under my observation of any connection between insanity and ganja, it appears that ganja was resorted to originally for the relief of other affections than mental anxiety or brain disease, such as asthma, bronchitis, and painful bowel-complaints. In all these eases hemp drugs act as sedatives; hence the habit is formed, which might eventually lead to insanity. There is no evidence to indicate that insanity tends to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakned intellect. Question 46.—The table of typical cases found in answer No. 45 should be found in answer No. 46 ; for the cases are due to the excessive use. Case No. 11 is a relapse of No. 5, and No. 12 of No. 6. And these relapses are clear and positive proof that the cases were due to ganja. The total
number of cases is ten ; but these two relapses are important as proving the cause to have been ganja., as it was the recurrence of the habit that led to the recurrence of the insanity. All these cases were under my observation as Civil Surgeon, with a view to the men being sent to the asylum. All the men went to the asylum. I have hospital notes on the cases—brief but to the point : these are fuller than the statements I sent to the asylum. The history of ganja smoking is given from the statements of relations or friends, if they come with the patient. If not, we enter nothing, because police statements are hearsay. I enter the police statements only in the certificate as " Facts observed by others." But in the Form specially showing cause, I put down what the relations tell me. If the police tell me the cause, I send myself for the relations who have given the police the information and examine them myself. I then make my entry as to cause. If I cannot get the relatives, I show the cause as " unknown." If the police knew personally the habits of the man, then I would accept their statements, but not otherwise. If the police give me information as to cause which is the result of inquiry, I reject that , for in such scientific inquiries I consider it necessary to have information at first hand. I have a Hospital Assistant in charge of the Thana Hospital; but I take the evidence of relatives entirely myself; and it is always in my handwriting. I have not notes on these cases with me now. As a rule; these cases are at least a month under my observation at the hospital.
I think I have sent over fifty cases to the asylums during the years 1881-92.
I see case No. 9 on my list. I ascertained the cause of insanity in that case. It was about four years ago when the Tansa Valley works were going on. The cause was ganja smoking. The name was Yesu Ragho. It is possible he was sent to Kolaba Asylum : I think so. I forget whether I had his relations up. Speaking generally, if I had a history of the ganja habit, I should not be inclined to make that the cause if it were moderate. Moderate consumption I would regard as a predisposing cause rather than exciting. I would not put down " cause unknown" in that case. This is evidently the case shown as No. 2 on the 1892 hemp drug admissions in the Kolaba Asylum. The paraplegia referred to as having supervened there does not militate against the man's being a ganja smoker, or the cause of his melancholia being due to excessive ganja smoking. Partial paraplegia may be due to disease of the spinal chord which may or may not be due to ganja smoking. The ultimate result of excessive ganja smoking leads in my opinion to the total annihilation of the sensory nerves, and would so cause paraplegia. I remember two instances of hard ganja smokers who constantly suffered from peripheral neuritis, in which there was marked anæsthesia of the right upper and lower extremity. They ultimately died of hemiplegia. We may assume also that brain lesions of the cerebral centres may occur. I have no personal knowledge from post mortal examinations of lesions in the brain or in the spinal chord. I cannot refer to any works containing a record of such observations, not at the present moment. My statements regarding these lesions are based on personal observations of the symptoms of the two cases to which I have referred, but they were not verified by post-mortem examination. I regard that experience as putting the matter practically beyond doubt that excessive ganja consumption and such lesion are connected as cause and effect. In these cases I have the history of the case to guide me to the conclusion that the ganja caused the lesion, as well as the progress of the disease, as observed by me. During the time the man in each case was under my observation no Cannabis indica was given by way of treatment. I got the cases under my treatment with the history that the men were excessive ganja smokers. From the nature of their nervous symptom I was of opinion that they were due to excessive ganja smoking ; and during the time these cases were under my treatment they were never given Cannabis indica in any shape. Therefore I conclude that there were permanent lesions due to the use of the drug. The nervous symptoms to which I have referred were similar to sypmtoms which might have been caused by any of half a dozen other causes, e. g., (chiefly) syphilis and local tumours. I was able to exclude these causes from the former history of the cases I have mentioned. I know of no experiment on the lower animals leading to the conclusion that lesions are caused by hemp drugs. I am not prepared to go into these ten cases at present ; for I have not brought my notes on them with me. These notes are not so complete as to enable me to state in each case whether all possible causes have been excluded. The notes are not complete in regard to the questions put by this Commission : and besides I was not so particular as to cause as I was in regard to the disease. I do not think I could give more information than could be obtained in the asylums. If a man were brought to me insane, who had been much under the influence of the sun and of malaria, and who had suffered from fever a good deal, and I were told of him that he smoked ganja, I should say that the exciting cause of the insanity was the fever if that immediately preceded the attack, but that the predisposing cause was the use of ganja. In some cases of excess insanity can be traced direct to ganja ; in other (moderate) cases the ganja habit may make the operation of sun or malaria effective in producing insanity. That is, the man might have escaped otherwise. Given the habit of ganja smoking with the fact of insanity, however, I would not attribute the insanity to the ganja either as the predisposing or exciting cause in all cases. In some cases the insanity might be due to some cause unconnected with ganja. In the case above stated of the man suffering from sun and malaria and fever and smoking ganja, I should hold the ganja to be connected as cause with the insanity as above stated, unless I could find some cause that excluded it as a co-operating cause. This is a typical case from my part of the country owing to the malarious character of the place and the Tansa Water-works. And this explains my statement in answer 46 that " ganja smoking acts more as a predisposing than as an exciting cause." I would not call it a predisposing cause in cases of heredity and syphilis, but these are rarer in my experience. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR K. R. KIRTIKAR, Civil Surgeon, Thana, and Medical Officer, Thana Depot and District Jail.


45. Smoking ganja induces insanity, generally mania, and, as far as my recollection goes, temporary in character. The symptoms may be reinduced by the use of the drug after release from restraint as shown by readmissions into lunatic asylums. Patients when asked whether they were ganja smokers readily admitted the habit. Question 45.[oral evidence]— In saying that smoking ganja induces insanity I refer to the excessive use. My statement is based on lunatic asylum experience principally, but also upon my experience as Civil Surgeon when certifying cases for the asylum. I do not remember any particular case, but remember them as a class. As Civil Surgeon, I thought it was my duty to ascertain the causes of insanity. For this purpose I enquired of relations when they came, and, if they were not present, of the police. I would ask relations what the cause was. If they said ganja, I should have considered it quite enough. If the police made the same statement, I should accept it. As far as I know, these statements form the basis of the asylum statistics. But when a man gets over his insanity in the. asylum, he will sometimes confess to the use of the drug. If the friends told me, or the man admitted, that he used ganja, I would make no further enquiry, but assume that the use was excessive. if the ganja habit were admitted, I should still enquire as to other causes —those detailed in the form. I have had cases in which the use of alcohol and opium has been admitted as well as that of ganja. When ganja and alcohol were both admitted, the case would be entered as one of toxic insanity. But as a rule I think the cause would be put down to ganja for preference. In a case where hereditary insanity was established and the use of ganja admitted, the case would probably be regarded as one in which heredity was the predisposing and ganja the exciting cause, and ganja would be entered as the cause in the returns. I do not regard the returns of the lunatic asylums, framed in the manner I have described, as forming a satisfactory basis for a scientific opinion regarding the connection between insanity and the hemp drugs. But the procedure is the best that is practicable, and the information is all that we can get. I have no doubt in my own mind, in spite of the partial discrediting of the statistics, that ganja does lead to a form of mania. A great proportion of the cases assigned to hemp drugs in lunatic asylum reports are in my belief due to that cause, though possibly the drug is unfairly charged with a certain portion of them. I say only " possibly " notwithstanding what I have said above, because if ganja is the exciting cause of insanity, I think it is properly entered as " the cause" whether there was a predisposing cause or not. There is no advantage in entering a " cause" which is doubtful, because it will be of no assistance in the treatment of the case. But for the purpose of the returns I should never enter a case as " cause unknown " when the ganja habit had been attributed to the man. Notwithstanding this, I cannot go further than to say that the drug is " possibly " credited unfairly with causing insanity. - Evidence of SURGEON-COLONEL D. E. HUGHES, Principal Medical Officer, Bombay, Deesa and Aden Districts, Bombay.


Question 45.[oral evidence]—The lunatics found wandering about in Poona are sent to me for observation. Sometimes a vernacular correspondence is sent with the lunatic. As a rule, only a letter is sent stating that the lunatic is of unsound mind, and requesting me to examine him and give the necessary certificate for admission to the asylum if he is found to be insane. As a rule, it is very difficult to find out anything about the lunatic's past habits an
d history. When the lunatic's relations come up we can discover something. The vernacular papers constitute the police report. They sometimes contain a declaration by the relatives. I get them read by students at the hospital at the time that I inspect the lunatic. The papers generally contain information regarding the conduct which proves the existence of lunacy. They rarely give any information about the cause of insanity. It is very uncommon for me to see the man's friends. It happens when the relatives wish to take charge of the lunatic, and such cases do not go into the asylum. Sometimes the lunatics himself gives some account of his past history. I generally try to see the lunatic's relations myself if they come. Sometimes the student in charge of the case takes their statements. The student and I also conduct our examination in accordance with Form C. In .Ratnagiri, Form C was always filled up by the Magistrate. Here it is filled up by me. In Ratnagiri the Magistrate sometimes left some details of the statement blank for me to fill in as Superintendent of the Asylum. The information I give in Form 'C is generally very incomplete, as I have only the lunatic to get it from. The important part of my duty in connection with the lunatic is the preparation of Form A, the medical certificate which contains no entry as to cause. Against head 12 of Form C, in the case of Gujar Shah, appears the following entry :—" The above mentioned ganja smoking and religious and isolated habits." So far as I remember the entry regarding ganja smoking was based on a vernacular paper. The man was a fakir, aged 75, and appeared to be suffering from religious mania, due, in part at least, to his habits and ways of thought as a fakir. The fact of his early cure, as shown by his exhibiting no signs of insanity in the asylum, would point to ganja smoking as the exciting cause, the symptoms having only lasted about six days. If there had been no history of ganja smoking in this case, the symptoms would have been consistent with the form of mania called transient mania. I have seen that form of mania. Without the ganja history, I could not have arrived at any diagnosis of the cause. Against head 12 in Form C of the case of Rangnath Trimbak is entered " unknown," and against head 6 of the same form regarding character is entered " drinks bhang." I cannot recall the facts of the case clearly, but think the entries were based on examination of his brother, who was present. It is evident from the entry against head 12 that I did not attribute the insanity in this case to the hemp drugs. If I ascertained that the man used ganja I would attribute the insanity to ganja in default of other causes. It has not been my practice to make enquiry whether the patient was given to the excessive, as distinguished from the moderate, use. In the case of Rangnath, it is probable that the brother did not attribute the insanity to the drug. In the case of Trimbak Vinayak, all the entries in Form C are based on the father's statement. I don't remember in what condition the boy was, and the statement " abstinence from food" was probably based on the father's information. In the case of Laxman Nandram, it is stated opposite " character " head 6 of form C) that " he drinks country liquor and. ganja." The brother was present, and this statement was probably made by him. Against head 12, I entered the cause as " unknown." The insanity having lasted two and a half years (vide head 9) may have been the cause of my doubt as to whether liquor and ganja should be regarded as the cause. I have always looked upon Form C as a statement of which the entries might be modified by enquiry at the asylum, and I have thought it better to record the word " unknown," unless I was tolerably certain regarding the cause. If I had regarded the last case as one of toxic insanity, I should not have put it down to country liquor in preference to ganja, though the lunatic used both. If it is true, as stated in the asylum, that the man smoked ganja occasionally but not regularly, and that he drank liquor frequently for years, I should have been inclined to regard liquor as the more probable cause if the insanity could be considered to be toxic. I should class hemp drug insanity generally as acute mania. Acute mania may be due to many causes. I can't say that I have noticed any typical symptoms in acute mania due to hemp drugs. The diagnosis would rest on the appearance of the lunatic and on the temporary nature of the insanity. Other symptoms would be redness of the eyes, violent excitement, and mental activity. I have not noticed anything peculiar about the pupils. These symptoms would be present in transient mania. I would not go so far as to say that the diagnosis of hemp drug insanity depends entirely on history. There are appearances which one comes to regard as connected with such cases, but on which I should not venture to make a diagnosis without history of the hemp drug habit. All the symptoms might be found in the form of insanity known as transient mania ; but I should not diagnose transient mania from them, because my experience has led me to regard it as much more rare than hemp drug insanity. Transient mania might be brought on by mental shock, such as loss of money or exposure. I don't think dhat urn poisoning, whose symptoms are well marked, could be mistaken for it. Up-country men and fakirs seem to furnish the majority of hemp-drug insanes, These classes of persons are exposed to vicissitudes of temperature and insufficient food. These would be causes of transient mania. The fakir class would be specially liable to an attack of transient mania from exposure to weather, want of food, and religious excitement. The solitary habit would be more likely to induce melancholia. - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN W. H . BURKE, Assistant Civil Surgeon, Poona.


Excessive use of the drug leads to temporary homicidal frenzy. - Evidence of RAO SAHEB BHICAJEE AMROOT CHOBHE, Brahmin, Assistant Surgeon, Poona City


45. No, it does not. 46. Hxbitual excessive use of the drug produces derangement of the mental powers...In cases where insanity is produced by the use of hemp drugs, the type is generally that of imbecility or idiotcy, and is almost incurable. Question 46. [oral evidence]—My statements here as to insanity are based on my Mahikantha experiences among the troopers. I have no more recent experience. I have had one case more recent than these (which occurred in 1860). I have had a case in Surat, six years ago. I have no case since then ; teat is my last case. Nor do I remember any case between 1860 and the Surat case. The man was a Hindu about 24 or 25. I believe he was single, but do not know. He was brought to me for treatment in 1887 suffering from dementia. He was brought by his relations as a private patient. His relations informed me that at the age of 15 or 16 he contracted the habit of smoking ganja. I was not told where he learned the habit : these people are not accurate in their statements. Since he had contracted the habit he had left off going to school and was constantly in the habit of wandering in the streets. I was told that his habits gradually became filthy, not particular about cleanliness, and that his memory so far disappeared that he could not recognize even his friends or relations. He was not violent or a terror to his neighbours. I did not send him to the hospital, and recommended that he should be washed, and declared that the case was almost incurable. He was brought before me on two or three occasions at intervals of two or three months. He was only brought to me as an out-door patient,i e ., for a few minutes or half an hour at a time. He was not an official patient ; so I took no notes of the case. The only cause the relations could assign for his insanity was smoking ganja. I enquired as to whether he was a great student or had any strain on his brain ; but they could not give me any positive reply. I also asked about immorality. They could nit give me any answer. I believe they were either ashamed to reveal the real state of his mind or perhaps they did not know. They said there was no hereditary tendency : that he had no mad relative. I do not remember whether I asked about liquor, as he was a Hindu. They said he had begun to fail at about the age of 15 or 16, and had grown gradually worse. I formed the opinion at the time that this insanity was due to ganja. I cannot say that I am convinced that it was not due to venereal excess. The relations told me be was a lively boy up to fifteen. I had not seen him before he was brought to me. The only peculiar symptoms of hemp drug insanity are a peculiar despondency of mind and dread of relations and friends. I believe there is also a loss of venereal power. I regard these as typical symptoms, using the word " typical " in a medical sense. From these symptoms I would be led to form an opinion that the insanity was due to hemp drugs. I would be inclined to diagnose it even without any history. Any or all of these symptoms might be due to other causes. I would attach some importance to the history also. I believe I cannot say that any case of insanity is due to hemp drugs from the symptoms without the history. History is not the sole means of arriving at a diagnosis: symptoms must also be taken into consideration. I base my statements about typical symptoms only on this case which is my only ganja case. The Mahikantha cases of 1860 were ganja cases, but none of them was a confirmed form of madness. I have never read of, or come across, any case of ganja insanity with these typical symptoms. I do not remember reading of such a case. From this case I also judge that confirmed insanity from ganja is incurable.   - Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR DOSSABROY PESTONJEE, Parsi, Assistant Surgeon, Parakh Dispensary, Surat, and Honorary Assistant Surgeon to His Excellency the Viceroy.


Question 46.—I have found insanity to result often from the excessive and habitual use of ganja or bhang. During the last twenty-one years, 1872 —1892, 75 lunatics were referred to me for examination and report. Out of these, 15 or 20 per cent. had become insane from ganja smoking. Of these, 8 were afflicted with general mania, 2 amorous mania, 3 demonomania and 1 each with pyromania and religious mania. In one ease, I have observed general atrophy and death to result from the use of majum, or sweet cakes made of bhang. I have not noticed any other disease to result from occasional or moderate use of ganja or bhang in any form, although some town people do occasionally indulge in it. Question 46.[oral evidence]—The cases referred to in my letter were cases which were sent to me in my capacity as Civil Surgeon for report to the Magistrate. I base my statement upon the record of such reports made by me. My report was in each case based upon the information given by the police or furnished by the lunatic himself or his relations. I could not say that the opinion reported in any one case was one which, speaking professionally, was based upon adequate observation. The reason is that they were just passing through my hands, and the time for observation was limited. The important point was to decide whether the man was a lunatic or not, not what the causes of his insanity were, although the cause had to be entered in the Forms A and C, and it was accordingly entered, so far as could be ascertained from the brief period and opportunities afforded for observation and as communicated to me. I do not think the eases are worth laying before the Commission. I have been in independent charge for the last twenty-five years. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON M. F. PEREIRA, in medical charge, Alibag


46. One who is habituated to the use of these drugs is not affected as regards his constitution in any way, provided he takes good nourishing food, because when once the habit is formed, these drugs do not act as narcotic on him, but act more as food. [B]ut a man not accustomed to its use, if indulges in it excessively, then his constitution is affected both physically and mentally. His face assumes a peculiar expression, his eyes appear always red, sensation of floating in air, in rare cases impotence and insanity is not uncommon ; when insanity occurs, it is generally of an exciting character. Sometimes he becomes fearful. The existing tendency of mind is intensified, as is seenin runamuek cases. The insanity produced is generally of a temporary character. I know of a case in which a moderate consumer of ganja, by his going to excess, became insane. He has been under my observation since 3rd September 1887. In this case the insanity was of an exciting or maniacal character. He has shown no symptoms of excitement since January last. In this case I consider excessive ganja smoking to be the exciting cause of insanity. I have had no opportunity of seeiag any case which would justify me in stating that the symptoms may be reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR THAKORDAS KIKABHAI, Bania, Assistant Surgeon, Wadhwan Civil Station, Kathiawar.


45.  I have personally known none who have become insane by moderate use. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON ABDUL GHANI, Hakim, in charge of Gadag Dispensary, Gadag, Dharwar District.


45. Cases of insanity following upon the habitual use of ganja, etc., have not come under my observation, and my experience of this subject is very limited.  - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON B. H. NANAVATTY, Parsi, and Teacher of Surgery and Midwifery, Medical School, Ahmedabad.


45.It has been observed to weaken the intellect. Many of the insane eases have a history of the habit ; but still a number of persons use it through life without an attack of insanity. It is more of an exciting than a predisposing cause. The type of insanity is mania generally, of course preceded by melancholia ; and as it produces decrease of nervous power, this disease is more likely to be permanent, or if it has ensued after a recent habit it may be temporary -  Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT RAJANA LOKAJEE, Máli Telgu, Thana


45. It appears to me the predisposing cause of insanity, as well as exciting. It generally produces furious mania, dipsomania in the young, who have contracted the habit since a short duration and dementia affectata in aged, and generally temporary. The symptoms be reinduced generally by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. Generally the typical symptoms are :—Ideas confused, incoherent, unfixed; unconnected talk, no recollection of time, place, quantity, etc., and forget what is seen or heard and told, manners silly, conversation incoherent. Insanity, primary, never tends to indulgence of these drugs ; but when the brain has been sufficiently weakened by the habitual use of the drug, intellect becoming deficient, the habit is more and more indulged in, which does ultimately lead to insanity. So the indulgence is primary, and insanity is the secondary or sequence of it. Not having kept the accurate notes of the cases which would be worth while quoting, I regret I cannot give an account of such cases except two, since I took charge of this institution, both male sex, whose insanity was due to my knowledge to excessive indulgence in hemp drug smoking for some time past. NAMES. CASTE. RESIDENCE.  OCCUPATION. Bhimji Pepji Hindoo, Koli Mansa Labourer. Naina Ghela Do. Maratha Do. Do. Question 45.[oral evidence]—The constitutions affected injuriously by the moderate use of hemp drugs are nervous and weak constitutions. In small quantities the drugs would do no harm to a healthy person. When. I speak of the use of the drugs producing insanity, I mean the excessive use. I refer mainly to excessive smoking. In the last seven months I have had the two cases quoted at the end of this answer. I have no record, however, to show how long they have been suffering. But I have seen them within the last two or three months. They are still in Mansa—one in the district, and one in the town. 1 have no notes except the out-door tickets on which I have entered the disease and treatment. I can give the history of no other case. Bhimji Pepji was brought to me by some relations in a violent state one day, about three months ago. He was about 23 years old. I had. never seen him before. The relatives gave me the history of smoking ganja for the last three or four years. They said they had tried to stop him, but he went out and smoked. He smoked with bairagis. He was a cultivator. They said he had been mad two months continuously. I gave him some medicine. He was not brought again. I repeatedly made inquiry and have heard he is in the same state. He was under my observation for two or three hours. His relations told me that his insanity was due to ganja, and I found his conjunctivæ red. I did not notice the pupils. The man himself said he smoked. Again he denied it. I was told by his friends that he smoked five or six times in the day and two at night. His other habits were all right. He was a religious man; therefore he did not use liquor. His friends said so. His moral habits were not vicious. I inquired about whether his family drank, etc. But only one took opium. I made no inquiry about his family except whether they smoked. That was all I asked. Being reminded, I state that I also inquired about insanity and found no case of insanity in the family. I did not examine into the matter of dhatura. But I have been told that bairagis pretty often do use dhatura with ganja. I have seen two fakirs smoking it in a temple also. It did not occur to me to ask about this. The smoking of dhatura may produce effects, but the symptoms are quite different from those of ganja. I refer to smoking as well as taking internally. I saw two cases of smoking dhatura in my third year as a student. There were dilatation of pupils, attempting to catch imaginary objects, muscular exhaustion, great thirst, tendency to talk too much, and some symptoms of mania (unconnected talk). In Bhimji Pepji's case I am not sure whether I examined the pupils. I am not prepared to say that they were not dilated. His talk was incoherent. He was violent. In Naina Ghela's case, the man was brought to the dispensary by his brothers. He was about twenty-eight or thirty. He was mad, silly. He lay down by the temple and beat the drum. I have seen him since more than once at the temple. I had never seen him before. His brothers told me he had been smoking for seven or eight years, and had been in this condition for a year and a half. I never noticed him till he came to the dispensary. He only came once to the dispensary. His brother came twice more for medicine and then ceased coming. I have seen the man several times since. He is in the same state. He acquired the habit of smoking from his companions. They were low caste cultivators or coolies and mean servants. He was himself a cultivator. I did not inquire when he began to attend the temple. He does not cultivate now. He eats ganja and beats the temple drum when the time comes. I inquired about his family history and heard there was no one addicted to vice. He alone took to ganja. No one else was insane in his family. He may have taken liquor; some of his companions took bhang or ghota, but not alcohol. I do not know whether the men were vicious. I did not ask about this man's habits in that respect. I never saw this man violent. The friends told me the cause of insanity was ganja. I believed them. It was natural for me to do so when several people told me. Although I believed them as to the cause, and although as belonging to a religious family he would not take liquor, yet I asked about liquor and opium. I made a very careful inquiry. His friends told me he took ganja and bhang, but no liquor or opium. I do not remember that I made any further inquiry as to cause. I believed in my mind that the cause was ganja. I asked also about family insanity. I made no full inquiry at the time ; but I made inquiry on receiving these questions. I do not think these symptoms would be due to alcohol. They could not, I think, be caused by alcohol. But it was natural for me to ask about liquor. The symptoms might have been caused by dhatura. I do not know about the pupils. There was no attempt at catching imaginary objects. The dhatura patient could not walk: this man could. This man had thirst and tendency to talk. The general type of insanity was dementia: in the dhatura cases I had symptoms of mania. The type of hemp drug insanity is usually dementia, with generally the same symptoms. Violence, unconnected ideas, no recollection, congestion of the conjunctiva, dryness of tongue and throat. If I found these symptoms with a history of the use of hemp drugs, I should ascribe the insanity to hemp drugs. I state that the type of hemp drug insanity is dementia from the study of Bhimji Pepji and Naina Ghela's cases, and also others which have come under my notice, but which I cannot detail. There is a tendency to rapid recovery. I devoted more time to inquiring as to cause than to trying to cure the men, because the people (though they came once) were superstitious and against English treatment.
 - Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT SUDASHIO WAMON, Brahmin, Mansa, Mahikantha.


45 (f) Yes ; ganja has a tendency to produce insanity. It acts both as a predisposing and exciting cause in different cases, It generally causes temporary insanity of au active kind.
Question 45.—I have personal experience of one case of insanity which occurred three or four months ago and came to the Ilao Dispensary. I remember a case of lunacy occurring fifteen years ago in the 20th Bombay Infantry at Baroda. I know no other cases. The Ilao case was of a temporary kind. I did not see the other case to its end, for the man was in hospital when I was transferred. I attribute the Ilao case to the excessive use of ganja. I know of no case in which moderate use has caused insanity. The Baroda case was under my observation for l 1/2 months. The Ilao patient was brought to the dispensary by his relatives. He was talking nonsense and his relations said that he had become insane since he had taken the drug to excess. I did ask how long he had been in the habit of smoking and was told that he had begun a few months before. He had taken an excessive dose of ganja after drinking liquor two days before he was brought to me. He was in the habit of taking liquor. He would do so at festivals. All poor men drink. On the occasion when he was overcome he had taken liquor to excess and ganja to excess also. He was of the Talavia caste. I don't know whether he took either liquor or ganja in excess before that occasion. I attribute the case to ganja because he smoked that drug immediately before he became incoherent. I don't know if any of his companions suffered on the same occasion. He was not cured for 1 1/2 months during which he was brought to my dispensary by his relations every third or fourth day. The last time I saw him he was improving. I made no further enquiry, but accepted the account given by his relations. - Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT PHIROZSILAW D. COOPER, Parsi, in charge Dispensary, Ilao


45 (f) The excessive use of ganja acts as an exciting cause of the insanity, and it generally produces mania, temporary and permanent both. - Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT SHAIK SURFRAZ HAKIM, Nasik.


45(f) It deadens the intellect and may produce insanity. The causes in my cases were exciting. It produced insanity of a temporary type. The symptoms were reinduced after liberation from restraint. The insanity by great talkativeness and running amuck. I have no instance in which an insane without ganja history has confessed to the use of the drug. (g) I am of opinion that the insanity produced in my cases had no previous connection with mental anxiety or brain disease. I am not aware of any instance of insanity which has a tendency towards indulging in hemp drugs. Case.—Mr. V, a weaving master in one of the mufassal cotton mills, pay Rs. 150, got into the habit of smoking ganja in bad company, After a few days he began to get hallucinations and became unfit for work, terminating in insanity. The chief symptoms were talkativeness, sleeplessness, and great craving for ganja. He was under great restraint for two months, and treated commonly with bromides, etc., and got cured. He was quite right for 12 months, after which time he again took to smoking ganja and again became insane. The same treatment was adopted, and got cured and sent to duty. This was the third time he got insane by the same cause. After recovery he did not attribute his ganja smoking to any anxiety of mind, and his employers have a very good opinion about his hardworking. There is no trace of brain disease. Question 45. [oral evidence]—I have had more than one case of insanity, due, us I believe, to hemp drugs; but I cannot give properly information about them as they occurred long ago in my practice. I have therefore chosen the case of Mr. V., a native gentleman whom I know. It was three years ago I first knew him. He was then 37 or 38 years old. He is married and has children. I had not known him before. He was brought to me from Jalgaon by a friend for treatment as an out-patient at Sholapur. His eyes were red. He was very talkative, with tendency to violence, sleeplessness. He was able to answer questions, but was incoherent at times. His friends told me he had the habit of smoking ganja, and that when he smoked too much he got in this state, They said he had smoked for one year. I told his friend not to give him ganja and to have him watched by two private watchmen. He got no ganja for two months and was then quite cured. He then returned to Jalgaon. When he was cured, he told me that he had taken to smoking ganja with bad company of men serving under him in the mill. He confessed to no other bad habit. A year afterwards he was brought back in the same condition. He was ill then for about a month-and-a-half, staying with the same friend at Sholapur. I saw him constantly. He was cured. He told me he had had a cough, and was advised to take ganja for it. He had done so, and so got into the habit again. The first time I had him under observation he told me that he had smoked ganja for one year and had become insane, and had been treated by the Civil Surgeon. That was about a year before I saw him for the first time. He was thus insane three times : once treated by the Civil Surgeon and twice afterwards by me. My knowledge of the man is confined to the two occasions on which I was treating him. I do not know his family. I asked the friends and the patient whether there was any tendency to insanity in his father or mother, or any history of syphilis; and the answer was negative. That was all I asked them. I think I asked about other habits, such as drinking. That is all. And, of course, I knew nothing about him except what I was told. I did not ask any question about " anxiety." I have mentioned that, because it comes in the question of the Commission. The man said nothing about anxiety; but he was not asked. He was asked whether he had any quarrels. I did not ask about quarrels : my question was " Have there been any family troubles?" I have no notes of the case apart from the ordinary dispensary notes of out-door cases. This would show " symptoms" and " prescriptions" in the quarter sheet. It is kept in hospital. The entries are of the briefest character. Mr. V. was an out-patient. Those who brought him said to me he had been treated for the same cause by the Civil Surgeon. So I had no doubt about the cause. There are no typical symptoms. Diagnosis cannot be made without history.  - Evidence of HOSPITAL ASSISTANT PURSON SINGH CHATTRY, Sholapur.


It does produce insanity of a permanent character to an appreciable extent - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR VISHRAM RAMJI GHOLLAY, Retired Honorary Assistant Surgeon, and Medical Practitioner, Poona City.


45 (g) I do not think that sufficient consideration has been given to the fact under question. 46. The habitual excessive use of any of these drugs does produce all the bad effects indicated in the above queries. I have seen...a few cases of insanity by indulgence in bhang. Hemp insanity does not partake of any particular nature. I have seen melancholia, dementia, acute mania and some forms of monomania produced by ganja smoking. Question 46. [oral evidence]—I have not kept any notes of cases of hemp drug insanity. I have formed a general impression from my cases of the connection between hemp drugs and insanity ; but I am not prepared to give any particular case in full detail - Evidence of GANESH KRISHNA GARDE, * Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Poona City.


45.  I have not seen them produce insanity - Evidence of EDALJI NASHIRVANJI, Parsi, Medical Practitioner, Bombay.


45. It to a certain extent deadens the intellect, but I don't believe it leads to insanity, at least of a permanent nature. It may perhaps lead to temporary aberration for the time being. 46. The habitual excessive use of all these three drugs is in my opinion very injurious. [T]he mind grows imbecile and ultimately death by marasmus closes the scene. I have known several typical cases of this sort. Of them some three or four cases were of mania due to excessive use of ganja, due to bad company. If I remember right, I believe there was no mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief by these drugs. - Evidence of BHALCHANDRA KRISHNA BHATAVADEKAR, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Bombay.


45. excessive use does produce temporary insanity. I think ganjasmoking produces insanity peculiar to it, as well as I believe insane persons are likely to take up the use of the drug. I know of two cases in which persons with no hereditary history of insanity became insanes after prolonged use of ganja. - Evidence of ISMAIL JAN MOHOMED, Khoja, Physician, Bombay.


45. (f) It deadens the intellect and produces insanity, as imbecility, which has a tendency to be permanent.  - Evidence of ARDESIR DADABHOY MODY, Parsi, J.P., Member, Municipal Corporation, Medical Practitioner, Bombay.


46. It depends on the man's constitution. I have seen several excessive consumers in good health, and I have also seen men using these drugs occasionally have turned mad  - Evidence of UTTAMRAM JEEWANRAM, ITCHAPOORIA, Audesh, Brahmin, Native Doctor (Vaidya), Bombay and Surat.


46. The typical symptoms of an insane from the use of these drugs are that he gets staring sight, his eyes become red, he gets forgetfulness and his voice is changed. - Evidence of KESHOWRAM HARIDAT, Chcepooria, Audesh Brahmin, Native Doctor (Vaidya) , Render, Surat and Bombay.


46. The excessive habitual use of bhang produces...permanent insanity. Question 46.[oral evidence]—I have seen instances in Kathiawar of men becoming insane through excessive use of ganja. I know no cases of insanity caused by bhang. I have seen this madness among sadhus and bairagis. Respectable people do not use ganja. I have heard that sadhus mix dhatura with their ganja, but I have not much experience of the use of ganja. It is the seeds of dhatura which are generally used, but sometimes the leaves and also the roots are used. I cannot name any men, but I have seen many bairagis suffering from bronchitis and asthma, who were consumers of ganja. I cannot say definitely that the diseases were caused by the use of ganja.  - Evidence of MR. PURBHURAM JEEWANRAM, Nagar Brahmin, Native Doctor (Vaidya), Bombay.


45. No ; it [habitual moderate use] does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46. The excessive indulgence in ganja smoke produces insanity. The insanity is of temporary character. It disappears if the smoking is put a stop to. There are typical symptoms such as monomania. Yes; the insanes do confess the use of the drug. Excessive drink of bhang even produces the above effects. Question 46.[oral evidence]—I have personally known two instances of temporary insanity caused by the hemp drugs, and one instance of a man who became permanently insane. I know the parti-culars of these cases well. The men are perso-nally known to me. Two of them I have known for thirteen years, and one of them is dead. One case of permanent and one of temporary insanity occurred six or seven years ago, and one case of temporary insanity occurred three years ago. They were all resident in my village. The permanent case was that of the son of a Brahmin landholder. He was about eighteen years old, and went to a party of ganja smokers composed entirely of Brahmins. They were wellto-do persons, not priests or mendicants. One of the party invited the boy. Though he frequented this company, the boy did not smoke for a whole week. He gradually acquired the habit, and, after indulging and increasing the habit for three years, he went mad. He has property, but wanders about, careless of everything. He still smokes in that company. I say he is mad because he neglects his property and his ablutions. He is sometimes coherent and sometimes incoherent. It is possible the boy was originally invited to join the company because he had means. His property has suffered since he joined the party. It has been mortgaged. The company get nothing from him but ganja. The company was composed of men from twenty-five to thirty-five years of age. They were none of them drinkers of liquor. They were not of loose or vicious habits. The company was composed of some fifteen men. The village contains about fifteen hundred inhabitants. The young man in question was very strong and healthy before he began smoking ganja. I knew his father, who was a man of good physique. His relations are strong men. None have gone insane. I don't remember the grand-parents. It is a family of good standing, and I know of no mad men in it. I can say that the company did not indulge in anything but ganja. Some of the company were well known to me. I never sat with them when they smoked. The drugs I have mentioned in answer 35 could have been procured by them. They smoked daily. There is a ganja shop in my village. The company used to smoke together in a temple or in one another's houses. They are all fairly well-to-do and of respectable families ; but they are all regarded as disreputable. The houses were used by the young men for their meetings without the knowledge of their parents. These meetings were therefore, as far as possible, secret. Their families and their caste-fellows regarded their smoking with great disapprobation. I am personally acquainted with half of the company of smokers. They smoke in secret, and therefore their relations with their elders are not honest in that they involve concealment. They are none of them related to me. I know their habits, because I watched their actions. They have spoken to me about ganja, and therefore it is unlikely they have concealed other habits from me. The boy's father must have been dead when he first joined the company of smokers. He was a friend of my father. I am forty-two years of age. I have lived in my village for thirteen years, and I never saw the father during that time. I was away from my village ten years before that. The boy used to attend the village school. His uncle was in charge of him. His property has nearly all been mortgaged. About one-fourth has been mortgaged by his uncle or his elder brother. The uncle and brother were not ganja smokers. It must have been the boy's want of money that made them mortgage the property. The boy actually stole money from them. The boy was not a liquor drinker or frequenter of prostitutes. The answer I have given under 49 is what I have been told. It is said that the sons of well-to-do people begin by taking the drug for this purpose, and the use of it grows upon them until bad results eventually ensue. In the case under notice, the boy did not, as far I know, take the drug for this purpose. I did not know this young man better than the other members of the company. The bad repute of the company prevented my becoming intimate with them. A man would not necessarily confess all his habits, such as the frequenting of prostitutes, because he confessed the use of ganja, I possess little medical knowledge. The scientific language used in my answer 46 is borrowed from a doctor to whom I related my experiences. I don't know physic enough to state how insanity is caused or what its symptoms are. None of the company of smokers but the boy went mad. The other members of the company did not go to excess like the boy did. The madness came upon the boy gradually, and showed itself first by occasional neglect of his meals, until finally he became altogether careless of his food and everything else. One of the temporary cases went into the lunatic asylum. In that case bhang had been used to excess. - Evidence of RAMCHANDRA KRISHNA. KOTIIAVALE, Brahmin, Inamdur, Taluka Wai, in Satara District.


45. No. 46. Excessive habitual use of any of these drugs deadens the intellect and it is likely to produce insanity. - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR HUCHRAO ACHUT HARIHAR, Deshast Brahmin, Pleader, District Court, Belgaum.


45. It does neither deaden the intellect nor produce insanity, except to a very small extent in those who cannot get substantial food. This insanity is likely to cease as soon as the habit of smoking ganja or drinking and eating bhang is given up. The symptoms of insanity may be re-induced by the use of the drugs after liberation from restraint. The insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess the use of the drugs. I am of opinion from local information that the use of these drugs by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease will not give them real relief, although it is popularly supposed that it alleviates pain to a certain extent. The insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drug by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. - Evidence of NARO DHAKADEO, Brahmin, Pleader, Jalgaon, District Khandesh.


45. I am acquainted with a few cases of ganja consumers ultimately dying insane. None of them were in good circumstances. A was at first a religious preacher (Haridas). He subsequently took to the profession of a singer (gawai) ; was possessed of more than ordinary intelligence; was extremely poor, but of an excellent moral character ; he would rather starve than beg. The first symptom of his insanity that struck his friends was his excessive talk. Three months after he became mad. He was not under any medical treatment and died after about four months of complete lunacy. In this case, no one would have ever considered the man to be an immoderate consumer, and it was believed that it was because he was ill fed and insufficiently fed that the drug produced its evil results. B. In this case the man was in Government service. He was a habitual smoker for fifteen years, and during all his time he never gave his superiors any reason to reprimand him. He also used occasionally to drink. On the full moon night of Aswin, the wellknown kojagari night, ghota, otherwise called dudhiya (i.e., drink of ganja prepared with milk and sugar), was prepared. There was a party in which all but this man were persons who never smoked nor drank ganja and who had all consented to have the drink as a curiosity. They had, as is usual on this night, kept up throughout and drank each a cup more than once. The one man B alone drank about three cups at each time. At about 7 A.M., the man was off his brain ; he continued to be so about eight months and had again a lucid interval of six months ; he continued thus about for sixteen years and died at last of consumption. He used to smoke to the last. He was deprived of the indulgence when he was insane. The only important feature about him was that he was never dangerous even when he was stark mad. His wife, children, neighbours and friends were never afraid of him. C was first a student in the school. He was the most clever and bright in his class. Everybody liked him. He made his progress up to the 5th Standard in the vernacular school. Unfortunately at the age of 18 he contracted the habit of ganja smoking. The effect of the drug was so speedy in this case that within a few months since his initiation he became completely mad. He was married, but he never cared for his wife and mother, and he never lived with them. The man who was once very intelligent, and in whom his relatives had good hopes, was found quite useless for his family. He did not care so much for the food as he did for the drug. He used to do the duties of water-carrier. When people employed him, they paid him some remuneration for his services. But he never demanded more than what he required for buying the drug for his consumption. He was never offensive. He continued mad till his death, about the age of 35. D. Here the victim is a schoolmaster. He was led to the use of this accursed drug ganja by his association with the " Vedanti Club." They told him that he could never be able to contemplate the image of God unless he had a steady and undisturbed state of mind, and they recommended him their holy stuff as a sure means of concentration of mind. Evidently with the object of making himself incapable of being stirred by the worldly concerns, he began to use the stuff, the result of which was that he shortly appeared with all the signs of insanity. He is out of his service now. I know of half a dozen more cases ; in none of them was a man looked upon as dangerous. If the use of alcohol, even when it is occasional is added to a habitual consumption of hemp drugs, insanity is almost certain. Question 45 [oral evidence] .—I attribute insanity in these cases to the hemp drugs because no other cause could be discovered ; dhatura, nux vomica and bachnag also produce insanity. So do bad news, the distress of poverty and disappointment. I cannot say if insanity can be inherited. I have not made enquiry whether the parents in any of the cases I have described were mad. In case C, I happen to know that the mother was nearly mad. I remember the case of a hard-drinking weaver who went mad. I cannot recall any insanes who had become mad from other causes than liquor and ganja. I have met, as stated in my answer, ten people who became mad from hemp drugs, and also two persons who became mad from alcohol. I remember the ten ganja cases, because the third and fourth cases (C and D) occurred in my taluka, and the cases A and B I learnt from my friends. The other six cases were found out in course of the enquiries. I knew nothing about them before. The insane of case C died four years ago, at the age of 35. He began the hemp habit at the age of 16, and became mad a few months after he was 18. I was about 8 or 10 years old when he went mad about twenty years ago. In case D, the man went mad about five or six years ago. He did not drink. I learnt that he had gone mad from ganja smoking, and I made his acquaintance at that time. He had first gone mad at that time. That was the first. I had heard of him. I did not know him before he went mad. I attribute his madness to ganja, because I did not doubt the statements of his relatives and friends, who stated that that was the cause.   - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR VISHWANATH KESHAWA JOGLEKAR, Brahmin, Sowkar, Karajgi in Dharwar District.


45. The habitual moderate use of bhang and ganja does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46. The habitual excessive use of bhang does not produce insanity. The habitual excessive use of ganja deadens the intellect or produces insanity, temporary or permanent. The symptoms of temporary insanity may be re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint, Insane who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug. There is a Brahmin named Ravisankar Gunpatram, aged about 22 years, inhabitant of Anklesvar, an insane from the effects of the habitual excessive use of ganja, at present confined in the lunatic asylum at Ahmedabad. There are other semi or temporary insanes named Vanmali Morar, a tailor, aged about 30 years; Jelu Manishankar, a Brahmin, aged about 25 years ; Aju Gulab,a Muhammadan, aged about 32 years, at Ankleswar; and many others elsewhere.  - Evidence of JAMSEDJEE NASSERWANJEE GINWALLA,* Shenshai Parsi, Abkari and Opium Farmer, and proprietor of cotton-ginning factories, Ankleswar.


45. Moderate drinking of bhang and smoking of ganja does not deaden the intellect and produce insanity ; and I have no personal knowledge of any moderate consumer becoming insane or suffering from any mental anxiety or brain disease. Nor can the fakirs or sadhus whom I have consulted lay their hand on a particular person by way of example. 46. Habitual excessive use of these drugs is simply injurious, but personally I do not know any habitual excessive consumer becoming insane, nor have I been informed of any case by the fakirs and sadhus with whom I have been meeting and discussing this matter - Evidence of NANNU MIAN B.SHAIKH, Municipal Secretary, Surat.
 

45 (f) See under question 40. But habitual excessive use produces permanent insanity. I have seen in my youth a Brahmin aged 50 who had become insane by the use of ganja and bhang from youth. At the time seen by me he ate nothing but grain boiled with a handful of ganja or bhang, whichever he could get. He did not separately smoke ganja or drink bhang. The gram was once boiled in the morning and consumed till evening. He never shaved his head or beard and appeared like a bairagi with sunken and smoky eyes, dried face and black lips, though lie was very healthy. He walked always bare-bodied and bathed daily in cold water. He behaved like a simpleton or a fool, and was perfectly harmless. His wife had expelled him from her house, and he importuned everybody he met to advise her to accept him. 46. See the above answer.  - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR VENKAT RANGO KATTI, Pensioner, Dharwar.


45. It deadens the intellect, and does not produce insanity ; therefore further queries need no explanation. 46. By habitual excessive use of any of these drugs the following are the effects : — They produce insanity, which compels the consumer to be indolent or wandering without doing any harm to others. It is permanent and not temporary. There are no insanes who have their recorded ganja history confessing the use of the drug. When a person has been suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease, he may give himself up entirely to the use of the drug to seek relief from the derangement. It subsequently becomes habit, and such habit, when excessive, makes him lose all self-control, and he thus finally becomes insane.  - Evidence of GURAPPA RACHAPPA, Lengayet, Office of Shetti (Revenue and Police), Dharwar


Question 44. [oral evidence]—The moderate use of the drug, even without the accompaniment of good food, will not produce insanity. I know of two or three cases in which insanity has resulted from the excessive use of the drug, when a sufficiency of good food has not been taken. A bania, Hargoran, who lives near me in Bhuleshwar, is one of the cases, and the best of them. About fifteen or sixteen years ago he became insane, and he is still insane. He has never been confined in an asylum. He is harmless. He neglects his dress and talks nonsense. He has lost his wife and two children. That was two or three years before he became insane. He did not appear to be very deeply grieved by the loss of his wife and children, but not long after that event he suffered losses in his business, and that affected him a great deal. I did not know his father or mother or their parents. I never heard of any insanity among them. He has no brothers. He had no bad habit except smoking excessively. Being a bania, he could not take liquor. He used to smoke alone at all hours, day and night. I have no means of knowing whether he had vicious habits. He did not mix any thing but tobacco with his ganja. I don't know his habits now, as he wanders about, but he may still smoke, Insanity came upon him gradually, but there was no amendment after it began. It took nearly three or four years to render him insane. All that while he continued smoking ganja even more than before. It was the ganja and the grief at loss of business which together drove him mad. I think he would not have become so if his affairs had remained in a satisfactory state. I have never heard him allude to the loss of his business since he became mad. This is the most prominent case in my mind. It is not so clear in other cases that the insanity was due to the ganja. I had known him for seven or eight years before he became mad, and he was not different from other people. He was about 50 when he went mad. He had been, as far as I know, a smoker from the age of 30 or 35. I made his acquaintance twenty-three or twenty-five years ago. He was living in my street. I am a Kshatri and he is a bania. He used to smoke many times a day when I first knew him. I seldom smoked with him ; but when I happened to sit with him, I heard him and his friends say that he smoked frequently. It was seven or nine years before his character showed any symptom of change. He kept a grocer's shop, and made up turbans. His wife died four or five years after I made his acquaintance. He had two children, boys, of three and five years of age, when I made his acquaintance. The children died after his wife had died. They all thus died at intervals of one and a half years. He lost his business perhaps two years after his wife's death. He became bankrupt through bad debts. I noticed the first change in his character two or three or four years after he lost his business. He began to talk foolishly He talked much and without meaning. I thought he was becoming mad from excessive smoking. There was nobody to look after him then, and there is no one now. He got his food by begging, disregarding caste and creed. Since he became quite insane his caste-fellows gave him food. He bad a house of his own, but was fed by charity of others. Sometimes he got plenty of food, and sometimes he was in want of it. Before he became insane he got his ganja and his food by the profits of his business of folding turbans. He never suffered from want until he became insane. I have occasionally had to give or receive instructions connected with insane persons in the course of my business. Similar symptoms to those which I observed in this case might be induced by grief, anxiety, or through loss of business. I can't speak about injury to the head or epilepsy or syphilis. Injury to the head could not have caused insanity in this case, because he never received a blow on the head. I cannot say whether sexual excess could lead to insanity of the kind which characterized this case. Such cause would produce a different sort of insanity, in that the insane would not talk so foolishly as this man did. I am aware that insanity can be caused by sexual excess. There
was not such excess in the case I have described. I knew the man's character, and no enquiry on the point was therefore necessary. I can distinguish between insanity caused by grief, and insanity brought on by excess of ganja. In the latter case the man would be more foolish than in the former. The difference is only a matter of degree. In attributing the insanity in the case described partially to the loss of family and business, I bear in mind the interval which elapsed between those events and the onset of the insanity. I have noticed among sadhus and fakirs some cases of insanity caused by ganja smoking, but they were not so completely insane as the bania described above. There were cases of temporary fits of insanity, and I know no case of permanent insanity but that described. I think I know these people well enough to say that their insanity was due to excessive use of ganja and want of proper food. The fits would last for two or three hours at the longest. In these fits they would abuse people regardless of the persons they were addressing. I have even seen them abuse policemen. I cannot be sure that these fits were not mere fits of irritation or excitement or rage. Having had my statement read over to me, I state with regard to the intervals between the main facts, that as a considerable time has elapsed I cannot speak accurately regarding them, but my impression is two years elapsed between the last of his troubles and the first symptoms of insanity. I am quite positive that the troubles all occurred before the insanity began. - Evidence of LALDAS LAXMONJI, Kshatriya, Solicitor's Clerk, Bombay.


45. I have known one case in which a native of India, one of the best servants I ever had, became partially insane, and I attributed it, whether rightly or wrongly, to smoking ganja. And I have heard (I believe on accurate authority) of students at Cambridge losing their mental power owing to their having become addicted to the drug. I have seen lunatics in Indian Asylums whose insanity was attributed to the use of ganja. The conclusion which my necessarily limited observation leads me to is, that if an individual takes to ganja smoking merely as a vicious habit, as a man may in England take to excessive liquor solely for the pleasure of its intoxicating effects, and becomes a slave to it, insanity or at least weakened intellect is very likely to follow - Evidence of MR. H. E. M. JAMES, Commissioner in Sind.


46. Used in excess, bhang causes all the bad effects mentioned in the question ; but insanity produced by it would appear to be generally temporary. - Evidence of MR. R. GILES, Collector, Shikarpur.


45. Mental vigour becomes weakened by the excessive use of the drug, but insanity is said not to ensue.  - Evidence of Mr. C. E. S. STAFFORD STEELE, Officiating Deputy Commissioner, Thar and Parkar District


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. These drugs have been never known to produce insanity if taken moderately. 46. But the habitual excessive use produces permanent insanity only in those cases where the consumer is physically weak and is not well fed and clothed, and, on the other hand, in the case of those who get good food and are well clad, the excessive use of these drugs does not bring on permanent insanity. Beyond this I cannot answer this question.  - Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR KADIRDAD KHAN GUL KHAN, C.I.E., Deputy Collector, Naushahro Sub-division


45. The moderate use of charas deadens the intellect, but does not produce insanity. Bhang does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity by its moderate use. 46. The habitual excessive use of bhang and charas produces noxious effects, physical, mental and moral. It deadens the intellect and produces insanity ; but the habitual excessive use of bhang alone produces insanity very rarely ; it is the combined excessive use of bhang and charas that produce insanity. Being not a professional man in medicines, I cannot say of what type their use produces the insanity. My impression is that the use produces dementia. I know only of one case of temporary insanity. In the year 1880, I was Head Clerk and Head Munshi in the Office of Assistant to Agent, Governor General in Baluchistan, stationed in Jacobabad. One Havildar and a number of Police sepoys guarded the office and treasure placed in it. The Havildar was given to the moderate habit of using bhang in its liquid form and smoking chards. One day when I went to the office I was informed that the Havildar had become mad ; I saw him myself; he was talking incessantly and quite incoherently, but was otherwise harmless. I learnt that he had been indulging some days previously in the excessive use of bhaug and charas, which had produced the insanity. Knowing hot and dry effects of charas, I ordered some sepoys to seize him and pour over his head a few vessels of cold water morning and evening, as it was, I think, the month of July or August. The process was repeated for two or three days and the man became quite sane again.  - Evidence of S. SADIK ALI SHERALI, Deputy Collector and First Class Magistrate, Frontier District of Upper Sind.


45. It deadens the intellect. The consumer will not be completely insane, but he is close upon insanity. Insanity will not leave him as long as he lives, provided he does not renounce the habit. If he makes it a habit again insanity will attack him again, The following are the symptoms: Irritability, foolishness, and talkativeness. Consumers do not admit their insanity. No; but the use of bhang produces mental anxiety and cares, and on account of the weakness of the brain the consumer gets no sleep. Thus he falls into excess.  - Evidence of RAHMATALA KHAN, Police Inspector, Shikarpur


45  (f) It deadens the intellect, but produces no insanity. I cannot give any more account, but doctors would be able to do so. - Evidence of RAO BAHADUR LAKSHMANSING MATTHRAJI , Police Inspector, Hyderabad, Sind


46.  tends to insanity. - Evidence of MR. GEO. JUDD, Head Preventive Officer, Karachi.


45. It produces insanity, which is at first of a maniacal type and temporary, but may become permanent and end in dementia. The symptoms may certainly be reinduced on resumption of the drug. I think that the mania differs from the ordinary non-toxic type— (a) in the absence of fixed delusions; (b) the occasional presence of cataleptic symptoms. (c) or of automatic cerebrospinal action; (d) in the great frequency or early appearance of mental and moral degradation. The mania due to hemp resembles, I think, that of general paralysis of the insane— (a) in the absence of fixed delusions; (b) the exaltation of ideas. But differs from it to the best of my belief — (a) in the occasional occurrence of cataleptic symptoms; (b) in the occurrence of automatic cerebrospinal action; (c) in the absence of paralysis or epilepsy. That the insanity is not due to alcohol is, I think, proved— (a) by the extreme rarity of delirium tremens among the insanes of this country or the general population, or of tremors or other symptoms of chronic alcoholism; (b) the infrequency among the insanes of visceral lesions attributable to alcohol; (c) the rarity of a history among them of alcoholic intoxication; (d) the frequency of rapid recovery in confinement without ill-effects from deprivation of all intoxicants; (e) the absence of craving for alcohol; (f) by the character of the mania which displays either greater aggressiveness or greater moral and mental degradation. It is never of a good-humoured form. The theory that the insanity of India is mainly due to hemp drugs is supported by— (a) the known prevalence of their use; (b) the statements of patients themselves; (c) or of their relatives or friends; (d) the absence of other adequate causes; (e) the correspondence between some of the symptoms and the known effects of acute intoxication by the drug. I attach a statement showing the causes assigned for the insanity in the cases of 83 lunatics sent to the Hyderabad or Colaba Lunatic Asylums from the Civil Hospital, Karachi, during the past ten years. In only 17 of these was the mental alienation formally ascribed to the use of hemp drugs. In only 5 out of these 17 cases, did the patient or his relatives acknowledge to indulgence in the drugs. In one other (Sobha Choitra above mentioned) there was what I consider good symptomatic evidence of hemp intoxication. In four of the five instances above named, it was stated that the patient also used opium or alcohol, or both. It is, I think, significant that in only 3 of these 83 cases was the insanity attributed to alcohol alone, and in only 3 others to alcohol, opium and hemp combined. I consider it fair to assume that a considerable number of the 39 cases under the head "cause unknown" were due to hemp drugs. But in all cases good proof of the indulgence is very difficult to obtain; and the cause can often only be guessed at from the known habits of the classes chiefly affected, the absence of other causes and the general history and symptoms of the mental malady. - Evidence of BRIGADE-SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL G. BAINBRIDGE, Civil Surgeon, Karachi.


45. Mental anxiety or brain disease (the latter being a rather vague term) is never treated in Sind by resort to bhang, ganja and charas ; it is usually liquor, either Native or European, which is resorted to as the Hindustani and Persian quotations show :— Shirab shouk pinese hama dookh dard jati hain. Labalab bekun dam bedam nosh kun. 46. In cases before the Commission, it has formed, as a rule, the exciting cause. In the history of the admissions into the asylum for the year 1892, it will be seen that the excessive indulgence in the use of hemp drugs formed the exciting causes, for no hereditary insanity could be traced in any of the cases which Mr. Thattumal and I examined. The type may be generally classified as mania, and as characterised by an exaltation or liveliness of manner, and a restlessness as would be seen in one in a state of semi-intoxication, accompanied by incoherence, want of the power of co-ordination of the relations of the ideas of space or time, or of the relations of the various memories developed by the visual, tactual and acoustic sensations; impairment or the complete loss of the sense of shame (a good indicator of the moral state) manifested by walking about naked; defalcating and micturating whenever and wherever nature prompts them ; and talking to some imaginary individual or muttering to themselves, and having a quiet laugh or chuckle when alone. This is a summary of the general features of the type of the cases admitted in 1892, and from observing mawalis going through the various stages of intoxication till unconsciousness and sleep supervene, I could not, somehow, help thinking that in cases produced by the excessive use of hemp drugs, the type of insanity and its modifications simulated or were to a certain extent identical with the latter stages of intoxication in the mawali. The cluster of symptoms accompanying the various stages of intoxication are not ,to be traced as co-existing permanently in the same individual, although they may appear during the time insanity lasts, but in a number of lunatics. A short analysis of the cases before the Commission will show the grounds on which this parallelism has been traced. As a preamble, it may be remarked that the co-ordination of the ideational centres—visual, tactual, acoustic—and the intelligent expression of ideas in articulate language form the highest effort which a human being is capable of. During the period of intoxi-cation, when the ganja is circulating amongst a circle of mawalis, one would think that all their wits were leaving them, crowded out as it were by over-stimulation ; and it is astonishing how infectious this hilarity and outflow of wit and nonsense become to the calm observer. But as intoxication proceeds, or when the equilibrium between waste and repair is suspended by the slow poisoning of the blood circulating round the grey matter of the convolutions of the brain ; when semiptosis and partial congestion of the conjunctiva take place, co-ordination of the ideas begins to fail with articulate language. The month seems drier, more effort is required to keep up the excitement; the voice becomes huskier; more lung pressure is necessary ; the period of co-ordination is past ; a sort of amnesia supervenes ; language becomes automatic ribaldry and slang. When the charas begins to circulate, they do not any longer all speak together , some are silent and have had enough, and more than they are able to carry ; others continue till ultimately silence and sleep supervene ; their state is temporarily similar to an animal with its hemispheres removed. Sarandas Anandas may be taken as an example of the exalted incoherent period. When he was last admitted into the asylum, he went on during his examination in the most extraordinary way, until the veins of his neck were swollen, his face blue, and his mouth dry from the pressure on his lungs, uttering a perfect Babel of automatic phrases in the shape of prayers, denunciations, and threats ; frowning, laughing, crying, and going through all the varied gesticulations, and   intonations almost in the same breath in a perfect whirlwind of incoherence and inco-ordination of ideas. Now he is quite sane. Soba, No. 5, may be taken as an example of the other extreme of the period of aphasia, or perhaps a better diagnosis would be amnesia. When he was admitted into the asylum, he could not speak a word of any known language. On the 1st October 1893, on his examination, it was found that he could now speak Hindustani. But he had no ideas of space or time. With difficulty he said he came from Madanpur, and he knew how to prepare ganja and smoke it; but beyond a few automatic answers to every-day questions, his mind is a complete blank. Perfect destruction of brain tissue could not have more effectually removed all traces of the education, ideas and language constructed by a life-time of human intercourse. He may be said to be in the permanent position of the mawali who has figuratively fallen " beside his chair." It need scarcely be mentioned that between these two extremes there is every gradation depending upon the age, the physical, mental and moral characteristics of the individual, and the length of time and extent of indulgence in the habit. This parallelism kept for some time possession of my mind until Makka, wife of Fazul, a young woman about 18, was admitted on the 12th June 1893. The police took her husband away from her, charged him with theft, and he was imprisoned for 12 months. This so preyed upon her mind that she lost her reason; and she was sent to the lunatic asylum. On her admission she behaved exactly like those suffering from insanity from the excessive use of hemp drugs. No absolute diagnostic feature could be shown from the most careful examination of her symptoms as indicating a difference between the two types of insanity but the history of the cause. But it may also assume the morose melancholic type as in Metho, No. 6. The indulgence in hemp drugs may be said to be both temporary or permanent. Jehangir alias Parashram may be cited as an example of the permanent effect of the drug on the brain. Mattadin, No. 8, and Bux Ali, No. 10, may be shown as having suffered from its temporary effects. The symptoms may be re-induced after liberation from restraint, as in the case of Metho, No. 6, or Sarandas Anandas, who has been four times in the asylum suffering from the effects of hemp drugs. There are no typical symptoms. Although I have tried to draw a parellel between intoxication in the sane and insanity produced by hemp drugs, I do not think there is a great difference between intoxication produced by the latter and wine or spirituous liquors drunk to excess. Moreover, anything which would injuriously affect the grey matter of the convolutions of the brain in a similar way (such as grief, loss of honour or property, or fear; or ureemia, sapticeemia, etc.) would, â priori, produce like results. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug if they know what they are talking about. Persons deficient in self-control through weakened intellect, no matter from what cause, especially if they have no friends to keep them straight, as a rule, gravitate towards the company of the idle and vicious, viz., the mawalis. Revised answer to Question 46 submitted by DR. KEITH. 46. Does the habitual excessive use of any of these drugs produce any noxious effects— physical, mental or moral ? Always produces noxious effects—physical, mental and moral, as reference to hemp drugs cases admitted in 1892 will show. Does it impair the constitution in any way ? Yes. Does it injure the digestion or cause loss of appetite ? Yes. Does it cause dysentery, bronchitis or asthma ? There is no reliable data. Hemp drugs patients in this asylum do not seem to suffer more than the others from these affections. Does it impair the moral sense or induce lazi ness or habits of immorality or debauchery ? Yes. Does it deaden the intellect or produce insanity Yes. In cases known to you when it has produced insanity, has it appeared to you to be merely the exciting as distinguished from the predisposing cause of the insanity ? The exciting cause. If it produces insanity, then of what type, and is it temporary or permanent ? The types are mania or melancholia, and they may be both temporary and permanent. If temporary, may the symptoms be reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint ? Yes. Are there any typical symptoms ? Not to toxical insanity. Do insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess to the use of the drug. Yes. In such cases of the alleged connection between insanity and the use of hemp as are known to you, are you of opinion that the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief has been sufficiently con sidered in explaining that connection? And do you think there is any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect ? Answered under 45. Yes. Give an account under each of these points of any cases with which you are acquainted. A full account of each case admitted in 1892 has been supplied. Question 45. [oral evidence]— The insanes are brought to the hospital by their relations like other pa tients. I, as Civil Surgeon, have to collect all information necessary for the admission of the lunatic to the asylum, and I not only fill up the certificate, but the whole ofthe form printed on the back of the certificate. I get the inform ation from the relations and friends. Some insanes are brought by the police without any relations. In that case the information is got from the police. When the police pick up an insane in the bazar, they cannot know any thing about him, unless they can discover his relations in the neighbourhood. Sometimes bai ragis and people of that class are brought up without any information having been gathered about them. In all other cases the relations come to the hospital voluntarily with the insane or are brought by the police. I think that in the major ity of cases I get no information as to cause of insanity. The mendicants form the great majority of cases, and it is difficult to get any information about them. The insanes in the asylum may be ranged under two classes, the majority about whom no information can be got, and the minority about whom I have made enquiry from their friends. In the case of any insane man about whom there is no history, it is impossible to state toms most resemble, and it is the best way I can the cause of insanity. In the majority of cases therefore the cause is entered as unknown. The only ground, as far as I can remember, on which I would enter cause would be the information of friends or the statement of the insane after he had recovered his wits. If no other cause of insanity was given, and the friends told me that the patient consumed hemp, or he himself admitted the habit, I should certainly enter hemp as the cause. I think it is only the excessive use and not the moderate use of hemp which may, and often does, cause insanity ; and I have not, as Superintendent of the Asylum, hitherto distinguished between the moderate and excessive use in these enquiries, because that information has not been called for, and because for my purposes as Civil Surgeon I should accept the statement that the hemp was used as implying the excessive habit. In regard to case No. 7 of the asylum cases of 1892, after having read question and answer No. 4 of the statement of Jatanand, the lunatic's father, I should still hold to the view that bhang was the cause of insanity, because I should not believe that the use was moderate, i.e., to say, having this evidence only and no other history of cause, I should be inclined to consider bhang the cause. In regard to case No. 6 of the asylum cases of 1892, I see that the evidence collected at the recent enquiry is clearly to the effect that the insane did not use the drugs; but in view of the fact that in the asylum the insane showed himself quite familiar with the mode of preparation of the drug, and actually smoked it in my presence, I reject the evidence and accept the insane's statement, though he is still a lunatic and clearly incorrect in his arithmetic in regard to the quantities of the drug he used to consume, and attribute the case to hemp drugs. Hemp-drug insanity is diagnosed from the cause. There is no type of such insanity. The hemp drug may be the predisposing or exciting cause of insanity. I should not be disposed to say generally whether the predisposing or the excit-ing cause was the more important. Heredity is the most important predisposing cause. If I had the history of heredity and the evidence of the hemp-drug habit, I should record it ; and it would appear in my returns as a hemp-drug case. Heredity is the predisposing, and hemp drugs the exciting, cause in such a case, but hemp drugs only would appear in my returns. If I had a history of the hemp-drug habit and grief, I should record it as a case of toxic insanity. In case No. 11 of the asylum cases of 1892, regarding which a further enquiry was made, accepting as true the statement of Ailmal, as record-ed by me, I should find it difficult to say which of the two causes, hemp drugs and grief, was to be regarded as the more potent. I should consider hemp drugs as the predisposing, and grief as the exciting, cause. I should record the case as one of toxic insanity. When the hemp-drug habit is admitted, I see no reason to seek for any other cause.
 - Evidence of BRIGADE-SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. F. KEITH, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Hyderabad, Sind.


45.  when continued for any long period, it deadens the intellect, but is never said to give rise to insanity - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR W. A. CORKERY, Civil Surgeon, Sukkur.


45. ( f) As a cause of permanent insanity I am not prepared to express any opinion as I have not seen any cases. I have met with a few cases of frenzy induced by it, which might be classed under temporary insanity, but the symptoms passed off after prolonged sleep induced by medicines. The latter is more probable. My opinion is that the habit of using hemp preparations is to be reprobated, as it is not beneficial in any way. On the other hand the first use of hemp is often accompanied by deeds of violence and those long addicted to it suffer from impairment of the physical, mental and moral powers, and evidence is to be found of its being a potent cause of permanent insanity. 46. Habitual excessive use may impair the moral sense and lead to insanity.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon, EDWARD MACKENZIE, Manora, Karachi, Sind.


45. No sufficient data to discuss the question of causation of insanity by hemp drugs. So far as I have observed, moderate doses of subzi do not lead to insanity.  - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon, G. M. DIXON, Medical Officer and Superintendent, Nara Jail.


45. No, not when used by itself, or when free from admixtures, especially dhatura; also, not unless venereal excesses or self-abuse pave the way ; further, a predisposing cause, such as a naturally weak intellect, must also exist. Bhang of itself, except if used in excess, is innocuous to the brain, and of all combinations, that of bhang and dha-tura is the most harmful in this respect. Bhang with the simultaneous use of ganja or charas may give rise to insanity, but a predisposing cause must also exist. This question is further discussed under section 46. Bhang, employed in excess, and its use extended over a long period of time, debilitates the system and brings on emaciation; also causes digestive disorders leading to piles and chronic dysentery. Chronic bronchitis is common with bhang-drinking in excess. Of asthma, I have no cases. That it impairs the moral sense, deadens the intellect, and leads to evil ways, I have no doubt. It does not produce insanity, unless predisposing causes exist. Ganja and charas may cause insanity, but I have no evidence to adduce. I have On record one case of a young man, at. 19, a bhawa, who was habituated to the moderate use of bhang, and once partook of ganja in excess. He had a temporary attack of acute mania, became violent, noisy, and abusive, would run into the streets naked unless restrained. His delusion was that all his friends were conspiring to kill him. The attack, which occurred some three months ago, and which subsided under treatment, has not recurred since, but I learn that the individual has not again given cause for it. Possibly the symptoms may be re-induced should cause be given. Among the class of bawas and fakirs, who lead a life of indolence and ease, cases of dementia adven-titia or of chronic melancholic mania, are sometimes seen. In two cases of this nature, I had good reason to suppose that self-abuse played a prominent part, rather than the abuse of bhang or ganja. I have on record three cases of mental excitement bordering on insanity in the class of Muhammadans known as the " mawalis " (men habitually addicted to the use of intoxicants of all kinds, but especially bhang and charas, opium and chandul, and sunk in the depth of the intoxicating effects of these drugs), caused by the combined use of bhang and charas. In each case, however, the friends of the patients have asserted that the partial mental aberration was due entirely to the excessive use of charas, and not of bhang. The following case, the only one of its kind I know of, may indicate that a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect may become insane by falling into the use of hemp. He is a young Sindhi (Amyl), aged about 20 years. Though born of sane parents, he was from birth a simpleton. He spent the greater part of the day in the tikhanas in prayers and serving God, as his friends supposed. He there became habituated to taking bhang, in moderate quantities, it is said. On one occasion he took a strong dose of physic (jamalgota) which moved his bowels some sixteen to twenty times. This gave him a severe pain in the abdomen for which he was advised to take a big dose of "ghata" bhang. He did so, and on waking up from the stupor induced by the drug, he was found to have gone out of mind completely. At first he manifested signs of acute mania, was very violent, and had to be restrained by main force. His delusion was, and still is, that there is some one coming to kill him, and is in constant dread of being throttled. The boy is yet insane, but is not now violent either to himself or to others. There is no history of syphilis in the family, but his friends are not able to tell me whether the boy was addicted or  not to self-abuse, a vice common among the youths of Sind. I would here record also a case of paraplegia which came under my notice some time ago, and which was attributed to the excessive use of bhang. The patient is now dead. He was a man of about 35 years, with no history of syphilis or venereal excesses as far as I could ascertain from the other members of the family, and no habit of taking any other narcotic than bhang, except tobacco in moderation. He used "ghata" bhang of his own preparation twice a day regularly, and sometimes even three times, besides what he happened to consume with his friends in the tikhanas. I learn that he died from exhaustion and bed-sores after three months' lingering illness. - Evidence of Assistant Surgeon,J. E.BOCARRO,Lecturer, Medical School, Hyderabad (Sind).


45. I am not aware of any cases where insanity has been brought on by the moderate use of these drugs. Nor have I any evidence to give to indicate that insanity leads to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by persons deficient in self-control. 46. The habitual excessive use of these drugs impairs the constitution. Excessive use is supposed to bring on temporary fits of insanity. Generally mania of some kind is produced. I have no personal knowledge of any cases where insanity was brought on by the excessive use of these drugs. Again I have heard of people occasionally running amuck. On enquiry in these cases it is found that they had indulged freely in bhang just before the fit. Often in such cases a motive is found for the crimes committed by the persons affected, and it would seem that they had indulged in bhang simply to strengthen themselves for the perpetration of these acts. In some cases, however, no such motive appears to exist.  -  Evidence of Assistant Surgeon, MULCHAND GANGARAM, in charge Larkana Dispensary.


45.(f) No. 46. Yes, it produces noxious effects by using bhang, ganja and charas to excess. Yes, it does deaden the intellect or produce insanity. I remember few cases coming to my notice here and at Sehwan, being merely of exciting causes of insanity, and it was only temporary. Yes. There is every probability of the symptoms being re-induced by using the drug after liberation from restraint. No, the insane don't confess to the use of the drug. - Evidence of ELIJAH BENJAMIN, Jew, First Class Hospital Assistant, Shikarpur.


 45. and it will produce temporary insanity in very excessive smokers. To me it appears the exciting cause. No such case has come under my observation. Unknown. 46. The excess quantity impairs the constitution. It does ruin the digestion.  No such case of madness came under my notice.   - Evidence of SHAIK ALI, First Class Hospital Assistant,Jacobabad.


45. Excessive indulgence of all the hemp drugs. Hemp drugs chiefly act upon the brain; produc -ing pleasurable excitement and intoxication with hallucinations. The individual, fancying himself in paradise, is happy and contented with himself and his surroundings. He laughs, sings, libidinous ideas are frequent in his head; the appetite is at first increased. These sensations are followed by sleep. The pleasurable sensations and hallucinations lead to constant indulgence, and in large doses of the drugs; the pleasing sensations become gradually less marked, the individual remaining in a state of stupor. He becomes anæmic, pale, dusky in hue, debilitated, the eyesight fails, the eyelids droop; bronchitis, and especially asthma, are noticed in habitual consumers, chiefly of charas; the appetite fails; the individual becomes sluggish, idle, suffers from forgetfulness, the mind deteriorates, the person does not attend his work regularly, does it by fits and starts, and ultimately leaves it off. Persons of the labouring and artisan classes turn beggars and fakirs, infesting mosques, burial grounds and the like. Thorough physical and mental debasement ensues. Excessive venery and prolonged sexual intercourse, leading to ultimate impotence are common. Religious mania and dementia may follow. There is also evidence to show that hemp drugs produce acute mania with homicidal violence, acute melancholia with attempted suicide, and chronic dementia. Persons have also been known to have run amuck with or without motive. The insanity is temporary in the case of acute mania generally. I know of a young Muhammadan who had to be kept under restraint, having become the subject of acute mania from habitual excessive indulgence in the drug. He is now well; but still infests burial grounds to indulge in the poison in large doses. In cases where dementia supervenes recovery is not probable; both my cases are still dementic. I do not know of any typical symptoms when persons become insane from indulgence in hemp drugs. In the cases known to me, so far as I was able to make out, there was no mental anxiety or brain disease leading to indulgence in charas. I do not know of any evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. Questions 45 and 46.[oral evidence]—The effects here described (after paragraph 1) refer to both moderate and excessive use in part. It is difficult to draw a definite line between moderate and excessive use. They merge into one another. But generally speaking the results from paragraph 3 onwards are of excessive use, though with some constitutions the moderate use might cause them. I base my remarks on personal experience. I have visited the haunts of the mawalis (or debau-chees). I have followed out some of these cases (seen in these haunts) and made definite enquiry regarding them. Some were persons I had known before. There are four cases of insanity which I have specially watched, and of which I know the details. I have dealt with none of them professionally. I have enquired into them with the object of bringing them before the notice of the Commission. I believe I have enquired into the history of these cases as carefully as I should have done had they been before me professionally. I had formed no opinion as to the evil of the drugs. A Sub-Inspector of nuisances under me showed me the cases. None of them had been in the asylum. They were all Muhammadans. Three of them have no relations; and one has a mother and brother. I understand that they were once all earning an honest livelihood, but became wrecks by the use of the drugs. T here are three still at Karachi; one has gone. These three are still insane. I never knew any of these men before this inquiry. They were only shown to me in the course of this inquiry, and I enquired into their cases. A, a Muhammadan, 24 years of age, commenced smoking charas at the age of 16. His mother and brother are both alive and told me so. They said that he got into the habit by associating with the mawalis, who resort to burial grounds to smoke. He also told me himself in his lucid intervals. He was a working man. I do not know his occupation. He got into bad company and left off work completely. This was at least three years ago, at least a year before his first attack. I am told he had an attack of acute mania two years ago, which lasted six months, during which time he was kept in restraint. He was not treated. but was cured. He resumed his old habits and had a relapse five days before I left for Bombay to appear here. He had apparently purposely lighted his mattress and burned himself in a fit of madness on the Sunday before my departure (which was last Thursday). I saw him the next day. He was then incoherent and confused. I saw that both his legs were burned. My Sub-Inspector knew he had been mad six months, as stated above. I don't know whether this company, in which this man was, had other vices or not. They were associated because they were all bad characters, birds of a feather; but I cannot say that it was an association for charas smoking. They are not spirit drinkers. They may have been given to sexual excess; very probably this man was, I have never seen any one smoke dhatura. I did not ask whether they used it. The man's father is dead. I do not know what he died of. The mother said there was no insanity in the family. I don't know what was the condition of the boy when he began the drug; but I was told he was healthy. That information is reliable, I think. This is a case of mania. He was introduced to me as a case of insanity which had occurred eighteen months ago; and I enquired into the case from him and saw the mother as well. I did not enquire into heredity in the sense of going back any generations. I simply asked the mother if there was insanity in the family; and she said "no." The use of the drug in this case may have been both the exciting and predisposing cause. That is, the effects of the drug predisposed the patient to the insanity which was subsequently set up by the drug. I have had no experience in inquiries into insanity. I think it may have been a defect in my inquiry not to go fully into heredity; possibly also not to enquire into dhatura, which I believe may cause insanity. I also think that sexual excess may be a cause of insanity; but I had not considered this. I had not excluded all other causes; but I still think that charas smoking was the cause of insanity. This is the case of the Muhammadan referred to in the sixth paragraph of my printed answer. The inquiries into the other three cases are similar in their conditions. I could hardly obtain as full information in them as in this case; for there were no relatives.  - Evidence of DR. S. M. KAKA, Medical Officer of Health, Karachi.


45 It produces temporary insanity in many cases. I know nothing more.  - Evidence of MAKHDUM DOST MOHAMMED MAKHDUM FAZUL MOHAMMED, Zamindar, Bubak, Karachi.


45. It does not deaden the intellect. It does not produce insanity. 46. All the three deaden the intellect. They do not produce insanity, but loss of consciousness during the time the intoxication lasts. Persons do drink bhang in order to obtain relief from mental anxiety. It is not insanity; but it is loss of consciousness that often tends to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs.  - Evidence of SETH VISHINDAS NIHALCHAND, Zamindar, Merchant, and Contractor, Manjoo, Karachi


45. I have never known a case of insanity produced by the use of these drugs, but one of our Christians, a native of Ahmedabad, tells me that he knew a native Christian who died mad through smoking ganja and charas.  - Evidence of the REV. A. E. BALL, Missionary, Church Missionary Society, Karachi.


45. (f ) No. (g) I do not know any case. - Evidence of PRIBHDAS SHEWAKRAM ADVANI Secretary, Band of Hope, Hyderabad, Sind.


45. Charas.-Ganja and charas smokers appear black .and feeble. The use of these two drugs deadens the intellect and excessive use of bhang also deadens the intellect.  - Evidence of TIRITHDAS HASRAJMAL, Member of the firm of Denmal Sachanond, Karachi.


45. It deadens the intellect, but it produces no insanity.  - Evidence of PESUMAL .NARUMAL, Farmer and Merchant, Hyderabad


45. (f) The moderate use will not. It does not produce insanity. (g) It is used by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief.  - Evidence of DAYARAM KISHUNCHAND, Bhang, Charas and Ganja, and Opium Farmer, Hyderabad


45. (f) The excessive use deadens the intellect. It does not produce insanity. Ganja will not produce insanity, nor will insanes confess to the use of the drug. (g) They obtain relief. The excessive use of bhang leads into too much indulgence.  -  Evidence of DIN MAHOMED, Contractor, Shikarpur.


45.  It deadens intellect and makes a man dull. It produces a sort of madness.  -  Evidence of C. SHAM RAO, Attachè to the Resident at Hyderabad, now at Pusad, Basim District.


45. It is said to produce insanity in those who take it in excess, but of what type, whether temporary or permanent, &c., is not know to me. I am not acquainted with any cases of insanity, and therefore cannot give an answer to the previous paragraph. - Evidence of MR. A. ARDAGH, Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Ellichpur.


45.  Yes, it deadens the intellect and produces insanity if taken in excess. No knowledge of type ; cannot say temporary or permanent.  - Evidence of MR. J. C. WATCHA, Excise Inspector, Ellichpur.


45. It does deaden the intellect and produce insanity. It produces insanity in the case of excessive consumers. It is temporary and may be remedied if early steps are taken - Evidence of WAMAN GANESH, Tahsildar, Wun


45. Taken in excess it deadens the intellect and produces insanity. In two cases of insane sepoys in my late regiment who had to be sent to lunatic asylum, one to Nagpur, and the other to Rangoon asylums, the insanity in both cases was entirely due to excessive use of ganja. In neither of the cases was there any predisposing cause of insanity. Both were violent and inclined to be homicidal, and neither of them had suffered previously from mental anxiety or brain disease. Five other sepoys were discharged from the regiment as mentally deficient, whose intellects were deadened by the excessive use of ganja and bhang.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR C. L. SWAINE, Officiating Sanitary Commissioner, and Inspector- General of Dispensaries.


45. It is generally believed to produce insanity.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR R. B. ROE, Civil Surgeon, Amraoti.


46. The excessive habitual use of ganja is highly detrimental to the consumer. ( f) No. Produces temporary insanity, and is the exciting cause of such temporary insanity. Type : like a case of acute mania. Temporary ; yes. The chief symptoms are ungovernable fury, great restlessness, want of sleep, dilated pupils, refusal of all food, talks ramblingly and incoherently ; a busy delirium being present. There is also a sense of dread and suspicion. Besmears his excreta about his cell walls. (g) Not known.  - Evidence of DR. O. W. JONES, Civil Surgeon, Basim.


45 (f) It deadens the intellect eventually. It has produced insanity. In two cases known to me it appeared the exciting cause. These two cases were in men who laboured under the opinion that their wives were carrying on criminal intimacy with other men. In the above cases I consider the connection conclusive. I have no evidence as to whether insanity may tend to the use of hemp drugs. 46. I have no experience, but think that the excessive use of any of these drugs would eventually tend to insanity. - Evidence of DR. J. MORRISON, Civil Surgeon, Yeotmal.


45. The man who takes to excess becomes literally half mad.  - Evidence of DR. W. J.. MONTGOMERY, Civil Surgeon, Buldana.


45. I have seen in the lunatic asylums at Poona and Ahmedabad (Guzerat) that about 75 per cent. of the lunatics were, before their coming into the asylum and before becoming a subject fit for that place ganja and charas smokers, mostly the former. Ganja is the thing which excites insanity, because it acts directly on the nervine centre, and a man who is otherwise sober becomes irritable and ex citable by its intoxication. Its effect is more acute and prompt in persons of weakened intellect and who abuse moral power than those who observe moderation. Bhang seldom acts as an exciting cause of insanity. It does not act at the commencement on the brain, but it does on the digestive organs first, Ind gradually the intoxcation travels on to the brain. I have seen some good songsters and athletes who, without using either ganja or bhang, cou1d do nothing ; but when once having enjoyed their favourite drug, they find their intellect and muscles respectively sharpened and could do the best of performance. Usually a martyr of bhang, without it, has got his power of thinking or inclination of doing any other thing, a zero ; but with the doses of bhang his intellect increases. This state of things remains for such time as the moderate use of the stuff could be borne. But when it reaches to the extreme, then either the overdose of the drug or the total want of it drives the man out of his senses, and he thus becomes a lunatic. When once in the asylum, the total abstinence from the drug, aided by the curative power of nature, exercised by rigid restraint, brings the man round. But a repetition of the same without much time or drug brings the man again to his former state, and thus the lunacy returns. From the above it could be perceived that ganja is usually exciting and the bhang a predisposing cause of insanity, according to my oponion. The insanity produced by the effects of ganja is generally of a violent character and rarely a mild one. Amongst most of the murderers about 90 per cent. will be found to be ganja smokers. The insanity of bhang is usually of mild type and temporary. Persons so affected have got some imaginary object in view ; for example, some expects to find treasure ; some thinks he is made of glass ; some expects his friend, &c., and is very rarely of a violent character. Insanity produced by both these drugs is of a temporary kind ; but, if once cured, is apt to return if the same drug is indulged again.
Persons who generally use these drugs to an excess are mostly sadhus, jogis and bairagis. They having abandoned the world, are content amongst the society of their own. They neither speak much or interfere with other people. As this is also a kind of insanity, I consider the excessive use of the drug, though producing madness, its variety varies and the madness of the sadhus, jogis, etc., is one of them.  - Evidence of S. BAIJNATH, Medical Officer, Mady Hospital, Badnera.


45. The intellect is deadened, but insanity is not produced usually. The disposition of the consumer is changed. He is irritable and fretful, readily gets into a passion, and is quick to resent an offence, imaginary or real. A temporary fit of acute mania may occur resulting from a single excessive indulgence of the drug (ganja or bhang) as the exciting cause ; but he quickly recovers. 46. Physical mental and moral degeneration is intensified, and insanity is a frequent consequence. The insanity takes the form of acute mania with a homicidal tendency and terminating in permanent dementia. - Evidence of DR. S. G. STEINHOFF, Medical Officer in charge, Charitable Dispensary, Khamgaon
 

45. It deadens the intellect, but does not produce insanity - Evidence of MR. DINNER NARAYEN, District Superintendent of Vaccination, Buldana.


45. (f) It does. In my opinion it is very exciting, and it has been observed to be without predisposing cause of insanity. It does produce insanity, but of a mild type, and is of a temporary nature. Yes; it is reinduceable after liberation of restraint by use of the same drug. Rarely. Yes; those who possess no history of ganja smoking confess to the use of it. (g) From information in my possession, I am of opinion that persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease, who obtain relief in explaining their connections or considering themselves as relief from insanity, under which they may have laboured, and persons deficient in selfcontrol do indulge in the use of hemp as improving measure. In my capacity as a medical man, I fell in several places where persons who after being cured of temporary insanity have confessed of their having found relief in their reverting to the use of hemp, but I am unable to quote any particular case, as it is now a protracted period since I became acquainted with the foregoing facts.  - Evidence of M. DOORGIAH PILLAY, 1st Class Hospital Assistant, in medical charge, AKola Dispensary.


45 (f) In some cases of habitual moderate users the form of insanity known as dementia manifests itself, and generally it is of a chronic kind and it is also primary. As far as I have seen, there are no typical symptoms. These resemble symptoms in dementia induced through any other causes. (g) I do not know of cases of insanity produced by using the drug for allaying mental anxiety or pain in brain diseases. I cannot say so. I have seen and known of such cases, but they were not under my treatment, and so I am unable to give a detailed history.  - Evidence of G. V. KOT, Brahmin, Medical Practitioner, Amraoti.


45. A man who takes to excess turns almost half-cracked. - Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR NAWAB MUHAMMA.D SALAMULLA KHA.N, Jagirdar, Deulghat, Buldana District.


46. I do not, however, personally know of any case of insanity resulting from excessive use of ganja. - Evidence of YESHWANT VAMAN DIGHE, Pleader, Basim.


45. It deadens the intellect slightly, but does not produce insanity. - Evidence of NIAMAT KHAN BILAN KHAN, Merchant, Balapur, Akola District


45. [It] deadens the intellect, and produces slight insanity, which is of a temporary character. The symptoms of insanity may be re-induced by the use of these drugs after liberation from restraint.  - Evidence of LAKSHMAN ATMARAM MAHAJAN, Merchant, Manjrul Pir.


45 ; and brings on madness. But it remains for some days, and the use does not deprive the madness ; the consumer becomes actually mad.  - Evidence of KHAJA ABDUL BAKI, Money-lender, Mehkar, Buldana District.


45. The use of these drugs deadens the intellect and produces insanity. Their effects are exciting and. not predisposing cause of insanity. They bring on melancholia and monomania. The insanity is temporary, and flue symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drug. Insanes do admit the use of the drug. The moderate use of bhang does afford relief to mental anxiety. A porter, named Karim Bux, of Ajmeie, aged 30 years, ran mad by the excessive use of ganja and charas. He returned. to the lunatic asylum no less than fifteen or twenty times, and at last died in the asylum. He admitted that, owing to weakened intellect, after liberation from restraint, he could not exercise self-control and keep himself from the further use of the drugs.  - Evidence of KHAN BAHADUR DR SHEIKH ELAHI BUX, Government Pensioner and Honorary Mgistrate, Ajmere.


45. As soon as intoxication increases, irritation begins, which affects brain, and at last does injury. As long as its effect is temporary, insanity too, which may be caused by it, will be temporary ; when it fully affects the brain, insanity caused will take its root. After temporary liberation, people may be addicted to the drugs when re-used.  - Evidence of ABDUL KAYUM, Hakim, Ajmere.


45.  Ganja and charas smoking impairs intellect and causes insanity ; excessive use of bhang too produces these effects, but not its moderate use. The mania caused by ganja and charas lasts for ever and that by bhang can be cured. The sufferer of mania caused by the use of ganja and charas is violent, while that of bhang is generally quiet, but seldom violent. I never saw any man suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease who drank bhang for relief from this complaint and became insane. I am of opinion that insanity may tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by persons who are of weak intellect and unsteady mind. 46.Excessive use of any of these drugs is injurious. The consumer becomes mad and dies soon. -  Evidence of JATI AMAR HANSA, .Baid, Ajmere.*


45 It deadens the intellect. It appears to produce some insanity of a temporary character, because when they are under its influence they appear to talk all sorts of things. - Evidence of MR. A. BOPPANNA, Planter, Bepunaad, Green Hills, Coorg


45. (f) Never except in excessive use. Such sort of cases have never been noticed by me up to this time. 46. Yes; it is believed it produces insanity ; it causes madness only, but harmless. Yes ; they confess when they return to their senses.  - Evidence of MUHAMMAD YUSUF, Hospital Assistant, New Chaman.


45 (f) Yes, insanity is almost certain result if the practice is continued long or used excessively. Predisposing cause in cases where there is no hereditary tendency, and exciting cause where it exists. Acute mania, both of temporary and permanent forms. Yes, the symptoms may be re-induced. Congested state of conjunctiva. No. A near relative of mine who used the charas in moderation at first died of mania of permanent form, in which ease all the known treatments were of no avail, and there was no hereditary tendency in the family.  - Evidence of BHUGWAN DASS, Khattri, Hospital Assistant, Quetta.


45 (f) Yes ; persons become temporarily imbecile, laughing or crying, and behave in a childish way. 46. Two Punjabi policemen in the Reserve Police became insane from the excessive use of the drug.  - Evidence of MR. H. G. BATTEN,* Deputy Commissioner, Mergui.


45. Does deaden the intellect, and produces insanity, temporary and permanent. If temporary, the symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The medical witnesses will give evidence regarding the typical symptoms and remaining points to be reported on under this section. - Evidence of MR. J. S. D. FRASER, Deputy Commissioner, Pegu.


The Lunatic Asylum Report and Returns are entirely prepared in the office of the Superintendent. I am not responsible for them. I do not always share the Superintendent's views, though I pass on his report. I think that the information on which causes are assigned is generally unreliable. I base this opinion on what I have heard from Superintendents of the grounds on which they make entries. They are anxious to get information and lay hold of anything they get, though it is often of little value. It is difficult to get any information. We often cannot even get the names of individuals. The form prescribed has to be filled in, and the endeavour to do this leads to causes being entered which have not been fully ascertained. The causes in the returns might be shown as unknown where cause is not ascertained. There is really no objection to this. But the impression, if this were largely done, would be that the Superintendent was not taking sufficient pains to ascertain what the causes were. I should not like to say that it was a merit to have the entries in the column of " unknown cause " few in number. I see that in the 1884 report I make a comparison with other provinces that would indicate this. The fact is that if the entries were numerous the impression would be unfavourable ; I should be inclined to think that the officer was indolent. Since then, however, I attach less weight to the causes shown than I did then.
 - Evidence of BRIGADE-SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL D. SINCLAIR, Inspector General of Jails, etc.


I have been over twenty years in the service and for nineteen years in Burma in civil employ. I have had no special training in lunacy and no special experience in lunacy. I have had charge of this asylum only for a little over two months. I had never to my knowledge any experience of ganja insanity before I joined the asylum. Last year out of 169 civil lunatics, 72 were admitted from Rangoon. The lunatics from Rangoon come for observation here ; and the medical certificate is made out here. They come with a statement from the police, which is frequently quite blank, every entry being filled in as " Not known " or " Nil." The only case of insanity ascribed to ganja which has come to the asylum since I joined is that of Abdul Kadar. He was sent merely with a letter asking that he be kept under examination. No information was sent with him. The Assistant Surgeon, Moung Thin, filled in the Case Book after seeing the man's friends. I did not see the friends. The friends very rarely come at all ; and they cannot be kept. In this case I did not see them. The Assistant Surgeon entered " ganja eating " as the exciting cause, no predisposing cause being given ; and the following entry Occurs three days after the man's admission : —" Some friends of his informed me that Abdul Kadar used to indulge himself very freely in the use of ganja with milk for about a year prior to his admission into this asylum. They say that the abuse of ganja has driven him to madness." Setting aside this entry, there was nothing in this man's condition that would have led me to suspect toxic insanity. There were no special symptoms in this case. In regard to cases sent in from other districts, the information is most incomplete. In more than half the cases received last year no cause of insanity was given. When a cause is given, we accept it as such. We have of course nothing else. My experience is short, and I have had no reason to question any entry made by a Civil Surgeon or otherwise in a "history " received with a lunatic. I think that officers concerned are glad to find a cause when they can. I think they are under the impression that it looks as if they were not zealous if they do not find a cause. The most recent orders on the subject are contained in Dr. Dalzell's Circular No. 21, issued to all Civil Surgeons on 21st July 1892, while he was acting as Inspector General of Jails. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL O. BAKER, Civil Surgeon, Rangoon.


45. I have not come across any case of insanity from the moderate use of bhang. I have known several instances of young sepoys who had become insane from the moderate use of ganja, and one young man whom I met twenty years after he was—then a harmless imbecile. 46. I have no doubt in my mind that the habitual excessive use of the hemp drugs injures the constitution and is often the exciting cause of insanity. Question 45. [oral evidence]—In some constitutions the habitual moderate use may produce insanity. The case I have in mind is that of a sepoy who came from Madras in 1872. Believing that ganja was a protection against fever, he began at once to smoke it. My enquiries led me to believe that he used to smoke only once or twice a day. My experience in regard to the idea that ganja is a protection against malaria is confined to Madrasi sepoys. The man referred to above became insane in 1872, and was sent to the lunatic asylum. I saw him again in 1890, and he was still imbecile. His case is that referred to in my written answer to question 45. Regarding the man's hemp drug habit, I made all the enquiries that were possible from his comrades and native officers. I attributed the insanity to ganja, because there was no other cause, no insanity in the family, and the man was perfectly well when he came over from India. I arrived at the diagnosis by excluding other causes. I nqu ired the man's family history from friends of his in the regiment. There were some who knew him and his people. I looked upon ganja as the exciting cause of insanity in this case. The man had only smoked ganja for six months. The man was excitable, talkative and noisy. He reported me to the General as not having treated him properly. He was then in the hospital under observation. Besides the point of heredity, I consulted the man's Medical Sheet, which was all right. That was all the enquiry I made, and I thought that was sufficient to exhaust other causes. The medical history sheet only covered the period of his service, about four years. I had no knowledge of his medical history before that time. This is the only case of true insanity from the hemp drugs which I have known. The other cases referred to in my answer to question 45 were slighter, and I cannot say if they were due to moderate or excessive use of the drug. Among the slight cases I remember a young sepoy going off his head and walking round the mess table. After two days he was all right. He said he was off his head, and did not know what he was doing, and the sepoys said his condition was due to ganja. He himself denied that he had smoked ganja. The sepoys said lie had smoked on that occasion, not that he was an habitual smoker. Under the influence of alcohol, people do not behave in the same way. You might say that the above sepoy was intoxicated with ganja, not rendered insane. My experience of hemp drug insanity is confined therefore to one case. My answer to question 46 is based on that case. - Evidence of SURGEON-LIEUTENANT-COLONEL P. N. MOOKERJEE, Civil Surgeon, Sagaing, Upper Burma


45 (f) Small dose excites sexual desire, but excess has quite contrary effect. In excess it deadens intellect and produces insanity, and appears to be merely as an exciting cause. The types of insanity are in majority of cases acute mania, and in a few, melancholia, and it is generally temporary, but is apt to recur by using the drug again. (g) No, not in the majority of cases. It may be in a very few cases. Question 45[oral evidence].—My statement regarding lunacy resulting from the drug is based on. my experience as Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum in Rangoon, and not on any other facts. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR S. H. DANTRA, Civil Surgeon, Mandalay.


45 (f) It perverts the intellect and produces insanity. I have not had cases of toxic insanity from this cause under treatment, and therefore am unable to give an opinion as to whether the abuse of the drug was the exciting or predisposing cause. The form of insanity is chiefly maniacal.  - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR P. W. DALZELL, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent, Central Prison, Bassein


45 (f) Personally I have not known the use of these drugs produce insanity permanently, but I have not had charge of a lunatic asylum. I have only met a few cases of temporary excitement from the use of bhang. - Evidence of SURGEON-MAJOR G. T. THOMAS, Civil Surgeon, Moulmein


45. I have met two well-marked cases of insanity, which were apparently caused by abuse of this habit. In neither case was I able to obtain reliable information, on which I could base an opinion as to the mental state before the habit began. I have no doubt whatever that persons of a neurotic diathesis might find this habit the starting point of mental disease. Question 45. [oral evidence]—The consumption of the hemp drugs has not come before me as affecting the health of the people. I have never discovered ganja in the jail. I remember a small piece of some substance which I was told was ganja, being once found on the person of a prisoner on admission to the jail. The only two cases in which I have seen any reason to connect the hemp drugs with insanity were criminal lunatics admitted to the jail, and they were Sikhs. The cause was put down as ganja smoking. I endeavoured to get evidence on the subject and applied to their commanding officers, but failed to get reliable information that there had been abuse of the drug. Questions put to the men who accompanied the prisoners also failed to elicit any information beyond the fact that they were ganja smokers. I was unable to conclude with confidence that the insanity was due to ganja in these cases, because there was no evidence of excess, and I could not learn the previous history of the men. These are the two cases mentioned in my answer to question 45. - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN R. E. S. DAVIS, Superintendent, Central Prison, Rangoon.


45 ( f ) Do not know of a single case of insanity this drug has produced. - Evidence of SURGEON-CAPTAIN R. H. CASTOR, Civil Surgeon, Yemethin.


45(f ) No ; on the contrary, I have known of moderate consumers of hemp possessing brilliant intellectual powers. Some of the rishis and jogis could be cited in support of the above assertion. I have known sanyasis (those who have cut themselves off from all socialities and turned devotees for life) well versed in Sanskrit and proficient in the knowledge of the four Vedhas, at the same time addicted to the use of this drug. All the cases of insanity that have come under my observation in Burma, in none have I been able to trace its cause to abuse of hemp. I have seen some cases of insanity amongst the natives of India brought on by abuse of this drug, and I must confess that in one and all no predisposing influence to the disease could be traced. The malady was solely due to the baneful effect of its immoderate use. It generally produces symptoms of violent mania. I have known cases to recover after the drug has been stopped and proper treatment applied. In some instances the mental powers have sustained an irreparable damage. I am not aware of any cases of temporary insanity reinduced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The latter part of the question I am unable to answer satisfactorily, as I have known none who had had to indulge in the abuse of the drug to obtain relief from mental anxiety or brain disease. 45.[oral evidence] My answer refers to the period during which I was Assistant Surgeon in Bengal. One case was a relation of my own, who began smoking at an early age and finished in the lunatic asylum. He began to smoke at the age of 16, used to take 15 chillums a day, and went mad after ten years' indulgence in this habit. He lived close to me, and I knew him almost from childhood. I was about 15 years of age when he began to smoke, and I was a Civil Surgeon in Bengal when he went mad. He and I lived as neighbours for six years after he began smoking, but the last four years of his history before he went mad was only known to me by hearsay. As we were closely related, I continued to know all about his habits. I am confident there was no other cause of insanity but the ganja. The first six years of his smoking produced no symptom of insanity, but he neglected his studies and took to bad company. The low company he frequented was not criminal, but was vicious. He may also have followed vicious and licentious courses, but I did not attribute his madness to his licentious courses, because many of the company followed the same courses and did not go mad. I have read of sexual indulgence as being one of the principal causes of insanity, and our Shastras contain the same teaching. I do not think the moderate use of ganja will cause insanity, because I have known innumerable moderate smokers who have not become insane. The insanity generally takes the form of mania. Mania can be produced by spirit drinking, sexual excess, grief, fear, and many other causes. In. the present case there were six years of ganja smoking followed by four years of sexual excess in addition to the ganja habit. The ganja smoking was the exciting cause of insanity. I was not present when the man went mad, but I ascribe the insanity mainly to ganja smoking, because I saw no other predisposing cause. I could not differentiate between insanity due to ganja and that due to sexual excess, but in this case attributed it to the former cause because others had indulged in sexual excess without going mad. The others also went in for ganja smoking, but not to the same extent as this boy. I knew them all as they belonged to my village, and am therefore able to make this statement. I could not say whether they indulged in sexual excess to the same extent as this boy. The case went to the lunatic asylum, but I don't remember which asylum. The man is dead long ago. In the Gaya district I saw one or two cases. They were not, however, very bad cases, being partial aberration of mind. They occurred seventeen years ago. The cases came under my treatment as outdoor patients, and on my enquiring the cause of their insanity I was told that it was excessive use of ganja. They were not under my observation for any length of time. I am not certain that these cases were due to ganja, as I am in the other case previously described. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON O. L. MOONSHI, Civil Surgeon and Superintendent of Jail, Maubin, Thongwa District.


45 (t ) Does not deaden the intellect. I have not seen insanity amongst those cases that I knew.  - Evidence of MAHENDRA NATH ROY, Resident Medical Officer, General Hospital, Rangoon.


Oral evidence.
In the case of Abdul Kadar, admitted this year (1894), three friends came with the lunatic. They were not related to him at all, but merely friends. I found out nothing about his hereditary history. They said they knew Abdul Kadar, and lived with him. They said he had been eating ganja with milk for about a year. They noticed he did not go to his work as usual, and. used to quarrel with people. I asked about his previous habits. They said he was sober and regular in his habits, and never quarrelled with anybody. I asked how much ganja he took. They could not tell me. They said he had been quarrelsome for two or three days before admission to the asylum. He had also been regular at his work until within two or three days before. When I asked how much ganja he took, they said they could not tell, but it was very much. I did not ask how often he took it a day, nor how much he spent on it, nor whether he was ever intoxicated with it. They said. they themselves did not take ganja. They were from Madras. I asked nothing further. I have been Assistant Surgeon in subordinate charge of the Rangoon Asylum, only for ten months. I know of only one case of alteration here of the entry made by the Civil Surgeon in the " history." The cause had been shown as " unknown " ; but Dr. Dantra entered it as " opium eating. " I understand that this was because the patient came from a district where opium was much eaten, and this might be a probable cause. Dr. Baker altered the entry again to "unknown" after consulting Dr. Dantra, and obtaining his consent. - Evidence of ASSISTANT SURGEON MAUNG THIN.


45.  About live years ago a police constable, a native of India, was under my treat-ment suffering from mania said to have been caused by excessive use of ganja smoking and bhang drinking. He was sent to the lunatic asylum. In 1877, while I was doing duty in the 8th Regiment, Madras Native Infantry, I recollect a Madrasi sepoy died suddenly as soon as he re-turned from ball fire. On enquiry it was reported that he had a smoke of ganja before he started at 6 A.M. and had another smoke on his return at 11 A. M. This man was a habitual ganja smoker; cannot say whether moderate or in excess. No post mortem was held.  - Evidence of SONA MULL, Brahmin, First Grade Hospital Assistant, in medical charge of Dispensary and Jail, Myanaung.


My experience with regard to the hemp drug preparations is absolutely nil. First of all, amongst the people of the extreme south of India, who consist to a great extent of the Shanar caste, the drug was not used at all. I never remember to have met any case where I had reason to believe that the drug had been used during my experience in Tinnevelly. In Madras itself there were a few cases where the patient came and I was led to ask questions as to the use of the hemp drug. I have never had a case where a patient came to be treated for the results of the drug ; but I have had in Madras six or eight cases at the most, where I was led by the symptoms to ask questions as to the use. The use was admitted in one or two cases. But still I could not certainly trace the symptoms as the effect of the drugs. I have left all my records in the various hospitals, and besides, the cases are too few to establish any conclusion. In one or two cases the connection of the symptoms with hemp drugs was so far established that, though the patient complained of something else, I treated the drugs as the ()rigo. There seemed to me nervous symptoms, so to say, artificially produced. There was no insanity. But I saw signs, as I thought, of softening of the brain in one case. The excitability displayed led me to infer that the disease of the brain was caused by the man's habits ; and this led me to make enquiries, the result of which caused me to associate the symptoms with constant use of the drug. It was a mere impression. There are many other causes which might produce these symptoms; but by questioning one eliminates certain causes and is able to say: " In this such seems to be the cause." This case occurred about 1875 or 1876. So far as I remember, I eliminated other causes. I do not remember the treatment I followed ; but I recollect the diagnosis. I think there were one or two more cases in Madras in which my impression was that brain disease was traceable to hemp. drugs. In those cases I found no history of liquor. Though liquor is more common than ganja in Madras, I found no liquor history in these cases. I have never read of brain changes from ganja; but I presume they might result from it as they do from liquor. At all events, I diagnosed them as far as I could judge.  - Evidence of the RIGHT REV. DR. STRACHAN, Bishop of Rangoon


The drug in small quantity is exhilarating, but in large doses the user becomes timid. I have heard that, taken in excess, it causes madness. I have seen a man become temporarily mad from an excessive dose. The man is frightened at everything he sees, and therefore I call it madness. Such a man will scream at a post, thinking it is about to fall upon him. He will remain in this state for five or six days without a fresh dose. I have never known any one become permanently mad from the drug. I have never heard of any other drug being mixed with " séjouk" to increase its strength. The people of the Danu villages within the State grow and use the drug in the same way as the Shans do. They do not grow the plant for fibre. I never heard of the drug being taken in the form of drink.  - Evidence of SAW MAUNG, ex-Sawbwa of Nyaungywe State.


I have seen cases in which persons got mad for a few days from ganja ; but I have not heard of cases in which a man got mad permanently from using ganja. As City Magistrate I dealt with insane persons. I never had any person permanently mad from ganja before me. I saw about ten cases in a year of temporary madness from theuse of ganja during the seventeen years of my office. They were mostly of the lowest class of Burmans. The insanity did not last even an hour, generally about fifteen minutes. Some of these cases were brought before me as a Magistrate and some I saw privately. About three or four hundred persons intoxicated from liquor would be brought before me as a Magistrate in a year. About twice as many people were found intoxicated from opium than from ganja. When I said before that there were only " one or two cases of prosecution for use of intoxicants in a year," I meant cases in which there were complainants owing to assaults having been committed, and so on. My jurisdiction extended considerably beyond the city of Mandalay. - Evidence of MYOWUN U. PE SI, C.I.E., late Town Magistrate of Mandalay.


45. It deadens the intellect and sometimes produces insanity. In some cases it has been found to be the exciting cause. The insanity produced by the habitual moderate use is generally of a mild inoffensive type and is often temporary. Symptoms are re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation from restraint. There are no typical symptoms. Yes, in a few cases, insanes who had no recorded ganja history, have on being cured confessed to the use of the drug. Yes. Mental anxiety or brain disease has been sufficiently considered in cases of alleged connection between insanity and the use of hemp. Insanity may sometimes tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs. One Ram Sarup, a Muharrir in the military hospital, was addicted to the use of charas. The quantity he smoked daily was not much for his age, which was 23. Gradually the use of charas began to tell upon his mind, and although no other cause existed, he became insane and remained in the hospital. He was ultimately cured, but after a time took to smoking charas again and became insane again. 46. The excessive use produces worse results and insanity sometimes dangerous. - Army, Answer No 1


45. Deaden the intellect. No case of insanity resulting from these drugs has come under my personal observation, but the evidence gleaned from numerous enquiries would lead one to lean more towards the predisposing theory. 46. My experience concerning the excessive use of these drugs is too limited, none having come under my observation. - Army, Answer No 3


45. No, it brightens the intellect. The cases of insanity known to me were "acute mania" cases, produced by immoderate use, and these drugs were the exciting cause, and the disease was permanent. Insanes as a rule are very reticent as to the use of the drug. The insanes I have noticed did not continue its use to obtain relief, and it is not my experience that insanity tends to any indulgence in the use of hemp drugs. - Army, Answer No 4


45. Yes, and I have known many cases of insanity attributed to these drugs, with no ascertained family history of mental disease. Believe drugs to be exciting cause. It causes mania, sometimes only temporary, but returns if drug used again. Do not know a case of an insane stating he took drugs, when there was no history. Possibly not: such cases would, however, be rare in my opinion. I know of no evidence. I remember a sowar called Mul Raj or Chand, who took all these drugs, took his discharge eight years ago, and is reported to be alive still; he became a fakir. He also indulged in alcohol to excess. I cannot trace any information in the medical history sheets of the regiment. Information of this sort is naturally withheld by himself and his friends. If he indulges beyond moderate limits he cuts his name or otherwise leaves the regiment. In this regiment it is extremely seldom that a case of drug-poisoning appears at the hospital. Probably a considerable number indulge occasionally, i. e., are not daily consumers. 46. A man who indulged to excess habitually could not remain in the regiment. Other cases do not come under my notice unless insanity may have resulted. - Army, Answer No 7


45. The tendency is in this direction, viz., the deadening of intellect and production of insanity: for the tendency is for the moderate consumer to become an excessive smoker. Those who are, and are able to remain really moderate, do not appear to suffer in intellect. No cases of insanity are known to me; but I have no reason to doubt that, as in the case of alcohol, hemp may stand in relation to insanity, either as exciting or predisposing cause. The insanity produced is usually of a maniacal type, temporary or permanent; if temporary, the symptoms may certainly be reinduced by the use of the drug. Hallucinations, sexual or otherwise, laughing, singing, furiously delirious, tingling, numbness, followed by a stage of narcotism, dilated pupils, etc. During the stage of excitement, the patient is apt to avenge fancied or real wrongs. Personally such cases are not known to me, but I think that there is evidence to show that people of weak intellect or defective self-control are the very people who would indulge to excess in the drug, and that thus the predisposition to insanity already existing would be excited. No information on medical history sheets of regiment. 46. I have met with no habitual excessive consumers and can only refer to the answers to question 45. - Army, Answer No 8


45. It in time deadens the intellect, but of itself will not produce insanity. I personally know of no case in which an insane was an habitual consumer of the hemp drugs, but then I have had little experience in the matter. I believe myself that as an aphrodisiac and inciter to immorality the power attributed to the drug has been largely exaggerated. 46. As regards the habitual excessive use as distinguished from the habitual moderate use, I believe that the excessive smoking of the drug will produce decided injurious effects...But as regards its direct connection with promoting incipient insanity I have no experience. - Army, Answer No 9


45. As regards insanity, I cannot hear of any reliable case worthy of being chronicled either for or against the use of hemp. - Army, Answer No 10


45. It is said that brain disease is also a result, such as imbecility or insanity. These results come more quickly from large consumption and more slowly from small quantities. If they are given up after one has been used to taking them for ten or twelve years, the body loses its strength. Temporary insanity is also produced, of which the following are the signs: Sleeplessness, want of appetite, foolish ideas (khayalál kham), silly talk, sometimes friendships are forgotten, and the rights of neighbours neglected. When insane, people generally conceal the consumption of bhang, ganja, or charas; and, as a rule, those who suffer from these illnesses get better when they take the drug again. Some also go mad from taking excessive quantities, all at once when they are not used to it, and in four days they generally get well by taking curds and whey. Sometimes recovery takes longer. Besides this, when they are intoxicated, they increase their dose at the instigation of others.  - Army, Answer No 11


45. Languor and restlessness are caused by these drugs, and so is insanity. In cases of merely temporary use, when the habit is given up, a cure takes place and a return to the practice brings back the insanity. Those who are affected deny the practice. Those who suffer from brain diseases use bhang to induce sleep. Those who suffer from sleeplessness or other trouble, owing to giving up bhang, recover when they take it again. I can mention no special case of this kind, as in this regiment I have not come across persons addicted to these drugs - Army, Answer No 12


45. It does not deaden the intellect power nor produce insanity, but it rather excites the mental power by its long-standing use. Such cases have not come under my regular observation, hence I could not give any affirmative opinion of this. I have explained the above questions as a medical man, but I have not treated or properly observed any case in the regiments during my stay here. 46. In the excessive use of these drugs, the smokers and drinkers can get the noxious effects physically and mentally, and some are affected with insanity, but no such case treated in the regimental hospital during my stay here. - Army, Answer No 13


45. I have not met with any cases of insanity in men addicted to the use of these drugs. - Army, Answer No 14


45. I have no knowledge of these drugs myself, and the following information has been derived from the senior Hospital Assistant with the regiment, who has 34 years' service and has had large experience in civil employ. The use of these drugs does deaden the intellect and has a tendency to produce insanity of a maniacal character, which, however, may usually be stopped by a discontinuance of the drug. There are no typical symptoms. There is a great tendency to conceal the use of the drug. When insanity is produced the insanity is due to the drug itself, which is not merely the exciting cause. There are no known Cannabis indica smokers in the regiment: what has been written above only refers to smoking charas and ganja, and not the drinking bhang, which in moderate use is harmless. - Army, Answer No 15


45. No cases of insanity from its use came under observation. 46. No cases of insanity from excessive use were observed, though several such cases occurred.  - Army, Answer No 19


45. Ganja and charas— Do not deaden intellect. I have never seen insanity caused by use of these drugs. - Army, Answer No 20


45.  Should there be any tendency to insanity in the individual, the use of the drug would probably bring on the disease and intensify it, mania (acute) being generally the result. - Army, Answer No 22


45. No. - Army, Answer No 24


45. It is never known to produce insanity in moderate smokers of ganja. 46. This question is also answered by the same Medical Officer:— Habitual excessive use of bhang is never known to produce insanity. Habitual excessive use of ganja has very bad physical, mental and moral effects. It deadens the intellect. As regards insanity, ganja (excessive smoking) is the principal cause in producing insanity in those who have no hereditary history, and in the latter it acts as an exciting cause. By itself it acts as a predisposing cause also. I have never seen any typical symptoms. It is not known of a person suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease resorting to the use of this drug for obtaining relief. - Army, Answer No 25


45. The bhang never produces these bad effects or insanity. The ganja can produce permanent insanity - Army, Answer No 26


45. Sometimes a man may become mad from the use of that drug. By the use of the drug partial insensibility is produced, and it is temporary. It depends on idiosyncrasy, i.e., some persons may suffer more from small doses, while others escape if given in large doses. No, very few instances of confessions could be met with. No, cases are found in which such connection is shown. Yes, insanity induces weak-minded persons to use this drug. - Army, Answer No 27


45. With regard to these drugs a resolution of the Indian Government, dated the 17th December 1873, declares "that its habitual use does tend to produce insanity " and that "of the cases of insanity produced by the excessive use of drugs and spirits, by far the largest number must be attributed to hemp. Return: "East India (consumption of ganja)," 1893, No. 97. It produces both temporary and permanent insanity, and the symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drugs after liberation from restraint. - Army, Answer No 28


45. (6) It produces insanity, but it is temporary, as in my experience, after some months. Mania produces. Symptoms—sedatives to the brain; some consumers laugh, dance, sing, and to some produces sexual desires, more appetite, and to others it produces energy, boldness for mischief, quarrels, and acts of violence. To some it produces a state of catalepsy. (7) No cases of insanes confessing as to the use of the drugs have come before me. (8) The use of hemp will give temporary relief to those suffering from mental anxiety; and that indulgence of this drug used often may tend to insanity to weakened persons. I have not been acquainted with any case, nor could trace from regimental sheet - Army, Answer No 29


45. Ganja does if taken in excess. There appears to have been a previous taint of insanity in the family in each ease known in this corps. Melancholia, temporary. Yes. A tendency to religious mania. No. It is probable that in many cases the habit is contracted with a view to obtaining relief from mental anxiety or brain disease. No evidence. In many cases the sole reason for the habit is that it is a cheap and rapid intoxicant. * The remarks above bracketed refer to use of these drugs in excess. (1) ___ became insane. He indulged in liquor, opium, ganja, bhang-in fact all intoxicants; his uncle was known to have been mad. (2) ____ became insane. He indulged in bhang only. His grandfather was known to have been mad.  - Army, Answer No 33


45. It is said to dull the intellect and cause loss of memory, and also in some instances to cause insanity. I have never seen a case of insanity following the use of the drug, so cannot say much about it. - Army, Answer No 34


45. No case of insanity has been seen. - Army, Answer No 36


45. I have had no experience of any such cases, but my impression is that its effects are similar to those of alcohol in this respect. No such case is known to me. There is no entry in the Medical History sheets of the men for any disease connected with the use of hemp drugs. - Army, Answer No 37


45. I have seen no case of insanity from the habitual, moderate use of any of these drugs. 46. (6) Excessive habitual use of bhang deadens the intellect and produces insanity at times, while that of ganja deadens the intellect to a greater extent, and often induces insanity. It excites insanity, generally temporary mania in a person predisposed to it. The symptoms may be re-induced by the use of the drug after liberation from the restraint. I know of no typical symptoms; insanes when asked whether they were ganja smokers readily confess to the use of the drug. (7) Many typical cases of insanity from excessive use of hemp-plant preparations have not come under my observation.- Army, Answer No 39


45. (f) I am unaware of any case in which the habitual moderate use of bhang, ganja or charas produced or tended to produce insanity. - Army, Answer No 40


45. (4) It is the principal cause of insanity, as observed by me, in this country. It is a powerful exciting cause. The monomania induced by it is not permanent, if the subject is debarred the use of the drug. Re-indulgence in the drug will re-induce the insanity. The symptoms are not typical, but an examination of the hands of the insane, if addicted to hemp, will show the usual stains; but apart from that, the craving for the drug induces the subject to confess to the habit. - Army, Answer No 41


45. It deadens the intellect, and appears to be merely the "exciting" cause, but no special case can be quoted. I have no personal knowledge of this point, nor can I find any records in connection with it. 46. This drug acts as a poison when taken in excess and induces mania and delirium; but I have no personal experience on this point nor can any records of such cases be found. - Army, Answer No 42


45. It deadens the intellect, and it is said sometimes to produce insanity. Do not know of a case in which it has produced insanity by this drug alone; but cases of insanes have sometimes a history of ganja or charas smoking. - Army, Answer No 45


45. I do not think moderate doses produce insanity. These drugs are used by many natives as a mental sedative in grief and trouble. 46. The excessive use of the drugs leads to bronchitis with asthma and drying up of the body, destruction of the superficial veins, dilated pupil and injected conjunctiva. They are potent in producing insanity, generally mania, which is curable but from a continuance of the cause very likely to return. The drugs act as an exciting cause both in cases predisposed or not from other causes to insanity. Persons using the drugs to obtain mental relief, and obtaining relief, may be induced, in consequence, to use them in excess. People deficient in selfcontrol are of course more liable to use the drug in excess or consequently to suffer from such abuse. The above remarks are made from recollection of various cases seen by me when in civil employment. - Army, Answer No 47


45. I know of no case of insanity. Only one case of bhang-drinking has come under my notice. The results were as described in the above remarks. - Army, Answer No 51


45. There is no evidence to indicate that insanity tends to indulgence in the use of the drug by a person deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. Nil. 46. (6) It does not deaden the intellect, but, on the contrary, produces insanity by hyper-activity of the brain, and is the direct exciting cause and not the predisposing cause. The insanity may be temporary or permanent. The symptoms may, of course, be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. There are no typical symptoms after insanity is absolutely established (though the symptoms of the acute stage of delirium from cannabis sativa differ somewhat from that produced by alcohol (delirium tremens), owing to the nature of the poison). Just as repeated attacks of delirium tremens from alcohol produce, in a definite percentage of cases, permanent madness, so repeated attacks of acute cerebral excitement from over-indulgence in Indian hemp cause permanent aberration of intellect. The two cases are, in my opinion, analogous. Insanes have no reluctance to confess the use of the drug: on the contrary, the sane soldier, fearing the result, would be reluctant to confess the use of it. The excessive consumption of hemp may, and often does, cause madness: but insanity would scarcely lead to excessive indulgence in the drug; that is " placing the cart before the horse." The only cases during an experience of some fifteen years with the regiment which I can recall are the following:— I. Tent lascar—(a Hindu). The notation in his medical history sheet runs as follows:"Had maniacal excitement, raving, gesticulating, using violence to those about him, picking his clothes to pieces, and was restrained with difficulty at times. This condition resulted from the continual use of Indian hemp and alcohol." Was in hospital eighteen days and was convalescent and rational on discharge. The man is still in the regiment. This, of course, is not an unmixed case, but I regarded the symptoms, particularly the unrestrainable violence, more as the effects of hemp than alcohol. II.-A Hindu. Case Book No. 1, Army Hospital Book No. 2 of 1887, shows him to have been admitted with dementia. This man was a habitual bhang-drinker; but it was not known whether or not he drank to excess. He was in hospital for slight fever and had become convalescent; but it having been observed that he talked strangely, excitedly and incoherently at times, he was kept still further under observation, and after a few days he showed decided signs of mental aberration, talking excitedly and angrily and threatening those around him, stating his intention of either committing suicide or of killing some one of his companions. He escaped from his attendants, rushed across to the cook-room, shut himself in, and possessing himself of a block of wood threatened to harm any one who came near him. On my arrival at the hospital and ordering him to desist, he willingly threw away the wood and came out, and I led him back to his bed, which he pointed out to me. He talked excitedly and said people wished to harm or kill him. He was watched carefully by relays of orderlies, but on the following day suddenly rushed through the attendants and ran down the road shouting; he was with some difficulty secured and brought back. Showed other signs of madness, such as an unconnected and raving manner, a wild expression, refusing to take food or medicine from anybody but a European officer; and on one occasion seized his "lota" and smashed the glass and frame-work of the window of the room in which he was isolated; accusing those around him of stealing things which had never left his own possession, etc. On another day he showed the cunning of madness: appeared to be perfectly sane, and it was reported that "the madness had left him since yesterday morning." He requested to be allowed to return to duty, but not being allowed to do this he again became violently excited and under delusions and suspicions of any one, refusing to take his food, etc. He was brought before a special medical board and transferred to the Lunatic Asylum, where he remained some months, and being discharged, returned to the regiment as "cured," but on the advice of his friends took his discharge at his own request. And from this time I heard nothing more of him. NOTE.-In this case there was no impairment of constitution or tendency to indigestion, dysentery, asthma, etc., nor was the man known to be morally or physically either better or worse than his comrades. He had done 6 5/12 years' service and had been, I believe, a consumer of bhang during the greater part of the time. - Army, Answer No 52


45. Have known it in two cases to produce temporary insanity. No. A man of weak intellect who took to ganja would be more likely to exceed. One case spent all his earnings on the drug, beat his wife, smashed furniture, and was really insane for a time. Another case was taken up by the police as a lunatic and got well after a week's treatment in hospital. - Army, Answer No 54


Witnesses 55 to 61 - No known cases


45. The exciting cause of insanity; mania, which is only temporary; but symptoms may be reinduced, even by moderate doses, I am informed. There is no typical symptom: all confess without pressure. Weakened intellects are prone to fall victims. There is no case in this hospital, but I have given my opinions from the few cases I have seen elsewhere. 46. It causes insanity, and is difficult to give up the habit - 62, 63, 64


45. They deaden the intellect markedly and produce insanity, but this injurious effect is principally due to charas. The use of bhang not predisposing to insanity with anything like the same effect as charas. Not having seen any cases of insanity due to the use of these drugs, I cannot give any reliable information as to the type, symptoms, etc., etc. - Army, Answer No 65


45. It at first appears to sharpen the intellect. I have no evidence that it produces insanity, having no personal experience of the narcotic or deleterious effects of any of the products of this drug. In some cases it appears to relieve persons suffering from mental worry and anxiety. I have not been able to acquire any information regarding this subject in the Medical History Sheets or Medical Records in the hospital of this regiment.  - Army, Answer No 66


45. I have not seen any case of undoubted insanity produced by it, but cases of delirium and coma and epilepsy, attributed to continued excessive use of this drug, have sometimes come under my observation. One case, however, resembling mild mania occurred more than a year ago, as the regiment was embarking for Burma, which was attributed to Indian hemp; but as he was left behind for treatment, I am unable to discuss the further symptoms. He was drowned on the way over to rejoin the regiment, but whether accidentally or suicidally has not been ascertained. It stupefies the intellect in excess. The medical history sheets of the regiment do not furnish any information on this subject. - Army, Answer No 68


45. 45. Yes, leads to insanity especially. Yes, when used in excess only. No. No. Yes. Yes. Exciting cause. Permanent, mania. Hallucinations, homicidal mania. Not as a rule. Yes. The use of hemp drugs leads to insanity, not vice versa. Nil.  - Army, Answer No 69


45. It does not deaden the intellect. I think that, if used in excess, it is an exciting cause in producing insanity. As I have not had opportunities of seeing cases of insanity caused by ganja, I am not able to form any opinion to answer the other questions. I do not think that the use of this drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease to obtain relief has been sufficiently considered in explaining the connection. No. I am not acquainted with any such cases.  - Army, Answer No 70


45. (6) and (7) I have no experience of ganja or other forms of hemp as a relief for mental anxiety or brain disease. (8) The hospital records show nothing about it. 46. Taken in excess it does produce noxious effects. (6) Yes, impairs the intellect. I have known very few cases, but in them it was the exciting cause, the predisposing Cause being probably mental. The type is that of temporary exhilaration and excitement with loss of self-control. The symptoms are likely to be reinduced at any time by further excess. I do not think that insanity from other causes would produce a tendency to the use of the drug. 7. The case of ——, lately sent to Colaba, was, I believe, to a great extent the result of excess in ganja. Here was a young man of very fine physique liable to outbreaks of temporary insanity at intervals of several weeks. On the first few occasions he was allowed to resume his duty after a few days' detention in hospital, where he behaved quite well. Subsequently the attacks became more frequent and lasted longer. He admitted to the Hospital Assistant that on each of these occasions he had been smoking ganja. Before leaving Aden he behaved quietly in hospital for several weeks and appeared to be perfectly sane. - Army, Answer No 72


45. No cases of insanity from the use of hemp preparations, or from other causes, has ever occurred in the regiment. - Army, Answer No 73


45. It deadens the intellect and causes insanity. In the only case which has come under my notice during my short service, I considered it both the exciting and predisposing cause. This was a case of acute mania resulting from its use, and that of a temporary nature. The symptoms would certainly be likely to recur on liberation from restraint and fresh indulgence. It is my opinion that insanity would become chronic unless indulgence in their use were ceased. I cannot say if there are any symptoms particularly typical of the insanity caused by use of the drug. - Army, Answer No 74


45. Yes. Exciting cause. Homicidal mania, generally temporary. Yes. Symptoms of hemp intoxication and homicidal impulses. No. Yes. Yes, may be; but indulgence as a rule leads to insanity and not contrariwise. No cases traceable in regimental records. Experience of civil cases enable me to give above general answers. No one in this regiment uses any preparation of hemp in any form as far as I know. - Army, Answer No 75


45. Have never seen any bad effects traceable to hemp smoking, and there are no records of such cases in the medical history sheets of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 76


45. Have known of no case of insanity influenced by use of these drugs - Army, Answer No 80


45. No. The only case of insanity I have seen, in which there was an authentic history of bhangdrinking and ganja-smoking, was also a confirmed tippler of country liquor. I cannot say. I have no experience of such cases. Not that I know of. Yes, in the above case the man admitted the use of it. I have not had sufficient acquaintance with cases of insanes to justify me in drawing any conclusions. - Army, Answer No 81


45. No case of insanity produced by excessive use of any of these drugs has ever come under my notice - Army, Answer No 83


45. I can only recollect one case of alleged connection between insanity and the use of hemp. This was a case to the best of my recollection of slight dementia due to occasional mild maniacal attacks, but I was by no means satisfied as to its being caused by the use of hemp. I am, therefore, unable to give an opinion in reply to the first question in this paragraph. As regards the second question, I know of no evidence from which I could adduce an opinion, except from analogy of a more or less general and inferential kind, from which I should be disposed to answer the question in the affirmative. No information as regards noxious effects produced by the use of hemp drugs is traceable on the medical history sheets of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 85


45. (f) It does deaden the intellect, but I have no experience of its causing any form of insanity.  - Army, Answer No 86


45. It deadens the intellect, and it is said sometimes to produce insanity. Does not know of a case in which insanity was produced by the drug alone but cases of insanity have sometimes a history of ganja or charas-smoking. It seems to be taken to produce intoxication perhaps at first to allay mental anxiety, sometimes as an aphrodisiac. Afterwards its use cannot be discontinued without great effort. No information on the subject can be found in the medical history sheets. -  Army, Answer No 88


45. I have no experience. 46. I have no experience. A man who runs "amuck" is often spoken of as "bhanged."* But I do not know how this state is arrived at, or what it is when produced. - Army, Answer No 90


45. Only one case is known to me where the drug ganja was stated to have caused insanity, but I am not prepared to say whether it was the predisposing or exciting cause. The case was one of suicidal mania of a temporary character, terminating in recovery. The drug was withheld while the patient was under treatment, but it was found necessary at first to substitute opium in its place, though this was subsequently discontinued. I think that many cases of insanity alleged to be due to the use of hemp drugs are merely so ascribed on "post hoe propter hoc" grounds. There are no regimental records of cases of insanity ascribed to these causes. 46. The habitual excessive use of these drugs is equally deleterious with that of opium, alcohol, or even tobacco.  - Army, Answer No 91


45. I do not know of cases when the strictly moderate use has produced insanity, but impairment of the intellect is, I believe, common. 46. Charas and ganja— The excessive use undoubtedly leads to great impairment of the physical, mental and moral faculties and is a prolific cause of insanity. - Army, Answer No 95


45. The drugs cause, I believe, insanity, sometimes, and are probably the exciting cause, but I have no knowledge of any cases. No case of excessive use of the drugs has come under my observation in the regiments to which I have ever been attached.  - Army, Answer No 96


45. It deadens the intellect, but I cannot say that it induces insanity. No information can be traced of the ill-effects resulting from the use of these drugs from the Medical History Sheets of the regiment. 46. There can be no doubt that the habitual excessive use of these drugs is very injurious to health. It principally affects the brain and nervous system, and often induces insanity. - Army, Answer No 97


45 (f) I think continually used it does deaden intellect. Taken in excess it may produce insanity. It may be exciting cause if there is hereditary insanity. (f1) Generally dementia or more or less permanent melancholia. (f2) Possibly. (f3) Not known. (f4) Not in my experience. (g) Yes. (g1) Yes, I should think so. (h) Acquainted with none in regiment, neither can any information be traced in the Medical History Sheets of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 98


45 I have no experience of its having produced insanity, and believe that its moderate use does not do so in those who have no predisposition to mental disease. In military practice I have seen no cases of bad effect and resulting from its use. In civil practice I have seen one case, a youth, aged about 20, who was brought into a jail for restraint and observation. His friend said he had become very violent and threatening, the result of over-indulgence in smoking charas. I could get no information as to the amount he used to smoke or the length of time he had been addicted to it. He was markedly wanting in cranial development. Beyond being morose and untruthful when questioned about himself, he had no symptoms of any kind, and was released after ten days' detention. I heard nothing more of him. - Army, Answer No 99


45. Yes. Insanity, perhaps. Exciting causes temporary. Melancholia and mania. Yes. Never confess. No opinion. One case who takes ganja gets temporarily insane. (Melancholia). Very quiet and reserved, and thinks he has grievances and "hears voices"; won't work and gets very lazy; on threat of punishment symptoms pass off, owing to the resulting discontinuance of the drug. 46. Undoubtedly most injurious to mind and body in every way; result in speedy insanity - Army, Answer No 100


45. The prolonged moderate use of bhang produces insanity, and when it does so, is usually the exciting cause of it. It produces acute mania and also mania with delusions. The insanity is often permanent. When temporary, the symptoms may be reinduced by a return to the use of the drug. Insanes who have become so from the use of the drug confess to having used it. I believe that bhang is frequently resorted to by those who wish to get relief from mental anxieties; and insanity is probably more frequently the result when the taker suffers from these conditions: but it is most probable that it is the drug and not the mental anxiety, even in these cases, which produces the insanity. I believe that persons deficient in mental control and of weakened intellect are more prone than others to become consumers of the drug. 46. The remarks as regards its effects on the intellect, stated with reference to the moderate use, apply to the excessive use, but in a greater degree. The insanity is more likely to be of the acute form and to be permanent. - Army, Answer No 104


45. I have known no case in the regiment where the effects on the mental faculties were sufficiently marked to attract attention. The above remarks refer generally to camp followers, who have always a tendency to go on from the moderate to the immoderate use of the drug. In my experience it takes the place that alcoholic spirits do in England, and like them does a great deal of harm when used in excess, which appears to be the general tendency as far as this drug is concerned. No cases. - Army, Answer No 109


45. The intellect is usually impaired. The moderate use in a poor man who cannot obtain sufficient food does occasionally produce insanity. In these cases it is, perhaps, often the exciting cause. The insanity is occasionally temporary, but often permanent. The symptoms may be re-induced after liberation from restraint. Insanes usually do not confess to the use of the drug. I do not know. No insanes in the regiment. 46. The habitual excessive use of charas frequently causes insanity of an active maniacal character. I have known this insanity apparently cured, yet reinduced a second time.  - Army, Answer No 110


45. I am inclined to think that the prolonged use of the drug would have a tendency to dull the intellect and in toxic dose would produce temporary insanity. I do not know of any case bearing upon the subject, hence am unable to say how far one predisposed to insanity could have the disease excited by the use of the drug; in the temporary insanity of hemp, there is disordered consciousness of personality, time and place, with exaltation of feeling and hallucination, followed by restless delirium, and finally sleep or coma leading to death. I have not been able to form an opinion, having had no cases to judge of the relationship. - Army, Answer No 114


45. In moderate doses taken habitually may be considered a predisposing cause of insanity, which is completed by some sudden shock acting upon a mind, and rendered ill-balanced by the previous consumption of the drug. Type of insanity usually mania with delusion likely to become chronic and result in dementia. Should it disappear for a time, it is likely to be renewed by again taking the drug. It is possible that a weak-minded person may take to the drug, but many persons previously of perfectly well balanced minds have become weakminded owing to the use of the drug. A Dogra Subadar used to smoke charas. During an expedition his party were suddenly surprised and he acquitted himself very well, but shortly after signs of insanity appeared, for which he had ultimately to be invalided, suffering from mania, with delusions of a grandiose nature. Three years ago a Pathan smoked charas and ultimately became insane. The above remarks, as far as can be distinguished, mainly apply to "charas" smoking. 46. This is rare and produces the above-noted conditions in a more exaggerated degree; in addition actual unconsciousness or maniacal acts are apt to follow its ingestion. Fifteen years ago two Sikhs came to hospital after an excessive dose (one was a more or less regular consumer); they were both very violent and maniacal and had eventually to be sent to an asylum. Six years ago a charas-smoker became insane, and had to be put under restraint. When taken in excessive quantities (as in the case of the two Sikhs), ganja is taken. - Army, Answer No 115


45. As a cause of permanent insanity I am not prepared to express any opinion, as I have not seen cases that could with certainty be attributed to its use; but it appears likely that a state of frenzy which would be classed under temporary insanity is produced by the taking of a large dose or of a less quantity by one unaccustomed to its use. There is no doubt but in cases of the latter that have come under my observation, the symptoms have passed off after prolonged sleep induced by other medicines and no permanent insanity has resulted. I do not think persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain disease would resort to hemp to obtain relief, but a person who is deficient in self-control or weak in intellect may indulge in the use of hemp drugs, especially if put in his way. 46. Habitual excessive use would in my opinion act very deleteriously upon the system and might lead to insanity. - Army, Answer No 120


46. Will more certainly bring on physical and mental deterioration sooner or later followed by insanity or imbecility. - Army, Answer No 121


45. I have never seen a case of insanity following its moderate use, though I have from excessive indulgence. In the latter case I should say the mania was a direct consequence of excessive use of a deliriant drug, in the same way as delirium tremens following alcohol. The only constant symptom I know is the wide dilatation of the pupils. Otherwise than from this excessive indulgence I do not believe in any connexion between mania and the moderate use of hemp drugs. Whether a person with a tendency to insanity is more liable than others to indulge freely in hemp drugs, I cannot say from experience. I cannot find any records in this regiment bearing on the question. - Army, Answer No 122


45. In the few cases I have seen there was no impairment of the intellect or insanity. I have no experience of insanity due to the use of the drug. In1 11/2y ears' service with native troops, I have seen no cases of insanity due to the use of the drug in any form. There are no cases on record in the regiment, and no cases have come under my notice during the six years I have been in charge of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 123


45. No cases of insanity having occurred, the medical officer is unable to give an opinion. There is no record in the Medical History sheets. of any cases of men suffering from the use of these drug. - Army, Answer No 124


45. I was in medical charge of the Madras Lunatic Asylum for five years, and during that time I saw numerous cases of insanity supposed to be caused by the abuse of ganja, chiefly amongst sepoys. It produces temporary acute mania, often with suicidal and homicidal tendencies. I should say the drug was the exciting cause. Typical symptoms: excitement, delirium, dilated pupils, sleep. The symptoms are re-induced by the use of the drug. I have seen re-admissions amongst individuals addicted to its use. They confessed to the use of the drug. I do not know. I do not know of any evidence. I know nothing about the use of the drug except as stated above. - Army, Answer No 126


45. I have no experience of its having produced insanity, and believe that its moderate use does not do so in those who have no predisposition to mental disease. In military practice I have seen no cases of bad effects resulting from its use. In civil practice I have seen onec ase,—a  youth aged about 20, who was brought into a jail for restraint and observation. His friend said he had become very violent and threatening, the result of over-indulgence in smoking charas. I could get no information as to the amount he used to smoke or the length of time he had been addicted to it. He was markedly wanting in cranial development. Beyond being morose and untruthful when questioned about himself, he had no symptoms of any kind, and was released after ten days' detention. I heard nothing more of him.  Army, Answer No 127


45. Mental and nervous depression follow the excitement first produced, the intellect is obscured and enfeebled, and it is the predisposing cause of mania and melancholia. Patients do not confess ordinarily to the use of the drug. X at 28 began smoking ganja for first time in 1891. Since then smokes morning and evening. He was an exceptionally robust man, and is now emaciated and weak. He has tremors, sense of depression and timidity, aversion from being observed; his utterances are jerky and short. His intellect is so enfeebled and dull, the simplest conversation is trying. He is restless, hides his face when observed, has lost all self-respect, and is cruel to his family. His moral character is impaired. He suffers from insomnia and is unable to fix his attention. In many respects the case resembles that of an ordinary inebriate. He is abject and miserable as a case of alcoholism after a bout, but the pulse is stronger, and there does not appear to be the same tendency to fatty degeneration. 46. An excessive dose of ganja causes great excitement and intoxication. The individual speaks and shouts at random, runs about, tosses and contorts his body, and probably eventually sleeps heavily. Many cases of "running amuck" and suicide have been noted amongst persons under the influence of ganja. The result, if persevered in, is physical weakness, deadened intellect and wreck of moral character, with probable insanity. - Army, Answer No 130


I have seen a considerable number of insanes in this country, many of whom confessed to the use of these drugs, in some shape or other, but I certainly could not say that the mental derangement in any case was solely due to this custom. I am of opinion that the use of drugs predisposes to insanity of a temporary nature as a rule, and dependent on the continued use of the drug. I think that some people suffering from mental and bodily worries resort to opium for relief, and that the criminal and debauchee take other drugs, principally on account of their stimulant and aphrodisiac properties. 46. The excessive use is most injurious, and may result in mania with homicidal or suicidal tendencies. - Army, Answer No 131


45. It deadens intellect by prolonged use and produces insanity, acting as an exciting cause. It produces insanity of the type of violent mania, more or less temporary. Symptoms liable to be re-induced when the use of drug recommenced. Typical symptoms being exhilaration of spirit and unsteadiness of gait. Unknown. There does not seem to be any connection between insanity and use of hemp. No evidence to indicate that insanity often tends to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs. No cases occurred in this regiment.  - Army, Answer No 132


45. Impairs intellect, and in some cases produces insanity. The exciting cause. Acute mania. Yes, may be reinduced by use of the drug. None. No. Have not met such cases. None.
No records kept of such cases, so unable to comply. - Army, Answer No 133


45. I consider it deadens the intellect. I have had the experience of only one case in which it was the exciting cause. The case was not sufficiently advanced to give me that experience to answer the remainder of the questions. No man has suffered in this regiment since 1873, and his medical history sheet is not forthcoming. - Army, Answer No 138


45. When used, its first action is to cause pleasurable excitement. Sometimes very violent, at times with uncontrollable fits of laughter and accompanied by grandiose ideas; later it induces deep sleep, from which the person can scarcely be roused. Even¬ tually predisposes to insanity, the type being that of acute mania, followed by melancholia. Have not had sufficient opportunity of forming an opinion. There was one case of acute mania in the person of a Sikh sepoy who habitually indulged in bhang. There was wild excitement with violent movements and restlessness; he had a great idea of himself and resented restraint. The case was improved by treatment and cutting off the use of the drug, but recurred on his being discharged the service and resuming its use. I am of opinion that once insanity is induced, unless the person can be kept under constant control it is sure to be permanent. - Army, Answer No 139


45. It does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. I have no knowledge of alleged insanity from use of the drug. Am acquainted with no cases of use of the drug. 46. It deadens the intellect, and, I am informed, acts as an exciting cause of insanity in persons otherwise predisposed. Have no experience of any cases of insanity directly or indirectly attributed to the use of the drug in any form. - Army, Answer No 140


45. I never noticed in any case in the regiment since July 1886 to this date. - Army, Answer No 141


45 (f) no. 46 (f) Only one case of insanity in which ex¬ cessive indulgence in the drugs was the exciting cause had come under my notice. The type of insanity was melancholia, and was permanent; he had become prematurely old and had lost flesh considerably; he did not confess to the use of the drug. - Army, Answer No 142


45. Yes, produces insanity, as an exciting cause and deadens the intellect always. Temporary insanity results from moderate use of these drugs, and the symptoms may be re-induced by use of drug after liberation from restraint. No typical symptoms. Yes, the use of the drug is often begun to drown pain or mental anxiety, and I have no evidence to show that a person of weak intellect may begin the habit by reason of his mental deficiency. No account can be given, as hemp-users are not allowed in this regiment—vide Contingent Orders. - Army, Answer No 143


45. (5) It does produce insanity, when used in large quantities, mania and dementia. In regimental hospitals occasionally occur cases of acute mania with violence due to ganja; these men are violent and have sometimes homicidal tendencies, at other times their language is obscene. Fakirs and devotees usually acknowledge the use of the drug; sepoys rarely, unless they desire discharge. The latter portion of the questions can only be properly answered by the medical officer of an asylum. 46. The habitual use of these drugs in excess is bad for body and mind: it causes furious delirium of a homicidal variety, and after a while the person becomes broken down, insane or prematurely aged. - Army, Answer No 144


45. The only case which has come before me was that of a young recruit who was apparently under the influence of a large dose. He had not been in the habit of using the drugs. He was in a state of acute dementia. He recovered from this. He eventually deserted. I have had no experience of insanity caused by the use of hemp.  - Army, Answer No 145


45. I have not met with any cases of insanity produced by the moderate use of ganja. - Army, Answer No 146


45. (f) With reference to the subject of insanity as a result of the use of these drugs, I beg to state that I have served continuously with native troops for about fourteen years, but that no case of insanity from ganja has come under my notice: none of the medical history sheets of this regiment have any record of admissions on account of an indulgence in these drugs., I am therefore unable to supply information on this point. - Army, Answer No 147


45. I certainly think there is evidence to indicate that insanity may often tend to indulgence in the use of these drugs - Army, Answer No 150


45. It deadens the intellect through brain weakness and produces insanity. In cases known to me where it has produced insanity, it has appeared to me to be merely exciting, as distinguished from the predisposing cause of insanity. It produces insanity of the types of mania and dementia. It is sometimes temporary, at others permanent. If tempo rary, the symptoms may be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. The typical symptoms are sleeplessness, dullness and uneasiness of mind. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history sometimes confess to the use of the drug. I am of opinion that in cases known to me the use of the drug by persons suffering from mental anxiety or brain diseases to obtain relief has been sufficiently considered in explaining the connection between insanity and the use of hemp. As ganja and charas are not used by men in the regiment, and no record of bhang-drinking persons is maintained in the hospital, I am unable to trace the information required. I have made the above statement from my personal experience as an Hospital Assistant in charge of the Civil and Military Hospitals. - Army, Answer No 152


45. Have not met a case in which insanity could be in any way attributed to the use of these drugs, although I believe it does do so. Have had no experience of insanity induced either directly or indirectly by these drugs. No information traceable. - Army, Answer No 154


46. [habitual excessive use] Produces insanity. Acute mania temporary; if drug persisted in permanent. Insanes do not confess to a ganja history. Clause (7) Cannot say; no cases in regiment to record - Army, Answer No 155


45. I have no definite experience of this drug producing insanity; but I have had men insane under my care whose disease has been attributed to the excess in use of these drugs. But no cases of insanity have been under me in this regiment. - Army, Answer No 158


45. (f) I have not any personal experience of any cases, but the Medical Officer tells me he knows of two men who have steadily gone from bad to worse and have become lazy indifferent soldiers, losing their nerve altogether.  - Army, Answer No 159


45. It causes insanity. But I have had so little experience that I cannot answer this question fully.  - Army, Answer No 160


45. The habitual use of them would probably induce laziness. I know of no cases where it has produced insanity. In the only experience of the drug I have had, viz., in medicine, I have found its action very uncertain and varying in different individuals, and occasionally even in the same individual at different times. - Army, Answer No 161


45. The moderate use does not produce insanity, but the immoderate use does so. I have not known a case of insanity from ganja-smoking or bhang drinking. - Army, Answer No 164


45. (f) Does not deaden the intellect or produce insanity. 46 (f) Ganja and charas [habitual excessive use] deaden the intellect. Bhang merely while its intoxicant effect lasts; I have known of no case where it has induced insanity. - Army, Answer No 165


45. It deadens the intellect, irritates the brain, causing hallucinations and ends in insanity. It is the exciting rather than the predisposing cause of it. It produces insanity of a temporary nature. The symptoms may be re-introduced after liberation from restraint. Typical symptoms are distortion of vision and wild faces. Insanes who have no recorded ganja history do not confess to the use of ganja. A weakened intellect does not necessarily crave for ganja. Little can be traced from the medical history sheets of a regiment regarding ganja or any of its preparations, as few medical men have knowledge of its effects. I have closely studied the effects of ganja and can detect symptoms arising from it and can say that with the total withdrawal of the noxious drug the symptoms causing it disappear until re-introduced. - Army, Answer No 167


45. The drugs in question being the exciting cause of the former, but if the habit be continued they predispose to permanent insanity. In the case of the temporary variety the symp¬ toms may be reinduced by the resumption of the drug after release from restraint. The most typical symptoms produced by the drugs are dilation of the pupils, delusions and excessive mental exaltation. Insanes do confess to the use of the drug. There is no doubt that the drug is resorted to by men suffering from mental anxiety.  - Army, Answer No 169


45. It deadens the intellect and produces insanity. In the only case which came under my own im¬ mediate observation I considered it the predisposing and exciting cause. This was a case of acute mania and that of a temporary nature. The symptom of mania would certainly be likely to recur on liberation from restraint. I cannot say if there are any symptoms typical of mania resulting from use of these drugs. 46. In the case of habitual excessive use the symptoms as described in No. 45 are more pronounced and much more rapid in onset. This particularly with regard to insanity. - Army, Answer No 172


46. From my experience as medical officer of Colaba Lunatic Asylum, I can say that I have seen cases of insanity arising from over-indulgence: in some it has been the exciting cause, in others it has been the predisposing cause of hitherto latent insanity: the insanity is generally mania with often homicidal tendencies—most often temporary in kind— may be reinduced by use of drug after liberation from restraint. Yes, in many cases; but the insanity may not be in any way connected with indulgence in the drug. I cannot say. I have no evidence to this effect. I have never seen any cases in any regiment I have served with.  - Army, Answer No 174


45. It sharpens the intellect, but causes excitement, tending to delirium. I have not observed that insanity occurs. I cannot say; but doubtless persons deficient in moral control are liable to indulge in narcotics and stimulants. I have no records, nor are any cases noted in the medical history sheets of this regiment, regard¬ ing men addicted to charas, bhang, etc. - Army, Answer No 175


45. I have never heard of its producing insanity. but I know that persons suffering from disease or mental anxiety are in the habit of taking it to soothe their misery. No cases of admission for the effects of hemptaking occur in the records of the regiment  - Army, Answer No 181


45. I have seen a case of insanity following the use of charas; and charas seemed the exciting cause. The insanity was mania. This case recovered under restraint. My experience in this is very limited, never having seen a case in my regimental work. - Army, Answer No 182


45. I have never seen a case in which any intellectual deterioration or mental disease could be cer¬ tainly attributed to the moderate use of any of these drugs. Speaking generally in the absence of special knowledge, I am of opinion that these drugs are of as great value in moderation in cases of mental anxiety and worry as are alcohol and tobacco, and possibly as harmful as alcohol and tobacco if used to excess.  - Army, Answer No 185


45. It tends to loss of self-control and weakens reasoning power. I think it may bo a direct, as well as a predisposing, cause of insanity, though, as in the case of syphilis, it is probable that post hoc is too often taken to be propter hoc. In subacute cases the form is as above stated, and is often temporary only; after large doses, acute mania is common. I have 4 cases fresh in my recollection (2 Mussalmans and 2 Hindus) in whom recovery or marked improvement followed on discontinuance of the drug. I think that deficiency of self-control, or actual brain disease, and the ganja habit, act and re-act upon one another. - Army, Answer No 189


45. It does produce insanity and seems to be the predisposing cause. Of four cases of insanity in the regiment in the last ten years, three have been attributed to the use of ganja, and several cases of temporary insanity have also been attributed to the use of some narcotic drug, probably ganja. There are no typical symptoms. Sepoys will never confess to the use of the drug at any time. Type of insanity produced. Two were cases of acute mania marked by excitement. They were noisy, troublesome and violent, abusive, talked or sang incessantly, filthy habits and suffered from hallucinations and delusions. The third case was at first noisy, troublesome and abusive, and subsequently passed into a state of melancholia, became listless, taciturn and quiet. Was also broken down and emaciated. - Army, Answer No 192


45. In eighteen years there has only been one case of insanity in the corps, and in that case there was no history or suspicion of the use of ganja or any hemp drug. - Army, Answer No 193


45. No; I have already stated that it sharpens the intellect, and I have not met with any case where it has caused insanity. 46. The habitual excessive use of the drug is undoubtedly injurious, physically, mentally and morally; it predisposes to insanity in a form closely resembling delirium tremens; the insanity is temporary, disappearing with the disuse of the drug, and recurring upon its resumption; its typical symptoms are not violent outbreaks, as in the case of alcohol; but a placid self-complacent vanity combined with inordinate self-esteem, the victim considering himself to be the wisest, the most beautiful, the healthiest, and the best of mankind. I have no knowledge of a case in which a person having no record of ganja history has confessed to the use of the drug. - Army, Answer No 195


45. Yes, and produces insanity. No. Mania, permanent. Yes, sometimes. Yes, has been sufficiently considered. Yes, it may.  - Army, Answer No 196


45. It does deaden the intellect, but I have had no experience of insanity produced by it, never having had to treat a case. No experience. No cases observed.  - Army, Answer No 197


45. I have personally seen no case of insanity as a result of the use of the drugs. None to my knowledge. None known to me in the regiment.  - Army, Answer No 199


45. I have known and treated numerous cases of in¬ sanity produced by it. It seemed the predisposing cause. I have noticed that stopping the drug causes the insanity to disappear for once or twice, but if the habit be resumed, the insanity becomes incurable. The ganja lunatic is generally in a very good humour with himself and others. I do not know whether insanes confess or not, but my impression is that I remember such to be the case. I have a case now where there is no history of anxiety or insanity previous to the use of the ganja. I have never known a ganja lunatic in the sepoy ranks within my own practice. - Army, Answer No 201


45. It is generally credited with deadening the intel¬ lect and eventually producing insanity of an idiotic type. This result occurs sooner from ganja and charas than from bhang. I have had no experience of insanity attributable to consumption of these drugs. No such cases known to me. - Army, Answer No 202


46. I have noticed that men who use these drugs to excess are often thin and wasted, with a
drowsy, stupid look, and have heard that they often become mad. I have not seen a case. - Army, Answer No 203


45. (f) Not aware. I am unable to answer this question. Cannot at this distance of time do so. Only one case occurred in this regiment since its formation. Not clearly traceable to the use of these drugs. 46. The excessive use of these drugs undoubtedly causes mania of a temporary kind. As regards the other effects on the digestion, etc., I cannot speak. While Superintendent of the Madras and Waltair Lunatic Asylums for a lengthened period, I saw several—not many—cases of mania caused by the use of these drugs in an excessive form. - Army, Answer No 205


45. In one case of insanity, it was said that the patient indulged in ganja; and it was evidently the excitive cause of the insanity; at first the insanity was maniacal in type,and was apparently temporary; the symptoms were re-induced when the patient returned to the lines and probably indulged again in the use of the drug. Latterly, the symptoms became permanent, and the patient had to be sent to the Lunatic Asylum, Madras, for further treat¬ ment for dementia. There were no typical symp¬ toms. This man admitted using ganja and tobacco, but whether the statement can be relied on is doubtful. I have not had sufficient opportunities to express an opinion on the second last paragraph. The only case that came under my observation is recorded above. Even in this case no reliable information could be obtained as to whether the man was addicted to the use of ganja or not. The native officer who first afforded the information on being questioned said he heard it from somebody in the lines. It was difficult to ascertain the true facts of the case. - Army, Answer No 207


45. Persons of naturally weak intellect do not indulge in ganja as a rule. One sepoy used the drug for at least two years. He then became insane and has been so since. A sepoy used the drug for one year, and became insane. He is still so and quite dumb. A sepoy, after seven or eight years' use of the drug, became violently insane, and committed murder and suicide. This is I believe, a rare thing for a ganja-eater to do.  - Army, Answer No 208


45. It occasionally induces insanity, and may be the exciting cause, or predisposing, as the case may be. It may produce temporary or permanent insanity. Temporary cases are excitable, as far as my experience goes. I am not in a position to furnish reliable inform¬ ation on these points. A case under my care occurred some years ago when a recruit was insane for many weeks from one single inhalation of ganja. No record is available. Ganja was the exciting cause. A case was admitted on 2nd April 1889, of toxic insanity from bhang. The patient was
excitable and violent, and had been insane ten years before. I have noted that there was a predisposing cause in this case. A case was admitted 19th April 1887, due to ganja, but denied. The man was excitable and violent, and was ultimately sent to a lunatic asylum. He had previously shown symptoms of insanity in his former regiment. - Army, Answer No 209


45. I have had no experience of cases of insanity produced, or said to be produced, by indulgence in any of these drugs. For the reason given above, I am unable to express an opinion. From cases of insanes or imbeciles observed, who indulged in these drugs, I consider that such evidence does exist. One or two cases were fakirs. They drank bhang chiefly. They were stupid and lazy, but not markedly morally or physically weak. Other cases, among servants, etc., were not observed to be either physically, mentally or morally affected. They chiefly smoked charas. One case, addicted to both hemp drugs and opium, was observed to be markedly debilitated, to have a cough, and to be unfit for much exertion, mental or physical. No cases in the regiment have come under my notice. - Army, Answer No 210


45. The exciting cause of insanity; mania which is only temporary; but symptoms may be reinduced even by moderate doses I am informed; there is no typical symptom; all confess without pressure. Weakened intellects are prone to fall victims. There is no case in this hospital, but I have given my opinions from few cases I have seen elsewhere. 46. It causes insanity and is difficult to give up the habit; - Army, Answer No 212


45. No case of insanity has occurred in the regiment during my connection with it, and I have never seen a case of insanity due to the use of these drugs. There is no trace of any information on these points in the medical history sheets of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 213


45. In the few cases I have met with where, I believe, Indian hemp has been taken to excess, there was great excitement, the symptoms resembling mania, but subsided soon. In these cases, I believe, it has acted as an exciting cause, and that the symptoms could be re-induced, but have not actually observed this. It would appear that a somewhat similar train of symptoms of a temporary nature sometimes follows when the supply is suddenly cut off. The tendency, I have noticed, is to deny the use of Indian hemp in any form when making inquiry as to its indulgence in suspected cases. - Army, Answer No 214


45. They are said to cause insanity when used to ex¬ cess. I have only come across one insane in this regiment: it was supposed that he became insane from being deprived of charas while at Jhandola. He recovered completely after three months' sick leave. No further experience of insanes - Army, Answer No 216


45. Not in moderate doses, but there is a tendency to indulge to excess. In two cases of mania due to ganja that has been under my observation the symptoms were acute and ended in permanent melancholia. I believe it was the exciting cause only. In both cases the men were induced to take the drug as a relief in great family trouble. My experience in these cases has been small. - Army, Answer No 217


45. I have not had cases of insanity under my care attributable to the use of ganja—hence am unable to express an opinion, though I am aware that toxic doses of Indian hemp would produce temporary insanity attended by disordered feelings of personalty, time or place, exaltation of feelings and hallucinations followed by muscular excitement and ulterior delirium. Ganja Charas —about six hours. I am unable to express an opinion. - Army, Answer No 218


45. It produces insanity, and when it does so, is the exciting cause, in my opinion. The temporary form of insanity produced is violent and homicidal, e.g., "running amuck"; the permanent, melancholic and suicidal. The latter in its earlier stages is pro¬ bably recurrent with each excessive bout of indul¬ gence. In my experience I have had no reason to think that the use of the drug has followed suffering from mental anxiety or disease or weak intellect. I do not know whether the insanes who have no recorded ganja history confess the use of the drug, but I cannot see what the judicial or scientific value of such confessions would be.  - Army, Answer No 220


45. (6) Yes, they do impair the intellect, and cause insanity, being the exciting cause producing permanent delusional insanity. Yes, the symptoms may be re-induced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. No absolutely typical symptoms. Insanes do not confess to the use of the drug. (7) I think that the hemp drugs are the cause of the insanity, and the insanity in no way the cause of the consumption of the hemp drugs. (8) There is only a few lines about one case in hospital records, this man having been invalided. 46. Habitual excessive use of the drugs gradually produces insanity, the man becoming queerer in his manner and less fitted for the performance of his duties. Sometimes large amounts have to be taken before this effect is produced, but to satisfy the craving, continually increasing doses have to be taken. - Army, Answer No 222


45. It deadens the intellect and it is said sometimes to produce insanity. Does not know of a case in which insanity was produced by the drug alone, but cases of insanity have sometimes a history of ganja or charas-smoking. It seems to be taken to produce intoxication, per¬ haps at first to allay mental anxiety; sometimes as an aphrodisiac; afterwards its use cannot be dis¬ continued without great effort. No information on this subject can be found on the medical history sheets. - Army, Answer No 223


45. My experience of the habitual moderate use of any of these drugs is too limited to justify an opinion. I do think there is evidence to indicate that insanity may tend to indulgence in the use of hemp drugs by a person who is deficient in self-control through weakened intellect. No information is to be traced on the medical history sheets of the regiment. 46. The habitual excessive use of these drugs produces noxious effects, physical, mental and moral. Its use deadens the intellect, and may produce insanity. In cases known to me where it has produced insanity it appeared to be the exciting cause. The type of insanity was temporary violent mania. - Army, Answer No 224


45. The excessive and prolonged use of the drug causes insanity of the melancholic type, and is permanent in its effects as long as the use of the drug is continued. Those who take it in excess find it impossible to give it up; abstinence from it causes disinclination for work, an abnormal craving for the drugs and irritability of temper. There is nothing on record in the hospital of the regiment to prove that cases of insanity have been produced by its use. 46. The habitual excessive use of the drugs causes insanity of the melancholic type after long continuance; before this stage is arrived at, mental excitement is caused by excessive indulgence, which tends to insubordination and crime. In¬ tellect and moral sense is impaired, and eventually the individual is scarcely able to distinguish be¬ tween right and wrong. - Army, Answer No 225


45. It does deaden the intellect and produce insanity. In cases known to me it acted as the predisposing cause. The type of insanity generally is mania. Occasionally cases of melancholia also occur. They are generally temporary, and are reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. In cases known to me the practice of smoking ganja was not taken to obtain relief from mental anxiety or brain disease. I have had no cases illustrating the last point, so cannot offer any opinion on it. - Army, Answer No 226


45. The use of charas impairs the intellect, affects the brain, and even induces acute mania. The use of charas is the predisposing cause of insanity. As a general rule, misars, pujaris,. fakirs, sadhus and sanyasis are excessive consumers, and fall a prey to the above disease Long excessive use would make insanity permanent. Moderate use for a limited period would be attended with temporary insanity. Restraint upon a patient suffering from insanity induced by the drug would effect improvement, but he would be disposed to again use the drug on liberation from restraint, and the symptoms would be re-induced. People confess the drinking of bhang. In regiments, Pathans of Yusafzai tribe and Rajputs are generally habitual consumers of charas and ganja, and smoke them openly. They do not regard it a vice. Some people think that the thought present (before the mind) at the time of drinking bhang remains there so long as the intoxication lasts. It is under this pretence that some fakirs and sadhus drink it, alleging that their thoughts would be concentrated upon God. But such is not the effect of bhang. A consumer of charas does not retain control over his brain and intellect; and his temper becomes irritable. The moderate use of bhang, however, is not so injurious.  - Army, Answer No 232


45. It grows in the Chin Hills in many localities, and is said to be consumed to a certain extent by. the Panjabi muleteers, who are a hardy set of men and work very well. The want of it to a habitual consumer is said to cause dysentery after a few days. In excess, or continued for a length of time, insanity is said to be produced, and insanity is also sometimes brought on if the drug is suddenly withheld in the case of a person who has been a habitual consumer. - Army, Answer No 233


45. It produces temporary insanity, but if the habit is given up one gets cured. Symptoms can be reinduced by use of the drug after liberation from restraint. I have seen some cases. Some insanes confess to the use of the drug while others do not. The use of this drug does not relieve one from brain disease. Ignorant people while weak use it for obtaining vigour, and thus they become addicted to it. As long as the effect lasts they are active, but they become quite weak and languid afterwards. - Army, Answer No 245(a)


45. It impairs the intellect, induces laziness, and lessens the manly vigour. Excessive use produces insanity. In cases of persons having strong brain, insanity is temporary, while in the cases of those who have weak intellect, the disease becomes a permanent one, and they reach a dying state. When its use is given up one feels languid and uneasy. Some insanes confess to the use of the drug (ganja), while others do not confess it. - Army, Answer No 245(b)


45. Its moderate use is held to make the intellect more clear. Insanity is said never to follow its use in moderate habituals. Occasional smokers may become madly excited, (on the same principle that a man who does not smoke a pipe is generally made sick by it, when commencing to smoke). Regarding (6), I can offer no reliable evidence. 46. Excessive use is considered to induce bronchitis, general debility, and to take away all sexual desire, and to be followed by insanity; but then chiefly when other poisons are mixed with it. Habitual excessives become very thin. - Army, Answer No 250


45. I have never met with any case of insanity caused by ganja in the regiment, and, as far as I can remember, I have only seen one case of intoxication from ganja causing violence; it was in civil practice and occurred after an excessive dose, in a man unaccustomed to the drug. I have had no experience in the matter, and am unable to gain any reliable information about it. There is no such case in the medical history sheets of the regiment. - Army, Answer No 252



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