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

Case No. 1.—Shariz-Ilomid 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 gtatement 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, to, 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) CHHANGLAI.,2nd December 1893.    Chief Constable.

Case No. 2.–Chhotu Sin,p:h 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.—Mahonzed Bhai Haji Bitai (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.—Yetlia 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 ,fived with him in the same chowki for nine months states that he did not smoke ganja. every day.

Case No. 8.—Ra1a Jose, 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 othe4 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 stam_ mers.

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.