Report of the Superintendent, Colaba Lunatic Asylum, Bombay, on the Hemp Drug Cases of 1892.

With reference to letter No. 149, dated i6th October /893, paragraph 2, from the
Secretary, Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, and g: No. 4107 of the /6th November 1893, I have the honour to submit a further report on the i3 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. /69 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 /5th November /893, 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.—DAMODHAR BRAHMAN.
The Commissioner of Police, Bombay) in his letter No. 7849-3, dated 4th December IB93, 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 i893, 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 Decem-ber 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 withorit 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. I0.-BIRJ1 MAKJI.
This is undobtedly not a ganja case. The man died from anwmia and fatty degenera-tion of the heart. This was a case of melancholia due to causes stated above. The in-formation recorded about ganja vras 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. xo62-M., dated x6th 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. I2.-VISHNU LAXMAN.
The Assistant Surgeon in charge Alibag states in his letter No. 295, dated x4th 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. I3.-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 improve• ment 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 bis 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.