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3419. You consider that opium using as a cause of insanity' is negligible?-Yes.
3420. Mr. lelf.-What were the total admissions during these years?-
3,440 .
3421. And 16 cases out· of those were attributed to opium?-Yes.
;3422. . What is your total population at the mental hospital?-When I
leit there yesterday it was 1,595.
3423. Sir David Galloway.-Do you chance to have brought with you
any figures relating to alcohol and admissions ?-Yes.
3424. Would you give- us your alcohol ·figures just as. a contrast?­
In 1913, out of 222 admissions, there were 14 that could be definitely
ascribed to alcohol.
In 1914, out of 233 admissions, 24 were alcoholics.
In 1915, " 319 " 16
"
In 1916, " 395 "
"
In 1917, " 417 "
"
In 1919, ." 415 "
"
In 1921, " 496 " 36 were alcoholics. (That was the incomplete
year).
In 1922, out of 474 admissions, 64 were alcoholics, and I differentiated
in that year for the first time between Chinese and Tamils.
There were 38 Chinese and 26 Tamils.
In 1923, out of 469 admissions, 42 were alcoholics, 34 Chinese and 8 .
Tamils.
3425. And in those cases you took particular care as regards alcohol
being the etiological fact?-Those are people that I returned myself; I
investigated their cases.
3426. It is very evident that alcohol in your hospital is a much more
frequent cause of insanity than is opium ?-Oh yes.
" 3427. Then it seems rather useless to ask you the question which do
you consider the greater evil ?-Alcohol undoubtedly.
3428. Would your experience or your figures lead you to suppose that
the use of alcohol is increasmg among the races you have just mentioned ?-I.
think so.
3429. Have you ever considered the question of there being any
relation between the giving up of opium and the adoption of the alcohol
habit ?-I cannot say that I have anything to prove it, but we all know
that if one habit is given up generally a substitute is looked for and is found.
3430. And as generally, I suppose, the substitute which is found is
alcohol ?-Yes, I think so.
343!. Have you many cases of attempted suicide sent in to your
hospital ?-I have, but I am sorry I have not got the figures.
3432. Do you at the moment recollect as to whether many of them
had attempted suicide by taking opium ?-Not one.
3433. Would you mind if we asked you to supply us with the exact
figures of the attempted suicides which have been sent to you during the
last 5 years and the comment as regards the absence of any using opium
as a means ?-I will send you a return.
3434. Do you consider that the effects of drugs-morphine, cocaine
and heroin-are alike in the native, i.e.,the Asiatic, and the European ?-I
don't think I have really had experience out here in drugs. I have seen so
little of drugs amongst Asiatics.