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EEOEEATIYE SCIENCE. 



effects upon the system, but rather that it was 

 agreeable and soothing ; the abuse of it, how- 

 ever, is exceedingly debasing, and renders 

 those habituated to its use unfit for the ordi- 

 nary affairs of life. I have, however, occa- 

 sionally met with individuals who, labouring 

 under some painful chronic disease, were 

 relieved by its daily administration. 



Hemp is used, in some form or other, for 

 its narcotic properties in all parts of India, 

 in Persia, the East of Europe, and in all 

 Mohammedan countries. In northern, cen- 

 tral, and tropical Africa it is well known as a 

 powerful medicine and article of indulgence, 

 and in southern Africa the Hottentots use it 

 for the purpose of intoxication. In Brazil 

 even the native Indians are well acquainted 

 with it, and regale themselves in its use. 



From the general use of hemp among the 

 natives of India, Dr. O'Shaughnessy was in- 

 duced to attentively examine its medicinal 

 properties. He states that when cJiurrus, or 

 natural resine, is administered in moderate 

 doses, it produces increase of appetite and 

 great mental cheerfulness, while in excess 

 it causes a peculiar kind of delirium and 

 catalepsy. " At two p.m.," says the learned 

 author, " a grain of the resin of hemp was 

 given to a rheumatic patient ; at four p.m. he 

 was very talkative, sang, called loudly for an 

 extra supply of food, and declared himself in 

 perfect health. At six p.m. he was asleep j 

 at eight p.m. he was found insensible, but 

 breathing with j)erfect regularity. His pulse 

 and skin were natural, and the pupils freely 

 contracted on the approach of light. Hap- 

 pening by chance to lift up the patient's arm, 

 the professional reader will judge of my 

 astonishment when I found it remained in 

 the same posture in which I placed it. It 

 required but a very brief examination of the 

 limbs to find that by the influence of this 

 narcotic the patient had been thrown into 

 the strangest and most extraordinary of aU 

 nervous conditions, which so few have seen, 

 and the existence of which so many still dis- 



credit — the genuine catalepsy of the nosolo- 

 gist. We raised him to a sitting posture, 

 and placed his arms and limbs in every 

 imaginable attitude. A waxen figure could 

 not be more pliant or more stationary in each 

 position, no matter how contrary to the 

 natural influence of the gravity on the part ! 

 To all impressions he was almost insensible." 



The author afterwards found that this 

 extraordinary effect of the drug was pro- 

 duced upon other animals as well as man. 

 After a time the effect entirely passes away, 

 and leaves the individual altogether uninjured. 



It may be by the use of the hemp that 

 the " fakeers" perform many of those won- 

 derful feats, and thus by dishonest means 

 exercise their influence upon the ignorant 

 and unsuspecting masses of the people. 



Since the publication of Dr. O'Shaugh- 

 nessy's remarks upon the effects of the pre- 

 parations of hemp, it has been imported and 

 used in this country ; and in many cases in 

 which the preparations of opium disagreed, 

 this has been substituted, and generally with 

 great advantage to the patient. 



It is needless to enumerate the very many 

 uses to which the fibre of the hemp is now 

 applied ; perhaps its most important applica- 

 tion in this country is in the manufactory of 

 ropes for ships, etc., and for making the 

 coarse kinds of cloth. The seeds yield by 

 pressure a yellowish kind of oil, which is 

 almost tasteless, but has a disagreeable smell. 

 It is used for burning in lamps in Russia and 

 other countries, and also in the manufactory 

 of soap and some kinds of varnish. Hemp, 

 rags, and old ropes are used for making paper 

 of various kinds. These are reduced to pulp 

 by machinery, the pulp is then spread upon 

 wire-gauze frames, and dried ; some kinds of 

 paper thus made are afterwards sized with a 

 solution of glue and alum, which increases 

 the strength of the paper, and to give it a 

 smooth or glossy appearance it is passed 

 between hot polished steel rollers. 



R. Dbakin, M.D. 



