^32 VETICACEM. 



sole active principle of hemp. Its vapour he states to produce, 

 when breathed, a singular sensation of shuddering, a desire of 

 locomotion, followed by prostration and sometimes by syncope. 

 Bohling, in 1840, observed similar effects from the oil, which 

 he obtained from the fresh herb just after flowering, to the 

 extent of 0*3 per cent. 



As to the resin of Indian hemp, Bolas and Francis, in 

 treating it with nitric acid, converted it into OxycmmaUn^ 

 C'^og2oj^2Q7^ This interesting substance may, they say, he 

 obtained in large prisms from a solution in methylic alcohol. 

 It melts at 176° C, and then evaporates without decomposition ; 

 it is neutral. {Phannacographia.) 



Preobraschensky {Pharm. Zeitsch. /. Russland, 1876, 

 p. 705) made a chemical examination of a quantity of hasclnseh, 

 which he brought with him from China, and was enabled, 

 according to his own statement, to separate from it a volatile 

 alkaloid, which he held to be identical with nicotine, and 

 which he believed to be the active principle of cannabis. This, 

 in view of the distinctive and very different action of cannabis, 

 was somewhat remarkable. It is highly probable, as has been 



[lixed 



that the haschisch used by Preobraschensky 

 tobacco, which it often is in Eastern countries. 



Louis Siebold and Bradbury reported to the British Pharma- 

 ceutical Conference (1881) that, after an elaborate investigation, 

 they had arrived at the conclusion of Dragendorff and 

 Marquiss, and that in the course of their investigation they 

 made the interesting discovery that pure cannabis does actually 

 contain a volatile alkaloid, which does not, however, possess 

 the characters of nicotine. They separated it in very small 

 quantity, obtaining not more than 2 grains from 10 lbs. of 

 Indian hemp. They give it the name of Cannahinine. They 

 record no observations as to its physiological action; and they, 

 therefore, leave it doubtful as to whether this- volatile alkaloid 



IB the narcotic principle of cannabis. IP/iann. Journ., 

 xn., p. 326.) ^ 



