490 Mr. A. Christison on Cannabis indica. 



in a soft neutral resin called Cannabine, whicli when heated gives out 

 a strong aromatic smell, and has a warm pungent balsamic taste ; that 

 it is insoluble in water or weak spirit, which is clearly proved in the 

 following way — the addition of a fifth of water to a solution of the 

 resin in strong spirit causes separation to begin, and all the resin is 

 thrown down when a half of water is added. For a detail of their 

 process I must refer however to the * Pharmaceutical Journal' for 

 1846, merely observing at present, that in repeating the process with 

 old Gunjah of 1840, ten per cent, of resin was obtained, answering 

 to the characters given above ; that the whole occupied a period of 

 three weeks, and was very tedious. The following is a rough estimate 

 of the composition of 8 oz. of Gunjah, used in my process : — 



Resin 390 grs. 



Nearly dry watery extract 500 



Extractive by carb. soda 640 



Vegetable fibre, &c 2310 



3840 



The physiological actions of Cannabis indica must now be con- 

 sidered, and the first question whicli presents itself is, whether this 

 plant is a poison in large doses, and has it proved fatal to man ? The 

 prolonged use of it has certainly destroyed many in India, but no 

 mention is made by authors of its proving fatal in one or two large 

 doses. The only allusion to such an effect that I have seen, is that made 

 by Mr. Reddie, a member of the Calcutta Bar, who in a letter to 

 Dr. Christison, dated July 1849, says : — "The plant is a poison with 

 many of the qualities of opium and some singular ones peculiar to 

 itself," and that "it is frequently used at Calcutta as a poison." As 

 this information was unsolicited, no details have been given, but 

 Mr. Reddie has offered to give any additional information that may 

 be required. Dr. O'Shaughnessy made a series of experiments on 

 animals with the view of determining the quantity that it would be 

 safe to administer as a medicine, but in none of these did death occur. 

 In one experiment he gave 10 grs. churrus to a middling-sized dog. 

 " In half an hour he became stupid and sleepy, dozing at intervals, 

 starting up and wagging his tail as if extremely contented ; he ate 

 some food greedily ; on being called to, he staggered to and fro, and 

 his face assumed a look of utter and hopeless drunkenness. These 

 symptoms lasted about two hours ; in six hours he was perfectly well 

 and lively. And again 20 grs. of ext. Gunjah, dissolved in spirit, were 

 given to a dog of very small size. In a quarter of an hour he was 

 intoxicated ; in half an hour he had great difficulty of movement ; in 

 an hour he had lost all power over the hinder extremities, which were 

 rather stiff, but flexible ; sensibility did not seem to be impaired, and 

 the circulation was natural. He readily acknowledged calls by an 

 attempt to rise up. In four hours he was quite well. In none of 

 these experiments was any pain evinced, or any convulsive motion." 

 The dose mentioned above was the largest he gave ; and the question 

 remains, would yet larger doses have had a fatal effect ? One point 

 is however determined, — and Dr. O'Shaughnessy administered large 



