370 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



Haschisch is a confection of the drug. Arabian habi- 

 tues of this preparation are frequently impelled by its 

 influence to deeds of violence. They are called *'hascha- 

 schins"; hence the English, assassins. Gunjab, or ganga, is 

 the dried plant used in India for smoking. Churrus is the 

 resin and epidermis scraped off the leaves. Bhang consists 

 of the young leaves, flowering and fruiting tops and resin 

 resulting from the first season's growth. 



Habitat. — The official cannabis is indigenous to Asia, 

 but the common hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) grows in 

 America and many other parts of the world. 



Description. — Branching, compressed, brittle, about 5 

 cm. or more long, with a few digitate leaves, having linear- 

 lanceolate leaflets, and numerous, sheathing, pointed bracts, 

 each containing two small pistillate flowers, sometimes with 

 the nearly ripe fruit ; the whole more or less agglutinated 

 with a resinous exudation. It has a brownish-green color, 

 a peculiar narcotic odor, and a slightly acrid taste. 



Incompatibility. — Water precipitates the active resinous 

 principles. Lemon juice and other vegetable acids are the 

 most efficient antidotes. 



Constituents. — Resins, including : (1) cannabin and (2) 

 cannabinon ; the first is stated to be very active ; (3) teta- 

 nocaunabine (in which is contained a substance, choline, 

 CgHisN Oj), and, with alkalies, forms (4) cannabine. None 

 of these substances is a practical substitute for the crude 

 drug. 



PREPARATIONS. 



Extractum Cannabis Indicce. Extract of Indian Cannabis. 



(U. S. & B. P.) 

 Made by macjeration and percolation with alcohol, and by evapora- 

 tion to a pilular consistence. 



Dose.— H., 3i.-ii. (4.-8.); D., gr.i^-i. (.015-.06). 



Uxtractum Cannabis Indicce Fluidum. 

 Fluid Extract of Indian Cannabis. (U. S. P.) 

 Made by maceration and percolation. The alcohol is distilled off 

 from the last part of the percolate, and the residue is dissolved in the 



