CEEEBRAL EXCITANTS. 115 



Cannabis Indica— Indian Hemp. 



The flowering tops of the female plant of Cannabis 

 sativa (natural order Urticacese, grown in the East 

 Indies. Sometimes known as foreign Indian hemp, 

 in contradistinction to Cannabis Americana, the 

 same plant grown in the Southern United States, but 

 not nearly so powerful in action as the East Indian 

 variety. Indian hemp contains a resin named can- 

 nabin, and a volatile oil from which are obtained 

 cannabene, a light hydrocarbon, and cannabene hy- 

 dride, a crystalline body. 



Preparations. — Extractum Cannabis Indicce, 

 solid extract of Indian hemp. Dose: H., 3 ss.-i.; 

 D., gr. i-1. 



Extractum Cannabis Indicce Fluidum, fluid ex- 

 tract of Indian hemp. Dose: H., fl. 3ij.-iv. ; D., 

 ni i.-x. 



Physiological Action. — Antispasmodic, anaes- 

 thetic, anodyne, analgesic, narcotic, cerebro-spinal 

 stimulant, aphrodisiac. It increases motor and intel- 

 lectual activity, stimulates vasomotor nerves, raises 

 arterial tension, and depresses sensation. Has been 

 given in exceedingly large doses, and although it 

 produced great temporary mental excitement followed 

 by coma, it is said never to have caused death. 



Therapeutics. — In colic, to relieve spasm and 

 pain, without interfering with the peristaltic move- 

 ment; traumatic tetanus — large doses (Dr. R. Ruth- 

 erford, of Edinburgh, claims to have cured over fifty 



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