1839.] On the preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah. 845 



cataleptic rigidity occurred for two or three minutes. Summoned to 

 witness the effects, I found him enacting the part of a Raja giving 

 orders to his courtiers; he could recognize none of his fellow students 

 or acquaintances; all to his mind seemed as altered as his own 

 condition; he spoke of many years having passed since his student's 

 days ; described his teachers and friends with a piquancy which a dra- 

 matist would envy ; detailed the adventures of an imaginary series of 

 years, his travels, his attainment of wealth and power. He entered 

 on discussions on religious, scientific, and political topics, with as- 

 tonishing eloquence, and disclosed an extent of knowledge, reading, 

 and a ready apposite wit, which those who knew him best were 

 altogether unprepared for. For three hours and upwards he maintain- 

 ed the character he at first assumed, and with a degree of ease and 

 dignity perfectly becoming his high situation. A scene more interest- 

 ing it would be difficult to imagine. It terminated nearly as rapidly 

 as it commenced, and no headache, sickness, or other unpleasant 

 symptom followed the innocent excess. 



In the symptoms above described we are unavoidably led to trace 

 a close resemblance to the effects produced by the reputed inspira- 

 tion of the Delphic Oracles — perhaps it would not be very erroneous 

 to conclude, that it was referable to the same kind of excitement. 



Use in Cholera. 



An epidemic cholera prevailing at this period, two of the students 

 administered the tincture of Hemp in several cases of that disease, and 

 cures were daily reported by its alleged efficacy. Dr. Goodeve was 

 thus led to try it in several cases, and his report was in the highest 

 degree favorable. The diarrhoea was in every instance checked, and the 

 stimulating effects of the drug clearly manifested. The Durwan of 

 the College, an athletic Rajpoot, was attacked, and came under my 

 treatment after he had been ill seven hours ; he was pulseless, cold, and 

 in a state of imminent danger, the characteristic evacuations stream- 

 ing from him without effort— half a grain of the Hemp resin was given, 

 and in twenty minutes the pulse returned, the skin became warm, the 

 purging ceased, and he fell asleep. In an hour he was cataleptic, and 

 continued so for several hours. In the morning he was perfectly well 

 and at his duty as usual. 



