846 On the preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah. [[Oct. 



It is but fair to state, however, that the character of the epidemic 

 was not at the time malignant. I admit the cases to be inconclu- 

 sive, but I conceive them to be promising, and that they deserve the 

 due attention of the practitioner.* 



Use in Tetanus. 



I now proceed to notice a class of most important cases, in which 

 the results obtained are of the character which warrants me in 

 regarding the powers of the remedy as satisfactorily and incontrovert- 

 ably established. I allude to its use in the treatment of traumatic 

 tetanus, or lock-jaw, next to hydrophobia, perhaps the most intract- 

 able and agonizing of the whole catalogue of human maladies. 



The first case of this disease treated by Hemp was that of Ramjan 

 Khan, set : 30, admitted to the College Hospital on the 13th December 

 1838, for a sloughing ulcer on the back of the left hand. Five days 

 previously a native empiric had applied a red hot gool (the mixture 

 of charcoal and tobacco used in the hookah) to the back of the left 

 wrist, as a remedy for chronic dysentery and spleen. The patient's 

 brother was similarly cauterized on the same day. In both sloughing 

 took place down to the tendons. Symptoms of tetanus occurred on the 

 24th December. The brother who had refused to avail himself of 

 European aid, had been seized with tetanus at his own home four 

 days previously, and died after three days illness. On the 26th 

 of December spasms set in, and recurred at intervals of a few 

 minutes ; the muscles of the abdomen, neck, and jaws, became firmly 

 and permanently contracted. Large doses of opium with calomel 

 having been administered for some hours, without the least alle- 

 viation of symptoms, and his case having on consultation been 

 pronounced completely hopeless, I obtained Dr. Egerton's permission 

 to subject the poor man to the trial of the Hemp resin. Two grains 

 were first given at 2 \ p. m., dissolved in a little spirit. In half an 

 hour the patient felt giddy, at 5 p. m. his eyes were closed, he felt 

 sleepy, and expressed himself much intoxicated. 



He slept at intervals during the night, but on waking had convul- 

 sive attacks. 



* Since this paper was read at the Medical Society a severe epidemic cholera has 

 broken out in Calcutta. I have treated seven cases in the Medical College Hospital, 

 and in all the pulse and warmth returned from the use of this remedy. Five recovered, 

 but all passed through a feyer stage.— W. B. O'S. 



