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



be passed without danger, and then pointing out these to the profession, 

 to leave their body to prosecute and decide on the subject of discussion, 

 —such seems to me the fittest mode of attempting to explore the 

 medicinal resources which an untried Materia Medica may contain. 



It may be useful to add a formula for making the preparations 

 which I have employed. 



The resinous extract is prepared by boiling the rich, adhesive tops of 

 the dried Gunjah in spirit (Sp: gr. 835,) until all the resin is dissolved. 

 The tincture thus obtained is evaporated to dryness in a vessel placed 

 over a pot of boiling water. The extract softens at a gentle heat, and 

 can be made into pills without any addition. 



The tincture is prepared by dissolving three grains of the extract in 

 one drachm of proof spirit. 



Doses, fyc. — In Tetanus a drachm of the tincture every half hour 

 until the paroxysms cease, or catalepsy is induced. In Hydrophobia 

 I would recommend the resin in soft pills, to the extent of ten to twenty 

 grains, to be chewed by the patient, and repeated according to the 

 effect. In Cholera ten drops of the tincture every half hour will be 

 often found to check the vomiting and purging, and bring back warmth 

 to the surface. My experience would lead me to prefer small doses of 

 the remedy in order to excite rather than narcotise the patient. 



Postscript. 



While the proofs of this paper were under correction, Dr. Esdaile, of Hooghly, has 

 communicated a case of traumatic tetanus, in which he has used the extract of Hemp 

 and the patient recovered. The details will be subsequently published. 



Mr. Sawers, the 1st Member of the Medical Board, has also favored me with the 

 results of a very curious trial of the remedy on a pony which had been attacked by 

 lockjaw as the sequel of forcible compression of the testes. I have the pleasure 

 to insert an extract from Mr. Sawers' note. 



" Having made no memorandum of the case of the pony, I am 

 unable to give the particulars in detail. Before the Bhang was given 

 the power of mastication had ceased for several days, and he had 

 been supported by mixing suttoo (pounded pulse) and bran with his 

 water ; with this the powdered Bhang was mixed. When he had taken 

 some doses the general rigidity of the muscles was in some degree 

 removed, and he began to masticate hay and grass, and shortly was 

 able to lie down and rise without assistance; but it was sometime ere 

 he recovered the power of balancing the muscles so as to trot evenly. 



