1.6 
A  Study  of  Cannabis  Americana. 
/  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     January,  1908. 
A  sample  of  German  oil  of  coriander  just  received  from  a  pro- 
minent importer  of  essential  oils  is  also  submitted.  This  does  not 
comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia 
in  respect  to  being  entirely  soluble  in  three  volumes  of  70  per  cent, 
alcohol  at  a  temperature  of  770  F.  Only  about  25  per  cent,  of  the 
oil  will  dissolve  at  this  temperature.  It  does,  however  dissolve,  in 
this  menstruum,  when  the  temperature  is  raised  to  8o°  F.  It  is  also 
soluble  in  ail  proportions  of  80  and  90  per  cent,  alcohol.  Its  specific 
gravity  is  0.866  at  770  F.,  being  still  within  the  limits  of  the  U.S.P. 
of  0-863  to  0-878. 
As  linalool  is  a  normal  constituent  of  oil  of  coriander,  this  sub- 
stance has  been  sometimes  used  as  an  adulterant  of  the  oil,  as  well 
as  oil  of  cedarwood  and  oil  of  sweet  orange. 
Samples  of  oil  of  linaloe,  composed  in  the  main  of  linalool,  and 
of  pure  oil  of  coriander,  to  which  25  per  cent.,  respectively  of  oil  of 
sweet  orange,  and  oil  of  red  juniper  wood  (the  so-called  oil  of  cedar- 
wood  of  commerce)  have  been  purposely  added,  are  submitted. 
Both  of  these  adulterations  are  noted  in  the  text-books. 
The  distillation  of  the  oil,  and  the  chemical  and  physical  examina- 
tion of  the  specimens  submitted,  were  conducted  by  Mr.  Ralph  R. 
Opie. 
A  PHARMACOLOGICAL  STUDY  OF  CANNABIS  AMERI- 
CANA (CANNABIS  SATIVA).1 
By  B.  M.  Houghton,  Ph.C  ,  M.D., 
Junior  Director  of  the  Biological  Laboratories  of  Parke,  Davis  &  Co., 
Detroit,  Mich. 
and  H.  C.  Hamilton,  M.S. 
Much  has  been  said  and  written  by  physicians  and  pharmacists 
relative  to  the  activity  of  Cannabis  Sativa  (Cannabis  Indica  and 
Americana).  It  is  generally  believed  that  the  American  grown 
drug  is  practically  worthless  for  therapeutic  purposes,  and  that  one 
must  employ  the  true  cannabis  from  India,  in  order  to  obtain 
physiological  activity.  The  best  quality  of  Indian  drug,  it  is  claimed, 
is  that  grown  especially  for  medicinal  purposes  and  consists  of  the 
flowering  tops  of  the  unfertilized  female  g  iants,  care  being  taken 
1  Read  before  the  Scientific  Section  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion, September,  1907. 
