On the Preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah (Cannabis Indica): Their Effects on the Animal System in Health, and Their Utility in the Treatment of Tetanus and Other Convulsive DiseasesO'Shaughnessy, W. B.
Science
On the Preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah (Cannabis Indica): Their Effects on the Animal System in Health, and Their Utility in the Treatment of Tetanus and Other Convulsive Diseases
O'Shaughnessy, W. B.
Cannabis -- Physiological effect; Cannabis -- Therapeutic use
Since this passage was written in 1838, the tincture of hemp has been
used in a great number of cases, both European and native, in the
hospital of the Medical College. I know no remedy equal to it as a
general and steady stimulant when given to _Europeans_ in half drachm
doses during the tractable stage of this disease. I have known the
pulse and heat return and the purging checked by a single dose. It
allays vomiting much more certainly than the opium preparations, and
is not more likely than these to lead to cerebral congestion on the
cessation of cholera symptoms. The cheering effect on the patient’s
spirits is not the least benefit this remedy confers.
In _native_ cases much less advantage was obtained; nearly all this
class of patients were old gunjah smokers.
_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 incontrovertibly
established. I allude to its use in the treatment of traumatic
_tetanus_, or lock-jaw, next to hydrophobia, perhaps the most
intractable and agonising of the whole catalogue of human maladies.
The first case of this disease treated by hemp was that of Ramjan
Khan, aged thirty, admitted to the College Hospital, on the 13th of
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 cauterised on the same day. In both
sloughing took place down to the tendons. Symptoms of tetanus occurred
on the 24th of 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
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 alleviation of symptoms, and his
case having on consultation been pronounced completely hopeless, I
obtained Mr. Egerton’s permission to subject the poor man to the trial
of the hemp resin. Two grains were first given at half past two, p.m.,
dissolved in a little spirit. In half an hour the patient felt giddy;
at five, 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 convulsive
attacks.
On the 27th, two grains were given every third hour (a purgative enema
was also administered, which operated three times); the stiffness of
the muscles became much less towards evening, but the spasms returned
at intervals as before; pulse and skin natural.
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