Natural order. Urticaceae. Common name. Hemp., Habitat. An annual plant, native of Europe and America. Preparation. Tincture from the fresh herb-tops.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Acts especially upon one mucous lining of the urinary tract, and upon the prepare, giving rise to excessive irritation, following by inflammation and a mucous discharge, the whole condition closely simulating that presented in gonorrhoea; “As compared with Cannabis indica we see much less mental disturbance (Less of the peculiar gum “Hashish” in the plant used) and more effects due to the other constituents of the plant, ethereal oil and Nitrate of Potash (the latter is found in an unusual amount in the plant). (Allen. Handbook of Materia Medica, p. 261.)
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Sadness (Ignatia, Natr. mur., Pulsatilla, Rhus tox.).
Head. Vertigo when standing with dizziness; when walking, with tendency to fall sideways. The forehead feels compressed, from the margins of the orbits to he temples; not relieved by bending forward. Pressure below the frontal eminences, extending deep through the brain to the occiput. Sensation as if drops of cold water were falling on the head.
Eyes. Pressure from behind the eyes forward. Sensation of spasmodic drawing in the eyes.
Nose. Dryness of the nose.
Stomach. Uninterrupted dull stitches near pit of stomach, just below the ribs. Eructations of air; of bitter, acrid fluid. Anxious and apprehensive feeling at pit of stomach, with oppression of breath and palpitation. Dull stitches in the left side, just below the ribs, when breathing and when not.
Abdomen. Painful jerks as if something living were moving about in the (crocus), with pains in limbs. Sticking in left side just below the ribs.
Rectum and Anus. Pressure in the rectum and sacral region, as if the intestines were sinking down and would be pressed out, white sitting. Constrictive pain in the anus, together with a sensation as if the thighs were drawn together, so that she was obliged to close them.
Urinary Organs. Drawing pain from the region of the kidneys to the inguinal glands, with anxious, nauseous sensation in pit of stomach. Burning, smarting in the urethra, from the meatus backward; posteriorly stitching while urinating. The urethra feels inflamed and sore to touch along its whole length (Argentum nit.); during erection tensive pain. Burning while urinating, but especially just after (August., Cantharis). Burning along the urethra at commencement and end of urinating. When not urinating, burning pain in forepart of urethra, which compels him to urinate almost constantly. Pressure as if to urinate, especially in forepart of urethra, when not urinating. Stitches along the urethra when not urinating (Caps.). Jerking stitches in the posterior portion of urethra when standing. Tearing as if in the fibres of the urethra, in the form of a zigzag. The stream or urine forked (Cantharis).
Male Organs. Penis swollen, without marked erections. Frequent erections, followed by stitches in the urethra. Penis painful as if sore or burnt, when walking. Dark redness of glans and prepuce. Pressive, dragging sensation in the testicles when standing (Berberis).
Respiratory Organs. In the morning though mucus in the lower portion of trachea; cannot be dislodged by coughing and hawking; after coughing and hawking the trachea feels raw and sore; finally the mucus loosens itself, and he must hawk it up frequently. A hacking cough arises from the pit of the throat, with a cold, salty fluid deep in the throat. Oppression of breathing, from tensive, pressive pains in the middle of sternum, which was also sore to cough, with sleepiness. Oppression of the chest; sensation of apprehension in the throat; obliged to breathe deeply. A digger beneath the upper part of sternum, without oppression of breath.
Heart Violent beating of the heart on moving the body, and on stooping, with warm sensation about the heart.
Generalities Sensation as if drops of cold water were falling on the head; from the anus; from the heart.
Sleep. Disagreeable and frightful dreams; he is disappointed in everything, and is filled with great anxiety. Awakes at night form slumber, with frightful dreams, not knowing where he is.
Compare. Arnica, Apis., Cannab. ind., Cantharis, Copaiba, Nux v., Terebintha
Antidotes. Camph. To large doses: lemon juice.
THERAPEUTICS.
Cannabis Sativa is used chiefly in the treatment of gonorrhoea. It is mostly indicated in the first stage, but is often give through the whole course of the disease, physicians claiming that by so doing they limit the disease to ten days. In cases characterized by a profuse discharge Cannabis is not indicated, Arnica nit being most useful. Cannabis Sativa is also an excellent remedy in simple urethritis; cystitis; nephritis and other urinary troubles. The urethral symptoms are very similar to those of Cantharis, the latter having more tenesmus, while under Cannabis there is more burning and smarting. The drug has also been used in pneumonia, asthmatic complaints and cardiac troubles.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).