CH. X.] REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. 189
consisted in steadily increasing drowsiness leading on to quiet sleep. During
the course of exposure the conjunctiva and eyelids frequently became consider-
ably congested; but this may, of course, have been merely dependent on direct
irritation incident on their contact with the smoke. When removed from the
chamber, ere profound sleep had supervened, the animal was evidently intoxicated.
In many cases he was incapable of sitting up without supporting himself by
means of grasping the bars of his cage, and, when less profoundly affected, was
very unsteady on his legs. On being introduced into his cage, he not unfre-
quently, either at once or after a short delay, lay down and slept quietly for some
time. On awaking from such sleep, as well as in those cases where sleep did
not intervene, he almost invariably showed symptoms which appeared to indicate
that he was for some time the subject of optical delusions. He gazed about
attentively in directions in which nothing which seemed likely to excite his
curiosity was present, and carefully scrutinized the floor of his cage for objects
which did not exist. Such symptoms continued to persist for a considerable
time after all other indications of intoxication had disappeared, continuing to
manifest themselves in greater or less degree during the entire course of the
latter portion of any day on which the treatment had been administered in the
morning.
"On a certain number of occasions, however, the symptoms did not follow
this normal course. On these the onset of signs of drowsiness was greatly
delayed, and had hardly begun to show itself ere the animal was suddenly seized
with violent general convulsions, and immediately thereafter became profoundly
unconscious. The symptoms on the recovery of consciousness in no way differ-
ed from those in cases where the earlier ones had followed the normal course.
No satisfactory explanation of the occurrence of such exceptional phenomena
could be arrived at, and it must remain uncertain whether they are to be regard-
ed as the consequence of certain temporary subjective peculiarities on the part
of the animal or of variations in the quality of the drug.
"In no instance was there any appreciable indication of the development of
any cerebral excitement either during the administration of the drug or after
intoxication had been fully established. The normal symptoms were those of
simple drowsiness and loss of will-power accompanied by optical delusions, those
characterising the exceptional cases of temporary abnormal activity of the spinal
cord and basal ganglia which may very probably have been dependent on dimi-
nution in the inhibitory power of the higher cerebral centres.
"The general health of the animal remained excellent during the entire course
of the experiment, save for a period during the months of April and May, in which
it suffered from dysenteric symptoms. The occurrence of these, however, can-
not be in any way definitely ascribed to the use of the drug, as they are of frequent
occurrence among monkeys in confinement apart from any special treatment.
The only permanent appreciable effect resulting from the treatment manifested
itself in the form of a very considerable diminution in appetite for food, which
set in shortly after the initiation of the experiment, and thereafter remained
persistent throughout its entire course.
"At the desire of the Hemp Drugs Commission, the experiment was brought
to a close on the day following my return to Calcutta on the 12th of July 1894.
Death was induced by means of prolonged administration of chloroform, and a
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