CANNABIS AND FEMALE AILMENTS

	ANTIQUE CANNABIS BOOK HISTORICAL CANNABIS MEDICINES

The 3rd Edition of "The Antique Cannabis Book" -- Last Update; Dec 2013

CANNABIS AND FEMALE AILMENTS:
Chapter 21

CANNABIS AND FEMALE AILMENTS:

"In headaches at the menopause Cannabis indica is useful, and if the headaches are associated with constipation and anemia, iron and aloes should be . . . Spasm of the bladder, due to Cystitis or nervousness, it often gives great relief . . . In Uterine subinvolution, chronic Inflammation and irritation Cannabis indica is of great value, and it has been found of service in Metrorrhagia and nervous and spasmodic Dysmenorrhea. Not only does it relieve the pain, but it seems to act favorably upon the muscular fibres of the uterus. . . etc." ---- PRACTICAL THERAPEUTICS [1895] by H.A. Hare

Chapter 21.0 - CANNABIS AND FEMALE AILMENTS
Cannabis, found its way into numerous medicinal products, specifically meant for [what at the time was termed] "Female Illnesses," or "Female Complaints," HOWEVER . . . [continues below]

**VARIOUS WOMEN'S MEDICINES**
Utrovol	Uterine	Uterine	Pil-Cystitis	Hemp Oil
DYSMENINE	Eumetra	Ovarian Comp.	Humphrey	Lest We Forget
Cystitis	National	Chicago Pharm	Catalogs	Female Prescriptions

. . . with thousands of Cannabis Medicines documented, (mostly via old pharmaceutical price and product catalogs), one would therefore think that it would be a real ‘easily-breezy’ finding dozens upon dozens of Female orientated medicines; --- BUT unfortunately things are not always that simple.

To begin with, it seems that back then (and probably still today) there is a cultural taboo on illnesses specifically having to do with sexual matters. Like venereal diseases, we’re just not supposed to talk about them.
Next, we must take into account the myriad number of local, state, and in some cases even federal laws regulating what might/might not constitute PORNOGRAPHY. And here don’t we wish this one was a joke, BUT IT'S NOT; -- Remember we are talking about a time when even teaching about birth control (not abortion, but simply birth control) could (and in some cases) was considered a criminal offense. -- TRANSLATION, normal advertisements found for just about everything else simply are (ah) hard to come by on that given subject.
Next there is the simple matter that a women’s body (organ for organ) is a lot like a man’s body. In other words, most medicines for guys (adjusted for body mass) will work just as well on gals. Thus no need to advertise/market the product any differently.

Thus one can begin to see the basic problems faced in (actually/physically) trying to even locate specific medicines on the subject matter. Hard but not impossible; -- POINT OF FACT Cannabis was being used left and right by women – SPECIFICALLY FOR FEMALE ILLICITNESS. [see section 23.3 below]

Here for our purposes we have simply homed in on certain key-words such as OVARIAN, -- MENSTRUAL COLIC, CRAMPS – DYSMENORRHEA – CYSTITIS – HYSTERIA, etc., and made the presumption that such medicines were specifically aimed toward the female market. However, always keep in mind that (even if dealing with so-call female illnesses), that in general doctors (which were almost all male at the time) would (nine times out of ten) prescribe uni-sex medicines such as Tincture of Cannabis. Which had a myriad of medical uses beyond what would be termed, “Female Illnesses.”

21.1 - CANNABIS AS A TREATMENT FOR FEMALE AILMENTS
According to various [contemporary] Medical Textbooks and the reputable Medical Journals of their day, medical Cannabis was successfully applied toward the following ailments (and probably a whole lot more that we have not been able to document). And while some of these ailments could also apply to males, given the times, they were thought of solely (or primarily) as being female ailments.

DYSMENORRHOEA [ Painful Menstruation ]
MENORRHAGIA [ Another name for excessive or immoderate menstrual bleeding, either during two or three days or prolonging itself over an unusual number of days]
METRORRHAGIA [ Bleeding of the uterus independent of menstruation or even after the menopause has occurred ]
UTERINE contractions [ As stimulant to uterine contractions]
UTERUS PARALYSIS
SANGUINEOUS UTERINE DISCHARGES
INTER-MENSTRUAL PAIN
CYSTITIS - SPASM OF THE BLADDER
CYSTITIS , Acute
CLIMACTERIC DISORDERS [ menopause ]
LABOR - [Anesthetics - birth pain killer]
BLADDER , Irritable [ Spasm of the bladder and in irritable conditions of that organ]
BLADDER , Paralysis of
UTERINE CANCER [Recommended to reduce pain ]
DYSURIA [Painful or difficult urination ]

And once more --- a whole host of other ‘odds and end’s’ diseases, which were thought of at the time as primarily women’s ailments. ----- To give just one example (one of all-so-many): To this day the scientific name for Hysteria is "Hysteria Uterus"; said reason being that, "Only Women were supposed to get this disease, and thus it must have something to do with the Uterus." [No joke, that's why (to this day) it's called that]

21.2 - PURE CANNABIS VERSES COMPOUND MEDICINES:
The reason the chapters in this book are subcategorized by medical function, as opposed to say, chronological medical order or manufacturers etc., is to give the Antique Cannabis Collector a better idea of what to look for. In what subsections of the pharmaceutical world was Cannabis used in etc. Hints that would better help the collector look for Cannabis bottles etc.

However, for the purist, say someone who only wants to collect Female Cannabis remedies and ONLY female remedies, a major problem quickly develops. Because Cannabis was both a "stand-alone drug" as well as an ingredient [one of many] in compound drugs, who exactly is to say if a bulk-cannabis-tincture was prescribed for a female ailment or for a number of other uses. The doctor's prescription would simply read, "Cannabis Powder" or "Cannabis Tincture," with no real way of knowing. And as if to add insult to injury, a scan through almost any medical text book or medical journal, shows that in almost all cases Cannabis (of and by itself) is recommended, NOT a compound drug.

Thankfully however, this is an antique price guide and NOT a medical textbook, thus we can deal solely with identifiable Brand or Trade name Cannabis products. [Chapters 3 through 5 however, do deal with Bulk Cannabis products]

21.3 - CANNABIS AND FEMALE AILMENTS, As Per The Text Book:
According to one medical text book: PRACTICAL THERAPEUTICS [1895] by H.A. Hare:

"In headaches at the menopause Cannabis indica is useful, and if the headaches are associated with constipation and anemia, iron and aloes should be . . . Spasm of the bladder, due to Cystitis or nervousness, it often gives great relief . . . In Uterine subinvolution, chronic Inflammation and irritation Cannabis indica is of great value, and it has been found of service in Metrorrhagia and nervous and spasmodic Dysmenorrhea. Not only does it relieve the pain, but it seems to act favorably upon the muscular fibres of the uterus. . . etc."

Below is a random sampling of pre-1937 medical text-books, listing their recommended uses for Cannabis. Note the number of uses [highlighted] for "Female Illnesses".

1914 - Hand-Book of Modern Treatment and Medical Formulary By W.B. Campbell Published in 1914 (4th Ed), it recommends the use of Cannabis for the following diseases:

Bronchitis (pg. 62,64)
Cancer (pg. 72,74)
Corns (pg. 100,104)
Coryza and Cough (pg. 105,108)
Dysmenorrhcea (pg. 142,143)
Dyspepsia, (pg. 144, 146)
Gastralgia (pg. 199,201,202)
Headache (pg. 233,237)
Impotence (pg. 257)
Mania Acute (pg. 288,289)
Menopause (pg. 294,295)
Monorrhagia & Metrorrhagia (pg. 295,297
Migraine (pg. 299,300)
Opium Habit (pg. 823)
Prostatitis (pg. 361, 362)
Strangury (pg. 406,407)
Warts (pg. 471)
Whooping cough (pg. 478,479)

1910 - THERAPEUTICS, MATERIA MEICA, AND PHARMACY By Sam'L O.L. Potter, Pub. P.Blankiston's Son & co.

Analgesics or Anodynes (pg. 15)
Aphrodisiacs (pg. 24)
Deliriants (pg. 28 )
Diuretics (pg. 30-31 )
Hypnotics (sleeping pills) (pg. 39-37 )
Narcotics (pg. 40-41 )
Pulmonary Sedatives (pg. 42 )
Vestical Sedatives (pg. 49 )
Albuminuria (pg. 574 )
Apg. etite (pg. 583 )
Asthma (pg. 587-588 )
Bladder, Irritable (pg. 591 )
Bladder, Paralysis of. (pg. 591 )
Bright's Disease, Acute(pg. 593 )
Bright's Disease, Chronic (pg. 594 )
Chordee (pg. 614 )
Corns (pg. 624 )
Cystitis, Acute (pg. 628 )
Delirium (pg. 630-631 )
Dysmenorrhea (pg. 643 )
Dysuria (pg. 647 )
Epilepsy (pg. 654-656 )
Gonorrhea (pg. 674 )
Headache, Congestive (pg. 680-681 )
Hematuria (pg. 686)
Hemicrania (pg. 687 )
Impotence (pg. 700-701 )
Insomnia (pg. 705-706 )
Melancholia (pg. 730 )
Metrorrhagia (pg. 734-735 )
Neuralgia (pg. 740-741 )
Opium Habit (pg. 749 )
Ovaralgia (pg. 753)
Ovaritis (pg. 753-754 )
Pain (pg. 755-756 )
Paralysis and Paresis(pg. 757 )
Paralysis Agitans (pg. 757-758 )
Pertussis (pg. 763 )
Phthisis (pg. 766-768 )
Tetanus (pg. 833-834 )
Tic Douloureux (pg. 835-836 )
Trismus (pg. 843 )
Urinary disorders (pg. 853 )
Uterine Cancer (pg. 860-861 ) Plus a lot of pages dealing with the medicine itself.

1895 - PRACTICAL THERAPEUTICS By Hobart Amory Hare, M.D. -- Pub: Lea Brothers & Co.

Bright's Disease (Acute) [pg. 442]
Bright's Disease (Chronic)[pg. 113]
Cough [pg. 112]
Cystitis (Acute) [pg. 474]
Dysmenorrhea [pg. 499]
Gastralgia [pg. 113]
Gonorrhea (Acute) [pg. 113]
Hematuria [pg. 542]
Impotence [pg. 113]
Inflammation [pg. 112]
Influenza [pg. 565]
Insanity [pg. 113]
Involution (anomalies of) [pg. 113]
Mania (Acute) [pg. 578]
Menopause [pg. 113]
Menorrhagia [pg. 538]
Migraine [pg. 588]
Paralysis Agitans [pg. 112]
Spasms [pg. 112]
Teberculosis [pg. 112, 651]

1917 - THERAPEUTICS MATERIA MEDICA AND PHARMACY by Elmer H. Funk M.D.

Albuminuria [pg. 571]
Bladder, Irritable [pg. 590]
Bladder, Paralysis of [pg. 591]
Chorea [pg. 615]
Climacteric Disorders [pg. 617]
Cystitis, Acute [pg. 629]
Delirium [pg. 632]
Delirium Tremens [pg. 632]
Dysmenorrhea [pg. 648]
Dysuria [pg. 651]
Headache, Congestive [pg. 686]
Headache, Nervous [pg. 687]
Hematuria [pg. 692]
Hemicrania [pg. 692]
Impotence [pg. 709]
Insomnia [pg. 711] Neg-mention
Labor [pg. 717]
Mania [pg. 735]
Melancholia [pg. 737]
Menorrhagia [pg. 741]
Metrorrhagia [pg. 742]
Neuralgia [pg. 749]
Ovaralgia [pg. 759]
Ovaritis [pg. 760]
Pain [pg. 762]
Paralysis and Paresis [pg. 764]
Paralysis Agitan [pg. 764]
Pertussis [pg. 770]
Pathisis [pg. 775]
Tetanus [pg. 843]
Tic Douloureux [pg. 850]
Urinary Disorders [pg. 866]
Uterine Cancer [pg. 877]

21.4 - TODAY'S ANTIQUE PRICES - 3d EDITION
OK, here is either the good news (if you’re a buyer) or the bad news (if you’re a seller); While the floor had NOT fallen on the market, the price has dropped in the last few years and dropped BIG TIME. Cannabis medicine bottles that used to sell for up to $350 are now going for as little as $55, and $150 is now considered the high end.

What happened? Some say the number of fake reproductions have taken their toll. And here clearly note that there’s a BIG DIFFERENCE between a legitimate modern-day reproduction that’s advertised and sold as such, and an out an out forgery:
– See Chapter 2 ; “Of Forgeries & Reproductions.”

But in any case there are enough “burnt people” out there to . . . (ah), let’s skip this part, it’s enough to say that many buyers are now OUT OF THE MARKET. Add to this the bad economy in general; ---And don’t let the employment figures fool you, jobs at McDonnell Douglas are being replaced by jobs at some other McDonalds. Let’s just say that the money to invest in Antique Cannabis Bottles is just not there like it was in the old days. And then there is the fact that re-legalization is now in the air, meaning that the novelty of old Cannabis Medicines may be wearing off. Example: In the old days the physical condition of the bottle didn’t really matter, but now it does.

In any case the situation has changed rapidly in the past and may do so in the future. For (this museum) this is a time to pick up on the cheap stuff while it’s gettable at this price.

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