pipe tobacco

[pipthelimey]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Although "weed" is more often then not used interchangebly with "tobacco", marijuana was smoked during the time frame. I have a dug clay pipe that we dug at a brigade level trash pit on the brushy mountain line that had a half bowl of cannabis indica in it. The bowl was probably discarded due to a chip where the stem attached, making it difficult to keep the stem in it. It was pretty neat digging out the ashes and going "wait a minute...."

Although hemp was normally grown for the stem fibers, and the leaves had a much lower THC content then modern recreational cannabis, I don't doubt that there was still a little smoking going on.

[sumter_guard]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

In the set of memoirs I edited, "Cush: A Civil War Memoir" Capt. Samuel Sprott of the
40th Ala. Inf. mentions the boys eating "The Curious Weed" when they were on the Atlanta Campaign. Anyone have a hit, er, sorry, a hint on that?

Andrew

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Although "weed" is more often then not used interchangebly with "tobacco", marijuana was smoked during the time frame.

I'll preface this post with the statement that I have only researched hashish and don't have any practical expericence with the exception of seeing some wild commercial hemp (cannabis stavia) growing along the road in Iowa in 2001. All my research is from 19th century primary sources; I was amazed at what I found on the subject and I only scratched the surface.

First of all, hashish (cannabis Indica)was a recognized narcotic that had advantages over opium or morphine because of "its remarkable control it exterts over nervous inquietude and the absence of any noxious effect, either in diminishing the appetite, checking the secretions or constipating the bowels." It could be prepared and administered as a liquid extract or a pill and was soluble in alcohol or in combination with carbonate of potassa, it was soluable in water.

In one article title, "Hashish; or The Five Great Narcotics" it was stated that tobacco was the universal narcotic, the others following in order of consumption; opium, hemp (hashish), betel, cocoa and then smaller less known ones were listed. The particular characteristics of each were listed. The article went on to mention that the "narcotic principle of hemp is very imperfectly developed in northern climate although the plant rivals wheat and potato in its self-adaptation to almost every soil and temperature. The narcotic quality resides in the sap; it is a resin. The odor of a hemp field, and the giddiness and headache, which attack persons remaining long in it, prove the existance of this resin in the northern plant, but it is only in the East that it exists in such quanities as to render it extraction practiable." The article described the forms that resin was collected in the Eastern countries and how the leave product was distributed and the various names of the different products. The resin was often sold separately but sometimes was left in the parent plant, which was bundled and sold after being dried. The larger leaves and pods were sold together and the tops, tender shoots and pastiles were another product. The term "hashish" could be several different products; resin extracted from the dried plants by boiling them in butter, or alcohol. It was also made into candy.

As to how it was consumed, I ran across several methods. The most popular was taking it as a pill and authors were quite descriptive on the effects. I did find it curious that it was often described, when moderately taken, the effects resembled that of drinking excessively strong tea. There were a few occasions of it being taken as a liquid extract on a lump of sugar after taking tea or drinking a beverage where the extract had been placed. I only ran across one account of hashish being smoked and the resin was smeared on the cigarette paper or included with the tobacco in the cigarette. I did not find any references to the dried leaves being smoked.

The above info was taken from:

"Hashish; or The Five Great Narcotics" _The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature_
(1858)

"Curious Drugs for Producing Halluenation" _Scientific American_ (1850)

"The Hashish" _Littell's Living Age_ (1849)

"Notes on Narcotics" _Medical and Surgical Reporter_ (1861)

[NoahBriggs]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

I took the liberty to research hemp during the era. My original question was that I had heard that tobacco farmers were required by law to set aside a certain amount of acreage to grow hemp so the government could use it for ropes and canvas and so on. Turns out that was a colonial law. Seems by 1860 we were importing our industrial hemp from Imperial Russia, as it was cheaper to import than to grow domestically.

Cannabis Indica was imported for occasional medicinal use. Beasley's Book of 2900 Prescriptions mentions cannabis as a medcine. It also says the India version was preferred over the European. That's dated to the 1850s. The prescriptions which are written out, though, are for a tincture (meaning it was cut with alcohol as a preservative). There is nothing I have seen in primary sources to indicate it was smoked for medicinal usage. The tincture was to be used to treat the pain of glaucoma.

An earlier book on pharmaceuticals dated to the 1830s makes no mention of cannabis as a medicinal substance.

The last primary source is the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary in Alexandria, Virginia. The City is still in the process of cataloguing everything inside the Apothecary. However, when I volunteered there, it was pointed out there was a wooden drawer in the manufaturing room labeled "Cannabis Indica". Supposedly there is actual cannabis inside. I never did look, but that indicates that cannabis was available up to 1933, (the date when Stabler-Leadbeater closed the shop and left).

The book I read as a secondary source was a history of hemp. This book was heavily biased towards legalization. The majority of the thesis revolved around using hemp cannabis for industrial use, and trying to raise the argument that the US should legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. It also stipulated that Lincoln's family may have grown hemp on their Kentucky farm, and Lincoln himself may have taken a hit off of his pipe in the early years. The source for this particular claim is rather vague. I cannot confirm or deny it. Most of the sources cited were heavily biased secondary sources. Not surprisingly the primary sources used were more recent documents, stuff squeezed out of Uncle Sam's archives via the Freedom of Information Act.

The same book mentions that cannabis grew wild wherever. I have not read anything in primary sources to indicate someone deliberately grew the cannabis, harvested, dried and made it into tobacco. Obviously, if this pipe has genuine cannabis remains, then the previous sentence has been negated. It would be interesting to do a chemical analysis to compare the THC levels back then with the THC levels in 1950s or 1970s cannabis, or compare that to the hydroponic buds today, which are reputed to have major THC buzz.

[pipthelimey]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Noah,
I wish I could have compared the THC levels. That would have been interesting. Unfortunately, my buddy in a crime lab tested it for me, but he couldn't let me keep it. (No seriously officer, it's a historical relic...)

Bottom line is, I think that some cannabis was probably smoked in and around the era. I don't think it was as common as it is now, probably because there was no adventure to be had, (no laws, societal stigma, etc.,) but I don't know that we'll be able to find much on the subject, because it's another one of those things which seems as if it is too mundane to have been written down.

[MoFed]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Excerpt from a letter from Capt. Robert Fyan, Co. B, 24th Mo. Vol. Inf. to his sister sent from Ballou Creek, Taney County, MO., April 17, 1862:

"In one thing however there seemed to be unanimity of taste--that was in the love of the noxious weed. Every man used the "dirty weed" in some shape or other. There is no use of feminines objecting--it is a wonderful companion--assuages our grief; mollifies our anger; soothes us in our misfortunes; banishes care; and almost compensates us for the absence of that Fair one without whom Adam and other old antiquaries thought life was valueless.

Poor old fellows, they had not discovered Tobacco. But, holloa! what an apostrophe to the "hateful stuff"; I am afraid you will consider me a devotee bowing down to one of the "institutions" of Dixie."

Personal Letter, Robert Washington Fyan Papers, 1862-64, Missouri State Historical Society: Western Historical Manuscripts Collection - University of Missouri-Rolla.

Charles D. Hoskins
Holmes Brigade USV, Inc.

[springkeeper]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

From Brokenburn, The Journal of Kate Stone 1861 - 1869

On the road to Texas 1864 "We stopped at twelve, built a fire, enjoyed our dinner, and then smoked leaf cigarettes."

A nice, young southern lady sitting on the roadside smoking a cigarette...

[sumter_guard]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Based on Charle's post I'm thinking that "the curious weed" is probably what I'm thinking it is. Here is the passage from "Cush: A Civil War Memoir:"

"During this campaign the men wer ravenous for a vegetable diet, but even if they coudl have gotten the vegetables they had no way of cooking them. Upon one occasion some of the men in our regiment got a camp kettle and I saw them gathering potato tops, poke salad, lambsquarter and even the careless weed which they cooked and ate with relish."

Thoughts?

andrew

[Hank Trent]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Based on Charle's post I'm thinking that "the curious weed" is probably what I'm thinking it is. Here is the passage from "Cush: A Civil War Memoir:"

"During this campaign the men wer ravenous for a vegetable diet, but even if they coudl have gotten the vegetables they had no way of cooking them. Upon one occasion some of the men in our regiment got a camp kettle and I saw them gathering potato tops, poke salad, lambsquarter and even the careless weed which they cooked and ate with relish."

In the quote as typed above, it's "careless." Should it be "curious," or "careless"?

But either way, in context I think it's not meant to be read with any specific meaning. It's saying the men were gathering random plant tops that they could identify, and even strange weeds that they couldn't. Or, if it's "careless" weed, weeds that they found randomly along with everything else, or weeds that grew too close to edible greens and didn't manage to avoid their picking.

The word "the" makes it sound as if the sentence is alluding to some specific weed, but I think it's being used in the idiomatic way we'd say "all the Republicans voted for him, and even the odd Democrat switched parties to support him." That doesn't mean there was one specific eccentric Democrat that everyone could identify with a wink and nudge. It means just occasional random anonymous individuals.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[sumter_guard]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Hank,

It's "careless weed" I made a mistake when I said "curious."

Andrew

[vbetts]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Actually, we do have a weed down here in Texas that we call "careless weed." It's also called pigweed but the accurate name is redroot amaranth.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=AMRE

or perhaps various other varieties of amaranth, depending on the locale. The weed can be a real problem in hay meadows.

Vicki Betts

[FarbNoMore]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Though they are botanically the same plant

No they're not. "Hashish" and Hemp are two seperate plants; two seperate "botanicals." They come from two seperate seeds. In fact, "Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug." http://www.thehia.org/facts.html

Check the link for more facts. There IS a difference...

[Justin Runyon]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Yes and no. Both marijuana and "hashish" are derivitives of Canabis sativa indica. Modern industrial hemp, you are correct, is derived from Canabis sativa sativa. Indica can be used in industrial applications yet is known for it's relatively poor cloth.

Are they the same botanicly as I had originally posted, perhpas not, but as the latin names above indicate were certainly not talking about Canus domesticus and Felus leo here are we.

The bigger question that is raised comes from my use of the modifier modern in front of the term industrial in the above post. The site you referenced has information on todays hemp industry. The real question would be the latin names of the various "Canabi" used during our period. That answer I do not have yet.

[markj]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

Yes and no. Both marijuana and "hashish" are derivitives of Canabis sativa indica. Modern industrial hemp, you are correct, is derived from Canabis sativa sativa which can be used in industrial applications yet is known for it's relatively poor cloth.

Are they the same botanicly as I had originally posted, perhpas not, but as the latin names above indicate were certainly not talking about Canus domesticus and Felus leo here are we.

The bigger question that is raised comes from my use of the modifier modern in front of the term industrial in the above post. The site you referenced has information on todays hemp industry. The real question would be the latin names of the various "Canabi" used during our period. That answer I do not have yet.

FWIW, such nostrums as "James' Extract of Cannabis Indica" were being hawked in the pages of the New York Times at least as early as 7 July 1857. This particular concoction was touted as a cure for consumption and was also extolled as "a nervine, a tonic, an exhilarant, and a stimulant." Cannabis indica potions were also believed to be remedies for hydrophobia.

An 18 May 1902 Times article, helpfully entitled "The Herbs of Your Grandmothers," mentioned native "dogbane hemp" (Apocynum cannabinum) as being an excellent "country specific for 'chills and fever'...and a cure for chills and aenemia."

Copies of the above items are available on request.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger
markj@purdue.edu

[FarbNoMore]

Re: "Puffing the weed."

They are two seperate plants, with two seperate effects. They always have had these attributes. It's pretty much that simple. Send them an email and they'll help you clarify what was what during the period.

Of course it really matters not since both are illegal in the US to grow.