William Brooke O’Shaughnessy: The Grandfather Of Cannabis Research

William Brooke O’Shaughnessy is not a name that most people are familiar with but cannabis research would not be where it is without his contributions. 

He was an Irish born doctor in the 19th century who spent decades researching in India and introduced the wonderful medicinal properties of cannabis to the western world. In this article we’re going to briefly explore his life and achievements in the medical field. 

Early life of William Brooke O’Shaughnessy

William was born in Limerick, County Clare, Ireland in 1808. He came from a religious family with no ties to the medical profession. His uncle was the Dean of Ennis and his great uncle the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe. 

He studied medicine for a year at Trinity College, Dublin in 1825 but did not graduate. In 1827, he transferred to the faculty of medicine at the University of Edinburgh and published his first paper at age 21 in 1830 after obtaining his medical degree. His specialty was chemistry and toxicology and demonstrated his knowledge by criticizing the poor methods of his peers, offering better and accurate analysis solutions. 

In 1831, O’Shaughnessy’s expertise was requested when the cholera pandemic which had been ravaging through Asia and Russia reached Europe. His analysis of the blood and excreta of cholera victims helped develop better treatment methods for patients. 

Joining the East India Company and first encounter with cannabis

In 1833, O’Shaughnessy accepted a position in the East India Company as an assistant surgeon in the Bengal service. He was promoted to Surgeon within 2 years and appointed as the first Professor of Chemistry at the Calcutta Medical College in 1836. 

He became interested in the medicinal properties of indigenous plants and through his interactions with the indigenous community discovered cannabis. O’Shaughnessy was fascinated by the healing effects of hemp as at the time contemporary medical literature from the West was limited and only focused on its intoxicating effects. 

In contrast knowledge on the medicinal properties of cannabis was widely known throughout Africa, South America, Egypt, Asia Minor and India. In his observations he wrote, ‘in the popular medicine of these nations we find it extensively employed for a variety of affections.

However, in Western Europe, its application as either a stimulant or a remedy remains largely unfamiliar.

American physician and psychiatrist Tod Mikuriya wrote in his paper ‘Marijuana in medicine: past, present and future’ that the practice dates back to ancient civilizations. 

Hemp preparations have been used as remedies in India since before 1000 B.C., while in Persia, cannabis was recognized several centuries prior to Christ. In Assyria, around 650 B.C., the intoxicating properties of cannabis were already acknowledged.

O’Shaughnessy conducted extensive research of the effects of cannabis on a variety of ailments including cholera, rheumatism, hydrophobia, tetanus, rabies and a 40-day old baby with convulsions. His findings were first presented at the Medical and Physical Society of Calcutta in 1839 to an audience of students and scholars. 

He had limited success in treating rheumatism, hydrophobia and cholera but noted that cannabis provided noticeable calming and pain relief effects. He did find success in quelling the muscle spasms associated with conditions like tetanus and rabies. 

His cannabis treatment was also successful in stopping the convulsions (febrile seizures) the 40-day old infant was suffering from. O’Shaughnessy was pleased with this discovery even claiming “the profession has gained an anti-convulsive remedy of the greatest value”.

His research continued and upon returning to England had published The Bengal Dispensatory in 1842 and The Bengal Pharmacopoeia in 1844. His research was republished in British and European journals which led to increased interest in cannabis research. 

From 1840 to 1900, over 100 articles appeared in scientific journals related to the medicinal properties of cannabis. His contributions cannot be denied and one can only imagine what advancements we would have achieved if cannabis wasn’t demonized and outlawed during the 1920s.