R. Gordon Wasson 1 R

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

R. Gordon Wasson 1 R R. Gordon Wasson 1 R. Gordon Wasson Robert Gordon Wasson Wasson in 1955 Born September 22, 1898 Great Falls, Montana Died December 26, 1986 (aged 88) Danbury, Connecticut Residence Danbury, Connecticut Nationality American Fields Ethnomycology Alma mater Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism London School of Economics Notable awards Pulitzer Travelling Scholarship Robert Gordon Wasson (September 22, 1898 – December 23, 1986) was an American author, ethnomycologist, and a vice president of J.P. Morgan & Co.[1][2][] In the course of independent research, he made contributions to the fields of ethnobotany, botany, and anthropology. Several of his books were self-published in illustrated, limited editions that have never been reprinted. Work Wasson's studies in ethnomycology began during his 1927 honeymoon trip to the Catskill Mountains when his bride, Valentina Pavlovna Guercken (1901–1958), a paediatrician, chanced upon some edible wild mushrooms. Fascinated by the marked difference in cultural attitudes towards the fungus in Russia compared to the United States, the couple began field research that led to the publication of Mushrooms, Russia and History in 1957. In the course of their investigations they mounted expeditions to Mexico to study the religious use of mushrooms by the native population, and claimed to have been the first Westerners to participate in a Mazatec mushroom ritual. It was the curandera María Sabina who allowed Wasson to participate in the ritual, and who taught him about the uses and effects of the mushroom. Sabina let him take her picture on the condition that he keep it private, but Wasson nonetheless published the photo along with Sabina's name and the name of the community where she lived.[3] In May 1957 they published a Life magazine article titled Seeking the Magic Mushroom, which brought knowledge of the existence of psychoactive mushrooms to a wide audience for the first time. The article sparked immense interest in the Mazatec ritual practice among beatniks and hippies, an interest that proved disastrous for the Mazatec community and for María Sabina in particular. As the community was besieged by Westerners wanting to experience the mushroom induced hallucinations, Sabina attracted attention by the Mexican police who thought that she sold drugs to the foreigners. The unwanted attention completely altered the social dynamics of the Mazatec community and threatened to terminate the Mazatec custom. The community blamed Sabina, and she was ostracized in the community and had her house burned down. Sabina later regretted having introduced Wasson to the practice, but Wasson contended that his only intention was to contribute to the sum of human knowledge.[3][][4] Together, Wasson and botanist Roger Heim collected and identified various species of family Strophariaceae and genus Psilocybe, while Albert Hofmann,[5] using material grown by Heim from specimens collected by the Wassons, identified the chemical structure of the active compounds, psilocybin and psilocin. Hofmann and Wasson were also among the first Westerners to collect specimens of the Mazatec hallucinogen Salvia divinorum, though these specimens were later deemed not suitable for rigorous scientific study or taxonomic classification.[6] Two species of R. Gordon Wasson 2 mushroom, Psilocybe wassonii heim and Psilocybe wassonorum guzman, were named in honor of Wasson along with Heim and Gastón Guzmán, the latter of whom Wasson met during an expedition to Huautla de Jiménez in 1957. Wasson's next major contribution was a study of the ancient Vedic intoxicant soma, which he proposed was based on the psychoactive fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) mushroom. This hypothesis was published in 1967 under the title Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality. His attention then turned to the Eleusinian Mysteries, the initiation ceremony of the ancient Greek cult of Demeter and Persephone. In The Road to Eleusis: Unveiling the Secret of the Mysteries (1978), co-authored with Albert Hofmann and Carl A. P. Ruck, it was proposed that the special potion "kykeon", a pivotal component of the ceremony, contained psychoactive ergoline alkaloids from the fungus Ergot (Claviceps spp.). His last completed work, The Wondrous Mushroom, will be republished by City Lights Publishers in March 2013. Ethnography Prior to his work on soma, theologians had interpreted the Vedic and Magian practices to have been based on alcoholic beverages that produced inebriation. Wasson was the first researcher to propose that the actual form of Vedic intoxication was entheogenic. Further reading • Forte, Robert. Entheogens and the Future of Religion. San Francisco: Council on Spiritual Practices, 1997. • Furst, Peter T. Flesh of the Gods: The Ritual Use of Hallucinogens. 1972. • Riedlinger, Thomas J. The Sacred Mushroom Seeker: Essays for R. Gordon Wasson. Portland: Dioscorides Press, 1990. • Wasson, R. Gordon, Stella Kramrisch, Jonathan Ott, and Carl A. P. Ruck. Persephone's Quest: Entheogens and the Origins of Religion. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. • Wasson, R. Gordon. The Last Meal of the Buddha. Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 102, No. 4. (Oct. – Dec., 1982). p 591-603. • Wasson, R. Gordon. The Wondrous Mushroom: Mycolatry in Mesoamerica. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. (Reprint by City Lights, 2012.) • Wasson, R. Gordon, et al. The Road to Eleusis: Unveiling the Secret of the Mysteries. New York: Harcourt, 1978. • Wasson, R. Gordon. Maria Sabina and Her Mazatec Mushroom Velada. New York: Harcourt, 1976. • Wasson, R. Gordon. A Review of Carlos Castaneda's "Tales of Power." Economic Botany. vol. 28(3):245–246, 1974. • Wasson, R. Gordon. A Review of Carlos Castaneda's "Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan." Economic Botany. vol. 27(1):151–152, 1973. • Wasson, R. Gordon. A Review of Carlos Castaneda's "A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan." Economic Botany. vol. 26(1):98–99. 1972. • Wasson, R. Gordon. A Review of Carlos Castaneda's "The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge." Economic Botany. vol. 23(2):197. 1969. • Wasson, R. Gordon. Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality. 1968. • Wasson, Valentina Pavlovna, and R. Gordon Wasson. Mushrooms, Russia and History [7]. 1957. • Wasson, R. Gordon. Seeking the Magic Mushroom [8] Life magazine, May 13, 1957 R. Gordon Wasson 3 References [2] http:/ / www. imaginaria. org/ wasson/ life. htm [3] Estrada, Álvaro, (1976) Vida de María Sabina: la sabia de los hongos (ISBN 968-23-0513-6) [4] Rothenberg, Jerome. 2003. "Editor's Preface" in María Sabina: Selections. University of California Press. p. XVI [6] http:/ / www. sagewisdom. org/ salviahistory. html [7] http:/ / www. newalexandria. org/ archive/ [8] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=Jj8EAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA100& #v=onepage& f=true Article Sources and Contributors 4 Article Sources and Contributors R. Gordon Wasson Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=560896193 Contributors: 850 C, Aelffin, Alchemistoxford, Alxnd, Apothecia, BD2412, Bbsrock, Bethomalley, Bff, Bruceanthro, Bumhoolery, CALR, Casliber, Charles Matthews, Chenopodiaceous, Chris the speller, Chumchum7, Ctdunstan, D6, Danger Tech, Download, Drusillarain, EasterIslander, Eileenmiles, Electric.tapir, Exploding amoeba, Gbonline, Gobonobo, Heah, In ictu oculi, Jayqq, Jhay116, John of Reading, Jón, Kauczuk, Livedhumor22, Marqueed, Maunus, Mmyotis, Muad, Mujokan, Paul August, Rahaeli, Rednblu, ReverendG, Rob88hock, Ronz, Russell E, Senor Cuete, Sietse Snel, Superduperwavydavy, The Banner Turbo, Togo, Tony1, Viriditas, Waacstats, 16 anonymous edits License Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.
Recommended publications
  • Further Studies on Psilocybe from the Caribbean, Central America and South America, with Descriptions of New Species and Remarks to New Records
    ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Sydowia Jahr/Year: 2009 Band/Volume: 61 Autor(en)/Author(s): Guzman Gaston, Ramirez-Guillen Florencia, Horak Egon, Halling Roy Artikel/Article: Further studies on Psilocybe from the Caribbean, Central America and South America, with descriptions of new species and remarks to new records. 215-242 ©Verlag Ferdinand Berger & Söhne Ges.m.b.H., Horn, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at Further studies on Psilocybe from the Caribbean, Central America and South America, with descriptions of new species and remarks to new records. Gastón Guzmán1*, Egon Horak2, Roy Halling3, Florencia Ramírez-Guillén1 1 Instituto de Ecología, Apartado Postal 63, Xalapa 91000, Mexico. 2 Nikodemweg 5, AT-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. 3 New York Botanical Garden, New York, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, USA.leiferous Guzmán G., Horak E., Halling R. & Ramírez-Guillén F. (2009). Further studies on Psilocybe from the Caribbean, Central America and South America, with de- scriptions of new species and remarks to new records. – Sydowia 61 (2): 215–242. Seven new species of Psilocybe (P. bipleurocystidiata, P. multicellularis, P. ne- oxalapensis, P. rolfsingeri, P. subannulata, P. subovoideocystidiata and P. tenuitu- nicata are described and illustrated. Included are also discussion and remarks refer- ring to new records of the following taxa: P. egonii, P. fagicola, P. montana, P. mus- corum, P. plutonia, P. squamosa, P. subhoogshagenii, P. subzapotecorum, P. wright- ii, P. yungensis and P. zapotecoantillarum. Thirteen of the enumerated species are hallucinogenic. Key words: Basidiomycotina, Strophariaceae, Agaricales, bluing, not bluing. In spite of numerous studies on the genus Psilocybe in the Carib- bean, Central America and South America (Singer & Smith 1958; Singer 1969, 1977, 1989; Guzmán 1978, 1983, 1995; Pulido 1983, Sáenz & al.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: Diversity, Traditions, Use and Abuse with Special Reference to the Genus Psilocybe
    11 The Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: Diversity, Traditions, Use and Abuse with Special Reference to the Genus Psilocybe Gastón Guzmán Instituto de Ecologia, Km 2.5 carretera antigua a Coatepec No. 351 Congregación El Haya, Apartado postal 63, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The traditions, uses and abuses, and studies of hallucinogenic mush- rooms, mostly species of Psilocybe, are reviewed and critically analyzed. Amanita muscaria seems to be the oldest hallucinogenic mushroom used by man, although the first hallucinogenic substance, LSD, was isolated from ergot, Claviceps purpurea. Amanita muscaria is still used in North Eastern Siberia and by some North American Indians. In the past, some Mexican Indians, as well as Guatemalan Indians possibly used A. muscaria. Psilocybe has more than 150 hallucinogenic species throughout the world, but they are used in traditional ways only in Mexico and New Guinea. Some evidence suggests that a primitive tribe in the Sahara used Psilocybe in religions ceremonies centuries before Christ. New ethnomycological observations in Mexico are also described. INTRODUCTION After hallucinogenic mushrooms were discovered in Mexico in 1956-1958 by Mr. and Mrs. Wasson and Heim (Heim, 1956; Heim and Wasson, 1958; Wasson, 1957; Wasson and Wasson, 1957) and Singer and Smith (1958), a lot of attention has been devoted to them, and many publications have 257 flooded the literature (e.g. Singer, 1958a, b, 1978; Gray, 1973; Schultes, 1976; Oss and Oeric, 1976; Pollock, 1977; Ott and Bigwood, 1978; Wasson, 1980; Ammirati et al., 1985; Stamets, 1996). However, not all the fungi reported really have hallucinogenic properties, because several of them were listed by erroneous interpretation of information given by the ethnic groups originally interviewed or by the bibliography.
    [Show full text]
  • New Species of Psilocybe from Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand
    ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Sydowia Jahr/Year: 1978/1979 Band/Volume: 31 Autor(en)/Author(s): Guzman Gaston, Horak Egon Artikel/Article: New Species of Psilocybe from Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand. 44-54 ©Verlag Ferdinand Berger & Söhne Ges.m.b.H., Horn, Austria, download unter www.biologiezentrum.at New Species of Psilocybe from Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand G. GUZMAN Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas, I. P. N., A. P. 26-378, Mexico 4, D. F. and E. HORAK Institut Spezielle Botanik, ETHZ, 8092 Zürich, Schweiz Zusammenfassung. Aus Auslralasien (Papua New Guinea, Neu Kaledonien und Neu Seeland) werden 6 neue Arten von Psilocybe (P. brunneo- cystidiata, P. nothofagensis, P. papuana, P. inconspicua, P. neocaledonica and P. novae-zelandiae) beschrieben. Zudem wird die systematische Stellung dieser Taxa bezüglich P. montana, P. caerulescens, P. mammillata, P. yungensis und anderer von GUZMÄN in den tropischen Wäldern von Mexiko gefundenen Psilocybe-Arten diskutiert. Between 1967 and 1977 one of the authors (HORAK) made several collections of Psilocybe in Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand. After studying the material it was surprising to note that all fungi collected do represent new species. This fact may indicate the high grade of endemism of the fungus flora on the Australasian Islands. Nevertheless, the new taxa described have interesting taxo- nomic relationships with species known from tropical America and temperate Eurasia. These connections are discussed in the text. Concerning Psilocybe only three records are published so far from the before mentioned Australasian region: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Psilocybin Mushrooms Fact Sheet
    Psilocybin Mushrooms Fact Sheet January 2017 What are psilocybin, or “magic,” mushrooms? For the next two decades thousands of doses of psilocybin were administered in clinical experiments. Psilocybin is the main ingredient found in several types Psychiatrists, scientists and mental health of psychoactive mushrooms, making it perhaps the professionals considered psychedelics like psilocybin i best-known naturally-occurring psychedelic drug. to be promising treatments as an aid to therapy for a Although psilocybin is considered active at doses broad range of psychiatric diagnoses, including around 3-4 mg, a common dose used in clinical alcoholism, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, ii,iii,iv research settings ranges from 14-30 mg. Its obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.xiii effects on the brain are attributed to its active Many more people were also introduced to psilocybin metabolite, psilocin. Psilocybin is most commonly mushrooms and other psychedelics as part of various found in wild or homegrown mushrooms and sold religious or spiritual practices, for mental and either fresh or dried. The most popular species of emotional exploration, or to enhance wellness and psilocybin mushrooms is Psilocybe cubensis, which is creativity.xiv usually taken orally either by eating dried caps and stems or steeped in hot water and drunk as a tea, with Despite this long history and ongoing research into its v a common dose around 1-2.5 grams. therapeutic and medical benefits,xv since 1970 psilocybin and psilocin have been listed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the most heavily Scientists and mental health professionals criminalized category for drugs considered to have a consider psychedelics like psilocybin to be “high potential for abuse” and no currently accepted promising treatments as an aid to therapy for a medical use – though when it comes to psilocybin broad range of psychiatric diagnoses.
    [Show full text]
  • NHBSS 041 2E Hilton Proced
    NAT. NAT. HIST. BUL L. SIAM Soc. 41: 75-92 , 1993 PROCEDURES IN THAI ETHNOMYCOLOGY Roger N. Hilton* and Pannee Dhitaphichit** CONTENTS Page Page 守,守戸、 Introduction Introduction Jζ The The Nature of Fungi Fり勺 Mycological Mycological Literature 守fF 勾f。。。。凸ツ口ツ勺 Early Early R釘 ords Collecting Collecting 勺F Romanization Romanization of Local Languages 守''巧 Fungi Fungi as Food /0000000000 Fungi Fungi as Food 島10difiers 4q4 Poisonous Poisonous Fungi 勾 Medicinal Medicinal Fungi 3ζJζJ Hallucinogenic Hallucinogenic Fungi Fungus Fungus Structural Material Club Club heads. Fungal felt. Rhizomorph skirts. Miscellaneous Miscellaneous 0δ0606ζUζU00 References References Appendix Appendix INTRODUCTION In In assessing biological resources of rural communities anthropologists have paid due attention attention to plants and to animals. The sCIences of ethnobotany and ethnozoology are well- established. established. However , the third kingdom of living things , the Fungi , has been neglected. This This is partly because its prominent members are more evanescent than plants and animals. But a contributing factor is the unfamiliarity of these organisms , so that untrained field investigators investigators have no idea how to set about collecting and naming them. This paper is designed designed to give some of the uses to which fungi are known to be put , to explain how to collect collect them ,and to draw attention to publications that may be used. Formerly * Formerly Botany Department ,University of Westem Australia. Present address: 62 Viewway ,Nedlands , W.A. W.A. 6009 ,Australia. 判 Department of Applied Biology , King Mongku t' s Institute of Technology ,Ladkrabang ,Bangkok 10520 75 75 76 ROOER N. HILTON AND PANNEE DHITAPHICHIT It It could provide a background for looking into the references to fungi in the literature of of Southeast Asia.
    [Show full text]
  • Mycological Investigations on Teonanacatl the Mexican Hallucinogenic Mushroom
    Mycological investigations on Teonanacatl, the mexican hallucinogenic mushroom by Rolf Singer Part I & II Mycologia, vol. 50, 1958 © Rolf Singer original report: https://mycotek.org/index.php?attachments/mycological-investigations-on-teonanacatl-the-mexian-hallucinogenic-mushroom-part-i-pdf.511 66/ Table of Contents: Part I. The history of Teonanacatl, field work and culture work 1. History 2. Field and culture work in 1957 Acknowledgments Literature cited Part II. A taxonomic monograph of psilocybe, section caerulescentes Psilocybe sect. Caerulescentes Sing., Sydowia 2: 37. 1948. Summary or the stirpes Stirps. Cubensis Stirps. Yungensis Stirps. Mexicana Stirps. Silvatica Stirps. Cyanescens Stirps. Caerulescens Stirps. Caerulipes Key to species of section Caerulescentes Stirps Cubensis Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Sing Psilocybe subaeruginascens Höhnel Psilocybe aerugineomaculans (Höhnel) Stirps Yungensis Psilocybe yungensis Singer and Smith Stirps Mexicana Psilocybe mexicana Heim Stirps Silvatica Psilocybe silvatica (Peck) Psilocybe pelliculosa (Smith) Stirps Cyanescens Psilocybe aztecorum Heim Psilocybe cyanescens Wakefield Psilocybe collybioides Singer and Smith Description of Maire's sterile to semi-sterile material from Algeria Description of fertile material referred to Hypholoma cyanescens by Malençon Psilocybe strictipes Singer & Smith Psilocybe baeocystis Singer and Smith soma rights re-served 1 since 27.10.2016 at http://www.en.psilosophy.info/ mycological investigations on teonanacatl the mexican hallucinogenic mushroom www.en.psilosophy.info/zzvhmwgkbubhbzcmcdakcuak Stirps Caerulescens Psilocybe aggericola Singer & Smith Psilocybe candidipes Singer & Smith Psilocybe zapotecorum Heim Stirps Caerulipes Psilocybe Muliercula Singer & Smith Psilocybe caerulipes (Peck) Sacc. Literature cited soma rights re-served 2 since 27.10.2016 at http://www.en.psilosophy.info/ mycological investigations on teonanacatl the mexican hallucinogenic mushroom www.en.psilosophy.info/zzvhmwgkbubhbzcmcdakcuak Part I.
    [Show full text]
  • Baeocystin in Psilocybe, Conocybe and Panaeolus
    Baeocystin in Psilocybe, Conocybe and Panaeolus DAVIDB. REPKE* P.O. Box 899, Los Altos, California 94022 and DALE THOMASLESLIE 104 Whitney Avenue, Los Gatos, California 95030 and GAST6N GUZMAN Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas, l.P.N. Apartado Postal 26-378, Mexico 4. D.F. ABSTRACT.--Sixty collections of ten species referred to three families of the Agaricales have been analyzed for the presence of baeocystin by thin-layer chro- matography. Baeocystin was detected in collections of Peilocy be, Conocy be, and Panaeolus from the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, and Peru. Laboratory cultivated fruit- bodies of Psilocybe cubensis, P. sernilanceata, and P. cyanescens were also studied. Intra-species variation in the presence and decay rate of baeocystin, psilocybin, and psilocin are discussed in terms of age and storage factors. In addition, evidence is presented to support the presence of 4-hydroxytryptamine in collections of P. baeo- cystis and P. cyanescens. The possible significance of baeocystin and 4·hydroxy- tryptamine in the biosynthesis of psilocybin in these organisms is discussed. A recent report (1) described the isolation of baeocystin [4-phosphoryloxy-3- (2-methylaminoethyl)indole] from collections of Psilocy be semilanceata (Fr.) Kummer. Previously, baeocystin had been detected only in Psilocybe baeo- cystis Singer and Smith (2, 3). This report now describes some further obser- vations regarding the occurrence of baeocystin in species referred to three families of Agaricales. Stein, Closs, and Gabel (4) isolated a compound from an agaric that they described as Panaeolus venenosus Murr., a species which is now considered synonomous with Panaeolus subbaIteatus (Berk. and Br.) Sacco (5, 6).
    [Show full text]
  • Toxic Fungi of Western North America
    Toxic Fungi of Western North America by Thomas J. Duffy, MD Published by MykoWeb (www.mykoweb.com) March, 2008 (Web) August, 2008 (PDF) 2 Toxic Fungi of Western North America Copyright © 2008 by Thomas J. Duffy & Michael G. Wood Toxic Fungi of Western North America 3 Contents Introductory Material ........................................................................................... 7 Dedication ............................................................................................................... 7 Preface .................................................................................................................... 7 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. 7 An Introduction to Mushrooms & Mushroom Poisoning .............................. 9 Introduction and collection of specimens .............................................................. 9 General overview of mushroom poisonings ......................................................... 10 Ecology and general anatomy of fungi ................................................................ 11 Description and habitat of Amanita phalloides and Amanita ocreata .............. 14 History of Amanita ocreata and Amanita phalloides in the West ..................... 18 The classical history of Amanita phalloides and related species ....................... 20 Mushroom poisoning case registry ...................................................................... 21 “Look-Alike” mushrooms .....................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • La Forêt Dans Tous Ses États: De La Conservation À L'évaluation Territoriale Volume 1 Oeuvre Scientifique Inédite
    La forêt dans tous ses états : de la conservation à l’évaluation territoriale Volume 1 Oeuvre scientifique inédite Damien Marage To cite this version: Damien Marage. La forêt dans tous ses états : de la conservation à l’évaluation territoriale Volume 1 Oeuvre scientifique inédite. Géographie. Université Paris 1 - Panthéon-Sorbonne, 2018. tel-01960058 HAL Id: tel-01960058 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01960058 Submitted on 19 Dec 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne Laboratoire Dynamiques sociales et Recomposition des Espaces Habilitation a diriger des recherches La forêt dans tous ses états : de la conservation à l’évaluation territoriale ~ Volume 1 ~ Oeuvre scientifique inédite Damien Marage Soutenu le : 12 novembre 2018 devant un jury composé de : Rapporteurs Marianne Cohen, Pr., Lettres Sorbonne Université Guillaume Decocq, Pr., Université de Picardie, Jules Verne Examinateurs Fréderic Alexandre, Pr., Université Paris 13 - Sorbonne Paris Cité Jean-Christophe Foltête, Pr., Université de Franche-Comté Clive G. Jones, Senior Scientist Emeritus, Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies Pierre Pech, Pr., Emérite, Université Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne Garant Laurent Simon, Pr., Université Paris I, Panthéon-Sorbonne Laboratoire Dynamiques Sociales et Recomposition des Espaces Remerciements A Laurent Simon, mon garant, à Pierre Pech et à Guy Lemperiere, pour leur soutien, leur encouragement sans faille, leur enthousiasme toujours renouvelé.
    [Show full text]
  • Selected Papers of William L. White
    Selected Papers of William L. White www.williamwhitepapers.com Collected papers, interviews, video presentations, photos, and archival documents on the history of addiction treatment and recovery in America. Citation: Before LSD was acid. Posted at www.williamwhitepapers.com Before LSD was Acid William L. White Emeritus Senior Research Consultant Chestnut Health Systems [email protected] NOTE: The original 1,000+ page manuscript for Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America had to be cut by more than half before its first publication in 1998. This is an edited excerpt that was deleted from the original manuscript. Like many drugs described in this text, LSD Rockefeller Institute of New York (Restak, and other hallucinogens stayed in the 1994; Hofmann, 1983). background for a long time before they In 1938, two chemists at Sandoz would break into cultural visibility as mind- Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland (Dr. altering drugs. In this chapter we will explore Albert Hofmann and Dr. Arthur Stoll) created the history of LSD before it became well a series of ergot compounds in an effort to known. synthesize a pain remedy for migraine headaches. Working with lysergic acid The Discovery of LSD isolated from the ergot, Hofmann added a diethylamine molecule. This 25th compound The story of LSD begins with ergot, a in the series was d-lysergic acid parasitic fungus that grows on rye and other diethylamide tartrate, or "LSD 25." grains. Since the 16th century, ergot Research on LSD 25 and its chemical compounds had been used in small doses to cousins was set aside in 1938 because there relieve pain, to stop bleeding, and to start appeared to be no use for the substances.
    [Show full text]
  • Psilocybe K. Yokoyama
    Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1986, 148, 73-78 Poisoning by Hallucinogenic Mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes K. Yokoyama) Indigenous to Japan MORIHIRO MUSHA, ATSUSHI ISHII, FUMIO TANAKA and GENJIRO KUSANO* Department of Neuropsychiatry, Tohoku University School of Medicine, and * Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980 MUSHA,M., ISHII, A., TANAKA,F, and KUSANO,G. Poisoning by Hal- lucinogenic Mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes K. Yokoyama) Indig- enous to Japan. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1986, 148 (1), 73-78 Five cases of poisoning by indigenous mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes) are reported. As this mushroom contains psilocybin, in general, clinical features were similar to those seen by pure psilocybin. Acute toxic stuporous state with com- plete amnesia in the culminating period occurred in one case, psychedelic state with dreamy consciousness in one case and psychotic adverse reactions with vivid visual hallucinations with consciousness in three cases. There were accompanied with anxiety and panic reactions to subjective experiences. Though these toxic effects were usually short-lived, for management of such patients it is important to recognize that horrible emotional reactions and other harmful behavioral problems can also occur. hallucinogenic mushroom ; psilocybin ; toxic psychosis ; Psilocybe argentipes ; Hikageshibiretake The Aztecs and neighbouring tribes used not only peyotl (Lophophora williamsi) which contains mescaline, but also "sacred mushrooms" called teonanacatl in their religious cult since antiquity. In 1955 R. Gordon Wasson and his wife (Wasson 1957, 1959) rediscovered the mushroom cult in Southern Mexico and brought the specimens of mushroom to Roger Heim, well-known mycologist in Paris. Heim classified the mushrooms as Psilocybe mexicana Heim. In 1958 Hofmann, a chemist at the Sandoz Lab., isolated from Psilocybe mexicana Heim hallucinogenic psilocybin and psilocin as active principles.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Use of Hallucinogenic Fungi: a Comparison Between Siberian and Mesoamerican Cultures
    Karstenia 32:71-80.1992 Religious use of hallucinogenic fungi: A comparison between Siberian and Mesoamerican cultures HARRI NYBERG NYBERG, H.1992: Religious use of hallucinogenic fungi: A comparison between Si­ berian and Mesoamerican cultures. - Karstenia 32:71-80. The religious uses of hallucinogenic mushrooms in northern Eurasian and Mesoamerican cultures are compared. In northern Eurasia, some shamanistic cultures have used the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria (L.) Pers.); Mesoamericans, mainly mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe (Fr.) Kummer. The hallucinogenic potency of the former is due to isoxazole compounds and of the laner, psilocybine-type compounds. Despite similarities between the uses in these two cultural areas, there are also marked differences: the Fly Agaric did not seem to have been an object of religious, ritual veneration in northern Eurasia, whereas this was true for the Psilocybe mushrooms in Mesoamerica. This is suggested to be a result of the difference between these two mushroom groups in their pharmacological and clinical effects on man and also a result of vast cultural differences between the areas in question. The cultural and religious differences between northern Eurasian and Mesoamer­ ican use of hallucinogenic fungi and the significance of these differences are discussed. Keywords: Amanita muscaria, hallucinogenic fungi. Mesoamerican cultures, Psilocybe, shamanism, Siberian cultures Departmenl ofPlam Biology. University ofHelsinki. Viik/d. SF-OOllO Helsinki. Finland Introduction Religious use of hallucinogenic fungi has been re­ Siberian peoples is a question which is largely ne­ peatedly documented among shamanistic cultures in glected. different parts of the world. In this paper, the use For some Mesoamerican ethnic groups, the use of of these fungi by Siberian shamanistic cultures hallucinogenic fungi was an essential part of the and by certain Mesoamerican Indian cultures are culture during the Spanish conquest, when it was for compared.
    [Show full text]