374 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
374 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
From: msclito@eskimo.com (Gary Bense)
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Newsgroups: alt.drugs,alt.psychoactives
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Subject: _The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert_ By Albert Most
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Message-ID: <CqHIpt.EE3@eskimo.com>
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Date: 27 May 94 23:32:14 GMT
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Greetings! Mescalito Ted here, with an informative essay on Bufo
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alvarius by Albert Most. Many thanks to J.C. for providing me with this
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pamphlet via U.S. Snail so I could type it up.
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These essays are desperately needed in our electronic community,
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and I encourage _anyone_ who has any monographs, essays, pamphlets, or small
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books, to type or scan them and post them on the net! This only took 30
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minutes to type up, so it won't take a lot of your time to do it yourself!
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We need electronic versions of _Peganum Harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb
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of the American Southwest_ by Albert Most, _The Magic Toads of Cozumel_ by
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Nancy Hamblin, _Ecce Bufo: The Toad in Nature and in Olmec Iconagraphy_ by
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Alison B. Kennedy, _Magic Grams_ by Peter Stafford, _Ayahuasca Imagery &
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the Therapeutic Property of the Harmala Alkaloids_ by C. Naranjo, _The
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International Cultivator's Handbook_ by William Danial Drake, Jr., _The
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Healing Practices of a Peruvian Shaman_ by L.E. Luna, _The Magic Cactus:
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Ethnoarchaeological Continuity In Peru_ by Dr. Douglas Sharon, _San Pedro
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Owner's Manual_, _Medicinal Plants in Therapy_ by Norman R. Farnsworth, _A
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Worldwide Role for the Healing Powers of Plants_ by Edward S. Ayensu,
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_Molecular Mysticism, The Role of Psychoactive Substances in Shamanic
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Transformations of Consciousness_ by Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., _Hallucinogens
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in Chinese Herbals_ by Hui-Lin Li, Ph.D., _The Peyote Book_ by Guy Mount,
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_Growing the Hallucinogens_ by Hudson Grubber, etc. etc. etc. etc. If you
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have any of these and don't want to take the time to type or scan them,
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E-Mail me and we will work something out. $$$ involved.
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.-'~~~-.
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.'o oOOOo`. -msclito@eskimo.com / Mescalito Ted
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:~~~-.oOo o`. Sysop of Altered Consciousness / 1.5 Gigs /14.4
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`. \ ~-. oOOo. 2 nodes ringdown / The Worlds ElectroPharmacy
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`.; / ~. OO: _
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.' ;-- `.o.' / \ / Located in Washington State
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,' ; ~~--'~ / / *Buy Your T. Pachanoi From
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; ; : / 06-652-3086 / Green Hand Cactus Garden!
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_\\;_\\//_________ /__ / (602)622-2793, only $6 a Foot
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Bufo alvarius:
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the
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Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert
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by Albert Most
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-
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Specialized multi-cellular glands concentrated on the neck and limbs
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of B. alvarius produce a viscous milky-white venom that contains large
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amounts of the potent hallucinogen, 5-MEO-DMT. When vaporized by heat and
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taken into the lungs in the form of smoke, this indole-based alkaloid
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produces an incredibly intense psychedelic experience of incredibly short
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duration. There is no hangover or harmful effect. On the contrary, a
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pleasant psychedelic afterglow appears quite regularly after smoking the
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venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.
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-
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1st Printing
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Spring 1984
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2nd Printing
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Spring 1985
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The Author welcomes all
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correspondence. Write
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Al
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Box 2863
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Denton, Texas 76202
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-
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To Pat and Quanah
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Summer 1983
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Neither the author, illustrator, nor publisher assume any liability
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for the application of the information contained in this pamphlet. It is
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presented solely to further the quest for a fuller understanding of the
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human experience
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-
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Part One
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The Sonoran Desert is a vast irregular-shaped area of some 120,000
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square miles. It stretches from southeastern California across the
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southern half of Arizona and extends south into Sonora, Mexico. The desert
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rises from sea level to more than 5000 feet as arid lowlands of mesquite
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and creosote are cut by mountain canyons of oak and sycamore. It is a
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harsh zone where temperatures can reach 140 F. in the shade and rainfall
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amounts at as little as five inches per year.
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One of the most unique inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert is the
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native toad, Bufo alvarius. Although the genus Bufo includes more than two
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hundred species of toads, B. alvarius is the only species that exists
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exclusively within the Sonoran Desert. Unlike most toads, B. alvarius is
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semi-aquatic and must remain in the vicinity of dependable water in order
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to survive/. Consequently, the principle habitat of this species is within
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the drainage of permanent rivers and streams of the Sonoran Desert.
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This delicate desert environment, like most places on earth, has
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not been overlooked by man in his constant compulsion to manipulate nature.
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But amazingly enough, the semi-aquatic lifestyle of B. alvarius has
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coincided quite well with the advance of civilized man. More than one
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thousand years ago, the Hohokam Indians began diverting water from the Gila
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River in order to irrigate the arid soil. Working with sticks and stones
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these primal people pioneered an extensive system of desert agriculture.
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Their original network of canals has been expanded for centuries and now
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irrigates more than 1.5 million acres of the Sonoran Desert. This is
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equivalent to regularly flooding an area of arid land about half the size
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of the state of Connecticut. The damp wet desert fields meet man's
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increasing needs and simultaneously provide a permanent niche in the
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ecosystem for B. alvarius, the semi-aquatic toad of the Sonoran Desert.
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B. alvarius is nocturnal and remains underground throughout the
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day, escaping the extreme temperatures with the strategy of subterranean
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life. At dusk, these desert toads leave their hidden recesses and
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congregate in damp wet areas near springs and streams, in fields irrigated
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for agriculture, or in temporary pools left after heavy rains. The
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breeding season, May through July, is the period of greatest activity for
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B. alvarius. Large healthy toads can easily be gathered after dark using a
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flashlight and a cloth collection bag.
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You won't have any trouble identifying B. alvarius. It is the
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largest native North American species of toad. In terms of snout-to-vent
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length, B. alvarius requires a minimum of three inches for sexual maturity,
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although breeding adults continue to grow up to seven inches in length.
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This desert dweller is of stout build with a squat body and a flat broad
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head. The skin is smooth and leathery, sparsely covered with pale orange
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warts, and can change considerably from a dark brown to olive or grayish
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green. The belly is cream colored and usually unmarked. There are one to
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four prominent round white warts at the corner of the mouth. But, by far,
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the most identifying characteristic of B. alvarius is the presence of large
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granular glands on the neck and limbs.
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-
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The granular glands are specialized multi-cellular concentrations
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of tissue. The most prominent of these is the pair of large kidney-shaped
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parotoid glands located on on each side of the neck, over and behind the
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tympanum. Enlarged and enlongated glands on the outside of each hind leg,
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between the knee and thigh, are called femorals. Similarly, the tibeals
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are long glands, or a line of shorter ones, that run the full length
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between the knee and ankle. An additional gland concentration can be found
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on each of the forearms.
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Each of these glands consists of many oval-shaped lobules about two
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millimeters in diameter. Each lobule is an individual unit with a duct
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that emerges onto the skin as a well-defined, single pore. A double cell
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layer surrounds each lobule and functions in the synthesis and release of a
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viscous milky-white venom.
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The venom from B. alvarius contains a very pevuliar and constant
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spectrum of biogenic amines. Biosynthesis of the amines is accomplished
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via a genetically regulated enzyme system. The metabolic pathway of B.
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alvarius is unique within the Animal Kingdom in that it produces large
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amounts of 5-methoxy indole derivatives. The predominant alkaloid among
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these, as much as fifteen per cent of the venom by dry weight, is
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5- methoxy- N,N- dimethyltryptamine (5-MEO-DMT).
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-
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5-MEO-DMT is a potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of
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three to five milligrams. It was first synthesized in 1936, but its
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mind-expanding effects were not discovered for more than twenty years.
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Then in 1959, 5-MEO-DMT was identified as the predominant alkaloid in the
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hallucinogenic snuffs of several tribes in South America. These primal
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people have long prepared mind-altering snuffs from flowers, seeds, bark,
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and stems of indigenous plants. In 1968, 5-MEO-DMT was detected in the
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Animal Kingdom, as well. B. alvarius became notorius as the "psychedelic
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toad" when its venom was shown to contain enormous amounts of this
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indole-based alkaloid. Whether extracted from North American toads or
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South American plants or synthesized in the laboratory, 5-MEO-DMT is an
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extremely potent hallucinogen.
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5-MEO-DMT has ten times the relative potency of dimethyl tryptamine
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(DMT), the popular synthetic psychedelic drug of the 1960's. It should be
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mentioned, however, that 5-MEO-DMT differs from DMT in two major ways.
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First whereas 5-MEO-DMT has a methoxy group in the 5 position on the indole
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ring, DMT does not. The presence of this methoxy group greatly increases
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the lipid solubility of the molecule. This allows 5-MEO-DMT to penetrate
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the blood-brain barrier and reach sites of action more rapidly than DMT.
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Secondly, whereas DMT is classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance,
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described by Title 21 of U.S. Code as having "a high potential for abuse
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and no currently accepted medical use", 5-MEO-DMT is relatively unknown.
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-
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Part Two
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"A certain man had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a
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golden egg every day. But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and
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thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the goose; and
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cutting her open, found her -- just what any other goose would be. "
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_The Goose with the Golden Eggs_ by Aesop
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Half-a-gram to a gram or more of fresh venom can be collected from
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a large adult specimen of B. alvarius. Half of this weight is water and
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evaporates upon drying. But, as must as fifteen per cent of the dry weight
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is the predominant alkaloid, 5-MEO-DMT. In other words, one large toad
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yielding one gram of fresh venom may equal as much as seventy-five
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milligrams of potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of three to
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five milligrams.
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Fresh venom can easily be collected without harm to the toad. Use
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a flat glass plate or any other smooth non-porous surface at least twelve
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inches square. Hold the toad in from of the plate, which is fixed in a
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vertical position. In this manner, the venom can be collected on the glass
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plate, free of dirt and liquid released when the toad is handled.
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When you are ready to begin, hold the toad firmly with one hand
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and, with thumb and forefinger of your other hand, squeeze near the base of
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the gland until the venom squirts out of the pores and onto the glass
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plate. Use this method to systematically collect the venom from each of
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the toad's granular glands: those on the forearm, those on the tibia and
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femur of the hind leg and, of course, the parotoids on the neck. Each
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gland can be squeezed a second time for an additional yield of venom if
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you allow the toad a one hour rest period. After this, the glands are
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empty and require four to six weeks for regeneration.
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-
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The venom is viscous and milky-white in color when first squeezed
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from the glands. It begins drying within minutes and acquires the color
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and texture of rubber cement. Scrape the venom from the glass plate, dry
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it thoroughly, and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to
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smoke it.
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The venom from B. alvarius is extremely hallucinogen when vaporized
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by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke. An adequate dose
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for a normal adult of average size is a piece of dried venom about the size
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of a paper match head. Shave it into thin slices with a razor blade and
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put the pieces in a clean one-toke pipe fitted with a brass screen.
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Designate this pipe strictly for smoking toad venom, as the accumulation of
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residue in the bowl and condensation of vapors within the stem can yield an
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unintentional high with other smoking materials.
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Apply a suitable flame and smoke the contents of the bowl in one
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complete inhalation. Try to hold the smoke in your lungs as long as
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possible as the effectiveness will depend largely on the full dose being
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absorbed in one breath.
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-
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Within thirty seconds, there will be an onset of almost
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overwhelming psychedelic effects. You will be completely absorbed in a
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complex chemical even characterized by an overload of thoughts and
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perception, brief collapse of the EGO, and loss of the space-time
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continuum. Relax, breathe regularly, and flow with the experience. After
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two to three minutes, the initial intensity fades to a pleasant LSD-like
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sensation in which visual illusions, hallucinations, and perceptual
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distortions are common. You may sense a distortion in your perceived body
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image or notice the world shrinking or expanding. You may notice that
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colors seem more brighter and more beautiful than usual. And, most likely,
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you will experience a euphoric mood interspersed with bursts of unmotivated
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laughter.
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This ineffable episode is of extremely short duration. The
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hallucinogenic effects dissipate rapidly and the entire psychedelic cycle
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is completed within fifteen minutes. There is no hangover or harmful
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effect. On the contrary, a pleaseant psychedelic afterglow appears quite
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regularly and may last several hours to several days after smoking the
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venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.
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-
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_Important Considerations_
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Every psychedelic experience is chiefly a function of set and
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setting, of preperation and environment. The better prepared you are, the
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better the experience will be for you. Consider the following
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instructions:
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* Smoke the venom fairly early in the day on an empty but not
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starving stomach.
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* Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs or medication prior
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to smoking the venom.
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* Provide a comfortable setting which is as free as possible from
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unforeseen distractions and intrusions. Make sure you will not
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be disturbed for at least thirty minutes.
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* Be comfortably seated or prone prior to inhaling the vapors.
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* Enjoy your trip!
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Albert Most
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Gold, Arizona
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Summer 1983
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_Recommended Reading_
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_The Handbook for the Serious Toad Collector_ by Albert Most
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Everything you could possibly want to know about the "psychedelic
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toad" is covered in this illustrated guide to B. alvarius.
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Beginning with the mating call and mounting clasp, the author
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details the metamorphosis of B. alvarius through egg and tadpole
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stages up to the mature adult. A special section on induced
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ovulation and tadpole culturing describes how the serious toad
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collector can, at any time, induce spawning in pet toads and insure
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insemination of the 8000 eggs laid by the adult female. Price $5.00
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_Peganum harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb of the American
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Southwest_ by Albert Most
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The psychoactive alkaloids present in P. harmala have such
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extraoridinary effects that they have earned the name
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"telepathines." The author presents an illustrated guide to the
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history, botany, chemistry, cultivation, preparation, use, and
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effects of this most unusual hallucinogenic plant. Price $3.00
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_Eros and the Pineal_ by Albert Most
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This unusual do-it-yourself guide details the manipulation of
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normal biogenic amines in the human brain. The author presents a
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safe and effective procedure for increasing the concentration of
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pineal sorotonin, blocking its normal enzymatic inactivation, and
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shifting pineal catabolism towards the production of endogenous
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hallucinogens. Fully illustrated and highly recommended. Price$ 5.00
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