The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1896-02-21

Ms tho mcHcal button ana " hoNh'nh
more nor less than the dried top Of the
mcsoai cactus which grows 10 the val.
ley Of the Rio Grando Tho button
awells In the mouth and has an exceed
ingly bitter taste. II is 10 the use OF
the moscnl button by the kiowas IN
their religious ceremonies that the
white man owes his present knowledge
Of the drug These Indians assemble
In their council tents. usually on sat
urday night. and seat themselves, each |
with a supply OF the buttons. about
large campfire. which "a Kept burning |
brightly. Button after button Is swal' |
lowed, from shutdown until a. m
Throughout the ceremony there Is no
dancing or singing. but continual
monotonoua beating OF drums II Kept
up by attendants. The Indians sit In
bllaaful rcycrie for hours. enjoying
the beautiful vision Of color and other
manifestations caused by the resulting
intoxicatlon. Occasionally brave VIII
rise and tell his experience. This IA
interpreted by the medicine men. and
deductions and conclusions are made
for future guidance. The Indians
leave the tent at noon on the following
day. and feel no depression or unp'cas-
ant after effect
In six experiments made upon eau
oaslans II was found that only from
three TO seven buttons we're necessary
10 produce q marked effect whereas
the Indians take ten or twelve at one
ceremony. owing. undoubtedly, to the
tolerance for the drug which habit has
produced In the Indian In one Of tho
experiments the subject. n chemist, de.
acrlbed hia visions aa follows; "On
closing my eyes could see all sorts Of
designs In brilliant and ever changing
colora. such as no human being ever
enjoyed under normal conditions. My
mind was perfectly clear. An ever diff
fcron. panorama Of infinite beauty and
grandeur hurried before me. Perhaps
tho most pleasing OF all was produced
by my voluntarily thinking OF Klralfy'r
America" as given two years ago
Ny pleasure no far passed the more or
binary realms Of delight "a TO bring MI
I
exclamation OF enjoyment became In
voluntary Tho loss Of conception o
time and space was a marked feature oil
my experience"
Another subject saw "a host OF it'll,
tubes OF shining light, down which
green and red balls the size OF peal
we're constantly rolling These tubes
bent themselves into the shapes Of
wheels and began revolving with groal
velocity. All the field OF view between
these silent wheels was filled In with O
shifting mass OF green. The color
were wonderful. No words can give at
idea OF their intensity or OF their cease
less motion The forms change,
through rich arabesques and Syrian
carpet patterns. ana with each nov
form came new flush Of color. ever!
shade appearing. from pure white Il
deepest purple"
THE production OF visions" said IN
dlseoverer, lis the most interesting O
+. the physiological effects OF the mcscn
buttons as shown by our experiment.
There seemed TO be no limit to m
variety and beauty OF ylalons which III
drug could produce. The predomlna
Z ing feature OF the visions IL the cole
n effects. Drumming or otherwise mari
/. ing regular time enhanced the beaui
n and variety OF the objects seen.
i some cases no eject whatever was pr
duced upon the reason or viii Of the Il
dlyidual. Compared with other into
,. icants the effect upon tho minds Ia @
% tromeiy slight More or less depre
n sion OF the muscular system exist
n in every case. Inability to sleep for
u least twelve hours after the erocla
the drug commenced TO pass on was
marked eject. Loss OF the sense OF III
In existed In all cases. In the tenden
Dt TO produce wakemllness the new dr.
ot resembles cocaine. The effects OF M
NJ cal resemble those OF certain dru
rs An some OF tho symptoms produce
AZ hut diner widely from them In otho
X CnnnabIs Indica produces visions, 81
or orally OF gay character, In most ca
y. followed by sleep. The visions IN
e. mescal buttons produce wonder and
o. mlratIon. but no merriment'
n
M Ntuatuv