The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17
EVER SMOKE MALAJUANA?
POTENT MEXICAN DRTG WITH 4
TWO-FOLD lotion.

PERSONAL---VERY. II Mexican Prison.
II was during the fcSidS The party had done
the bull fights in the afternoon and was dining al
the International Club in Ciudad Porlrio Diaz
When the heavy native cigars and littlc Mexican
cigarettes wrapped in corn shucks were brought
in with the coffee the talk turned TO narcotics. and
in more or less interesting narrative, ran all tho
way from pcrquo tobacco 10 cocaine Nearly
everybody spoke on tho subject at moro or less
length, except Slayden, who listened nttcn,ivcly.
but said nothing. That is his way when he 10
sure OF story. Finally, when the subject
about talked out. he said:
Did any Of you ever hear of malaiuanaP but
without waiting for an answer he continued.
We'll, was n malauawa ilcnd once It's tho big
gest drug devil Of them all The stuff comes from
the dried leaves and bark Of n kind Of native
hemp that grows wild all over southern Mexico.
Its victims usually smoke it mixed with tobacco
in a cigarette.
Soon after our road began 10 boom Durango
and got mixed UP In law suit involving tho tito
10 some Durango lots just before the 10 DO
tried was arrested on some prctcXt or another and
locked up In the Jail, iucOmmunicddo. The second
day Of my enforced isolation exhausted my own
supply Of cigarettes, and. smoking being about
my only resource. glad 10 avail myself Of
the small. unpreposscsSing package Of cigarettes
that came along with my daily supply Of food
and water. ! noticed something peculiar about
the first one that lighted The taste and odor
were both new to me, but my reflections upon these
| qualities were OF the bricfcst duration
Most Of you know how ii feels tn turn into Q
big, downy, comfortable bed when you dog
! tired. and drift oil with clear conscience into
| deep, untroubed, restful sleep Well, before
| finished half that cigarette that's the way felt
| with the sensation multiplied about ten times
felt as though was being gently lifted from tho
off, ubi I ,,i,, 7
| began 10 smoke. and waited about In the air.
felt as II something soft and delightfully."- sooth-
ing touched me all over; the sound Of distant music
was In my cars: charming vistns pcopled with
! exquisitely graceful forms opened To my eyes;
and in the midst Of the comfort and restfulness
and beauty Of 1t all went beautifully 10 sleep.
IT must have been the afternoon of the follow
ing day when walked, for there In It's usual
| place was my daily allowance Of food full
| Jug OF water and another package Of cigarettes.
| was refreshed and hungry. and ate all tho food
| that had been brought me. Ii was the first tne
| had been able TO relish the coarse fare OF
| course lit cigarette as soon as | finished my
| meal | experienced only the usual mildly
| narcotic effect of tobacco, the only thing about
! my smoke that was at all out Of the ordinary
| being pungent, aromatic fragrance totally
unlike anything had ever before experienced
| which found most pleasing. II was not until
titon Of anything like my previous experience.
| Upon the appearance Of its first symptom stopped
| smoking. | was convinced that the cigarettes
| were drugged. and ! determined thcrcupun TO
| smoke no more OF them,
| Some hours afterward began TO he oppressed
| with nausea and other distressing sensations
| Later my head seemed ready 10 split every bono
| and muscle in my body ached: my flesh felt dead.
as if it was dropping of my bones; my throat was
parched. l knew that another cigarette would
bring ME relief but felt certain it would be pur-
| chased at the price Of greater suffering later on.
| For hours lay on the hard prison floor and tried
to bear my choice collection Of fortunes, but with
| the passing Of each minute the pangs multiplied
| At length could bear them no longer. In sheer
| desperation l lit n cigarette resolved TO smoke
until my suffering should become bearablc.
| with almost the first inhalation was con-
| sCous Of dual personality. All my sense inn
| preSSions were double. Gradually one OF these
personalities seemed TO be lifted out Of my body,
which continued TO suffer agonieS, and 10 be poised
| above it, 1t was awful. In yet greater dcspcra-
| ton. inhaled the potent smoke rapidly and vio-
| lently. Soon the pain ceased. My body slept,
! while the part Of me that was conscious loatcd
| out "t the prison. 1t was alike independent uf
matter, time and distance. il sought seemed
| Ia seek throughout the universe for beauty and
grandeur, and found them. 1t revisited tho
| scenes of my childhood, OF my youth OF my carly
| manhood. | lived over, To the minutest detail,
| every plcasurablc sensation had ever known.
| And then | came back 10 my body and drfted
! into u land Of dreams filled with new fanCics and
| sensations too strange and beautiful for any
| words that know Ia describe
| "Thcncciorlh the drug was my master Two
or three times afterwards ! made weak and in
| cifcctual struggles against it, but each time 1t
seemed TO lie IN wait for me with a new seductive
ness. My confinement lasted but ten days. I
was released without trial or explanation. Upon
| rcgaining my liberty, my first care was To secure
a supply Of III" drugeed cigarettes. had care
| fully saved several packages, enough 10 last q
week. perhaps, but YOU can scarcely imagine my
| diSmay when | could find nothing like them.
| though searched every cigar store in the town
| did not then know the name OF the drug TO which
| had become slave.
| The third day Of my release ! was ounging