The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-05-23
NORTH DAKOTA PROFESSOR
TRIED MESCAL ON HIMSELF

Prof. e. B. Putt of the North Dako-
ia Agricultural college gives the fol-
lowing interesting account of an ex-
pertinent he tried on himself with the
mescal bean, which the United States
government is ~endeavoring to keep
from the Indians of the southwest, In
The ST. Paul Pioneer Press:
Five minutes after taking the first
mesca1 bean I experienced a feeling Of
well being and gradual intensity of
eyesight. This was so pronounced as
to attract my attention at the end Of
about Fifteen minutes. / was sitting
in a rocker turning the pages Of q
book when I happened to glance up at
the wall. / was startled to see for the
first time a vivid crack beside the door.
The surprise was so great 1 immedi-
ately arose and walked toward the
door to find the The crack was
really there, but 1 learned next day
that it was so inconspicuous as hard
Iy to attract the attention Of any but
he closest observer. I realized at
once-having had a similar experience
with strychnine-that the phenomenon.
was due to increased acuteness Of vis-
ion, and was not a hallucination. I
quickly proved this point by sitting
quietly and staring al the wall oppo-
site. The effect was equally startling,
for / could perceive inequalities in the
shading in the oil coloring of the wall,
which had always previously appeared
to me as Of a uniform tan-brown
color.
How Objects Were Transformed.
AT this stage these phenomena were
clearly not OF the hallucination type,
but were due solely to increased acute
ness Of vision mi perception in color.
This explains the shadow or picture
like effect which other observers
have noted while viewing familiar OBJ
iects while under the influence Of mes
cal.
Just before takin gthe second button
I noticed by looking into the mirror
that the pupils Of my eyes were much
| dilated. The third button produced
the first alarming symptom. I ate
half Of that button and attempted to
walk across the room. Though ! &C
complished this successfully there was
a truly remarkable muscular weakness
in my legs, so that at times ! had to
assist myself with a chair.
Al most peculiar and interesting
thing in this connection was the fact
that the tendency of the body was TO
fall backward. never to n side or
forward. In fact, I have distinct rec
objection Of walking down the hall
with my body bent almost double In
an effort to keep from falling back
ward.
A Fourth Button-Then sleep.
I returned to my cnai as soon as
possible. completely exhausted. 1t re-
CURED the greatest effort Of the will
to force myself to eat the other half
Of the third button. My nervous agi-
ltation became extreme, and I solved
the problem by lighting a cigar. Aft
err smoking for a few minutes / became
composed, and finished the third butt
ton. The tremulous movements Of my
hands ceased, and I felt at peace with
the world. Feeling q great desire t.
lie down, I managed, IN spite OF my
extreme weakness, to undress myself
ana 20 to bed. This was about {
o'clock. Just before retiring I ate thu
fourth and last button, notwithstand.
ing a feeling Of nausea during the
process.
After I lay down ] recalled turning
over on my side only once. and ! was
in the same position when / awoke
within q few minutes muscular weak
ness had SO tar increased I was able
to move only my fingers and toes
Through I exerted all my will power,
could not force my right hand to grasI
NV left arm, which it was touching
The fangeFs would move separately
but not together as a whole hand. My
eyes were wide open, and I was per-
fAcs1v conscious OF my condition.
could hear the clock ticking, and also
the noise OF the rtains in the yards
downtown. I had no fear or, other
discomfort, and no desire to sleep, al
in oniurn intoxicatiou, but felt thai
"a long as / kept awake there was nc
danger.
Al Fountain Like Shower Of celcrs.
AT farst / saw onIy a succession Of
luminous dying balls, not unlike tIny
electric light bulbs. al Of q green
color, az every conceivable shade
After 4 while these became i~nterspers.
ed with red ones, and the fountain
like shower of coIors continued. Lat
III these coIors came In pairs, usually
OF red and green, orange and yellow