Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-01
Where Men
Get Drunk On
Mushrooms

II
world, there is some growing thing from which
"hooch" be made.
On many tropical the natives the femented
sap the palm for primitive cocktail parties that
have knocked many hard-boiled seadog on his ear
Every tribe has least secret recipe by which
it dIstIl1s potent booze from roots and leaves.
all the queer OF alcohol there is none
unusual surprising than pretty mushroom
which grows the peninsula Of Kamchatka in eastern
Siberia This fungus which the botanists list the
"Amanita mnscarla@and which the Siberian trbesmen
who get wildly drunk 1t call the "Mukhomor'-has an
incredible kick in IT, 1t doesn't matter whether the
mushroom is eaten fresh whether II ~ dried IL takes
only good-szed chunk Of Mukhomor to provide big
hinge and a hangover which is hard to take
The chief Of this queer brand Of liquor
10 be the Koriaks who live on the bleak shores the
Penzhnsk Gulf They spend good deal Of their time
cultvatng the mushroom and drying against the long
Winter months during which they orego gainul labor in
order TO get and stay cockeyed Some OF the tbesmen
roll the dried stuff pills which they swallow with
chewing but their favoe drink concoced by mash
ing up goodszed Mukhomor in cupful OF juice which
they make from herb and species of BURBERRY
Now and then white drops in this remote
section OF Siberia and for himself what happen
a when he's full Of Mukhomor hghbals The
experience said be TO be believed
Reaction the drink is rapid II usually takes
three hours for the stuff do work Then IL
hits with great suddenness and with different effects
different people. Some Of the Siberian DRINKS get
tremey sad They hold their heads in their hands They
and sob bitterly. They get crying ags' which
may last as long eight hours
Mukhomor makes other drinkers extraordinarily
happy They dance and sing and imagine that their
companions beautiful and amiable young II
they hoped up" they couldn't be NOR,
tout of this world" \
Still other imbibers Of the mushroom whisky become
and murderous when the stuff begins
Their chief be annihilae every living
thing including their drinking companions. That's why
it is the custom among the koriaks 70 put aside their
and firearms before they go group hinge
Not long ago a white scientist is said have spent
time in that section Of Siberia where Mukhomor
the favore drink He managed to talk with
natives and get clear picture OF their amazing
tions while under it's influence.
he size Of
things is all out OF whack when he's fun OF Mukhomor
small rut in the road takes the appearance OF the
Grand Canyon puddle OF water that could easily
step suddenly becomes a large lake.
The mushroom cocktails frequently make those who
get drunk them believe that confession good the
souland they talk their heads off The native tbesmen
always hope that at least member Of their community
will get this reaction to the liquor and reveal intimate
details OF his personal and family life.
The Soviet Government has tried for time 70
outlaw the raising of the potent mushroom and its
the basis of violent beverage But they haven't been
able to stamp out the habit Many trader who deals
in fish and fur handles Mukhomor the side and bootegs
the stuff to the natives Veteran drinkers of Mukhomor
will spend all they have borrow get supply.
More than one trader working along the shores of
the Penzhnsk Gulf has picked up boatload of prime
furs whole herd of reindeer for pockeul of the
stimulating 'toadstools."
Botanists say that the "Amanita muscaria" grows
in lot of other places beside eastern Siberia but that
Siberia is the only place where 1t occurs anyone to
the fungus intoxicant. In the United States
the Mukhomor is known the Fly agarac and is
times used to poison flies and other insects by placing
"Amanita muscaria" Fly mushrooms" and the
Russian word Mukhomor Is translated fly kill"
Scientists say that there have been many on
accidental poisoning by this mushroom not only in Siberia
but Europe and America well Usually the person
affected shows symptoms of inoxcation first.
Some years ago German scientist made experiments
with mushroom found that small quantities
deadly cats dogs pigeons rats, frogs and fishes
Strangely enough many of the smaller birds such
fnches quantities Of the deadly mushroom without
being seriously affected. y VI
Humans accidently poisoned by the mushroom break
cold sweat, feel If they going 10 suffo-
die of thirst vomt violently and suffer derum
In some The victims die from II 20 as hours