---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 1997 18:09:27 -0400 (EDT) From: "Eileen Tronolone (Pathfinder)" <eileent@pathfinder.com> To: Ray Arachelian <sunder@brainlink.com> Subject: Re: Recreational pharmaceuticals by genetic engineering (fwd) Also Sprach Ray Arachelian:

Psilocibe mushrooms usually cause vomiting. Most Amanita species have an lethal dosage which is uncomfortably close to the effective dosage, not a good thing in a drug. Amanita muscaria however was used by the vikings to help induce their 'berserker' state for battle.

Actually - and you can forward this to relevant parties - woad, the infamous herb used by the Celtic warrior in the form of blue body paint, when mixed with urine (which is how they applied it to their bodies) causes a reaction very similar to cocaine and most amphetamines. The reduction in pain that is felt from wounds and the ecstacy brought on can easily be confused with a typical beserker reaction. The term beserk originates from "bare sark" - the beserkers wore little if no armor and the Celts are particularily famous for going into battle "in the altogether" except for the blue war-paint. The feeling of invulnerability that comes from the woad "high" led to this custom. Other semi-legal although dangerous "highs" can result from the ingestion of too much nutmeg or jasmine, both hallucenogens. -- Eileen Tronolone | eileent@pathfinder.com | Do not CD c System Administrator | redsonja@giti.com | taunt --------P===\==/ Commerce Team | gotagun@liii.com | happy fun /_\__ Time Inc. New Media | 212-522-9121 | fencer! _\ \