Mushroom magic
Media
Part of Panorama
- Title
- Mushroom magic
- Identifier
- Try it
- Language
- English
- Source
- Volume XII (Issue No. 11) November 1960
- Year
- 1960
- Subject
- Mushrooms
- Therapeutics
- Therapeutic use of fungi
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- Try it Mushroom Magic Z^exico has given the world ffy a lot of things, like tur keys, tomatoes, tabasco and tequilla. Now a mystery mushroom which reportedly sends you out of this world is being investigated. Some say that while under its spell, you get an insight in to the future. Most settle for the claim that it produces wild dreams and a feeling that life is grand. And it leaves no hang over, headache or nausea. Several scientific expeditions have penetrated the tropical wilds of Southern Mexico in search of the strange mushroom which grows wild. Mexico has long been fam ed for its many types of mush rooms, but this magic mush room is something else. It could have medicinal value. Mark T. Gumbiner, a young anthropologist, has made seve ral trips to the remote Huautla region of Oaxaca. His research was sponsored jointly by the University of Washington and the University of Chicago. Dr. Andrija Punarich, a Ca lifornia physician, has been on other expeditions. Recently, he helped a television producer, take films scheduled for show ing in the United States. Gumbiner not long ago led a small group to the primitive Oaxaca area inhabited by the Mazetec tribe which still uses pre-Columbian calendars and speaks a far-carrying, odd whistling language. Few under stand Spanish. According to the magazine “Mexico This Month,” Gumbi ner had won the confidence of the Indians earlier, and they willingly produced the magic mushrooms and arranged for a midnight ritual. The mushrooms were soaked in water and sugar. Later they were removed, heated a few moments over a flame. Parti cipants in the ritual ate them according to their particular desires. Some who ate sparingly said they felt nothing except a sto mach ache or a desire to go to the bathroom. But one ‘“lost in the group and entered into a rapport that was so complete as to be terrifying,” says one. November 1960 85 An elderly woman, who de nied she was a witch, presided. “Her drum background, her chants, her rising and falling inflections, guided one’s res ponses as much as if he were an animal whose reins she held guiding it at will. Her evening was spent completely out of this world, in discern ing the depth of perception, de tachment and exploration of sensibilities not ordinarily as sociated with the usual five.” Dr. Puharich’s group includ ed Collier Young, TV Pro ducer, Dr. Jeffery Smith, Stan ford University Anthropologist, and Dr. Barbara Brown, neu ro-pharmacist of the University of California. According to the report on this expedition, all ate some of the mushrooms, which appear ed to affect them differently at different times. Dr. Brown reported halluci nations, and a general feel ing that life was wonderful. Although there was a dif ference of opinion, Young was quoted as saying all the mush rooms produced definite ef fects. It was suggested that mushrooms might have some use as a base for treatment of mental illness. As a climax to the trip, one of the Indians during the ”itual told Dr. Puharich he would have an auto accident be fore leaving Mexico. On the way back to the ca pital, the doctor’s station wa gon collided with a lorry and was a total loss. The doctor escaped with minor injuries. Mushroom magic? No one can say. 86 Panorama
- pages
- 85-86