Subject: _The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert_ By Albert Most
From: [email-masked] (Gary Bense)
Date: 27 May 94 23:32:14 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.drugs,alt.psychoactives

Greetings!  Mescalito Ted here, with an informative essay on Bufo
alvarius by Albert Most.  Many thanks to J.C. for providing me with this
pamphlet via U.S. Snail so I could type it up.

        These essays are desperately needed in our electronic community,
and I encourage _anyone_ who has any monographs, essays, pamphlets, or small
books, to type or scan them and post them on the net!  This only took 30
minutes to type up, so it won't take a lot of your time to do it yourself!
 We need electronic versions of _Peganum Harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb
of the American Southwest_ by Albert Most, _The Magic Toads of Cozumel_ by
Nancy Hamblin, _Ecce Bufo: The Toad in Nature and in Olmec Iconagraphy_ by
Alison B. Kennedy, _Magic Grams_ by Peter Stafford, _Ayahuasca Imagery &
the Therapeutic Property of the Harmala Alkaloids_ by C. Naranjo, _The
International Cultivator's Handbook_ by William Danial Drake, Jr., _The
Healing Practices of a Peruvian Shaman_  by L.E. Luna, _The Magic Cactus:
Ethnoarchaeological Continuity In Peru_  by Dr. Douglas Sharon, _San Pedro
Owner's Manual_, _Medicinal Plants in Therapy_ by Norman R. Farnsworth, _A
Worldwide Role for the Healing Powers of Plants_ by Edward S. Ayensu,
_Molecular Mysticism, The Role of Psychoactive Substances in Shamanic
Transformations of Consciousness_ by Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., _Hallucinogens
in Chinese Herbals_ by Hui-Lin Li, Ph.D., _The Peyote Book_ by Guy Mount,
_Growing the Hallucinogens_ by Hudson Grubber, etc. etc. etc. etc.  If you
have any of these and don't want to take the time to type or scan them,
E-Mail me and we will work something out. $$$ involved.

     .-'~~~-.
   .'o  oOOOo`.      [email-masked] / Mescalito Ted
  :~~~-.oOo   o`.    Sysop of Altered Consciousness / 1.5 Gigs /14.4
   `. \ ~-.  oOOo.   2 nodes ringdown / The Worlds ElectroPharmacy
     `.; / ~.  OO:     _
     .'  ;-- `.o.'    / \               / Located in Washington State
    ,'  ; ~~--'~        /              / *Buy Your T. Pachanoi From
    ;  ;         :     / 06-652-3086  / Green Hand Cactus Garden!
_\\;_\\//_________    /__            / (602)622-2793, only $6 a Foot
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

        Bufo alvarius:

                                the

                Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert

                                        by Albert Most

-

        Specialized multi-cellular glands concentrated on the neck and limbs
of B. alvarius produce a viscous milky-white venom that contains large
amounts of the potent hallucinogen, 5-MEO-DMT.  When vaporized by heat and
taken into the lungs in the form of smoke, this indole-based alkaloid
produces an incredibly intense psychedelic experience of incredibly short
duration.  There is no hangover or harmful effect.  On the contrary, a
pleasant psychedelic afterglow appears quite regularly after smoking the
venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.

-

                        1st Printing
                        Spring 1984

                        2nd Printing
                        Spring 1985

                The Author welcomes all
                correspondence.  Write

                           Al
                        Box 2863
                  Denton, Texas 76202

-

                To Pat and Quanah
                   Summer 1983

        Neither the author, illustrator, nor publisher assume any liability
for the application of the information contained in this pamphlet.  It is
presented solely to further the quest for a fuller understanding of the
human experience

-

                                Part One

        The Sonoran Desert is a vast irregular-shaped area of some 120,000
square miles.  It stretches from southeastern California across the
southern half of Arizona and extends south into Sonora, Mexico.  The desert
rises from sea level to more than 5000 feet as arid lowlands of mesquite
and creosote are cut by mountain canyons of oak and sycamore.  It is a
harsh zone where temperatures can reach 140 F. in the shade and rainfall
amounts at as little as five inches per year.

        One of the most unique inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert is the
native toad, Bufo alvarius.  Although the genus Bufo includes more than two
hundred species of toads, B. alvarius is the only species that exists
exclusively within the Sonoran Desert.  Unlike most toads, B. alvarius is
semi-aquatic and must remain in the vicinity of dependable water in order
to survive/.  Consequently, the principle habitat of this species is within
the drainage of permanent rivers and streams of the Sonoran Desert.

        This delicate desert environment, like most places on earth, has
not been overlooked by man in his constant compulsion to manipulate nature.
But amazingly enough, the semi-aquatic lifestyle of B. alvarius has
coincided quite well with the advance of civilized man.  More than one
thousand years ago, the Hohokam Indians began diverting water from the Gila
River in order to irrigate the arid soil.  Working with sticks and stones
these primal people pioneered an extensive system of desert agriculture.
Their original network of canals has been expanded for centuries and now
irrigates more than 1.5 million acres of the Sonoran Desert.  This is
equivalent to regularly flooding an area of arid land about half the size
of the state of Connecticut.  The damp wet desert fields meet man's
increasing needs and simultaneously provide a permanent niche in the
ecosystem for B. alvarius, the semi-aquatic toad of the Sonoran Desert.

        B. alvarius is nocturnal and remains underground throughout the
day, escaping the extreme temperatures with the strategy of subterranean
life.  At dusk, these desert toads leave their hidden recesses and
congregate in damp wet areas near springs and streams, in fields irrigated
for agriculture, or in temporary pools left after heavy rains.  The
breeding season, May through July, is the period of greatest activity for
B. alvarius.  Large healthy toads can easily be gathered after dark using a
flashlight and a cloth collection bag.

        You won't have any trouble identifying B. alvarius.  It is the
largest native North American species of toad.  In terms of snout-to-vent
length, B. alvarius requires a minimum of three inches for sexual maturity,
although breeding adults continue to grow up to seven inches in length.
This desert dweller is of stout build with a squat body and a flat broad
head.  The skin is smooth and leathery, sparsely covered with pale orange
warts, and can change considerably from a dark brown to olive or grayish
green.  The belly is cream colored and usually unmarked.  There are one to
four prominent round white warts at the corner of the mouth.  But, by far,
the most identifying characteristic of B. alvarius is the presence of large
granular glands on the neck and limbs.

-

        The granular glands are specialized multi-cellular concentrations
of tissue.  The most prominent of these is the pair of large kidney-shaped
parotoid glands located on on each side of the neck, over and behind the
tympanum.  Enlarged and enlongated glands on the outside of each hind leg,
between the knee and thigh, are called femorals.  Similarly, the tibeals
are long glands, or a line of shorter ones, that run the full length
between the knee and ankle.  An additional gland concentration can be found
on each of the forearms.

        Each of these glands consists of many oval-shaped lobules about two
millimeters in diameter.  Each lobule is an individual unit with a duct
that emerges onto the skin as a well-defined, single pore.  A double cell
layer surrounds each lobule and functions in the synthesis and release of a
viscous milky-white venom.

        The venom from B. alvarius contains a very pevuliar and constant
spectrum of biogenic amines.  Biosynthesis of the amines is accomplished
via a genetically regulated enzyme system.  The metabolic pathway of B.
alvarius is unique within the Animal Kingdom in that it produces large
amounts of 5-methoxy indole derivatives.  The predominant alkaloid among
these, as much as fifteen per cent of the venom by dry weight, is
5- methoxy- N,N- dimethyltryptamine (5-MEO-DMT).

-

        5-MEO-DMT is a potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of
three to five milligrams.  It was first synthesized in 1936, but its
mind-expanding effects were not discovered for more than twenty years.
Then in 1959, 5-MEO-DMT was identified as the predominant alkaloid in the
hallucinogenic snuffs of several tribes in South America.  These primal
people have long prepared mind-altering snuffs from flowers, seeds, bark,
and stems of indigenous plants.  In 1968, 5-MEO-DMT was detected in the
Animal Kingdom, as well.  B. alvarius became notorius as the "psychedelic
toad" when its venom was shown to contain enormous amounts of this
indole-based alkaloid.  Whether extracted from North American toads or
South American plants or synthesized in the laboratory, 5-MEO-DMT is an
extremely potent hallucinogen.

        5-MEO-DMT has ten times the relative potency of dimethyl tryptamine
(DMT), the popular synthetic psychedelic drug of the 1960's.  It should be
mentioned, however, that 5-MEO-DMT differs from DMT in two major ways.
First whereas 5-MEO-DMT has a methoxy group in the 5 position on the indole
ring, DMT does not.  The presence of this methoxy group greatly increases
the lipid solubility of the molecule.  This allows 5-MEO-DMT to penetrate
the blood-brain barrier and reach sites of action more rapidly than DMT.
Secondly, whereas DMT is classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance,
described by Title 21 of U.S. Code as having "a high potential for abuse
and no currently accepted medical use", 5-MEO-DMT is relatively unknown.

-

                                Part Two

        "A certain man had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a
golden egg every day.  But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and
thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the goose; and
cutting her open, found her -- just what any other goose would be.  "
                _The Goose with the Golden Eggs_ by Aesop

        Half-a-gram to a gram or more of fresh venom can be collected from
a large adult specimen of B. alvarius.  Half of this weight is water and
evaporates upon drying.  But, as must as fifteen per cent of the dry weight
is the predominant alkaloid, 5-MEO-DMT.  In other words, one large toad
yielding one gram of fresh venom may equal as much as seventy-five
milligrams of potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of three to
five milligrams.

        Fresh venom can easily be collected without harm to the toad.  Use
a flat glass plate or any other smooth non-porous surface at least twelve
inches square.  Hold the toad in from of the plate, which is fixed in a
vertical position.  In this manner, the venom can be collected on the glass
plate, free of dirt and liquid released when the toad is handled.

        When you are ready to begin, hold the toad firmly with one hand
and, with thumb and forefinger of your other hand, squeeze near the base of
the gland until the venom squirts out of the pores and onto the glass
plate.  Use this method to systematically collect the venom from each of
the toad's granular glands:  those on the forearm, those on the tibia and
femur of the hind leg and, of course, the parotoids on the neck.  Each
gland can be squeezed a second time for an additional yield of venom if
you allow the toad a one hour rest period.  After this, the glands are
empty and require four to six weeks for regeneration.

-

        The venom is viscous and milky-white in color when first squeezed
from the glands.  It begins drying within minutes and acquires the color
and texture of rubber cement.  Scrape the venom from the glass plate, dry
it thoroughly, and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to
smoke it.

        The venom from B. alvarius is extremely hallucinogen when vaporized
by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke.  An adequate dose
for a normal adult of average size is a piece of dried venom about the size
of a paper match head.  Shave it into thin slices with a razor blade and
put the pieces in a clean one-toke pipe fitted with a brass screen.
Designate this pipe strictly for smoking toad venom, as the accumulation of
residue in the bowl and condensation of vapors within the stem can yield an
unintentional high with other smoking materials.

        Apply a suitable flame and smoke the contents of the bowl in one
complete inhalation.  Try to hold the smoke in your lungs as long as
possible as the effectiveness will depend largely on the full dose being
absorbed in one breath.

-

        Within thirty seconds, there will be an onset of almost
overwhelming psychedelic effects.  You will be completely absorbed in a
complex chemical even characterized by an overload of thoughts and
perception, brief collapse of the EGO, and loss of the space-time
continuum.  Relax, breathe regularly, and flow with the experience.  After
two to three minutes, the initial intensity fades to a pleasant LSD-like
sensation in which visual illusions, hallucinations, and perceptual
distortions are common.  You may sense a distortion in your perceived body
image or notice the world shrinking or expanding.  You may notice that
colors seem more brighter and more beautiful than usual.  And, most likely,
you will experience a euphoric mood interspersed with bursts of unmotivated
laughter.

        This ineffable episode is of extremely short duration.  The
hallucinogenic effects dissipate rapidly and the entire psychedelic cycle
is completed within fifteen minutes.  There is no hangover or harmful
effect.  On the contrary, a pleaseant psychedelic afterglow appears quite
regularly and may last several hours to several days after smoking the
venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.

-

                        _Important Considerations_

        Every psychedelic experience is chiefly a function of set and
setting, of preperation and environment.  The better prepared you are, the
better the experience will be for you.  Consider the following
instructions:

        *  Smoke the venom fairly early in the day on an empty but not
           starving stomach.

        *  Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs or medication prior
           to smoking the venom.

        *  Provide a comfortable setting which is as free as possible from
           unforeseen distractions and intrusions.  Make sure you will not
           be disturbed for at least thirty minutes.

        *  Be comfortably seated or prone prior to inhaling the vapors.

        *  Enjoy your trip!

                                        Albert Most
                                        Gold, Arizona
                                        Summer 1983

-

                        _Recommended Reading_

          _The Handbook for the Serious Toad Collector_ by Albert Most

        Everything you could possibly want to know about the "psychedelic
        toad" is covered in this illustrated guide to B. alvarius.
        Beginning with the mating call and mounting clasp, the author
        details the metamorphosis of B. alvarius through egg and tadpole
        stages up to the mature adult.  A special section on induced
        ovulation and tadpole culturing describes how the serious toad
        collector can, at any time, induce spawning in pet toads and insure
        insemination of the 8000 eggs laid by the adult female. Price $5.00

        _Peganum harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb of the American
        Southwest_ by Albert Most

        The psychoactive alkaloids present in P. harmala have such
        extraoridinary effects that they have earned the name
        "telepathines." The author presents an illustrated guide to the
        history, botany, chemistry, cultivation, preparation, use, and
        effects of this most unusual hallucinogenic plant. Price $3.00

        _Eros and the Pineal_ by Albert Most

        This unusual do-it-yourself guide details the manipulation of
        normal biogenic amines in the human brain.  The author presents a
        safe and effective procedure for increasing the concentration of
        pineal sorotonin, blocking its normal enzymatic inactivation, and
        shifting pineal catabolism towards the production of endogenous
        hallucinogens. Fully illustrated and highly recommended. Price$ 5.00

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