DOSE:

oral

TMA

[This report originally appeared as handwritten notes in Book 1, pages 9-12 of the Shulgin Lab Books.]



Objective Response to TMA

Date: 4/22/60
Subjects: Gladys, Hugh, Irving
Observer: Alexander Shulgin

DOSE see page 2. no antiametic administered.

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[TEXT FROM 'PAGE 2']
4/22/60. Subjects. Gladys - dose 140 mg 2.0 mg/Kg / Hugh - dose 135 mg 1.7 mg/Kg / Irving - dose 140 mg 1.8 mg/Kg
In all subjects - distinct evidence of some nausea - comparable perhaps to equi-weight doses of Mescaline. Druggedness comparable to from 2 to 3 times this wt. dose of Mescaline-indicating a pharmacological potency of 2-3 times.
_______________________

SUBJECT: Gladys [dose 140 mg 2.0 mg/Kg]

After a short period of nausea lasting from about 0.8 to 1.1 hrs after the administration of the drug, the subject seemed to be in a good mood. There was some tendency to over-appreciate an average joke. Coordination seemed essentially normal - able to work a problem accurately on a slide rule. At about 2 hrs, had to leave the laboratory to talk with a visitor briefly - experienced no insufficiencies in talking with him. At 2.5 hrs took a long walk (about a mile) and seemed to lack no coordination or ability to protect himself from traffic. Riding in a car evidenced some claustrophobia and loss of accurate distance estimation. At 3.5 hrs found listening to music extremely enjoyable, and found he could lose himself completely in it. Would lie on the floor with his head under a blanket. Reported a euphoric association with it (eyes-closed hallucinations) but could talk to the other subjects voluntarily at any time. Made the statement 'If I had a little more of this drug, I could have an orgasm to that music.' (Stravinsky: Rites of Spring). Subsequent Chopin Piano Études and Bach Church Organ music seemed equally pleasurable.

He would become very irritated at the conversation of others if he wished to attend to the music. This vocalized request to 'shut up or go into another room if you want to talk' was his only aggressive symptom.

He had very little desire to eat, seemed to have very little mescaline-like color or motion synthesis. Left the subject at 5 hrs, at which time he was definitely withdrawing from the drugs effect. By his report there were essentially no remaining effects at 8 hrs, though he complained (as did his wife) that he was in a grouchy and irritable mood the next day.

His general impression was that his dosage was with a 'drugged effect' equivalent to 300 or 350 mg of Mescaline but definitely not as much as 400 mg (i.e. 2 - 2 1/2 times the potency of mescaline). When asked if he would like to repeat the experience he seemed indifferent, saying that it was interesting but preferred mescaline.

SUBJECT: Hugh [dose 135 mg 1.7 mg/Kg]

There was very nearly no nausea response of this subject to his nearly-equal dose of the drug. (Subjective is exceptionally sensitive to the emetic effect of mescaline). At 1 1/2 hours experimented with the photic stimulator, generating (eyes-closed) patterns of palm-leaves and swaying trees. Became somewhat talkative, fell into a role of joke-telling (somewhat poor jokes, which he told very well, however). He seemed a little light-headed and responded in an unusually out-going manner to questions.

During the 1-mile walk he was quite aware of the mescaline-like perception and commented on his (presumed) ability to sit and philosophize upon the behavior of birds (he is a bird-watcher). He felt that he would be able to remember their behavior because he could correlate it to his own, and thus better understand it. He was struck with his capacity to observe his new personality objectively, and found the various components of it to be separately analyzable.

At 3 1/2 hrs (during the music experiment) he became extremely (and annoyingly) talkative. He would discuss the origins of languages, how they are derived from the environmental needs of the people, and that perhaps languages of unknown origins could be traced by correlating basic words or word-stems, and the geographical terrain requirements. And many more such philosophical meanderings.

He would occasionally fall into a deep reverie, from which he would emerge full of conversation, talk for a while intensely - the retreat to his thoughts. There was no impairment of mobility - he would wander around the room. During the music, he lay on the floor and kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling (a tweedy-textured surface) and found interwoven motion in it.

Repeatedly his self-description would return to the fact that his personality was divided and exposed, that he felt he could understand his psychic structure most clearly. He commented that the psychiatric use of the drug would be interesting to pursue.

At 5hrs accompanied the subject back to his car, and at 5 1.2 hrs, he felt capable of driving to San Francisco. He had no assignable after effects except for a slight stomach-ache the following day. No grouchiness.

His general impression was that the drug was not completely pleasant, as it allowed him a too intimate view of himself. He would try the drug again only for a specific reason. However, it did reiterate his opinion that it had value in psychiatry.

SUBJECT: Irving [dose 140 mg 1.8 mg/Kg]

There was no nausea experienced after taking the drug. Subject had, initially, with mescaline, moderately severe nausea, which decreased on each subsequent trial. At about 1 1/2 hrs he got quite happy, appreciating the current joke telling more than it deserved. The 1 mile walk seemed to fatigue him, but there was no apparent physical lack of coordination. Of the three subjects, he seemed to show the least drugged effect. The car ride evoked no unusual comment or reaction.

While the music was in effect he chose to quietly lie down and observe the stroboscope, in which he believed, but was not sure, he saw shapes and patterns. He seemed to be more interested in my reaction to his reactions, and did not choose to ignore my presence.

I left him at the 4 hour point, at which time time he seemed to be withdrawing from what few symptoms he ever had.

The following day there was no report of any after-effect, and, his general memory was of an extremely light effect from the drug. He was indifferent concerning a re-trial of the drug, felt that the little effect it had didn't warrant wasting a day.

Exp Year: 1960	ExpID: 92424
Gender: Not Specified
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Sep 9, 2011	Views: 7,747
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