Variation of psilocybin and psilocin levels with repeated flushes (harvests) of mature sporocarps of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer.
Analysis of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer grown in controlled culture showed that the level of psilocin was generally zero in the first (or sometimes even the second) fruiting of the mushroom from a given culture and that the level reached a maximum by the fourth flush. The level of psilocybin, which was nearly always at least twice the level of psilocin, showed no upward or downward trend as fruiting progressed, but was variable over a factor of four. Samples obtained from outside sources had psilocybin levels varying by over a factor of ten from one collection to the next.
A private inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the 1972 death of John Gomilla, Jr., who died after allegedly consuming ten hallucinogenic mushrooms while residing in Hawaii.
In December 1972, an 18-year-old male apparently took an accidental overdose of heroin. After becoming ill, he attempted to receive treatment for his condition by being admitted to the emergency room of Wahiawa General Hospital. When confronted by attending physicians in the emergency room as to the nature of his illness, the youth stated that he had only eaten 10 hallucinogenic mushrooms (an average dose for Copelandia cyanescens, the mushroom in question) and nothing else. This story was most likely concocted either by the youth himself or by some of his friends, who probably thought that they could or would be prosecuted for the use of an illegal substance. It is not uncommon that when confronted by an overdose of drugs, many young people are afraid to report their illness to the proper medical authorities out of fear of prosecution due to their illegal activities (Young et al. 1982). The doctors who attempted to treat this young man should not be held liable for his death, even though their treatment of the patient was more supportive (i.e., the talk-down method) than pharmacological. They had no way of knowing that the patient had lied to them about his condition. While it is true that several doctors had diagnosed Gomilla as possibly suffering from muscarine poisoning, why was no atropine or scopolamine administered to the patient? And why was his stomach not pumped and specimens collected for a toxicologist to study for the presence of toxins?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prevalence of lice on dairy cattle in England and the bordering counties of Wales
A postal questionnaire was used to collect information on the prevalence of lice on cattle on a random sample of dairy farms in England and the bordering counties of Wales. Replies were received from 1040 (52.8 per cent) of the 1970 farms which were mailed. Fifty per cent of farmers reported having ever seen or suspected lice in their herds and 29 per cent reported possible infestations in the winter of 1996/97. Visits were made to 24 farms in the south west of England during February 1998. Twelve of the farmers said that they had seen or suspected lice in their herd since October 1997, and that lice were more frequently observed on the adult cattle. However, examination revealed lice on 18 of the 24 farms, and adult cattle were the least likely group to be infested.