Phantastica - a classic survey of the use and abuse of mind-altering plants

Long out of print, this is a landmark study on narcotic and psychedelic substances by a world-renowned pharmacologist and toxicologist • The first book to bring non-judgmental scientific insights to the use of drugs around the world • Provides detailed information on all major drugs of the time, including opium, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, peyote, fly agaric, henbane, datura, alcohol, kava, betel, coffee, tea, cocoa, and tobacco • A book credited with starting an era of ethnobotany that continues to the present day The publication of Louis Lewin's Phantastica in 1924 began an era of ethnobotany that is still flourishing today. Until Lewin, books on the use of drugs were purely works of anthropology, concerned with how people used these plants, rather than how the plants produced their famous effects. Lewin, a world-renowned pharmacologist and toxicologist, was fascinated by both, and Phantastica was the first book to bring scientific insights to a survey of the use of drugs around the world. Lewin traveled extensively and acquired an astonishing variety of knowledge, reflected in this book, which provides detailed information on all major drugs of the time, including opium, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, peyote, fly agaric, henbane, datura, alcohol, kava, betel, coffee, tea, cocoa, and, of course, tobacco. For thirty years ethnobotanists have bemoaned the fact that Phantastica has been impossible to find; now this landmark work is once again available. PHANTASTICA PHANTASTICA CONTENTS FOREWORD PREFACE INTRODUCTION NARCOTIC SUBSTANCES EUPHORICA: MENTAL SEDATIVES PHANTASTICA: HALLUCINATING SUBSTANCES INEBRIANTIA HYPNOTICA: SOPORIFICS EXCITANTIA FOREWORD PREFACE INTRODUCTION General Remarks Motives for the Use of Narcotic and Stimulating Drugs The Importance of Mental Constitution in Relation to External Stimuli Tolerance and Habituation Immunity against Poisons NARCOTIC SUBSTANCES Mode of Action Classifications of Narcotic and Stimulating Drugs EUPHORICA: MENTAL SEDATIVES Opium: Morphia Opium and Morphia as Euphorics: Their History, Production, and Effect The Consumption of Opium and Morphia at the Present Day Morphinism The Observable Internal Process in Morphinists and Opiumists General Questions Connected with Morphinism Measures against the Extension of Morphinism Codeine and its Derivatives: Dionine, Heroin, Eucodal, Chlorodyne Codeine Dionine Heroin Eucodal Chlorodyne COCAINISM History of Coca and Cocaine Effects of the Habitual Use of Coca and Cocaine Cocainomania and its Forms The Problem of Sense-Illusions Anhalonium Lewinii History of the Plant Its Uses Hallucinations due to Peyotl Indian Hemp: Cannabis Indica The Extension of Cannabinism in Africa The Use of Hemp in Asia Minor and Asia The Effects of Indian Hemp Fly-Agaric: Agaricus Muscarius Character of Agaric Inebriety Solanaceæ Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) Hyoscyamus Muticus (Hyoscyamus Albus) Thornapple (Daturas Stramonium) Datura arborea Duboisia hopwoodii Banisteria Caapi Gelsemium Sempervirens The Loco Herbs IMEBRIANTIA Alcohol Remarks on Acute Intoxication Chronic Alcoholism Liquor Hoffmanni Chloroform Ether Benzine Nitrous Oxide HYPNOTICA: SOPORIFICS Chloral Veronal Paraldehyde SULPHONAL Potassium Bromide Bromural Kava-Kava Where and how Kava-Kava is drunk Preparation and Use of Kava-Kava The Active Substances of Kava and their Action Kanna EXCITANTIA Character of Excitants Camphor Betel History and Mode of Chewing Betel Effect of Betel-Chewing Kat Caffeine Plants Coffee History of its Use Cultivation and Use Effects of Coffee Tea The Kola Nut History, Origin, Distribution Effects of Kola Ilex Paraguayensis: Maté Ilex Cassine Pasta Guarana COCOA Tobacco Historical and General Information Its Modes of Employment Snuff Parica Arsenic Mercury Conclusion NOTES Introduction Narcotic Substances Euphorica: Mental Sedatives Phantastica: Hallucinating Substances Inebriantia Hypnotica: Soporifics Excitantia INDEX Phantastica - a classic survey of the use and abuse of mind-altering plants - 1998 - 179.pdf Bromural Kava-Kava