for psychotomimetic snuff in South America, either 
alone or in combination with other psychoactive plants. 
The shamans of some indigenous cultures—e.g., the 
‘Tacana of Bolivia—use pulverized tobacco as a magical 
repellent against hostile demons (Hissink and Hahn, 
1961). Furthermore, it is not impossible that the use of 
tobacco powder as a magical external medicine by Mexi- 
‘an curanderos had its ultimate origin in an earlier use 
of powdered tobacco as snuff. 
Secondly, there appears to be no reason why some of 
the better known Mesoamerican plant hallucinogens 
should not be as psychotomimetically effective when 
taken as snuff through the nasal membranes as when as- 
similated through the stomach. By way of illustration, 
I am informed by Dr. Schultes that, in South America, 
the bark of Banisteriopsis Caapi, which is usually macer- 
ated or brewed into the potent hallucinogenic beverage 
known by such names as yajé, ayahuasca, etc., is re- 
putedly sometimes pulverized and inhaled as snuff. Even 
Ilex Guayusa, a caffeine-rich holly widely utilized as a 
stimulating tea, along with its sister species, e.g. mateé, 
Ilex paraguariensis), has served as snuff, at least in pre- 
hispanic highland Bolivia, where Ilex snuff and snufhing 
paraphernalia were recently discovered in a Tihuanacoid 
shaman’s grave, dated ca. A.D. 500. The shaman’s kit 
also included clysters, suggesting that the same plant 
might even have been employed for stimulating enemas 
(Schultes, 1972b). 
Whether or not peyote (Lophophora Williamsi), olo- 
liuhqui (Rivea corymbosa) or other hallucinogens native 
to Mesoamerica were ever used in the form of snuff, 
there exist extensive Mexican populations of shrubs and 
trees of the Leguminosae that should be investigated for 
possible psychoactive properties. Included are two Mexi- 
can species of Piptadenia, a genus closely related to the 
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