or therapy, usually lasts for two full days and sometimes 
may persist for four—with a long period of complete lack 
of consciousness. Missionaries who have been at work in 
the Valley of Sibundoy for more than a quarter of acen- 
tury suspect that the death of one aged witch-doctor may 
have been due to an overdraught of this narcotic. 
Smaller doses of the drug are administered to boys who 
are studying witchcraft. Certain of the medicine-men’s 
secrets apparently are imparted only when the novitiate 
is ‘funder the protection’’ of this narcotic. 
According to the sparse information available, only the 
leaves of Methysticodendron A mesianum can be employed 
in the preparation of the narcotic infusion. The leaves, 
which must be gathered not more than one hour before 
the narcotic drink is to be taken, are stripped from the 
plant, crushed and allowed to remain in cold water for 
perhaps one half hour. Just before the draught is to be 
taken, the leaves and the infusion are slightly heated and 
agitated. Then the liquid is strained. It is, apparently, 
never allowed to boil. 
Witch-doctors never take the whole draught at one 
time, it is said; but they may drink as much as a large 
cup-full over a period of two or three hours. If, by then, 
the desired frenzy and initial narcosis have not been in- 
duced, an assistant prepares additional drink from fresh 
leaves. 
According to the Indian tradition, this narcotic must 
be taken only during the wane of the moon. 
In addition to its use in divination and prophecy, 
Methysticodendron Amesianum is employed by its 
‘fowners’’ in the treatment of certain diseases. The 
leaves and flowers are heated in water and applied in the 
form of a plaster for the reduction of tumors and swell- 
ings, especially of the joints. For persistent chills and 
fevers (advanced tuberculosis (¢) ), which are not uncom- 
[9 ] 
