of Haemadictyon in the preparation of an intoxicating 
beverage called ‘Caapi’. Rio Uaupes. PR. Spruce 166. 
HE 2712.” 
The entry in the notebook reads as follows: 
**Portions of the stems of a Malpighiaceous twiner, 
apparently an undescribed Banisteria (2712 to Benth.), 
‘alled by the Indians Caa-pi: and of the roots and leaves 
of a Haemadictyon, called Caapi-pinima (i.e. ‘painted 
‘aapi ) the leaves being veined with red. From these in- 
gredients, the Banisteria entering much more largely 
than the Haemadictyon, is prepared an intoxicating 
drink known to all the natives on the Uaupés by the 
name of Caapi. 
“In the Dabocurés (or festas) of the Uaupé Indians, 
the young men who figure in the dances drink of the 
Caapi 5 or 6 times during the night, the dose being a 
cuya, the size of a very small teacup, twice filled. In 
two minutes after drinking it, its effects begin to be ap- 
parent. The Indian turns deadly pale, trembles in every 
limb, and horror is in his aspect: suddenly contrary 
symptoms succeed—he bursts into a perspiration and 
seems popeyed with reckless fury—seizes whatever arms 
are at hand, his murucu, cutlass, or bow and arrows, and 
rushes to the doorway, where he inflicts deadly wounds 
on the ground or doorposts, calling out ‘Thus would | 
do to such a one (naming some one against whom he has 
a grudge) were he within my reach.” In the space of 10 
minutes, the effect passes off, and the Indian becomes 
‘alm, but appears much exhausted. ”” 
The parts of Spruce’s material that reached the De- 
partment of ‘Toxicology, Karolinska Institutet, Stock- 
holm, in April 1968 consisted of five pieces weighing in 
all 26.7 g. (Plate NN NI); 11.5 g. were worked up for 
analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and 
other methods as described earlier (8, 4). The yield of 
L127 | 
