Ergots and LSD

[Greg Mitchell]

Roger,
Is there a certain species or source to obtain said seeds and be sure that 
there are no toxins ect...
I know the commercial varieties intended for planting in your flower garden 
are treated w/insecticides
to keep the insects away so they won't be eaten before germination.
thanks Greg
gmitchel at kc.nhmccd.tx.us
 ----------
From: owner-pynchon-l
To: pynchon-l
Subject: Re: Ergots and LSD
Date: Friday, September 29, 1995 7:52AM

In message Fri, 29 Sep 95 10:44:04 -0400,
  "Burgess, John" <jburgess at usia.gov>  writes:

> LSD, in its rye-ergot form, is a pretty natural drug, at least as natural
> as peyote or marijuana or amanita.  As a fungus of the rye plant -- which
> was a staple in the central/northern European diet --
> the opportunities for accidental injestion were rife.
>
  Ergotamine and ergonovine are highly toxic alkaloids which are naturally
  produced in the fungus Claviceps purpurea that grows on rye. Ingestion
  causes (besides hallucination/psychosis) severe gastrointestinal symptoms,
  muscle pain, ischemia of extremities, and coma.

  LSD has none of the life-endangering properties of this toxic class of
drugs. The closest `natural' analogue I'm aware of is the seeds of the
morning glory plant, which contains lysergic acid monoamine (vice the
diamine form in synthetic lysergic acid). Reports of those who've used this
natural form are devoid of the toxic side effects and much more akin to LSD
experience than the descriptions of ergot toxicity I've heard (personal
communication).

Roger