the innocuousness of peyote.... No signs of grave intolerance
were ever exhibited, nor any accident more disagreeable than
vomiting, all too frequent at the beginning of a treatment
with opiates. There was no notable organic upsetment produced
during the time of action of the medicament. The effects on
the circulation, respiration, digestive system and excretory
functions have not appeared noxious. We have frequently
examined urine for the existence of abnormal constituents
revealing some derangement of the liver or the kidneys. In
short, never during our researches have distressing secondary
phenomena been manifested (headache, obnubilation, confusion,
psychic and physical depression, or gastro-intestinal
disturbances).... No brutality in the action [of pan-peyotl]
can be remarked.
Briau believes the drug non-habit forming. Rouhier expresses himself more
guardedly:
That peyote-mania can sometimes exist, we will not dispute.
We merely remark, to explain our optimism on the subject,
that the drug does not seem to provoke that irresistible
physiological appetite, nor that “state of need,” purveyors of
the great toxicomanias which opium, cocaine, heroine or alcohol
create.
Havelock Ellis expresses himself as follows:
The few observations recorded in America and my own experiments
in England do not enable us to say anything regarding the
habitual consumption of mescal in large amounts. That such
consumption would be gravely injurious I cannot doubt. Its
safeguard seems to lie in the fact that a certain degree of
robust health is required to obtain any real enjoyment from its
visionary gifts.