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May 6, 1961
Cargo U.S. Consulate
Tangier, MoroccoDear Dr. Leary,
I would like to sound a word of urgent warning with regard to the hallucinogen drugs with special reference to N-Dimethyltryptamine.
I had obtained a supply of this drug synthesized by a chemist friend in London.
My first impression was that it closely resembled psilocybin in its effects.
I had taken it perhaps ten times - (this drug must be injected and the dose is about one grain but I had been assured there was a wide margin of safety) - with results sometimes unpleasant but well under control and always interesting when the horrible experience occurred which I have recorded and submitted for publication in Encounter.
I am sending along to you pertinent sections of this manuscript and I think you will readily see the danger involved.
I do not know if you are familiar with apomorphine which is the only drug that acts as a metabolic regulator.
I think if I had not had this drug on hand, the result could have been lethal and this was not more than a grain and a half of N-Dimethyltryptamine.
While I have described the experience in allegorical terms it was completely and horribly real and involved unendurable pain.
A metabolic accident?
Perhaps.
But I have wide experience with drugs and excellent constitution and I am not subject to allergic reactions.
So I can only urge you to proceed with caution and to familiarize yourself with apomorphine.
Dr. John Dent of London has written a book on the apomorphine treatment for alcoholics and drug addicts - (it is the only treatment that works but the U.S. Health Dept. will not use it).
His book is callen Anxiety and its treatment.
I can ask him to send you a copy if you are interested.
Let me hear from you... William Burroughs
