Otto.Makela@jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) (01/17/91)
From: Otto.Makela@jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) In a Finnish newspaper article there was discussion of psychemical weapons, ie. hallucinogenics and similars. I remember reading a Readers Digestive :-) article from the 60s on this stuff, which was rather sketchy and had some pretty wild claims. I'd like to know a bit more about these chemicals (in the newspaper article this class was called BZ - where do these names come from ?) in general and specifically re the Persian Gulf situation; what would be a good generally-available reference work and/or can someone post a nutshell summary of what the current situation is ? -- /* * * Otto J. Makela <otto@jyu.fi> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */ /* Phone: +358 41 613 847, BBS: +358 41 211 562 (CCITT, Bell 24/12/300) */ /* Mail: Kauppakatu 1 B 18, SF-40100 Jyvaskyla, Finland, EUROPE */ /* * * Computers Rule 01001111 01001011 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
kp74615@lapasorsa.tut.fi (Karri Tapani Palovuori) (01/18/91)
From: kp74615@lapasorsa.tut.fi (Karri Tapani Palovuori) In article <1991Jan17.053412.28932@cbnews.att.com> Otto.Makela@jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) writes: > > >From: Otto.Makela@jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) >In a Finnish newspaper article there was discussion of psychemical weapons, >ie. hallucinogenics and similars. I remember reading a Readers Digestive :-) >article from the 60s on this stuff, which was rather sketchy and had some >pretty wild claims. I'd like to know a bit more about these chemicals >(in the newspaper article this class was called BZ - where do these names >come from ?) BZ is not a group but a single chemical - quinuclidinyl benzilate (sp?). Some other bezilates and glycolates are also potential psychoagents. Effects are mainly 'strange feelings' (not necessarily hallusinations) which _could_ disable one from fighting effectively. Depending on occasion (~dosage) the effects may last up to 100 days!!! >-- > /* * * Otto J. Makela <otto@jyu.fi> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */ > /* Phone: +358 41 613 847, BBS: +358 41 211 562 (CCITT, Bell 24/12/300) */ > /* Mail: Kauppakatu 1 B 18, SF-40100 Jyvaskyla, Finland, EUROPE */ >/* * * Computers Rule 01001111 01001011 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */ Karri
honig@ics.uci.edu (David Honig) (01/19/91)
From: honig@ics.uci.edu (David Honig) In article <1991Jan18.001443.5440@cbnews.att.com> kp74615@lapasorsa.tut.fi (Karri Tapani Palovuori) writes: > >In article <1991Jan17.053412.28932@cbnews.att.com> Otto.Makela@jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) writes: >> >>In a Finnish newspaper article there was discussion of psychemical weapons, >>ie. hallucinogenics and similars. I remember reading a Readers Digestive :-) >>article from the 60s on this stuff, which was rather sketchy and had some >>pretty wild claims. I'd like to know a bit more about these chemicals >>(in the newspaper article this class was called BZ - where do these names >>come from ?) > >BZ is not a group but a single chemical - quinuclidinyl benzilate (sp?). >Some other bezilates and glycolates are also potential psychoagents. I believe BZ acts like atropine, and is properly called a "deleriant" rather than a hallucinogen or psychotomimetic. Interestingly, atropine (and chemical cousins) are the active ingredients in Jimsonweed, a plant that got its name from an incident in pre-revolutionary America. To supress a colonial rebellion, England send troops. Troops that got hungry and foraged, and ate said weed. The troops were reported to have taken off their clothes, barked at the moon, etc. They were not very effective as a military force for a couple of days. The weed got the name of the city that the incident occurred near: Jamestown. -- David Honig "Moral righteousness through superior firepower."