To the Editor: Botulism causes skeletal-muscle weakness resultingfrom bacterial exotoxins that irreversibly block the releaseof acetylcholine from presynaptic motor neurons. We report threecases of botulism in members of the Native American Church whoconsumed peyote, a cactus with hallucinogenic properties thathas been legalized for sacramental use in traditional AmericanIndian religious ceremonies.
Thirteen church members ingested peyote from a communal jarduring a ceremony. Two to four days afterward, three men (40,42, and 72 years old) noted the onset of bilaterally symmetric,moderate, flaccid weakness in all extremities. Two had nasalspeech, dysphagia, and diplopia. . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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