Posted by pinksharkmark (64.32.84.84) on April 11, 2001 at 00:14:35:
In Reply to: Further update and info.... posted by Tim M on April 10, 2001 at 12:48:54:
... sounds like you did everything right. I TOLD you there was nothing to it, didn't I?
A tip on using Damp-rid more effectively: dry the mushrooms on a piece of newspaper in front of a fan for a day, or hang them in a mesh bag right in front of the fan, before putting them in a sealed container with the Damp-rid (this is just a trade name for chunks of calcium chloride, by the way). The fan will dry them out to the point where they are leathery, and the Damp-rid will suck out the last bit of moisture and leave them cracker-dry.
They can then be packed into an airtight GLASS (not plastic) jar. The less air that remains in the bottle the longer they will last. As a final step, store the jar in the freezer.
The four enemies of psilocybin are light, heat, oxygen and moisture. This procedure reduces all four to the minimum possible. Some people even fill the jar with carbon dioxide rather than just air. Simple enough to do... just toss a small chunk of dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) in the jar at the bottom, pack in the dried shrooms, and LEAVE THE TOP OFF the jar until the dry ice has COMPLETELY evaporated. If you tighten the cap while the carbon dioxide is still being generated, the jar will explode.
The carbon dioxide is heavier than air, so all the air is pushed out as the dry ice turns to gaseous carbon dioxide. Your medicine is left sitting in a non-oxidating environment. Perfect.
pinky