Albert Hoffmann - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Biography

Albert Hoffmann grows in a family of four children of which it is the groin. His/her father works as toolmaker. In its youth, it finishes initially a training in the trade, then undertakes into 1925 of the studies of chemistry to the Université of Zurich and obtains its doctorate later four years with the honors. Also interested by biology and the zoology, it carries out research on the Chitine, one of the components of the exosquelette of shellfish and the insects. He works then during more than forty years for the company Sandoz in Basle, until his retirement in 1971. It is in 1943 qu ' it discovers the hallucinogens effects of the LSD. He lives today in Rittimatte at the edge of the Jura. At the time of its hundredth birthday, a conference was organized from January 13rd to 15th 2006 in Basle on the topic " LSD - Enfant terrible and drug miraculeuse".

Research tasks

Rye pin and LSD

Within the framework of pharmaceutical research relating to the Pin of rye and with for objective developing a circulatory stimulant, Hoffmann synthesizes in 1938 various derivatives Amide S of the Lysergic acid , among which the diéthylamide LSD-25 (the 25th one of this series). During the tests, the substance causes in the animals a state of agitation but does not present any exploitable or interesting property from a pharmaceutical point of view, and she is thus not studied more in detail. Nevertheless, in 1943, Hoffmann decides to produce LSD again. While he works at his laboratory, he is suddenly taken of a state of agitation and faintness which leads it to stop its work and to return at his place. Once returned, it has by closing the eyes of the intense, kaleidoscopic and coloured visions. The experiment lasts approximately two hours. According to its dires, it could have absorbed an minor amount of substance by rubbing the eyes.

Catch of voluntary LSD

In order to include/understand the causes of this strange experiment, Hoffmann decides to test the susbstance on itself by using what it estimates to be the smallest amount necessary to produce an effect. He consigns then the course of the events in a protocolar way:

16:20 Absorption of the substance.
17:00 Beginning of dizzy spell, distresses, sight trouble, paralyzes, laughter.
Return in the bicycle to the house. The strongest crisis towards 18-20 hours, to see specific report:
It is only with much effort that I pus to write the last words. the modifications and the feelings were same kind the day before, only much more marked. I could speak more in an understandable way only at the price about efforts extrèmes, and asked my laboratory assistant, that I had put at the current of the experiment, to accompany me until at home. Only at the time of the way in the bicycle my state took worrying proportions. All that entered my field of view oscillated and was deformed as in a twisted mirror. I had also the feeling not to advance with the bicycle, whereas my assistant told me later that we roll in fact very quickly. at the house, the dizzy spells and the feeling of weakness were per moments so strong that I could not any more hold me upright and was constrained to lengthen me on a settee. My environment changed then in a distressing way. the familiar objects took grotesque forms and generally menaçantes. They were impresses of a constant movement, as if they had been animated, filled up of an interior agitation. The neighbor was not any more Mrs R. but a malefic and underhand witch with the coloured face, etc, etc

Later, towards the end of the intoxication:

I then started gradually to appreciate this strange play of forms and of colors who continued behind my closed eyes. Phantasmagoric and multi-coloured forms broke on me while being tranformant with the manner of a kaleidoscope, opening and being closed again in circles and spirals, spouting out in fountains of color, reorganizing and crossing, the whole in a constant flood. I noticed in particular the way in which all acoustic perceptions, such as the noise of a handle of door or that of a car passing in front of the house, were transformed into optical feelings. Each sound produced an animated image of form and corresponding color.

Thereafter, it proved that the amount chosen by Hoffmann (approximately 250 µg) accounted for three to five times the amount considered today as normal. The LSD belongs to most powerful the Hallucinogène S known, compared to DMT or with the Psilocine for example. Later after the experiment, Hoffmann will summarize its fortuitous discovery while declaring: " The LSD came to moi". Its experiment was baptized " Day of the vélo" by the followers of the LSD.

The rye pin nevertheless found a use in medicine. Indeed, it contains inter alia an invigorating substance used to stimulate the contractions in the expectant mothers.

Other research

Hoffmann also carried out research on other substances Psychotrope S such as the Psilocybine, mushrooms containing of the psilocine (called also teonanacatl or mushrooms hallucinogens), seeds of the Ipomée (container of LSA), the Ololiuqui, as well as the Salvinorine S and the Sauge of the soothsayers. It also isolated and synthesized the active substances of important medicinal plants in order to study the effects of them.

Standpoint

Throughout its life, Hoffmann decided in favor of a legalization of the substances Psychédélique S like the LSD for the scientific research. Optimist, it declared that a correct use of the LSD in the popular culture was only one matter of time.

In years 1960 in the United States, when Timothy Leary encourages the generalized consumption of LSD, he is violently criticized by Hoffmann. This last declares that it is necessary to be careful for this substance and that of a entertaining drug it is not a question. Whereas at that time the CIA manages LSD on subjects experimental noninformed at ends of research (what will involve a big number of death, to see Projet MKULTRA), it qualifies this way of proceeding of " criminelle".

Plus one looks at deeply inside alive nature, more one realizes at which point it is marvellous. I believe that one feels safe then. One belongs to him, one can see it, one can live it. The conscience is quite simply the largest gift of the Creator to the men; the fact of being a aware and of being able to become aware of our creation - and not only not to blindly cross the Paradise.

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