April 16th, 1943: the first acid trip

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By Tony Long April 15, 2010 | 8:00 pm | Categories: 20th century, Chemistry, Discoveries


1943: Albert Hofmann accidentally discovers the psychedelic properties of LSD.

Hofmann, a Swiss chemist, was researching the synthesis of a lysergic acid compound, LSD-25, when he inadvertently absorbed a bit through his fingertips. Intrigued by the stimulating effects on his perception, Hofmann decided further exploration was warranted. Three days later he ingested 250 micrograms of LSD, embarking on the first full-fledged acid trip.

In his autobiography, LSD, My Problem Child, Hofmann remembered his discovery this way:

I was forced to interrupt my work in the laboratory in the middle of the afternoon and proceed home, being affected by a remarkable restlessness, combined with a slight dizziness. At home I lay down and sank into a not unpleasant intoxicated-like condition, characterized by an extremely stimulated imagination. In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight to be unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away.



Read More http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/04/0416hofmann-discovers-lsd