For his works on Ergot, squill, foxglove and for the developments of the indispensable medication Hydergin®, Dehydergot®, und Methergin® Dr. Hofmann was awarded the honorary doctorate of the Universities of Zurich, Stockholm & Berlin. His inventions increased profits up into the billions for the company Sandoz (later fusing with Ciba-Geigy creating Novartis).
In 1951 the discovery of sacred mushrooms as the sacrament of the Mexican shaman-woman Maria Sabina, as well as Hofmann`s synthesis of the mushrooms psychoactive compound `Psylocibin`, opened up the gates to psychedelic shamanism and the religious roots of mankind. As prooved by the prosecuted researches Ruck, Wasson & Hofmann the use of LSD comes from our own cultural heritage. An Ergot containing drink called `Kykeon` was at the center of the great `Greek Eleusian Mysteries`. They lasted almost 2.000 years between 1500 b.c and 400 a.d..This sacred substance opened the gateway to experiencing `death & rebirth` in the eleusian autumn rituals. Midwives also confirmed that Mutterkorn (ergotamine) extracts were used as a birth support medicine up until the late middle ages. In 1968 the psycho vitamin LSD was completely prohibited by US-President Johnson, the LSD inventor responded:`don`t throw out the baby with the bath water`. As a retired natural philosopher, Albert Hoffman still has strong hope to re-establish his wonder child LSD for therapeutic purposes, so that: `In time something similar to Eleusis will manifest – meditation centers that not only heal the ill, but intend to evolve the person through meditation techniques or chemical aid„.