1943 (April 16th) Dr. Hofmann experiences `a peculiar presentiment` that LSD-25 might well be valuable as a circulatory or respiratory stimulant and decides intuitively to re-synthesize this compound. (April 16) Performing with LSD-25 at his Sandoz laboratory, Hofmann accidentally absorbs a miniscule amount of the substance through the skin of his finger. The amount is probably equal to a dose of 50 micrograms. He experiences `a strange inebriation … a kaleidoscopic play of colors` that lasted 3-4 hours.

1943 (April 19th) Dr. Hofmann deliberately ingests what he considers to be the smallest, most conservative amount of the compound LSD-25. 250 microgram, (a full trip). He commences to write laboratory notes after he notices the effect within an hour. But soon he can no longer write anything and decides to ride home on his bicycle. The effects then get much stronger and his trip becomes fully blown. Suffering great anxiety, he calls for the doctor. The next morning he feels unusually good, no hangover despite the profound effects – in fact, he writes `excellent physical & mental condition`. Within the next weeks the drug is tested by Dr. Hofmann`s colleagues, whom confirm his reactions. No substance yet known to mankind acts psychoactively in such infinitely small amounts.

1943 Announcement of the synthesis of lysergic acid diethyl-amide-25(LSD) appears in a Swiss chemical journal, without mentioning its mental effects.

1947 Appearance (by Werner A. Stoll in a Swiss medical journal) of the first report of the mental effects of LSD & the results of 19 administrations to 16 normal subjects and twenty occasions to six schizophrenics at Zürich University. The results convince Sandoz to send out LSD samples to psychiatric hospitals worldwide. LSD-25’s brand name becomes `Delysid`.

1949 CIA-leader Allan Dulles initiates a secret program code named `Operation Bluebird` to discover the potential use of LSD. *** Three further papers on the mental effects of LSD by W. Stoll`s Swiss team are published *** Dr. Max Rinkel, research psychiatrist at the Boston Psychopathic Hospital is the first doctor working with LSD-25. He brings it into the USA. The first trip is taken by Dr. Hyde, Rinkel`s associate who resists the drug and experiences paranoia. Another one of Rinkel`s early experimental subjects is a Boston cab driver; the LSD experience helps him to move out of his mother`s home. *** Dr. Nicholas Bercel, a Los Angeles psychiatrist is given LSD by Stoll; he takes it to L.A., to begin testing on subjects in his private practice.

1950 Drs. Rinkel & Hyde report to the American Psychology Association (APA) on the results of testing LSD on 100 subjects. *** At the same meeting Dr. Paul Hoch introduces the `psychotromimetic` (psychosis-mimicking theory of LSD), raising hopes that schizophrenia may have a biochemical basis that could be duplicated in a laboratory and someday used in finding a cure. *** Drs. A. Busch & W. C. Johnson are the first to use LSD in a psychotherapy and to publish a report on their believe that it can shorten treatments. *** Reports of LSD`s `madness-provoking` qualities reach the CIA, which immediately sees the possibility of using the drug as a weapon for chemical warfare. Also against the drug being used against Americans by their enemies in Russia, whom (as it is erroneously) reported, had `just purchased 50 Million doses LSD from Sandoz`.

1951 Dr. Albert Hofmann isolates the psychoactive `Psylocibin` from the `magic mushrooms` brought to him by the english banker Gordon Wasson, as well as LSA from the `Ololiqui` seeds, two ceremonial drugs from Mexico. The new discovery is that LSD belongs to the family of sacred native mexican witchcraft plants. *** Albert Hofmann tripped on LSD with writer Ernst Jünger *** Operation Bluebird is renamed `Operation Artichoke`, as the CIA`s drug program becomes more ambitious and wide ranging. *** US biochemical weapon expert and CIA agent Frank Olson travels to Point-Saint-Spirit in France, where he is involved in a secret MK-DELTA experiment known as Project SPAN. An LSD-like ergot compound is covertly sprayed on the French public. The citizens are suddenly and mysteriously struck down with mass insanity and hallucinations. At least five people die, dozens are interned in asylums and hundreds afflicted

1952 Charles Savage publishes the first study on the use of LSD to treat depression. *** At Weyburn Hospital in Saskatchewan, a team of psychiatrists lead by Abram Hoffer, Humphrey Osmond, J. R. Smythies and Duncan Blewett begin clinical research with mescaline and later LSD, developing biochemical models. They successfully treat alcoholics and mentally sick patients.

1953 The first LSD-clinic opens in England under Dr. Ronald Sandison; leading to the conduction of clinical research in other European countries, with the `psycholytic` model (giving repeated low doses) prevailing. *** `Operation MK-ULTRA` headed by Richard Helms & Dr. Sidney Gottlieb are in charge use POW from Korea as Artichoke-test subject; the agency tries to purchase 10 kilograms of LSD (100,000,000 doses) from Sandoz for $240,000. The CIA receives 100 grams a week. It secretly funds the work of American researchers and finances the `Josiah Macy conferences` where the LSD and mescaline research is presented. Over the next 12 years MK-ULTRA runs 149 separate LSD projects at 154 institutions, frequently they use `dirty tricks` – none of them made public attention; some deaths and many mental breakdowns were the result. *** Army Bacteriologist and CIA member Frank Olson dies in Front of New Yorks Pennsylvania Hotel after a covered CIA assassination. *** Aldous Huxley takes mescaline, provided by Humphry Osmond in Los Angeles and finds it not unlike a state of gratuitous grace. *** With the `magic mushrooms` Robert Gordon Wasson re-discovers remains of the ancient mexican plant-therapeutic science and mushroom cults.

1954 Medical student Stanislav Grof begins experimenting with LSD in the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague. *** Huxley publishes `The Doors of Perception.` *** CIA service staff take LSD. OSS (former CIA) operative Captain Al Hubbard, reformed by LSD, purchases 4,000 vials from Sandoz and begins distributing it by airplane from Vancouver to California. He`s championing LSD as a mystical drug with great psychotherapeutic potential and introduces the concept of high-dose (psychedelic) therapy. *** Publication of classified CIA memorandum about LSD as a potential new agent for unconventional warfare. *** Encouraged by the CIA, the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company breaks the secret formula held by Sandoz and begins producing LSD for (legal and illegal) U.S. government research programs.

1955 Dr. Oscar Janinger, Los Angeles psychotherapist receives LSD from Sandoz and initiates large-scale experiments with 875 artists, actors, and other members of the creative community (ex. Cary Grant, James Coburn, Anais Nin, Jack Nicholson, Rita Monero, Anre Pervin) *** Huxley begins self-experimenting with LSD; he and his wife Laura guide each other’s trips. *** First conferences devoted exclusively to LSD & mescaline take place in Atlantic City and Princeton, NJ. *** Wassons participates in a `Velada`, a mexican psilocybin mushroom ritual with shaman (Curandera) Maria Sabina. *** Lord Christopher Mayhew takes mescaline at a BBC-recording studio, the film disappears in the archives for more than 20 years *** The US Comics Code Association outlwas the exposure of illegal drugs in Comics.

1956 R. R. Gordon Wasson has the idea that indo-alkaloids might have been the base for the `Kykeon` drink in the great mystery cult of Eleusis. *** Huxley publishes `Heaven and Hell`, the sequel to `The Doors of Perception`. *** R. H. Ward’s `A Drug Taker`s Note`, the first personal account of the LSD therapy is published in England.

1957 Life Magazine`s publication of Gordon Wasson`s adventure with `magic` mushrooms introduces the notion of psychedelic experience to a mainstream audience. Mrs. Wasson publishes her account in `This Week`. *** Hofmann synthesizes Psylocibin, the active agent of the mexican mushrooms and the CIA immediately purchases these pills for experiments. *** Humphrey Osmond introduces the term `Psychedelic` at the New York Academy of Sciences conference. His research team in Saskatchewan begins using single high doses of LSD in therapy with alcoholics; an approach adopted also by Ron Hubbard (Church of Scientology founder) at the Hollywood Hospital in Vancouver.

1958 Drs. Sidney Cohen and Keith Ditman begin large-scale experiments with LSD at the VA Hospital at UCLA. *** Duncan Blewett & Nick Chwelos published the first handbook for using LSD in individual and group psychotherapy in Sasketchewan.*** Actor Cary Grant discusses the positive effects of his LSD sessions in a magazine interview.

1959 Cary Grant after his LSD Trip: „I was reborn“.*** Writers Alan Ginsberg and Ken Kesey take LSD at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto and Menlo Park in a research study secretly founded and sponsored by the CIA; subjects were paid 150 US-Dollar for a LSD session. *** Hofmann extracts lysergic acid amides from the seeds of the morning glory flower (used by ancient mesomexicans under the name „Ololiqui`), proving that LSD can exist in higher plants.