Hofmann, Albert

▪ 2009

      Swiss chemist

born Jan. 11, 1906, Baden, Switz.

died April 29, 2008, Burg, Switz.

discovered the psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), which he first synthesized in 1938 by isolating compounds found in the fungus ergot. Hofmann's initial discovery was set aside for five years until April 1943, when he returned to his earlier therapeutic research on LSD. After ingesting a small amount of the synthesized drug, he experienced dreamlike hallucinations, which he concluded could be of use in psychiatric treatment. He spent years investigating LSD's hallucinogenic properties in the belief that the drug would one day be useful in the therapeutic treatment of schizophrenics and other psychiatric patients. Hofmann's other research results included the discovery of methergine (used to treat postpartum hemorrhaging) and the pharmacological properties of mescaline (derived from peyote) and other psychoactive plants.

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