Nick Moreno Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1102 February 6th, 2014

The history of psychedelic movement. Introduction/Overview Albert Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 in order to obtain a respiratory and circulatory stimulant. 5 years later, Albert Hofmann accidentally consumed the substance and started experiencing the effects of the drug, making him the first human to experience the drug, (according to http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hallucinogenic-effects-of-lsddiscovered). 30 years later, at least 1.2 million people had experimented with the drug that he created, (according to http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/showwiki.php?title=Lsd). A lot of information had to be discovered when this drug was first brought up. The first account by Albert Hofmann about the drug was "... little by little I could begin to enjoy the unprecedented colors and plays of shapes that persisted behind my closed eyes. Kaleidoscopic, fantastic images surged in on me, alternating, variegated, opening and then closing themselves in circles and spirals, exploding in colored fountains, rearranging and hybridizing themselves in constant flux ..." according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_lysergic_acid_diethylamide.

This is a picture of the inside of a cathedral, which has shapes such as the ones Hoffman described on his first trip dealing with LSD. The use of LSD has inspired many artists, including many painters and a lot of musicians.