Harvard History | December 15, 2014

Research Query: LSD Testing in the 1950s

A researcher hopes to contact volunteer participants in “truth sera” experiments.

From The January-February 2015 Issue

In the first half of the 1950s, Henry Beecher of Harvard Medical School oversaw a series of experiments, sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Council, that were designed to test “truth sera” using various drugs, including LSD. The drugs were tested on volunteers, some of them Harvard students. Now Beecher professor of anesthesia James Rathmell is preparing an historical article on Beecher and his research. If you—or anyone you know—volunteered for Beecher’s experiments, Rathmell would like to hear from you: rathmell.james@mgh.harvard.edu. Confidentiality will be assured for those who wish it.

Published in the January-February 2015 print issue under the headline “LSD Testing in the 1950s,” in the Alumni section.

Related topics

Harvard History

You might also like

A chaotic scene in a messy room with people engaging in various activities, some cleaning.

Until the 1950s, professionals cleaned up after students in the dorms.

Aerial view of modern high-rise buildings surrounded by greenery and city skyline.

In a sea of red brick, the Science Center and Peabody Terrace make their mark.

Stone archway adorned with a crest and surrounded by green trees.

Harvard Releases Database of 1,613 People Enslaved by University Affiliates

Research continues to track down living descendants.

Most popular

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Three smiling individuals in business attire, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

Explore More From Current Issue

Vibrant urban scene at dusk featuring a mural on a building and illuminated structures.

The Goel Center in Allston will open for performances in the fall of 2026.

An open book with a film strip emerging, trailing popcorn and a dancer silhouette.

Letters to the Editor

Readers Respond to Our Adaptations Survey

We asked people to share their favorite art adaptations. Here’s what they said.

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

Health & Medicine

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.