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.
Research Query: LSD Testing in the 1950s
Research Query: LSD Testing in the 1950s
A researcher hopes to contact volunteer participants in “truth sera” experiments.
You might also like
Yesterday’s News
How a book on fighting the “Devill World” survived Harvard’s historic fire.
Yesterday’s News
A co-ed experiment that changed dorm life forever
A Forgotten Harvard Anthem
Published the year the Titanic sank, “Harvard’s Best” is a quizzical ode to the University.
Most popular
Explore More From Current Issue
At Harvard’s Beck-Warren House, Ghosts Speak Many Languages
The quirky 1833 home now hosts Celtic scholars.
The Enterprise Research Campus in Allston Nears Completion
A hotel, restaurants, and other retail establishments are open or on the way.
The True Cost of Grade Inflation at Harvard
How an abundance of A’s created “the most stressed-out world of all.”