INFORMATION FROM EUROPE TO THE EGO-DEPRESSANTS - 6 AUGUST TO 29 AUGUST 1952

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00144736
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 22, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: September 4, 1952

�
�
sial.5.140!"1145'430ALU
4. � �tylaiS
�
� 1
1201�I: '14.-.142-M 11.D.) Cansult.cnt
� �Stre,JECT: I1E707:2-1_47.101.117::02.1 BUF:ORE P.MA.T.M TO 'Ire .LOC-DC13.1i'71.3
6 Aucia3t to 29 AuGuot 1932
SECTIC17 tt - -
La 144..4
TION 23 - Melly Notes
Saytoeper It) 1952
� . ,
21-_. �
.?!%;��� - - "
.,,,�����."4.-4,0 *a:
..� ........... � � ..,:�7,,'r.:2-..,,e7.1.:..--4,e0. r
. .. �- � � ./-.. ....:--: ---;�.%,:il
� �-. ,-..........,..�
,Y4t.4=�-s..*�
m.,,,f-0..,-,..1-,--.!!��1:71-:74,---...��;�-- -
%..it-T.:ttrtr. � -� . '
�
I / � �
eirr"
�
�
While &lying several lectures in Europe during August, 1952, an bpoortunity .
�
vas afforded to obtain further inforantion on the co deprcssEnt ("truth sarunu)
drugs in lino with .- under the Medical
Research and Do-reloy=nt Board. The diSC=5.0713 'with. the several Attaches
descri:::ed in the attnched Daily Notes were suggested by the thouchtfulness of
1-1"t4V. ,aktg,.70f the Office of the Curgeon General and were greatly fur-
.
thured by the courtesy of - � - who sent. a notice of
-visit to the Arr.,- Ittaehes nentioned.
It se r=.3cicr that the ra.-:if; estions of this a-abject (the ego depressant
agents)ze far 'wider than they had Eccr.ed to r.e. at least at the beginning of our
work in this field. It is evident now that the agents vhiCh fall within this
group could profitably be attadkcd frou three directicnc:
(1) as aids to obtain suppressed infernstien (there are therereutic as well
Az nilitc,ry sides to this)
. '�
�
:
(2) as threats to security vhen used by an anchy agent (they jeopardize
integrity; we need to 1:nor the signs and synptons of their uss for
security yurposee)
� (3) es tools of biological warier� or chemicel warfare (the lysergic acid
derivatives, co1:4 as they do oron ergot cold be considered =der
either headinc)
In earlier reporis to the Surgeon Generel I ham dealt sufficiently with itens
. .
f 1 and 1.2. (See Progress Peports
P�I�tarwil...:-�..z..�.41.7: �
The uee of these c�-c��nts as _offensive
4*
tools =ay alresdy be under study. They Should be. The dose of the egentwe aro
now working on, L.S.D. 25 (a disthY1 t,:xide. of lysergic acid), is so snail, in g=ne.
�
;
�
�
���������=�
�
-
oam.c.mAaalw0
(thousendths of a minigram) ono can dalculate that tho vater cupply of a Ihrs& city �
Could probably be disastrously end undatCctably (until too late) cantaminated
quantitiea apparently readily available, (See remarks of Profeseorer."4"! '1111*4
�
24.to 28 !aigust, in the attached Daily Notes) It Should not be a difficUlt
�
trick to oink a amall container of thin agent near the outlot of water storrao
reservoirs, and the container *arranged to �excrete � a steady flow of the mate-4a).
�
*over a period, of many hours or eA7s�
;
' If the toncept of ccntaminating a city's water cupply ace= or in actual feat .
is found to be tar fetched (this i by no =sena certain), thero is still the possi-
bility of contaminating, say, the water supply of a bember lance, cr mcre caeily .
that of a battleship.
or centurion in Europe outbreaks of The rencingMadmess" have teen varieuely
attributed to macs' hysteria, to ergot poisonir.s,c n. iathi.. the year ar.-h
an outbreak occurred in France.
This was attributed to the use of infected. grain.
There is some reason to believe that the grain involved cu.:a by mietre.from.
in France lihcre ergot production for experimental purposes is being carried on. (See
the attached Daily Uotes,447,3 21 to 24 August.)
Our own current cork contains the strong auggestion th'.t L.S.D. 25 vill prz.tuco
� It
cm area.
hysteria (unaccountable laughing, anxiety, etc.). Vhile our etualies so far have
been carried. cut in isolated in one at a time, it is veil kmowa.that
hysteria is compounded v%cn several vulnerable individunls are together. The 17aer-
.
gic acid derivatives can produce a temporary state ot severe imbalance, hyAteria;
insanity. It requires. little imagination to realize at the coneeluemcbs might be
if a battlezhip's crev were so affected.. �
Thile biologicil warfare is outside of ray field or competence, I understani
that a chief problem is to get toxins in aufficient ceneentration in contact aith a
aignificant nunbcr of paople. The*use of lyaergic acid darivativaa indict:tee_ atavo
T. .5. /.%
�
-;t3d.s.t---477
tri well be sn bx.ce:)tion to this 11 r-a--er urgently rec.:tires A:rt.:tr.
......"��� �
study. Conceivably this riit be an ^ unusually -o.rciful agent or warfare: tenpszarili
nuL11/ing the individualts effeetivaness� but not perraanently &nailing hit.".
� �
. I havo outlined the above points in a conenras.t doz,--natic -Way to maae the poir.t �
clear. Needless to aeky r.uch more war::: needs to be done. Ve need to 7/310If, for
example, if ordinary ehlor'.,nation of the water will oxidize the lysergic acid
tives. Evidently the heat reTaired to ba.ke bread does not. 1.-nat Ere the effects of
air, light, etc. Are there antidot:as, etc.? In the .6ses we. have been U3L'IZs tt`.3.1t
e. gasesa r.er kilogram or body weieat, the maxi= effect is attained. in about two
hours after ingestion by mouth, cid the duration of effeetivaiess is about sin heurs.
US need to knx: the effects of largt:doces, of prolionged nrl-iinistration of
�
doses s.nd so en, to me,-.1t.ion. a fey matter's for study.
'''S:1:431 �
These agents are being studied by sane 2a0 investigators (see '-jotes from
A �
24 to 28 Lugust) prebt.bly on both sides of the Iron Curtain countries.
.411
earnestly that tie United States ulll not get bid
...
" .2 fild for ,..,17n.t
�
� OrGarliZOd pl.C.71 of attze2:.
. �
New 5,--ents are being prared
pnobably attr-"*"--"'.. (See Daily Notes, 21 to 24
�
Lugust 1$52 eici''7%'.6758"...f5,..-mmv."-4 24 to 28 Joust) Pno. fe�or ias
pi-ionised to send zae for study the new L.J. (a =333 ethyl e_mide of lysergic acid).
This is said to be r.ore excitent to norzal indivie...zals than is L.S.D. 25.
)ascrizi:1;LTS 03:31:117ATIONS
1. The dinoflEzelle.tes. See Daily Notes, .1-.,-,;teuZt, 10 to 14 Luguat.
2. Persisting insanity following two exosu.res to the war nerve gases. -This
Ll?...:7=-��=1 14 to 17
equi4;oeh1 situation is referred to in the Daily Notes,
laigust. It will bear f\yrt'ler study.
� �� _
3. Dr 47.15.4w,71:77-
�
associate or Pro,"eJsor^ "" 7^ .
��444"17:1" :7,-..%....i7.14:42:Sii.v.::::'W.:�44.K.'04;.14:4���..;.,..11;i:
� e
�
: � .
e.
T, S. -
� ev
� 4
�
�