OBSERVATION ON MR. FRANK OLSON FROM 24 NOVEMBER THROUGH 27 NOVEMBER 1953

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00144982
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 22, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: December 4, 1953

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4 December 1953
Memorandum for: General Counsel
'Subject:
Observations on Mr. Frank Olson from 24 November
through 27 1;ovember 1953
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1. I unierstand that in connection with the submission of
a claim to the Eurcau of Fmployees Corpensation, you wish a report on
the e'ientr, prior to the death of Yr. Olson from me. The following is
submitted for your records.
2. I saw Mr. Olcon in the company of Dr. Lanhbrook and
Coloncl Nvet in ry office in rev York City, 133 I:txst 5ath Street. I
understood that be hnd been atitmted for !:Crte time and that he }.&d been
rakIng statements which arpeered to .be confused. I -.Nis asked to r%ke
further observations so that proper trehtment for Mr. Olson _could
instituted for Mr. Olson if any treatment was considered necessary.
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3. On Tuesday, 24 Nove-lber 1953, con/ersations were beftun
which centeied mainly on cur earlier rectin:s durirs the war in 1944
and 15.45. M?ny older interests were recnlled. discussed construc-
tion of r�as rnsks, filtration problem:, our attitules towarel.s rritusl
friends, ani rany thiLss which were v.s.)st pertinent ut that time. Our
conversation at this noint was on a social level in which the ratient
hatl, contrary to his later attitudes, on excellent feelini; and memory
� for people, events und realistic aspects of thcsc reople and events.
He aid show that he was under strain Iv his.mannerisms but at no time
during his primary convernatien did he appear to be definitely cut of
touch with rPelity. Dr. T.Jtshbreek and Colonel Ru:!et left the office
*and I spent about one hour alone with Mr. Olson... As soon as these
gentlemen left, he shoved reater a=iety about his sense of inadequacy
.vith rarticular reference to the scientific Performance of his duties.
He was obsessed with the idea that his memory was poor, that his work
was inadelllate, and that he was fai1in t live un to eZpectations of
hls fcmily and friends. He mentioned that he was dishonest because he
had been retired from the trry fcr an ulcer and showed a certain prourt
of unrealistic but nevertheless anticipated Tuilt feelinEs about teRing
retirement pay. I attempted to confirm what I had heard that an exPeri-
nenta had been performed especially to trap him the preceding week but
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he cm:Alasized that his present problcm! did not by in that arca and that.
his pro-11cm was his .ovn ability to live vp to his c-.rn concept of what his
perforrv..nse of his duties should be and his inability to attnin�then-r-
fections necessitated by the needs of his werk. He, himself, pointed cut
that when he AMS asked to teke over more'resconsibility and head un a nil�
vision he refusel and went into a state of panic feeling that he could
'hardly, with his own growing feelings cf inadequacy in his work, take Over
more responsibility. .
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4. That evening, in order to.heep in contact with hin and to
accumulate more date, I went to the hotel pad spent from 10:30 to 11:30
with rr. Olson) Dr, Lashbrock and Colonel Fewet. frtir., Mr. Olson ap-
peared to maintain an excellent rclaticnship with all of us. Althoumh
apprehensive he apr:arently vas rrIch calmc.r and after a strictly social
diocussien said as I left, "You know, I feel a lot better. Tic is what
I have been needinz." .
5.. The next day Mr. Olson spent an hour vith me in which he
again appeared agithted.. There was repeated discussion of his encern
with the quality of his work, his runt on bc!ing rrtircl from the Arr7y
for an ulcer, sni his release of classified information. He said that
he hea had these feelinss for a very1 tine and th!lt they had not
started the.week before when he particil,atel in an experinent.nnd that.
indeei, in March .of 1953 his wife thought that he yes so depressed and
agitated that she thou:ht that he should set a docter. He said that
he hal been slecrina poorly since March of 1953 end amplified his diff4.-
cultics with rerard to poor 1::::.mory and r,o,r. work. However, I could not
harmonize vhat he said about hi.s job perfor-ance with the attitlx4e of his
superiors since he had teen offered a division. Nor did this check with
repeated questioning of past events. I agF.in attempted to cot further
inforration in regrri to his feelings of persecution but at no tic..e did
he speak of anyone but with the hiahezt re-ard for both friends and
family. He stated erplicitly that he wished to so back home and that -
arrangements. had been rade. I saw no way in which this could be pre-
vented hut Plans were made for hiS return and fUrthcr discussion.
6. I understand that on his vay home he became agitated, very
confused, .and insisted on coming back to see me. He arci,.-ed in ry Hunt- -
S.pgton office about four o'clock and this tine the pent-up feelings which
he bed successfully hidden burst.out.in the ffrettest detail. The patient .
explicitly stated that he had ion; felt.thst his inability to sleep was
connected with his belief that the CIA croup had been putting something
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like benz.cdrine in his coffee at ni:ht to keep him ay-eke; that he hnd.
beard voices the nivht before tellin:). him to thrsy r.vvy his vane:. His
history nsy crystallined into a d!'finite forrl if ve acccpt vhat he sr,'d
that he had been del�Asional at least for weeks, probably months, but that
.he hal been able to crerate fnir);., well except in certain crises such as
bein3 offered more responsibility in taking over the division.
7. The diesnosis Ws quite-clear of a o:ychotie state
which seemed to have been crystallized by an experineht in which Mr.
Olson riarticipated the crecedinz veek,'apnerently on a T:lursday. He
felt that his ftelin:s during the experiment were like those of heir::: over-
vhelned by a mountain very much the same as he felt when he had to ta::e
over a new responsibility. Since the experiment he ftflt that he was not
able to deal with his work as well as he h before anl althch he T!r-
sonally cchsidred the experiment to be unrelated to his bnhic prol)lem
he has nevertheless felt worse since, and that the expzrimett might have
intensified many of his problems. �
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6. With this infor.mation I�recorended hospital!.zation at
once and on Frid:y mornin4, ilov.:mher 27, Ir. 0:son, Dr. La.shbroC..., ani
I discussed in some detail� the choice of her:p1t:1. rr. Olsen thotv-ht
that he would lihe to be nenr hone and for rear.on a mental inl:ti:u-
tion near :'ii -to' was chosen and a room was reseryce::. 4.74.ficrpf.tn1
could not tr.1:e Mr. Olson that day anti arrangements were mnde'for hospitali-
zation the next morning.
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Rr. Olson wes in a psTehotic state :hen hosoitalirntion wrts
decided 'Iron with delusions of 'persecution. Tlere are two aspects in
. regard to the relationship to the wer*.c.in which he wes er....-t7ed. It is
well known that it is an occupational 1:e.7.ard to mental stability to be.
din; the type of work connected with his dutial. Guilt fcelinr;s mre
yell known .to occur to a rrceter or lees extent. Superimposed on these
guilt feelinzs which are certeinly an occupatictal hnzar.d is his rnrti-
cipation in an experi.Lent wherein he felt -that-m:1y of his fcclirgs be-
. came overwhelrin7. It is well kno...-n that rar.y.iruzs produce this effcct.
For exanple, I have bed a Tatient of mine rect....n:1y atzempt suicide ef:er
takinz one carsule of rembutal. A capsule of Vm:butal contains one and
One-half grains. This is a theraneutic dose viith is taken by thousands
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of people daily yet this natient's peroonnlity structure was so oriented
that one dose of this r:ateriol ta%en by thousands of neonle drilY wcs �
sufficient to have her reach rer the box which che dla. Fortun7.tely,
ber.hust.and %les present and mused her to von4t up the cepsules. It is
certainly cenceivnble and certainly ev-^ot be exclu3a4 that !fr. O'son's
particip-Ition in an experi�ent in which e art:, was a3ministered could �
In just the sanle wey precipitate a crisis vhich vould upset the ra1
processes so that disorientation end the 'Jack of mental functionin3 misht
be proaused vith the resulcs readily observed. In this connection it has
-been rici experience that certnin individu%ls who, in an experienial situa-
tion mty be given no drug whatsoever: yet show creat syrptoms ot" onxiety
an confusion.
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Harold A. Abramson, M. D.
S.