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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 11:25 |
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Dr. Albert Hofmann passed away at his home in Burg outside of Basel, Switzerland, April 29 2008 at the age of 102 years. Dr. Hofmann was at his home with two of his care takers, he passed away at 9am local time.
Albert Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland in 1906. He graduated from the University of Zürich with a degree in chemistry in 1929 and went to work for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in Basel, Switzerland. With the laboratory goal of working towards isolation of the active principles of known medicinal plants, Hofmann worked with Mediterranean squill (Scilla maritima) for several years, before moving on to the study of Claviceps purpurea (ergot) and ergot alkaloids.
 Over the next few years, he worked his way through the lysergic acid derivatives, eventually synthesizing LSD-25 for the first time in 1938. After minimal testing, LSD-25 was set aside as he continued with other derivatives. Four years later, on April 16, 1943, he re-synthesized LSD-25 because he felt he might have missed something the first time around. That day, he became the first human to experience the effects of LSD after accidentally ingesting a minute amount. Three days later, on April 19, 1943, he decided to verify his results by intentionally ingesting 250 ug of LSD. This day has become known as "Bicycle Day" as Hofmann experienced an incredible bicycle ride on his way home from the lab.
In addition to his discovery of LSD, he was also the first to synthesize psilocybin (the active constituent of 'magic mushrooms') in 1958. Albert Hofmann, known as the 'father of LSD', continued to work at Sandoz until 1971 when he retired as Director of Research for the Department of Natural Products. He continued to write, lecture, and play a leading role as an elder in the psychedelic community until his quick and relatively painless death from a heart attack at the age of 102.
On this page you may leave your condolence
(sources: www.erowid.org and www.hofmann.org) - Erowid have dedicated a "vault" to Dr. Albert Hofmann which contains many links to sources with information about Dr. Hofmann's life and works. Hofmann.org is home of The Albert Hofmann Foundation and aim to publish, hold seminars and invite discussion of the place of psychedelic agents in today's society.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 10 May 2008 09:43 )
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