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Psychoactive Substances. Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Collection

 Collecting Area
Identifier: Psychoactive Substances
This collecting area documents the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, and is particularly relevant given the re-emergence of psychedelic research that is happening today. The materials in this area document how psychedelic research in the United States was carried out and facilitated (particularly from the 1950s to the 1970s), how doctors administered these substances, how patients responded to these treatments, how policy and culture affected the research, and how this area of study has been slowly emerging as a valid form of inquiry and a several-decades long period of dormancy. Highlights include the papers of Charles Savage, William Richards, and Stanislav Grof, psychiatrists who were involved in major psychedelics research studies at the Spring Grove State Hospital in the 1960s; the papers of David Nichols, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Medicinal Chemistry who taught at Purdue from 1974 until 2012 and is internationally recognized for his work on psychedelics and MDMA as well as for playing a key role in the psychedelic renaissance; and other smaller collections which document various aspects of psychedelic research spanning a variety of disciplines. The collecting area is complemented by a large collection of rare and unique books.

Found in 54 Collections and/or Records:

John W. Allen digital images and writings

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 73
Scope and Contents

The John W. Allen digital images and writings (2001-2002; 0.2 cubic feet) documents Allen's research on entheogenic fungi.

Dates: 2001-2002; Other: Majority of material found in 2001-2002; Other: Date acquired: 05/01/2010

Terence McKenna recordings

 Collection
Identifier: MSP 185
Scope and Contents

The collection originally contained eight tapes, but one is missing. The recordings have been digitized to MP3 format for preservation and access purposes. Contact an archivist for more information.

Dates: Other: Date acquired: 12/02/2009

Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSO 1
Scope and Contents

The Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program collection documents the history of Purdue University. The collection consists of recordings and transcripts of oral history interviews conducted with individuals associated with Purdue University.

Dates: 2006-

Ralph Metzner collection

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 56
Scope and Contents The Ralph Metzner collection of articles documents the progression of psychoactive substance research, legality issues, and the religious or spiritual aspects of its use. These articles were not solely written by Ralph Metzner, but they instead represent the type of work that influenced Metzner during his career. These article files do not contain the personal papers of Ralph Metzner. Instead, they provide insight into the diverse sources that Metzner sampled while conducting his research....
Dates: 1958 - 2008; Majority of material found within 1960 - 1990

Leo Zeff papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 74
Scope and Contents

The Leo Zeff papers (1985-1988; 0.2 cubic feet) contain photographs, reports, and correspondence focusing primarily on ibogaine, as well as a manuscript of reflections shared with Alcoholics Anonymous members in 1977.

Dates: 1985 - 1988

Milan Hausner booklet

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 76
Scope and Contents

The Milan Hausner collection contains a photocopy of his self-published booklet on LSD therapy in Czechoslovakia entitled "Psyche In Statu Nascendi, LSD Behind the Iron Curtain, Czechoslovakia, 1954-1974".

Dates: 1992

William Richards collection on Helen Bonny

 Collection — Box Box 1
Identifier: MSP 77
Scope and Contents

The William Richards collection of Helen Bonny materials (1976-2010; 0.25 cubic feet) continas a photocopy of Bonny's PhD thesis, a photograph (1998), and a photocopy of her obituary.

Dates: 1976-2010; Other: Date acquired: 03/06/2011

Aldous Huxley papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 83
Scope and Contents

This collection contains three letters.  Two letters concern Huxley’s novel Island, and are addressed to L. Rust Hills, who was the fiction editor at Esquire magazine from 1956 until 1963. One letter concerns the clinical availability of LSD and references the pharmaceutical companies that were manufacturing LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin in 1961.

Dates: 1961

Gary Fisher papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 84
Scope and Contents

The Gary Fisher papers contains a notebook of Fisher's anecdotes including recollections of his colleague Joyce Martin, patient notes pertaining to LSD psychotherapy treatments for children suffering from mental illness, articles and reports, his doctoral thesis, academic transcripts, his curriculum vitae, correspondence, and photographs.

Dates: 1948 - 2000

Abram Hoffer correspondence

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 88
Scope and Contents

The Abram Hoffer correspondence contains a typed letter from Abram Hoffer to Ralph Metzner concerning the use of Hoffer's Berkeley LSD paper by Metzner.  It also includes Hoffer's opinion of the Liangs and Berkes' ideas on schizophrenia.

Dates: January 9, 1967

Albert Hofmann correspondence and other materials

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 89
Scope and Contents

The Albert Hofmann correspondence and other materials contains correspondence with Ralph Metzner and Rolf von Eckartsberg, a photocopy of Hofmann's patent for LSD, photographs of Hofmann, a brochure for U.C. Santa Cruz Symposium (1982), and clippings on Hofmann.

Dates: 1948 - 2006

Howard Lotsof correspondence and other materials

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 91
Scope and Contents

The Howard Lotsof correspondence and other materials contains an article and bibliography on ibogaine, clippings, correspondence with David Solomon, and other correspondence.

Dates: 1957-2010; Majority of material found within 1964

Hollywood Hospital program and lecture notes

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 90
Scope and Contents

The Hollywood Hospital program and lecture notes contains an original typescript of talks delivered by Al Hubbard, U. P. Byrne, D. C. MacDonald, J. Ross MacLean and R. L. Skwarok  for a panel discussion on LSD-25.

Dates: 1959; Other: Date acquired: 2011-06-01

David Solomon papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 92
Scope and Contents

The David Solomon papers contains Solomon's typescript for "Psychedelic Satire," a letter to Timothy Leary, other correspondence, a photocopy of Don Allen's talk on LSD, a poem, notes and correspondence pertaining to "Flight to Reality," Duncan Blewett's proposal for an "Institute for Studies in Normal Psychology, survey of a psychedelic questionnaire, description of a mescaline trip, materials pertaining to Solomon's friend, Robert Burdette.

Dates: April 23, 1963 - August 31, 1965

Collection on Belle Hancoff

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 103
Abstract

This collection documents Belle Hancoff’s two LSD sessions guided by Walter Pahnke along with the help of Helen Bonny, as well as Pahnke’s discussion of Belle Hancoff’s battle with cancer in a letter to Lewis Hancoff. Stephen Hancoff discusses his mother’s illness in a response to Alexander Zaitchik’s article "lashback! Psychedelic Research Returns," and he also mentions his relationship to William Richards and Stanislav Grof.

Dates: 1968 - 2011

Rick Strassman papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 93
Scope and Contents

The Rick Strassman papers (1989-1991; 1 folder) contains correspondence, a DMT Rating Scale questionnaire, and an article reprint.

Dates: 1989-1991; Other: Date acquired: 01/06/2011

Harvard Psilocybin Project records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 98
Abstract

The Harvard Psilocybin Project memos, reports and meeting minutes (1 folder; circa 1961-1962) documents the therapeutic use of psilocybin on inmates at the Concord Prison with Ralph Metzner, Richard Alpert, George Litwin, James Ciarlo, Mike Kahn, Gunther Weil, and Timothy Leary.

Dates: circa 1961-1962; Other: Majority of material found in 1961-1962; Other: Date acquired: 09/10/2012

William Richards papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 67
Scope and Contents The William Richards papers is a collection of articles and article reprints written by William Richards and other colleagues including Stanislav Grof and Walter Pahnke. The articles discuss the use of LSD, DPT, psilocybin, and other psychedelics for treating terminal cancer patients and alcoholism, as well as for the study of religious and spiritual experiences. A collection of writings and clippings related to Timothy Leary and his research at Harvard University are also included. There is...
Dates: 1962 - 2014

Sanford Unger papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 69
Scope and Contents

The Sanford Unger papers (1961-1974; 0.2 cubic feet) contains writings exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances. The collection also contains the correspondence between Aldous and Laura Huxley and Sanford Unger, and an excerpt from the 1966 CBS Reports feature, “LSD The Spring Grove Experiment.”

Dates: 1961 - 1974

George Greer papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 66
Scope and Contents

The George Greer papers documents his research on MDMA. The collection contains a questionnaire, article, notes, graphs, and several case reports on his research subjects. The case studies are transcriptions from handwritten notes on the 29 subjects who are mentioned in Greer’s published papers. According to Greer, there are approximately 50 handwritten reports on other subjects still in his possession, which may be donated in the future.

Dates: 1980-1986

William Richards collection on Walter Pahnke

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 68
Scope and Contents

The William Richards Collection on Walter Pahnke (1952-1972; 0.2 cubic feet) contains materials collected and donated by William Richards that document the life and work of his close colleague, Walter Pahnke. It includes some of Pahnke's important academic writings, copies of personal manuscripts, some biographical information, writings by his wife (Eva Sontum Pahnke), and materials memorializing his untimely passing.

Dates: 1950 - 2009; Majority of material found within 1964 - 1971

Jan Irvin manuscript

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 65
Scope and Contents

The Jan Irvin manuscript contains the article "Wasson and Allegro on the Tree of Knowledge as Amanita" by Michael Hoffman and Jan Irvin.

Dates: 2006

Darrell Lemaire papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 64
Scope and Contents

The Darrell Lemaire papers contains two documents pertaining to the creation of novel psychedelic substances.

Dates: 1986 - 1990; Other: Date acquired: 2009-03-12

Jean Millay papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 63
Scope and Contents

The Jean Millay papers (1964-2001; 0.2 cubic feet) contains a DVD of the 2001 film The Psychedelic Experience by Millay and Allen Willis and an article by Millay. The collection also documents Millay's friendship with Timothy Leary and contains photocopies of pictures, correspondence, and an article on Leary.

Dates: 1964-2001; Other: Majority of material found in 1964-1980; Other: Date acquired: 03/12/2009

Marlene Dobkin de Rios papers

 Collection — Box 1
Identifier: MSP 72
Scope and Contents

The Marlene Dobkin de Rios papers contains correspondence, biographical clippings, papers, conference materials, and article reprint request cards and documents de Rios' professional involvement with anthropological research on hallucinogens.

Dates: 1967 - 2008