This film is by Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation (:08). Its topic will be lysergic acid diethylamide (:53) the natural and synthetic hallucinogen. A bottle containing LSD is shown and one ounce is capable of producing 300,000 hallucinogenic trips (1:23). It has been produced by Concept films (1:48). It begins in 1951, in southern France where citizens had been hit with a strange illness constituted with pain, high fever and hallucinations (2:24). The plague was dubbed ‘St. Anthony’s fire’ and over 360 cases were documented (2:59). It was discovered that the poisoning was from consumption of Ergot, a fungus which grows on rye, milled and baked into bread (3:07). Though a direct connection between this instance and LSD have not been established, these reports drew the attention of Dr. Albert Hofmann whom had first synthesized LSD fifteen years prior (3:25). The study on the effects began on rats (4:01) and a correlation was drawn between stress and the effects of the drug (4:25). Large doses would produce catatonic behavior and this is exampled in one rat given a massive dose (5:04) and researchers noted that Schizophrenic patients exhibited similar behavior (5:08). This sparked speculation that a similar chemical was being produced by schizophrenic patient’s bodies to LSD (5:18). The head of research at Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (5:39) believed acid to be a catalyst that lubricated and manifested unconscious processes in the brain (5:51). In the early 1960’s research began to discover how the drug would affect the consciousness of ‘normal’ people (5:57). Dr. Jean Houston and her husband Dr. Robert Masters birthed the New York City Foundation for Mind Research were among the forerunners of those utilizing LSD as a probe into the depths of the psyche (6:21). A newspaper headline reading “4 Held in Sale of LSD to Boy Who Leapt to His Death” flashes by (7:10) and it was found that if someone took the drug and experienced stressful or negative situations they had the potential to carry that negativism for years following (7:22). A doctor is speaking with a patient who divulges that five out of his seven trips were considered to be bad trips (7:41). Police had begun bringing people experiencing bad trips to Bellevue Hospital (7:47). The researchers wanted to predict who would have a bad trip and when (8:39). A test in which high frequency noises are used to instill fear in rats under the influence follows (8:44). Results showed that while the ‘bad trips’ had similar effects as schizophrenia, a good trip offered mostly visual experiences and without paranoia (9:01). The film switches to two young men in the woods and one of the pair doses himself with ‘street acid’ (9:17). Another young woman explains why she chose to stop partaking in the drug (10:49). After footage of music festivals of the time (11:43) a doctor whom worked the festivals explained the need for a trip tent for those experiencing negative trips (12:27) and he found the only way to reach those affected was to offer human comfort. Vials of the ‘street acid’ scooped up from the events are shown and tests are conducted to discover exactly what is in them (13:31-13:52). LSD was first made illegal in 1965 (14:21). It turns back to Dr. Houston and the notion that it acted as a ‘de-gluing’ agent for some and that the effects resulted in complete loss of cohesiveness (15:12). As many believed it enhanced creativity, a study is shown in which an artist is dosed and explains while at first, he felt it to be completely natural to draw, later it became nearly impossible (17:56). Some artists did report being able to recall their experience later and use it for inspiration (18:43). The positives of the research showed that many reported sensations of peace and unity (18:57), cancer patients were relieved of depression and anxiety (19:04) and treatment of alcoholism proved largely successful (19:12). At Topeka VA hospital studies of the treatment of alcoholism are shown (19:19). Of 12,00 individuals whom had completed the study, fifty percent remained alcohol free for at least two years (21:37). The film ends with the reminder that much was still unknown about the drug and a slew of facilities that made the production possible (24:37).

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