William Burroughs: Sailor of the Soul
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs August 10, 2017 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2017.1357862 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn 1953, William S. Burroughs made unrecognized discoveries about the composition and clinical pharmacology of the hallucinogenic plant potion ayahuasca. His voucher sample of Psychotria viridis and a letter to ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes are published here for the first time.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Ethnobotany Soul Art history |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | William S. Burroughs made important early discoveries about ayahuasca's composition and pharmacology, with his voucher specimen and letter to Schultes now published for the first time. |
Abstract
In 1953, William Seward Burroughs made several important and largely unrecognized discoveries relating to the composition and clinical pharmacological effects of the hallucinogenic plant potion known as yagé or ayahuasca. Illustrations of Burroughs' voucher sample of Psychotria viridis and his letter to the father of modern ethnobotany, Richard Evans Schultes, are published here for the very first time.