Charcot, Mitchell and Lees: neurology free thinkers and their experiences of psychoactive drugs

Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2016 Dec;74(12):1035-1038. doi: 10.1590/0004-282X20160160.

Abstract

Three world-famous neurologists, Charcot and Mitchell, in the 19th century, and Lees, in this century, all of whom had great scientific curiosity, experimented with the psychoactive drugs hashish, mescal and yagé, respectively, in an attempt to increase their knowledge of neurological diseases and how the brain works.

Publication types

  • Biography
  • Historical Article
  • Portrait

MeSH terms

  • Cannabis
  • England
  • France
  • History, 19th Century
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • Mescaline / history
  • Mescaline / therapeutic use
  • Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy
  • Neurology / history*
  • Psychotropic Drugs / history*
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use
  • United States

Substances

  • Psychotropic Drugs
  • Mescaline

Personal name as subject

  • Jean-Martin Charcot
  • Silas Weir Mitchell
  • Andrew J Lees