[pengaru]

Albert Hoffman discovered LSD by accidentally absorbing it through his fingertips. [0]

> While re-synthesizing LSD, he accidentally absorbed a small amount of the drug through his fingertips and discovered its powerful effects.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_LSD#Discovery

[notch656a]

How much was Hoffman working with though? The absorptivity needn't be high when the potency is so high.

[pengaru]

From LSD - My Problem Child, pt. "Discovery of the Psychic Effects of LSD":

"Nevertheless, in the spring of 1943, I repeated the synthesis of LSD-25. As in the first synthesis, this involved the production of only a few centigrams of the compound."

"In the final step of the synthesis, during the purification and crystallization of lysergic acid diethylamide in the form of a tartrate (tartaric acid salt), I was interrupted in my work by unusual sensations."

...

"But this led to another question: how had I managed to absorb this material? Because of the known toxicity of ergot substances, I always maintained meticulously neat work habits. Possibly a bit of the LSD solution had contacted my fingertips during crystallization, and a trace of the substance was absorbed through the skin. If LSD-25 had indeed been the cause of this bizarre experience, then it must be a substance of extraordinary potency."

[notch656a]

Enjoyed the excerpts and thank you!

I take a few to mean more than 2 centigrams. So 30mg minimum. Thats 300x the 'normal' dose.

[bryanrasmussen]

so Hoffman doesn't actually know how he absorbed it

>Possibly a bit of the LSD solution had contacted my fingertips during crystallization, and a trace of the substance was absorbed through the skin.

that's a possibly, I suppose if that possibly exists then possibly some got on object X and then after leaving lab object X came in contact with his mouth or even nose when he touched his face.