The attribution of the poisoning to the CIA in Albarelli’s book has been roundly criticized. Historian Steven Kaplan, author of an earlier book about the events, said that this would be “clinically incoherent: LSD takes effects in just a few hours, whereas the inhabitants showed symptoms only after 36 hours or more. Furthermore, LSD does not cause the digestive ailments or the vegetative effects described by the townspeople.”
To be clear: I have no reason to believe that the CIA circa 1951 wouldn’t or couldn’t pull this kind of stunt, just that the evidence that they in fact did is pretty shaky.
“Let’s put LSD in this small town’s drinking water and see what happens.”
“What scientific purpose would this have?”
“It would be funny.”
“Good point. Operation Midnight Climax approved.”
Don’t threaten me with a good time
Being unknowingly dosed with an unknown psychedelic is NOT a good time.
I can’t find the part about spiking a small town’s drinking water in that article.
Point Saint-Esprit
Thanks. That sure is messed up.
It’s also kind of a fringe theory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Pont-Saint-Esprit_mass_poisoning
To be clear: I have no reason to believe that the CIA circa 1951 wouldn’t or couldn’t pull this kind of stunt, just that the evidence that they in fact did is pretty shaky.
Thanks for the update.
I’m all for keeping the CIA accountable, but you’re conflating two things there.