William Burroughs: Sailor of the Soul
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – August 10, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
William Seward Burroughs made groundbreaking discoveries about ayahuasca in 1953, revealing its clinical pharmacological effects. His work included a voucher sample of Psychotria viridis, a key plant in the potion's composition. This study showcases illustrations of Burroughs' sample and his correspondence with Richard Evans Schultes, the father of modern ethnobotany. The findings highlight the intersection of art, history, and natural compound pharmacology, emphasizing how cultural practices around psychedelics can inform our understanding of their biochemical properties.
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.