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The volume begins by exploring some dynamics of the professional group itself. These psychiatrists have been thoroughly trained, and before using psychedelic drugs with patients, they themselves undertook an LSD experience.
There is a well-done historical summary on the use of hallucinogens, and the chapter contains an excellent bibliography. The section
on “biopharmacological” properties of hallucinogens includes not only their chemical properties but also the modes of action, effects on behavior, EEG studies, the synergistic and antagonistic properties; only the most recent studies on chromatography are omitted.
To give an idea of the completeness of this volume, there are 280 entries, including chapters on individual and group therapy with the use of LSD. The concluding clinical evaluations are priceless, and have been applied to the character disorders, perversions, alcoholics, epilepsy, the group of schizophrenias, and mental deficiency. Data are given on length of treatment, patients' occupations, comparisons with work done in Germany, and various physiological correlates.
In my opinion, no review could do justice to this volume, which most certainly should be translated into English. The editor, Dr. Fontana, a former member of the International Psychoanalytic Association, does not confine the explorations to descriptive physiological or medical aspects of hallucinogenic therapy but also attempts to apply psychoanalytic understanding to the experimental data.