Dr. Heath was a member of the American Psychiatric Association Task Force on Medical Research Involving Human Subjects from 1966 to 1968. Four years later he published a brain electrode paper entitled, “Septal Stimulation for the Initiation of Heterosexual Activity in a Homosexual Male”193.
Dr. Heath was a member of the Drug Abuse Research Advisory Committee, Food and Drug Administration from 1975 to 1977; a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the American Council on Marijuana from 1980 to at least 1985; Chairman and Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the American Council for Drug Education from 1983 to at least 1985; and a member of the Scientific Committee of the National Foundation of Parents for Drug Free Youth.
Dr. Heath did extensive research in which subjects with implanted brain electrodes in place had hallucinogens introduced directly into their brains. Subjects were monitored by EEG, self-report and clinical observation for their reactions. The hallucinogenic drugs he introduced into patients’ brains in this manner included LSD, mescaline, psilocybin and a substance he called taraxein which he extracted from the blood of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia123, 124, 194, 286.
Dr. Heath’s work was described in Senate testimony given on September 10, 1975 by Charles D. Abelard, General Counsel, Department of the Army (Biomedical and Behavioral Research, p. 156):
Turning to some of the other contracts involving research on hallucinogenic drugs, we have learned of a 1955 contract with Tulane University which involved the administration of LSD, Mescaline, and other drugs to mental patients who had theretofore had electrodes implanted in their brains as part of their medical treatment unrelated to an Army contract. The electrodes were utilized to study the effects of the drugs on the brain’s functioning. The methodology used might be subject to some criticism on the ground that a range of compounds was administered to at least one patient without apparent relation to therapy or diagnosis. However, work on the brain chemistry of mental illness was still pioneering work in 1955, and perhaps it is not surprising that in the cool light of analysis 20 years later that some of the techniques employed now seem less than perfect.
In his 1975 testimony, Mr. Abelard refers to Dr. Heath’s “less than perfect” experiments as being twenty years old. A paper on electrical self-stimulation of the brain was published in 1963116; another paper on brain electrode recordings in patients given acetylcholine and gamma aminobutyric acid was published by Dr. Heath in 1965120; one on brain electrode recordings during orgasm in 1972118; another on brain electrodes in man in 1976121; one entitled, “Modulation of emotion with a brain pacemaker: Treatment for intractable mental illness” in 1977119; and one on electrode responses to marijuana in the monkey brain in 1979208.
One of the ways to produce a psychocivilized society would be to treat the DSM-III psychiatric disorder of ego-dystonic homosexuality (American Psychiatric Association, 1980) with brain electrode implants. Dr. Heath made this attempt. He placed brain electrodes in a young homosexual man and fitted him with a box; a button on the box could be used to electrically stimulate an electrode implanted in the septal region of his brain, a pleasure center. Sometimes the electrode was stimulated by Dr. Heath, sometimes by his colleagues, and sometimes the subject was allowed to press the button himself. During one three-hour period, the patient, referred to as B-19, stimulated himself 1500 times. Dr. Heath describes the case as follows193:
During these sessions, B-19 stimulated himself to a point that, both behaviorally and introspectively, he was experiencing an almost overwhelming euphoria and elation and had to be disconnected, despite his vigorous protests. His post stimulation EEGs were unremarkable. Over the next 4 days there was no septal stimulation, either passive or self because of an intervening weekend and other of the patient’s commitments. However, during this time B-19 did show a notable improvement in disposition and behavior, was less recalcitrant and more cooperative both at the laboratory and his hospital ward, and reported increasing interest in female personnel and feelings of sexual arousal with a compulsion to masturbate. The next afternoon he agreed without reluctance to re-view the stag film and during its showing became sexually aroused, had an erection, and masturbated to orgasm. At the conclusion of this session the patient stated that he “felt great” and was highly pleased with himself. EEG immediately before the movie was not unusual; and no specific activity was later present to be linked with any events during the film. The behavior of the patient over the ensuing 4 days showed increased self-satisfaction, preoccupation with sex, and a continued growing interest in women. At this time, and throughout all phases of the present procedure, no attempt was made to instigate any formal psychotherapeutic program. The patient was, however, given encouragement and support in the development of heterosexual interest and was directly counseled when he solicited information regarding sexual technique and behavior.
Stimulation was resumed with passive activation of various combinations of electrodes at several sites within the septal region (Table 1). It resulted in the patient reporting feelings of alertness, elation and being quite “high.” Consequent self-stimulation through other septal electrode combinations (Table 1) produced an experience of warmth, a flushing sensation, and sexual arousal.
At this time, the patient was maintaining an active interest in females, culminating in an expressed desire to attempt heterosexual activity in the near future. Therefore, arrangements were made for a 21-year old prostitute to spend 2 hours with him in a laboratory specially prepared to afford complete privacy. B-19 was receptive to the plan, and the woman agreed after being apprised of the circumstances. On the afternoon of their meeting, the patient’s electrodes were attached to an electroencephalograph via an extension cord for increased mobility, and recordings were obtained for 45 minutes with an interruption for delivery of passive stimulation of the septal region for 20 seconds (Table 1). B-19 was then introduced to the prostitute, and EEG’s were obtained throughout his relationship with her.
Separate interviews with the patient and the prostitute provided information about their time spent together. Both reported that B-19 was initially anxious and reluctant when they were left alone, though his apprehension gradually subsided. The first hour of the session was essentially spent in conversation about the patient’s experiences with drugs, his homosexuality and his personal shortcomings and negative qualities. Such material was seemingly presented as a defense on his part against progressing too far too quickly. During this time, his partner was most accepting and reassuring and gradually moved closer to him in an attempt to arouse his interest in her. He responded by trying to avoid eye contact, but at no time did he move away or express a desire to discontinue. She proceeded to remove her dress, but not her underclothing. B-19 did not respond with any advance though he did report feelings of interest and sexual arousal. As the second hour began, she relates that his attitude took an even more positive shift to which she reacted by removing her bra and panties and lying down next to him. Then, in a patient and supportive manner, she encouraged him to spend some time in a manual exploration and examination of her body, directing him to areas which were particularly sensitive and assisting him in the initial manipulation of her genitalia and breasts. At times, the patient would ask questions and seek reinforcement regarding his performance and progress, to which she would respond directly and informatively. After about 20 min of such interaction she began to mount him, and though he was somewhat reticent he did achieve penetration. Active intercourse followed during which she had an orgasm that he was apparently able to sense. He became very excited at this and suggested that they turn over in order that he might assume the initiative. In this position he often paused to delay orgasm and to increase the duration of the pleasurable experience. Then despite the milieu and the encumbrance of the electrode wires, he successfully ejaculated. Subsequently, he expressed how much he had enjoyed her and how he hoped that he would have sex with her again in the future.
During this session, EEG recordings from the
deep leads indicated that delta waves appeared at several of these sites as sexual arousal increased and that immediately prior to orgasm striking changes in recordings from septal leads occurred resembling epileptiform discharge. These changes were characterized by spike and slow wave activity with considerable numbers of superimposed fast frequencies. This pattern was essentially unchanged at the moment of orgasm.
During 11 months of follow-up, B-19 maintained a primarily heterosexual orientation.
Dr Heath also brought women to orgasm by electrical stimulation of electrodes he had implanted in their brains. One experimental subject was a 34-year old woman of “borderline defective intelligence” who had a sixth grade education. She had been married three times when electrodes were implanted in her brain in 1960. She is called B-5 in a paper entitled “Pleasure and Brain Activity in Man”118.
B-5 received injections of acetylcholine and levterenol into the septal region in combination with electrical stimulation of electrodes:
The degree of change was dependent on the patient’s condition at the time the stimulus was given; if she had been in a low mood, the change was dramatic, whereas if she had already been feeling pleasant at the onset of treatment, the change was less profound. The patient became more attuned to her environment, answered questions more rapidly and accurately, and solved simple mathematical problems with more ease. The elevation in mood and heightened awareness involved development of a sexual motive state and in most instances, within another 5 to 10 minutes, this culminated in repetitive orgasms. Not only did the patient describe the response when questioned, but her sensuous appearance and movements offered confirmation.
Another paper117 describes brain electrode research conducted on three groups of subjects; prisoners at Louisiana State Penitentiary, schizophrenics and rhesus monkeys. Table 1 in the paper lists 50 different drugs Dr. Heath tested, including those he injected into the brain of subject B-5.
One of the discussants for this paper117 was Hudson Hoagland, Ph.D., Executive Director, the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Hoagland was directly recommended to J. Edgar Hoover by G.H. Estabrooks (see Chapter 14). The Worcester Foundation received funding through MKULTRA Subproject 8; chief investigator Dr. Robert Hyde had TOP SECRET clearance with the CIA.
The second discussant for Dr. Heath’s paper was Frank R. Ervin, M.D., Director, Stanley Coob Laboratories for Psychiatric Research, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ervin did brain electrode implant experiments at Harvard (see Chapter 8) and was recruited for the UCLA Violence project by MKULTRA Subproject 43 contractor, Dr. Louis Jolyon West (see Chapter 10). It is evident that the brain electrode doctors knew each other well.
Dr. Heath acknowledged receiving money from the CIA in an interview by my research assistant on September 21, 1995. He also described being asked by Dr. Amedeo Marrazzi (see Chapter 17) to do LSD research on humans for the U.S. Army, but declined.
In April, 1973 a patient identified in legal documents as John Doe, a 36-year old male, was freed from eighteen years of confinement in state mental hospitals as a result of the court’s decision in Kaimowitz v. Department of Mental Health103. John Doe was a patient in Ionia State Hospital at the time of his release. On March 23, 1973 the court held that the criminal sexual psychopath statute under which he was being held in hospital was unconstitutional.
Ionia State Hospital was the site of MKULTRA Subproject 39, in which investigators cleared at TOP SECRET received $30,000.00 in 1955 for drug testing on prisoners and sexual psychopaths including interrogation with hypnosis, LSD and marijuana. John Doe was committed to Ionia State Hospital in 1955 for the alleged rape and murder of a student nurse.
MKULTRA Subproject 39 documents include a description of four psychiatrists, a psychologist and a physician who participated in the Subproject. The Director of the hospital was also witting; the documents include six signed Secrecy Agreement forms with names whited out. One of the psychiatrists is described as follows: “As a Navy psychiatrist he has had extensive experience in [whited out] in the field of eastern cultures, Oriental psychiatry, brainwashing, etc. He has also done drug interrogation with criminals and has engaged in narcoanalysis and hypnoanalysis.”
A Subproject 39 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD dated 9 December 1954 states that:
This project is designed to exploit the research potential that is represented by a group of 142 criminal-sexual psychopaths confined in the [whited out]. Several materials and techniques will be assessed for their information-eliciting properties on these individuals. It is thought that these individuals have the kind of motivation for withholding certain information that is comparable to operational interrogation situations in the field.
The Research Plan submitted by the investigators specifies that, “Subjects will be selected who have denied allegations of various kinds that can be checked or strongly assumed on the basis of previously established records.”
A CIA Trip Report on Subproject 39 dated 7 April 1958 states that:
It is apparent that [whited out] is so involved in the administrative problems of the project that he is not paying any attention to the results. Since to date only 4 cases have been transcribed there is no way of telling what is coming out of it. I assume there were no dramatic reactions, because the interviewers would have let him know about them had they emerged. It is possible, however, that our own analysis of the data may dredge up something of value, although I am dubious on this point.
[Whited out] gave me his usual long involved talk on the difficulties he had encountered which account for the delays. He also talked at some length about his “experiments” with hypnosis, some aspects of which are mildly hair-raising. Finally he made quite a pitch for continuing some such project as this next year, “with realistic, specific deadlines.” I told him we would discuss possibilities after the present project was completed and we had a chance to closely examine the take.
The Kaimowitz v. Department of Mental Health court case arose because Dr. Ernst Rodin, a neurologist, and Dr. Jacques S. Gottlieb, a psychiatrist wanted to implant brain electrodes in John Doe. A psychiatric resident at the Lafayette Clinic at Wayne State University College of Medicine in Detroit, where Dr. Jacques Gottlieb (who is not the same individual as Sidney Gottlieb, the Director of MKULTRA) worked as Director, was uncomfortable about the ethics and procedures in the Clinic’s aggression project. He brought his concerns to Gabe Kaimowitz, an attorney for the Michigan Medical Committee for Human Rights, who filed an action.
The “Proposal for the Study of the Treatment of Uncontrolled Aggression at Lafayette Clinic” was stimulated by Dr. Rodin and Dr. Jacques Gottlieb’s reading of Violence and the Brain189. Dr. Rodin met with Drs. Vernon Mark and Jose Delgado as part of his development of the Michigan brain electrode project.
Dr. Jacques Gottlieb received funding for research on schizophrenia from the Scottish Rite Committee for Research on Schizophrenia, as did MKULTRA and MKSEARCH contractor Dr. Carl Pfeiffer. One paper by Dr. Gottlieb entitled, “Steps Towards Isolation of a Serum Factor in Schizophrenia”100 deals with taraxein, the substance Dr. Heath believed he had discovered in the blood of schizophrenics. Another paper is entitled, “Sensory Isolation: Hallucinogenic Effects of a Brief Procedure”63. In this experiment, subjects were placed in sensory isolation wearing blackened-out, or white or red-frosted goggles.
Another Gottlieb paper is entitled “Combined Sernyl and Sensory Deprivation”61. In another study entitled “Comparison of Phencyclidine Hydrochloride (Sernyl) with Other Drugs”64, the authors thank Parke, Davis & Company, the pharmaceutical firm, for supplying the phencyclidine and “subsidizing the normal controls.” Subjects were schizophrenic patients and normal controls. They were given LSD, phencyclidine or sodium amytal, then tested for their cognitive abilities.
Phencyclidine known on the street as PCP or “angel dust” causes delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, amnesia, and agitation. In overdose it causes seizures, coma and death. Th
ere is a diagnostic category in DSM-IV12 called “Phencyclidine Intoxication” that describes the symptoms caused by the drug. Use of PCP as a street drug was first reported by medical professionals in Los Angeles in 1965. As for LSD, it was doctors in the mind control network who first distributed PCP in North America. The drug was first developed as a general anaesthetic in the 1950’s but is now a controlled substance, like LSD. A milder drug with similar action is currently marketed under the trade name Ketamine.
When the John Doe case appeared in the Detroit Free Press on January 7, 1973, there was an immediate negative public reaction. As a result, the Michigan State Department of Health terminated its support of the Lafeyette Clinic aggression project and withdrew a pending budget approved for $172,995.00. John Doe was released without having been psychocivilized.
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