From: [a--x] at [blisun1.unizh.ch] (Alex Gamma) Newsgroups: rec.drugs.misc,alt.drugs,alt.drugs.culture,alt.drugs.psychedelics,rec.drugs.misc,rec.drugs.psychedelic Subject: a footnote on the history of MDMA Date: 7 Jan 1998 17:54:47 GMT In virtually every book and article on MDMA I've come across so far it can be read that MDMA was originally synthesized and patented by Merck (Germany) as an appetite supressant, but that it was never marketed. Countless times this information has been copied from text to text and also I am guilty of having spread this little bit of history in numerous talks. Still -- it is simply wrong. A thesis canditate in our group wanted to be sure and contacted Merck, Germany, for the true story. she found out that: 1) Merck stumbled across MDMA when they tried to synthesize Hydrastinin, a vasoconstrictive and styptic medicine. So, MDMA was merely an unplanned by-product of this synthesis. As it was usual, the process of its synthesis was patented. 2) It can not be reconstructed to what extent Merck tested MDMA and what the results of such testing were, but it can be excluded with certainty that MDMA was ever considered as an appetite supressant (and, as Merck adds, this indication was not relevant in 1912...) 3) It is also certain that MDMA was never considered for marketing by Merck Obviously, you can't believe anything unless you've checked the sources...