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...