magic mushroom (1957), etc.

[Benjamin Zimmer]

* magic mushroom (OED3 has 1966)

Hammond (Indiana) Times, Jun 13, 1957, p. B2
Already experiments with magic mushrooms in Old Mexico produce in one
delightful hallucinations of that Utopian existence men have been so long
dreaming about.

(Syracuse, NY) Post Standard, Jan 7, 1961, p. 4
They witnessed the ancient ritual and ate the sacred magic mushrooms which
induce fantastic dreams.

Los Angeles Times, Nov 30, 1962, p. 31
Dr. Timothy Leary told a press conference of his research among more than
400 persons from all walks of life during and after they were under the
influence of three drugs -- LSD (ergot), mescaline (peyote) and psilocybia
(magic mushrooms).

New York Times, Jun 9, 1963, p. 177
A third, named psilocybin, comes from a Mexican "magic mushroom" called
"psilocyte," used for centuries by the Mazatec Indians.


* psychomimetic (OED2 has 1964)

New York Times, Jul 8, 1960, p. 6
Development of new psycho-mimetic drugs and psychological techniques have
suggested, to some, effective means of controlling the behavior of social
groups.

New York Times, Jun 9, 1963, p. 177
LSD-25, Dr. Grinker states in his editorial, was introduced as a
psychomimetic drug and became a powerful investigative tool.


* mind-altering (OED3 has 1962)

Appleton Post (Wisconsin) Crescent, Feb 21, 1961, p. A7
The scientist conceded that chemical counter-agents conceivably could be
produced to nullify the effects of the mind-altering chemicals.


* consciousness-expanding (OED2 has 1967, OED3 has Dec 1962 under
"mind-altering")

Los Angeles Times, Nov 30, 1962, p. 31
The new frontier in human research -- and the leading civil liberties
issue -- will be in the use of "consciousness-expanding" drugs, such as
peyote, a psychologist from Harvard University declared here Thursday.


* acid = LSD (OED2 has 1966)

Los Angeles Times, Nov 21, 1965, p. WS7
"I found out a lot of things about myself on Acid (LSD) and saw a lot of
my hangups (psychological problems)." ...
Another girl, an 18-year-old freshman at Santa Monica City College, said,
"The first time I took Acid I was afraid I was losing my sanity."  ...
One acquaintance in particular, she said, takes enough of the drug to stay
"loaded" all the time and another takes it every Sunday. "Instead of
church, Sunday is Acid Day," she said.


* blow (someone's) mind (OED2 has 1967)

Los Angeles Times, Aug 27, 1966, p. B1
When I was about to lose my wits -- should I say blow my mind? -- it
steadied me.

Frank Zappa, "Son of Suzy Creamcheese" (recorded Nov 1966)
(lyric) Blew your mind on too much Kool-Aid.

New York Times, Dec 25, 1966, p. X12
Mr. Zappa urges that every lover of pop music run out and buy the Vanguard
recording of Varèse's futuristic "Amériques." "It blows my mind. It's my
favorite top-40 record."


* head shop (not yet in OED, MWCD11 has 1968)

New York Times Magazine, Jul 10, 1966, p. 32
One may buy intentional LSD art at the city's first psychedelic bazaar,
The Head Shop, in the East Village, where brightly colored mandala prints
cover two walls.

Lima (Ohio) News, Jan 7, 1968, p. C5
"Head shop" - Store selling psychedelic merchandise.
[citing _The Hippies_ (Time-Life Books, 1967)]

New York Times, Jan 11, 1968, p. 18
A head shop is where one buys the accessories of the psychedelic
experience, grass pipes, for example, which are small pipes for smoking
marijuana, and roach holders, which are elaborate clips for holding the
tiny butt ends of marijuana cigarettes, or joints.


* bum trip (not yet in OED)

Los Angeles Times, Jul 29, 1966, p. D10
The 34th trip, with Schiller's recorder going, proved to be what the users
call a bum trip.

(Mansfield, Ohio) News Journal, Aug 20, 1967, p. E6
Bum trip; bummer - A bad or frightening psychedelic experience.


* shroom(s) = psilocybin (not yet in OED)

Washington Post, Dec 27, 1981, p. A1 (Nexis)
"I'm a closet smoker--I like 'shrooms," confides a 15-year-old California
girl whose favorite drug of choice, unbeknown to her parents, is
hallucinogenic mushrooms, or psilocybin.

(Surely there are earlier cites for this one.)


-- Ben Zimmer