Page 299 of 369
289 WINDING DOWN + I handed over to Bob much of the initial screening of prospective DMT volunteers. He returned calls, asked the first series of questions regarding suitability, and explained the studies in which the caller might participate. He then met with Laura and me to discuss whether to move the person through the next step in the screening process. If we had addi- tional questions, Bob would follow up with them as necessary. While his role was not crucial, it had taken several months to get him up to speed, and he got to know well many of the second wave of volunteers. A relative latecomer to the psychedelic field, Bob was like a child in a candy shop. He exuded enthusiasm about the projects and was very helpful in recruiting new subjects. He found the volunteers fascinating and wanted to spend time with them. He loved attending meetings and conferences in which well-known psychedelic research scientists remi- nisced about the "good old days" and the next generation of investigators planned future studies. However, he had a difficult time knowing when to stop. One of our volunteers invited Bob over to his house to take drugs, and he couldn't pass up the opportunity. When I shared my concern about this, he looked hurt and replied, "You've been doing this for so long, I need to catch up." I advised him against any more of this type of behavior, but came up short of flatly prohibiting it. Soon, however, an unrelated "supervisory" incident showed me that I could not afford to be so casual. This wake-up call took place in the psy- chiatry clinic in which I saw patients for the university. For some years, I had been prescribing medication for Leanne, an intelligent and personable young woman with manic-depressive illness. Later, Tom, a new social-work intern, joined the staff and came under my supervision. He asked me to find him a stable and psychologically minded patient to see in psychotherapy, and I naturally thought of Leanne. They began working together, and from each of their reports, therapy was going well. A little too well, as it turned out. Leanne and Tom started having sex a few months after beginning therapy. Neither Leanne, in our medication visits, nor Tom, in our weekly supervi- sory sessions, mentioned this. Within a few months, Leanne demanded that