1844 NEWSLETTER

ALVIN COHEN, M.D., EDITOR 3716 PRYTANIA ST., NEW ORLEANS 15, LA. WILLIAM A. McBRIDE, M.D., ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Vol. 1 No. 3 October, 1961

President's Column; The attendance and response of the

members to the September business meet-ing was very gratifying. I feel some valuable business was accomplished and more important, the members served notice that in the future a concerned and active District Branch will become a potent fac-tor in the Louisiana Mental Health pic-ture.

There is more to be done. The Ex-ecutive Council is studying a plan to enlarge itself. Several ideas are under consideration. One is to have the 3 co-ordinating committee chairmen serve on the council. Each, as in the APA, will administer to the various committees under the 3 main headings of technical, professional, and community aspects of psychiatry. We should also consider some plan to have the North La. group repre-sented on the council. If a chapter is formed in North La., perhaps their elec-ted president could serve on the council. Your ideas regarding these and other bus-iness matters are solicited and welcome. Letters from Doctors Obenauf and Totnkins indicate acceptance of our constitution and approval for and certification of membership in the APA.

I would like to see the members re-consider the matter of expanding our Newsletter mailing list. It is my sus-picion that our Editor, Al Cohen, is going to produce a publication that we will want to have as widely circulated as possible. In this connection, our Editor is vigorously working to make this News-letter a success. We owe him our thanks and cooperation. Please give him all the assistance possible - and all the news "fit to print".

Cordially, Ed Knight

At Sept. Meeting: It was voted that the Section in

the model constitution forwarded to us by APA on membership requirements and procedures be accepted en bloc in our constitution to replace our previous membership requirements.

It was voted by constitutional amendment that nominating corn. which previously consisted of five members ap-pointed by president, will now have 3 of these elected by membership.

It was voted to include in our constitutipn that section of model con-stitution on organization of Chapters within Districts.

Publication of Newsletter was authorized.

A brief resume of "Report of the Joint Commission on Mental Health and Illness" was presented and discussed. The following letter was sent by the President to Dr. Edward Billings, Speaker, Assenibly of District Branches. "Dear Dr. Billings:

At the meeting of the Louisiana District Branch, September 21, 1961, the members discussed the report of the Joint Commission on Mental Illness and Health. Since few members had read the report an 'effort was made to summarize some of its main features. The discussion was felt to be incomplete; therefore a committee will be set up to review the report more thorougly and bring additional material to the membership at a later date.

• Generally speaking the report was acceptable to our members. It is note-worthy that those members who had read I the book "Action for Mental Health" were most enthusiastic. There were some mis-givings about lay therapy but the psy-chiatrist's role as "therapeutic over-seer" was felt to be adequate protection for the profession. Some members felt that much depended on whether competent supervision could be purchased. The ipractice of nominal, cursory, or token

supervision of lay people by psychiatristal From Your Assembly Delegate: was felt to be a great danger. The re- I One of the most significant devel- port's focus on treatment of the mentally opments of the past 10 years in Amen-ill population rather than preventive ed- can Psychiatry has been the formation of uction was endorsed. In spite of the District Branches of the American Psy- report's emphasis on municipal partici- chiatric Association. The importance pation our members expressed misgivings of this movement is confirmed by the about the amount of Federal participa- rapidity of the development and expanded tion. It was felt that money still comes influence of the Assembly of District from all of us through taxation reardlesst Branches. of whether by State or Federal govern- Constituent Branches have been given meats. The recommendations regarding a more direct voice in the higher coun- size of hospitals and focus on out-patient, cils of American Psychiatry and have been treatment were welcome. Members also a- able to observe good responses to their greed on the principle of long term basic local needs and drives. The District research and the need for a more liberal Branch system has provided them with li- policy regarding types of research pro- aison whereby they can secure cooperation grams. and benefits from the central organiza-

The members did not feel they could tion. Equal to the gains of the Branches properly appraise the financial program have been the benefits accrued by the as outlined and were generally apprehen- Association itself. One might say the sive about the amounts under consideration Association has become more of a Dem-Since no other aspect of national life ocracy. has been handled in such a thorough man- Psychiatry in Louisiana has been ner is it unrealistic to have such ambi- characterized by a lethargy not only re- tinns for the mental health problem? We garding social issues but also towards woLder if some of the rather profound so- problems of mental health, especially ciol.ogic changes required can really be public knowledge and mental health leg- ef:ected by legislative and financial islation. Contact through the Assembly measures, however heroic they may be. of District Branches should make us more

One suggestion is that such a corn- aware of our deficiencies in this regard prehensive allout program should be tried and also of better techniques of applying in a small well defined area (e.g. Hawaii ourselves in a progressive manner. or some other state?) before the entire It would be a stimulating and truly nation is tackled. We will have further enlightening experience if all our mem- discussion on this report and hope to in- bers could sit in on a meeting of the forui you of any future developments. Assembly and see how important and ef-

We will try to be more specific a- fective state groups can be. This will bout the questions presented in your let- be discussed more fully in the next ter. Any further specific questions you issue. might have would be helpful to us in our discussion. Conrad Wall. President of Southern

Cordially yours,

Edward H. Knight, M.D. President La. Dist. Branch, APA"

The Newsletter is a publication of: Louisiana District Branch, APA

Edward H. Knight, M.D., President Gene L. Usdin, M.D., President-Elect Lucio E. Gatto, M.D., Secretary Harold Bolding, MD., Treasurer

Next Meeting: Thursday, Nov. 16, 1961, 8 PM, L.S.U. Exhibit Room.

Psychiatric Assn: reported that annual 4 meeting held in NO., Oct. 1-3 was a terrific success with over 200 members and guests registering. Kenneth Ritter, Frederick Brewer, and Lawrence Washburn were in charge of Arrangements and John .. Bick was Program Chairman. On the Scien-tific Program were: Robert Heath, "The Tulane Multiphasic Research in Schizo-phrenia: Recent Developments". Richard Paddison, "A Neurologist Looks at Psy.. chiatry". William Sorum, "A Psychiatrist Looks at Psychiatry", Lawrence Washburn, "The Perils of Pollyanna (Observations

} on the Polysurgical Patient)". Marvin Miller, "Responses of the Psychiatric 1 Patient to His Photographed Image".

William Wiedorn, "A Model of the Struc- General Psychiatry. ture of Psychotherapeutic Symbiosis With Psychotic Patients". Arthur Blood, "Con- I The American Board of Psychiatry siderations Other Than Pharmacological and Neurology at Oct. Meeting in Chica- Effect in Psychiatric Drug Prescription", go certified as Diplomates in Psychi- F. Silva, "Evaluation of a University atry: Jacob Weisler, Carl Davis, Wallace Training Program in a State Hospital Fleetwood, and Ernest Svenson. Serving Treatment Unit". Charles Watkins, Luejo as examiners for the Board were: Marvin Gatto, Monica Sorum, Robert Lancaster, Miller, Richard Paddison, and John and Fred Brewer were discussants. Moossy....Gene Usdin was appointed to

Membership Coin. of APA. He and Carl Since we made provisions in the Dis- I Adatto held conferences in Sept. with

trict Branch Constitution to set up re- staff of Augusta V.A. Rosp. and students gional chapters, our executive corn. anti- of U. of Ga. Med. School .... T.A. Watters cipates a meeting with the group in North was featured in Biographical Sketch in La. to set up a chapter. Members should i Sept. issue of Medical Tribune .... Arthur be reminded that any chapter so formed 1 Samuels is President-Elect of La. Group will be completely autonomous with regard Psychotherapy Assn. and Treasurer of The to professional and social activity, but Academy of Religion and Mental Health. in administrative matters will be a basic ...Charles Watkins spoke on "The Impact part of the La. District Branch. We rec- on Parents of Handicapped Children" at ognize the difficulty of members in out- i the sixth annual conference of La. lying areas coming to N.O. for meetings Council for Handicapped Children at and would consequently like to see one Baton Rouge on Oct. 13....Irwin Marcus or more delegates appointed by the chap- was elected Pres. of the N.O. Psycho- ter who would come regularly to La. Dis- analytic Society.. ..Marvin Miller was trict Branch meetings and be a true chairman of a discussion group at the voting representative of his chapter. annual meeting of the Assn. of Prof. of

Psychiatry at the U. of Cal .... Morton There has been some talk among the Enelow spoke on "The Psychiatric Treat-

members that the annual May Business ment of Marriage Problems" at the St. Meeting with election of officers and Charles Ave. Presbyterian Church.... council be periodicalljr rotated to a At Tulane: James A. Knight was appointed city other than N.O. What do you think iAssociate Prof. of Psychiatry and Pre- of this? ventive Medicine (Mental Hygiene). He

will head a New Program in Community Published: Psychiatry. John Pratt was appointed

Richard Paddison and Edward Thornhill Assistant Prof. of Clinical Psychiatry. "Diabetic Neuropathy" in Sept. Journal Ofi He is Clinical Director of East La. the La. State Med. Soc. Genevieve State Hospital (Jackson). Donald Gallant Arneson, "The Risks of the New Psycho- was appointed full time instructor of tropic Drugs" in Sept. Journal of the La. Psychiatry. Gerhard Fromin was appointed State Med. Soc. David Freedman, "Women full time instructor in Neurology. Sandor Who Rate Their Husbands" in Aug. Psy- Rado will be a guest lecturer on Oct. chiatry. Arthur Samuels, "A Controlled 20-2l .... At L.S.U.,: Zachery Gussow Study of Haloperidol: The Effects of joined the Dept. of Psychiatry and Neu- Small Dosages" in Sept. American Journal rology as Assistant Prof. of Anthropol- of Psychiatry. Max Sugar and Charles ogy. Ray Birdwhistell, Prof. of Re- Watkins, "Some Observations About Pati- search in Anthropology at Temple Univer- ents With a Breast Mass" in Sept. Cancer. sity Psychiatry Dept. was a guest 1cc- Ronald McNichol and Arthur Seale, "The turer on Oct. 5-6 .... At DePaul Hospital: Day Hospital" in Aug. Southern Med. Jour- J.H. Foret resigned as Medical Director. nal. Robert Heath, Russell Monroe, and Applications are being received for new Harold Lief, "The Integration of Psychi- Director. Staff would like to hold a atric and Psychoanalytic Training at meeting jointly with the La. District Tulane: A Ten Year Overview; 1950-1960" Branch. Genevieve Arneson spoke on "New in Aug. Journal of Medical Education. Drugs in Psychiatry" at Sept. meeting, Harold Lief, Victor Lief, Charles Warren, and Robert Heath, "Low Dropout Rate in a Psychiatric Clinic" in Aug. Archives of