Issues in American psychiatry reflected in remarks of APA presidents, 1844-1994.
OBJECTIVE
The author reviewed the history of American psychiatry for the first 150 years of the American Psychiatric Association's existence (1844-1994) as reflected in remarks of the association's presidents.


METHODS
Presidential addresses or remarks from alternative sources were located for the 120 presidents who served the association between 1844 and 1994.


RESULTS
The presidents' remarks on six topics-psychiatric practice, etiology of mental illness, public mental hospitals, alternatives to state hospitals (deinstitutionalization), biologic treatments, and fiscal issues were sampled and arranged chronologically.


CONCLUSIONS
American psychiatry's history--its innovations, cyclical repetitions, and self-assessments-can be gleaned from this form of data. The presidents' remarks appear to refute the claim that organized American psychiatry has been negligent in criticizing itself.
Geller
J L
JL
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester.
D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000266:history*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000266:history; D006801:Humans; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000266:history*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States