The dawn of Aboriginal psychiatry.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this paper was to survey the writings by Western-trained and other psychiatrists and mental health professionals about Aboriginal peoples of Australia.


METHODS
A literature survey of works by psychiatrists and Aboriginal people from 1788 to the mid-1990s was undertaken.


RESULTS
There is a dearth of literature until the 1960s when there is an upsurge which continues to grow.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been an exponential growth of interest in Aboriginal and psychiatric perspectives since the 1960s. Some suggestions are made to explain this.
Duke
Michael
M
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service and St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. mmgduke@bigpond.net.au
D001315:Australia; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008374:Manuscripts, Medical as Topic / Q000266:history*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000266:history*