Psychiatry

Henry   ---   I share your Dad’s reaction to psychiatry and psychiatrists.  As the story goes, there were two psychiatrists discussing their field.  One said to the other, “Do you really think we help patients?”   The other scratched his head, pondered a bit, and answered, “ I had never thought of it in that way, I always thought psychiatry was just a way of life.” 

                       I remember one day in Medical School your Dad, Bill Gardner and I were in psychiatry class and the professor was demonstrating to the class a patient with senile dementia.  She was an elderly, soft-spoken colored woman who kept plucking at her clothing as the psychiatry professor was demonstrating how she was not in touch with reality.  He was asking her the usual orientation questions as to what year it was, who was the president of the United States, where did she live, etc.  She kept silent after each question and kept picking at her clothing.   The professor turned to the class and said with little show of empathy or regard of the elderly woman’s feelings, “This shows the usual lack of orientation as to time and place in a senile patient.”    She then turned to the professor and said quietly,” I could tell you the answer to your questions, doctor, but it wouldn’t help getting these bugs off me.”   The class broke up in mirth.  We  didn’t like the professor anyway.       Will Meriwether