IN
ME\IORIA\I
Aubrey Lewis 1900-1975
PROF.
SIR AUBREY
age of
74,
was
contemporary
has
who
provided
died
regarded A
elsewhere
in Australia,
where
on January
as
psychiatrists.
been
cated
LEwIs,
widely
among
21,
detailed
account Aubrey
was
received
his
medical
at the
eminent of
(1 ). Sir he
1975,
most
the
his
born
of
career
and edu-
training.
He
spent two years in the postgraduate study of psychiatry in Europe and the United States before settling in London, where he joined the staffofthe Maudsley Hospital in 1928. He was to remain
associated
life.
In
with
this
institution
l936hebecameClinical
he was appointed
for the
rest
of his working
Directorofthehospital,in
1946
country
decided
establish
a
programme
of
psychiatric
re-
in the National Institute of Mental Health, it was developed along similar lines and with a comparable scientific philosophy” (2, p. 5). The scale and quality of Sir Aubrey’s achievements were built on a complex amalgam of qualities. Energy, stamina, and a clear
sense
of
uncommon and integrity junction
purpose
we
can
take
among successful are less frequently
with
the
more
for
granted-they
men. Erudition, encountered,
primitive
virtues.
are
not
common especially
sense, in con-
All
factors
these
of Psychiatry at the associated Institute of Psychiatry, and on retiring from the chair in 1966 he became Emeritus Professor. Although the last decade of his life was clouded by the loss of his wife, a distinguished psychiatrist in her own right, and the inroads of physical illness, he continued working at the institute until a few days before his death. It has been well said that the flowering of British psychiatry after World War II can be attributed principally to three fac-
played their part in evolving and sustaining the unique personal brand of creative skepticism that he brought to his subject and that is clearly reflected in his writings. For he was also gifted
tors: a long humanitarian ice, and Aubrey Lewis.
word does not reveal, however, warmth, and humor that earned
Psychiatry
Professor
to
search
rapidly
ofexcellence
tradition, Under his
became
an
for training
of foreign
the National leadership
internationally
and
recognized
research,
to which
to
his
educational
Kingdom
he
trators, ofhis
was
and a host and
boundaries. chiatry
capacity
Lewis’
drawing
on
providing
adminis-
groups,
a vast
balanced
and
counsel the
for some
close. to the
extended
including
he was a member
him
and public
influence
advice
especially
brought
for
colleagues, store
judgments
ofthe years.
far beyond
were World
Advisory His
links
valued
wherever
Health
Organization,
Committee with
It was a Rockefeller Phipps
Clinic,
and
the
United
moral
humane The cism
Aubrey
and aims
Lewis,
post-war
that
Meyer
first
not
AmI
least
his
conception
trend
ized. now
from
was
because
his graduate
a
the source
broad of
it resulted
in a relative
students.
Nonetheless,
of
the
eclectiregret
to
dearth
he of-
United States and Canada as a welcome and figure. It is appropriate here to recall Seymour on the Institute of Psychiatry, that “when my
Psychiatry
/32:8.
August
/975
which
edited
the
characterizes
by
his
was
philosopher.
prove
to
to
much
but
an
bewildered
awareness
of
representative
the
man,”
to
clear
people
emerges
observers
role and Perhaps
our
and
eyes
as a truly The with
greater
men.”
can
even next
Emerson,
the by
and
real-
will
sense,
men
be
in medissues
Emerson’s “a
enables
us
Aubrey
better
exist
that
col-
to
see
Lewis
whose
by his successors
“great
to be asbeen
provides
psychiatrist
more
re-
fundamental
played who
In this
generation that
yet
psychiatrist reexamine
be
egotism”
representative
still
has
raising
individual
works.
to be prized
preciate,
from
their
are
that
rare
the
written
shown, psychiatry is number of well-in-
function ofthe it is time to
part
the
with
personal
has
than
As recent polemics have so clearly facing a major crisis. An increasing about the in society.
5)
of them
the
his
legacy
larger
(4,
essential kindliness, Lewis more than re-
penetrate
Lewis’
be
the
students
What
is the Aubrey
able
of Aubrey
could
tentioned
“
and
who
magnitude and
example
than placed
by his to ap-
there
may
be
R EFERENCES I. Shepherd
M: Professor
Sir Aubrey
Lewis:
a professional
sketch,
in
Comparative Epidemiology of the Mental Disorders. Edited by Hoch PH, Zubin J. New York, Grune & Stratton, 1961, pp ix xiv 2. Shepherd M, Davies DL (eds): Studies in Psychiatry. New York,
Oxford away
style
volumes
he found
(3).
psychobiology
among
ten visited the much-respected Kety’s comment
integrity-and
specialty”
Meyenian
of Americans
872
intellectual ofour
American of
The sessed
contemporaries.
States
two
everyone
may come
on Medi-
Fellowship
in Adolf
psy-
a mentor who was to exercise a lasting influence on his outlook. In the Adolf Meyer Lecture of 1960 he gave his reasons: “It is right for us who carried back to our own countries what we had learnt, to say what we owe him: the example of his integrityhis
the
from
other
national
literary
the
scholar,
with
on
in
clinician,
questions icine and
all aware of knowl-
developed
other publications. These papers, several classics, bring the reader into contact
lyrium
His
Research
were
for
and
is practiced,
in which
by
highly papers
spect serve.
center
hundreds
Aubrey
consulted
a
and his many acknowledged
were
Sir
of professional
experience
complex issues. But Aubrey
cab
activities,
constantly
remarkable
edge
graduates
many
attracted. In addihad varied research interests. Some notion of the scope of these interests can be obtained from the Festschrift published by members of his department shortly after his retirement (2). Within the United tion
as well as British
Health ServInstitute of
the
with various
3. 4.
Lewis Lewis
University A: The A: The
Routledge 5. Lewis A: tions.
study State
& Kegan
Press,
1968
ofdefect. Am of Psychiatry:
Paul,
Inquiries in London, Routledge
J Psychiatry Essays and
I 17:289 Addresses.
304,
l960 London,
1967
Psychiatry: & Kegan
Clinical and Paul, 1967
MICHAEL.
Social
SHEPHERD,
Investiga-
M.D.
ME\IORIA\I
Aubrey Lewis 1900-1975
PROF.
SIR AUBREY
age of
74,
was
contemporary
has
who
provided
died
regarded A
elsewhere
in Australia,
where
on January
as
psychiatrists.
been
cated
LEwIs,
widely
among
21,
detailed
account Aubrey
was
received
his
medical
at the
eminent of
(1 ). Sir he
1975,
most
the
his
born
of
career
and edu-
training.
He
spent two years in the postgraduate study of psychiatry in Europe and the United States before settling in London, where he joined the staffofthe Maudsley Hospital in 1928. He was to remain
associated
life.
In
with
this
institution
l936hebecameClinical
he was appointed
for the
rest
of his working
Directorofthehospital,in
1946
country
decided
establish
a
programme
of
psychiatric
re-
in the National Institute of Mental Health, it was developed along similar lines and with a comparable scientific philosophy” (2, p. 5). The scale and quality of Sir Aubrey’s achievements were built on a complex amalgam of qualities. Energy, stamina, and a clear
sense
of
uncommon and integrity junction
purpose
we
can
take
among successful are less frequently
with
the
more
for
granted-they
men. Erudition, encountered,
primitive
virtues.
are
not
common especially
sense, in con-
All
factors
these
of Psychiatry at the associated Institute of Psychiatry, and on retiring from the chair in 1966 he became Emeritus Professor. Although the last decade of his life was clouded by the loss of his wife, a distinguished psychiatrist in her own right, and the inroads of physical illness, he continued working at the institute until a few days before his death. It has been well said that the flowering of British psychiatry after World War II can be attributed principally to three fac-
played their part in evolving and sustaining the unique personal brand of creative skepticism that he brought to his subject and that is clearly reflected in his writings. For he was also gifted
tors: a long humanitarian ice, and Aubrey Lewis.
word does not reveal, however, warmth, and humor that earned
Psychiatry
Professor
to
search
rapidly
ofexcellence
tradition, Under his
became
an
for training
of foreign
the National leadership
internationally
and
recognized
research,
to which
to
his
educational
Kingdom
he
trators, ofhis
was
and a host and
boundaries. chiatry
capacity
Lewis’
drawing
on
providing
adminis-
groups,
a vast
balanced
and
counsel the
for some
close. to the
extended
including
he was a member
him
and public
influence
advice
especially
brought
for
colleagues, store
judgments
ofthe years.
far beyond
were World
Advisory His
links
valued
wherever
Health
Organization,
Committee with
It was a Rockefeller Phipps
Clinic,
and
the
United
moral
humane The cism
Aubrey
and aims
Lewis,
post-war
that
Meyer
first
not
AmI
least
his
conception
trend
ized. now
from
was
because
his graduate
a
the source
broad of
it resulted
in a relative
students.
Nonetheless,
of
the
eclectiregret
to
dearth
he of-
United States and Canada as a welcome and figure. It is appropriate here to recall Seymour on the Institute of Psychiatry, that “when my
Psychiatry
/32:8.
August
/975
which
edited
the
characterizes
by
his
was
philosopher.
prove
to
to
much
but
an
bewildered
awareness
of
representative
the
man,”
to
clear
people
emerges
observers
role and Perhaps
our
and
eyes
as a truly The with
greater
men.”
can
even next
Emerson,
the by
and
real-
will
sense,
men
be
in medissues
Emerson’s “a
enables
us
Aubrey
better
exist
that
col-
to
see
Lewis
whose
by his successors
“great
to be asbeen
provides
psychiatrist
more
re-
fundamental
played who
In this
generation that
yet
psychiatrist reexamine
be
egotism”
representative
still
has
raising
individual
works.
to be prized
preciate,
from
their
are
that
rare
the
written
shown, psychiatry is number of well-in-
function ofthe it is time to
part
the
with
personal
has
than
As recent polemics have so clearly facing a major crisis. An increasing about the in society.
5)
of them
the
his
legacy
larger
(4,
essential kindliness, Lewis more than re-
penetrate
Lewis’
be
the
students
What
is the Aubrey
able
of Aubrey
could
tentioned
“
and
who
magnitude and
example
than placed
by his to ap-
there
may
be
R EFERENCES I. Shepherd
M: Professor
Sir Aubrey
Lewis:
a professional
sketch,
in
Comparative Epidemiology of the Mental Disorders. Edited by Hoch PH, Zubin J. New York, Grune & Stratton, 1961, pp ix xiv 2. Shepherd M, Davies DL (eds): Studies in Psychiatry. New York,
Oxford away
style
volumes
he found
(3).
psychobiology
among
ten visited the much-respected Kety’s comment
integrity-and
specialty”
Meyenian
of Americans
872
intellectual ofour
American of
The sessed
contemporaries.
States
two
everyone
may come
on Medi-
Fellowship
in Adolf
psy-
a mentor who was to exercise a lasting influence on his outlook. In the Adolf Meyer Lecture of 1960 he gave his reasons: “It is right for us who carried back to our own countries what we had learnt, to say what we owe him: the example of his integrityhis
the
from
other
national
literary
the
scholar,
with
on
in
clinician,
questions icine and
all aware of knowl-
developed
other publications. These papers, several classics, bring the reader into contact
lyrium
His
Research
were
for
and
is practiced,
in which
by
highly papers
spect serve.
center
hundreds
Aubrey
consulted
a
and his many acknowledged
were
Sir
of professional
experience
complex issues. But Aubrey
cab
activities,
constantly
remarkable
edge
graduates
many
attracted. In addihad varied research interests. Some notion of the scope of these interests can be obtained from the Festschrift published by members of his department shortly after his retirement (2). Within the United tion
as well as British
Health ServInstitute of
the
with various
3. 4.
Lewis Lewis
University A: The A: The
Routledge 5. Lewis A: tions.
study State
& Kegan
Press,
1968
ofdefect. Am of Psychiatry:
Paul,
Inquiries in London, Routledge
J Psychiatry Essays and
I 17:289 Addresses.
304,
l960 London,
1967
Psychiatry: & Kegan
Clinical and Paul, 1967
MICHAEL.
Social
SHEPHERD,
Investiga-
M.D.
