216 ELKES
admit to a little anxiety at the time. However, the past forty years have
proved profoundly reassuring.
As I said, moments and faces spring to life as I recall our efforts to
develop a continuum of activities between neurochemistry, electrophysi
ology, animal behavior and clinical investigation in our dear old build
ing, still carrying the dank, sweet smell of chronic care. I remember Nino
Salmoiraghi leading me into the secrets of reciprocal discharge of respiratory
neurons as we talked about the strange calming effects of deep breathing
in man; I recall the excitement I felt when he and Floyd Bloom showed
me the pulling of the five barrel micro pipette with which they mapped
the uneven chemical susceptibilities of neurons in the hippocampus.
I recall Hans Weil-Malherbe’s discussions with Julie Axelrod and Steve
Brody’s visit to our labs. I recall Steve Szara’s collaboration with Elliot
Hearst on the effects of DMT derivatives on operant conditioning, mak
ing a Skinner Box a Metabolic Cage. I recall Sheppard Kellam developing
a Social Interaction Matrix to study the effects of major tranquilizers in
the ward; and I remember Fritz Freyman bringing me one of the first
issues of his “Comprehensive Psychiatry”. There was also the procession of
Visiting Fellows: Von Baumgarten, Rolf Gjessing and Max Hamilton,
among others. The residents were terrified of Max Hamilton. They called
him “Mac the Knife”.
How much more has happened since? How far have new approaches
and new methods carried us under the successive leadership of Nino,
Floyd, Mimo, Richard, Dan and their illustrious colleagues? How well
have we grasped psychopharmacology’s unique ability to connect
disparate fields and to make dreams literally visible. Fifty years ago–
before Koelle’s histochemistry and the advent of the Swedish fluorescent
techniques–“Regional Neurochemistry” was a game of the imagination;
and the term was–shall we say–in very limited circulation. Now there
are the beautiful illuminated images emerging from your laboratory.
I ask you, what does the heart do with such moments of awe and grati
tude? Especially now, when we stand at yet another mighty beginning.
Molecular Genetics, Neuropsychoimmunology, the Human Genome and
Microchip sensors beckon to create new connections and new hybrids,
Psychopharmacology will expand to include even these, and will never
be the same again.
When in years to come we celebrate our half century, and when new
generations of drugs of extraordinary specificity and power hit the
market, huge new questions will loom and will not go away. Society
will ask us to face our ethical dilemma and to be accountable; and we