February 5, 1999

The familiar monthly issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry was first published more than 150 years ago. The history of our journal, therefore, reflects in a microcosm the history of our profession. The author traces the infancy of the journal to acquaint readers with its early content.

-Dilip Ramchandani, M.D.
History Notes Editor

By Lucy D. Ozarin, M.D., M.P.H.

The American Journal of Insanity (now the American Journal of Psychiatry) was started by Dr. Amariah Brigham, superintendent of the Utica State Hospital in New York. It was the first psychiatric publication in the English language. Dr. Brigham is said to have written the entire first issue, which contained six articles and a miscellany section, published in June 1844. The journal was the property of the Utica State Hospital.

The second issue, October 1844, contained six articles by Dr. Brigham and other authors. This issue, under a section titled "Bibliography," lists the 100 most valuable works on insanity appearing during the previous 100 years. Most of the books were by French and English authors, with an occasional German. The first articles from the 18th century were written in Latin, and a few titles were drafted by Americans. Among those listed is Dr. Benjamin Rush's book, On Diseases of the Mind, which was first published in 1812 and went through several editions until 1836. An article by Dr. G. Parkman, "Management of Lunatics," was published in Boston in 1817. Dr. T.R. Beck, the journal's second editor (from 1849 to 1854), wrote a dissertation on insanity in 1811. Also included in the list were Drs. Pliny Earle and Isaac Ray, both founding fathers of the Association of the Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane, which later became APA. Dr. Earle wrote on a visit to 13 asylums in Europe (1841), and Dr. Ray wrote on medical jurisprudence of insanity (1844).

The July 1845 journal noted that there were two other journals devoted exclusively to the subject of insanity: The Annales Medico Psycholoques in Paris and another published in Berlin. The journal often carried articles translated from foreign-language journals.

Forensic medicine and medical jurisprudence were frequent topics. The January 1846 issue carried a long review of a French article, "Du Hachisch et de Alienation Mentale." Brigham notes that he obtained a sample of cannabis from the editor of the Boston Medical Journal. He administered the drug to patients with varying results and wrote, "We consider it a very energetic remedy."

The journal continued to publish bibliographic notices and began to list works received. These included general medical journals from many states and cities, as well as material from abroad. Also listed are nonmedical publications such as the Missionary Herald and Southern Literary Messenger. In January 1849 the journal noted a new policy to mention or review all books received regardless of whether they pertained to insanity. The reason given was to procure books for patients at Dr. Brigham's hospital.

The journal next began to publish reports received from individual mental hospitals, a section that grew in size as more asylums opened throughout the country. The journal also ran detailed reports of proceedings of meetings held by the Association of the Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane, a practice carried out until 1894, when a separate publication, Proceedings, was inaugurated.

The first journal index appeared in volume 7, 1850-51, listing both topics and authors. The exchange program of the journal with both American and foreign publications was active.

During the first 10 years of publication, the articles in the journal continued to feature European hospitals and experiences with the insane. The American-written articles dealt with the construction and operation of asylums and patient care. As superintendents died, the journal published long obituaries.

The October 1854 issue carried "Etherization in the Treatment of Insanity" by Dr. Ray, a review of insanity in Italy by Dr. John Galt of Williamsburg, and reports of American asylums including McLean and Worcester in Massachusetts, Butler in Rhode Island, Utica and Bloomingdale in New York, and Trenton in New Jersey. The issue also contained, for the first time, a list of appointments to and resignations from state hospitals, a practice it continued for many years.

In 1854 Dr. John Gray, superintendent of the Utica State Hospital, which still owned the journal, became editor, a post he held for 32 years. The pattern for publication that was established by the founding editor was continued.