William Bleckwenn
Encyclopedia
Dr. William Jefferson Bleckwenn (July 23, 1895- January 6, 1965) was an American physician
and psychiatrist
who was instrumental in developing the treatment known as "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis." The lay-description for that process is the administration of "truth serum
."
(borough of Queens) in New York City
, in 1895. He received his elementary and secondary education there in public city schools, graduating from high school at the top of his class. He then enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
(UW) in 1913, earning a B.S.- Med. (for Bachelor's degree in medical science) degree in 1917 as part of an accelerated medical course of study. As an undergraduate, William was an accomplished athlete in track & field, especially in shot-putting and discus
-throwing. Because UW did not have a four-year degree-granting medical school until the mid-1920s, Bleckwenn transferred to the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University
in New York City. He received his M.D. from that institution in 1920. Dr. Bleckwenn then pursued residency training at Bellevue Hospital in New York, as well as the Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute (WPI) in Madison. At the second of those centers, he came under the tutelage of Dr. William Lorenz
and Dr. Hans Reese
.
. He and Lorenz found that intravenous sodium amytal (amobarbital
) was effective in producing a "lucid interval," wherein catatonic patients could converse normally, respond to questions appropriately, move about nimbly, and provide information about their thought processes and backgrounds that would otherwise have been impossible to obtain. The latter benefit of the treatment was given the names "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis." In a short time, the amytal-induced "lucid interval" became a proof-positive test for the diagnosis of catatonia.
Dr. Bleckwenn published his findings on this topic in 1930, in landmark papers in the Wisconsin Medical Journal; the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry, In the JAMA paper, he stated that "the catatonic patient has shown some extremely interesting and striking responses [to intravenous amytal]. Periods of from four to fourteen hours of a normal lucid interval have been a constant result of the treatment." Bleckwenn was forward-thinking regarding the documentation of these effects, making motion pictures of the process. Of those, Fink says "His silent films show the patients as mute, posturing, rigid, with heads raised fixedly from the pillow, and then responding dramatically to multigram doses of amobarbital. The films were convincing, and amobarbital was quickly and widely used to obtain clinical histories and to allow feeding and self-care." Psychiatrists across the world became enthused by sodium amytal therapy. In his text entitled "A Historical Dictionary of Psychiatry," Shorter states that "Some observers view Bleckwenn's procedure as the real beginning of psychopharmacology."
As an extension of his work on barbiturate therapy, Bleckwenn and Dr. Mabel Masten also studied the reversal of overdosage by amobarbital in the mid-1930s. They found that dilute intravenous solutions of picrotoxin
(cocculin)-- a neurostimulatory plant product—were effective as an antidote in that setting. However, over time, the narrow therapeutic window associated with picrotoxin administration—which can also induce seizures—resulted in its disuse.
") under the command of Lt. Gen. Stanley Embrick, which were undertaken because of the imminence of U.S. involvement in World War II. In 1941, Bleckwenn was called to active duty and attached to the 135th medical regiment. That unit operated as part of the U.S. Sixth Army and was tasked with management of frontline casualties. After the United States entered the war, the 135th shipped out to the Pacific Theater of Operations
in March 1942. Bleckwenn was its commanding officer, with the rank of Colonel
(O6). The 135th saw action in New Guinea
, Tarawa, Kwajalein
, the Philippines
, and Saipan
. In addition to his administrative command duties, Col. Bleckwenn functioned as a treating psychiatrist; he also participated in establishing the "consultant system" of military psychiatric care, under the overall direction of Brig. Gen. William Menninger.
For his contributions during the war, Dr. Bleckwenn was awarded the Legion of Merit
(with Oak Leaf Cluster) (see figure at right).
His governmental citation reads:
"Colonel William J. Bleckwenn rendered distinguished service as Consultant in Neuropsychiatry, Sixth Service Command, from July 1944 to November 1945. With a background of rich experience in the actual handling of nervous and mental casualties in the combat area, he displayed unusual foresight and understanding in organizing the program of treatment for mentally-disabled returnees."
, and early psychotropic agents—entered clinical practice in psychiatry, Bleckwenn also took an active role in their use and evaluation.
in 1954. However, he was never well enough to actively practice psychiatry again, forcing a medical retirement. He died of a myocardial infarct (heart attack) on January 6, 1965. Bleckwenn is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery
in Madison, Wisconsin
, together with his wife Marion (nee Dougan, 1896–1982) and son William Jr. (1923–1947), a medical student at the University of Wisconsin, who predeceased both of them. The Bleckwenns also had two other children, Jane (married name Birkenmeier [1921-2005]) and A. Theodore (1929-2010).
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
who was instrumental in developing the treatment known as "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis." The lay-description for that process is the administration of "truth serum
Truth Serum
Truth Serum is an independent comic book series created, written and drawn by author Jon Adams.-Overview:Originally published as a mini comic in 2001 and given away for free, it appeared as a three-issue mini series published by Slave Labor Graphics in 2002...
."
Early years & education
Bleckwenn was born in AstoriaAstoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
(borough of Queens) in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in 1895. He received his elementary and secondary education there in public city schools, graduating from high school at the top of his class. He then enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
(UW) in 1913, earning a B.S.- Med. (for Bachelor's degree in medical science) degree in 1917 as part of an accelerated medical course of study. As an undergraduate, William was an accomplished athlete in track & field, especially in shot-putting and discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
-throwing. Because UW did not have a four-year degree-granting medical school until the mid-1920s, Bleckwenn transferred to the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York City. He received his M.D. from that institution in 1920. Dr. Bleckwenn then pursued residency training at Bellevue Hospital in New York, as well as the Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute (WPI) in Madison. At the second of those centers, he came under the tutelage of Dr. William Lorenz
William Lorenz
William F. Lorenz, M.D. was a Major in the United States Army Medical Corps during World War I. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his combat actions in France...
and Dr. Hans Reese
Hans Reese
Hans Heinrich Reese, M.D. was a German amateur football player and physician who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was also on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine.-Early years:...
.
Career in Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin
Upon completion of his training, Bleckwenn was asked to join Lorenz and Reese on the staff of WPI, which had by then become part of the UW Department of Neuropsychiatry. He quickly acquired skill as an administrator and researcher, becoming assistant director of the Institute in the late 1920s. Around that time, Dr. Bleckwenn also began investigational studies on the use of barbiturates to treat catatonic mutism, a particularly disabling form of schizophreniaSchizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. He and Lorenz found that intravenous sodium amytal (amobarbital
Amobarbital
Amobarbital is a drug that is a barbiturate derivative. It has sedative-hypnotic and analgesic properties. It is a white crystalline powder with no odor and a slightly bitter taste. It was first synthesized in Germany in 1923...
) was effective in producing a "lucid interval," wherein catatonic patients could converse normally, respond to questions appropriately, move about nimbly, and provide information about their thought processes and backgrounds that would otherwise have been impossible to obtain. The latter benefit of the treatment was given the names "narcoanalysis" or "narcosynthesis." In a short time, the amytal-induced "lucid interval" became a proof-positive test for the diagnosis of catatonia.
Dr. Bleckwenn published his findings on this topic in 1930, in landmark papers in the Wisconsin Medical Journal; the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry, In the JAMA paper, he stated that "the catatonic patient has shown some extremely interesting and striking responses [to intravenous amytal]. Periods of from four to fourteen hours of a normal lucid interval have been a constant result of the treatment." Bleckwenn was forward-thinking regarding the documentation of these effects, making motion pictures of the process. Of those, Fink says "His silent films show the patients as mute, posturing, rigid, with heads raised fixedly from the pillow, and then responding dramatically to multigram doses of amobarbital. The films were convincing, and amobarbital was quickly and widely used to obtain clinical histories and to allow feeding and self-care." Psychiatrists across the world became enthused by sodium amytal therapy. In his text entitled "A Historical Dictionary of Psychiatry," Shorter states that "Some observers view Bleckwenn's procedure as the real beginning of psychopharmacology."
As an extension of his work on barbiturate therapy, Bleckwenn and Dr. Mabel Masten also studied the reversal of overdosage by amobarbital in the mid-1930s. They found that dilute intravenous solutions of picrotoxin
Picrotoxin
Picrotoxin, also known as cocculin, is a poisonous crystalline plant compound, first isolated by Pierre Boullay in 1812. The name "picrotoxin" is a combination of the Greek words "picros" and "toxicon" ....
(cocculin)-- a neurostimulatory plant product—were effective as an antidote in that setting. However, over time, the narrow therapeutic window associated with picrotoxin administration—which can also induce seizures—resulted in its disuse.
Military Service in World War II
Dr. Bleckwenn had enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard as a medical student, and had remained in the Reserve Medical Corps after completing his medical degree. He took part in the U.S. Army training maneuvers in 1940 and 1941 in central Louisiana (the "Louisiana ManeuversLouisiana Maneuvers
The Louisiana Maneuvers were a series of military exercises held all over north and west-central Louisiana, including Fort Polk, Camp Claiborne and Camp Livingston, in August and September 1941...
") under the command of Lt. Gen. Stanley Embrick, which were undertaken because of the imminence of U.S. involvement in World War II. In 1941, Bleckwenn was called to active duty and attached to the 135th medical regiment. That unit operated as part of the U.S. Sixth Army and was tasked with management of frontline casualties. After the United States entered the war, the 135th shipped out to the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
in March 1942. Bleckwenn was its commanding officer, with the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(O6). The 135th saw action in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Tarawa, Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. In addition to his administrative command duties, Col. Bleckwenn functioned as a treating psychiatrist; he also participated in establishing the "consultant system" of military psychiatric care, under the overall direction of Brig. Gen. William Menninger.
For his contributions during the war, Dr. Bleckwenn was awarded the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(with Oak Leaf Cluster) (see figure at right).
"Colonel William J. Bleckwenn rendered distinguished service as Consultant in Neuropsychiatry, Sixth Service Command, from July 1944 to November 1945. With a background of rich experience in the actual handling of nervous and mental casualties in the combat area, he displayed unusual foresight and understanding in organizing the program of treatment for mentally-disabled returnees."
Later career
Dr. Bleckwenn returned to UW in early 1946 to resume his practice and his teaching duties as Professor of Neuropsychiatry. He continued research on narcoanalysis and the use of targeted neurosurgical procedures in the management of chronic pain. As other psychiatric treatments—such as insulin shock, electroconvulsive therapyElectroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
, and early psychotropic agents—entered clinical practice in psychiatry, Bleckwenn also took an active role in their use and evaluation.
Illness, death, and family
Despite an athletic build and hearty manner, Dr. Bleckwenn developed severe coronary artery disease in the early 1950s. In the hope that a change of venue would improve his health, he moved to Winter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
in 1954. However, he was never well enough to actively practice psychiatry again, forcing a medical retirement. He died of a myocardial infarct (heart attack) on January 6, 1965. Bleckwenn is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery
Forest Hill Cemetery
Forest Hill Cemetery is located in Dane County, Madison, Wisconsin and was one of the first U.S. National Cemeteries established in Wisconsin.After the first permanent settlers arrived in Madison in the 1830s, the first non-native burials occurred on the current University of Wisconsin–Madison...
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, together with his wife Marion (nee Dougan, 1896–1982) and son William Jr. (1923–1947), a medical student at the University of Wisconsin, who predeceased both of them. The Bleckwenns also had two other children, Jane (married name Birkenmeier [1921-2005]) and A. Theodore (1929-2010).