William Lorenz
Encyclopedia
William F. Lorenz, M.D. was a Major
(O4) 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. Lorenz was also a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison
, Wisconsin, in the department of Neuropsychiatry.
(in the borough of Brooklyn
) in 1882, and received his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine
in 1903. He took postgraduate training in neuropsychiatry at the Manhattan
State Hospital in New York, and completed a fellowship in that discipline with Dr. Adolf Meyer
in Illinois from 1908-1910. Dr. Lorenz joined the faculty in the department of neuropsychiatry at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison
, Wisconsin
in 1910, and remained there for the rest of his career, except for a two-year leave of absence to serve in the military during World War I. He was a Professor of Neuropsychiatry and chief of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute in the late 1920s and 1930s. Lorenz is credited, along with Dr. William Bleckwenn
, with developing the technique of sodium amytal-mediated disinhibition ("narcosynthesis
" or "narcoanalysis"), which allowed psychiatrists to probe the minds of psychotic patients for diagnostically- and therapeutically- vital information. Along with colleagues, he also developed a relatively effective treatment for neurosyphilis
using an arsenical compound called tryparsamide. Lorenz likewise collaborated with physiologists and pharmacologists on methods to break catatonic mutism; these studies, which were sporadically but dramatically successful, utilized dilute intravenous solutions of sodium cyanide
and the inhalation of carbon dioxide
.
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
(O4) in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Medical Corps
Medical Corps (United States Army)
The Medical Corps of the U.S. Army is a staff corps of the U.S. Army Medical Department consisting of commissioned medical officers – physicians with either an MD or a DO degree, at least one year of post-graduate clinical training, and a state medical license.The MC traces its earliest origins...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
for his combat actions in France. Lorenz was also a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison
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....
, Wisconsin, in the department of Neuropsychiatry.
Distinguished Service Medal Citation
His governmental citation from 1918 reads as follows:- The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major (Medical Corps) William F. Lorenz, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. As Commanding Officer of Field Hospital No. 127, and while in personal charge of the Triage (sorting station for wounded) of the 32d Division during the combat activities of that Division on the Marne, Oise-Aisne, and in the Meuse-Argonne, Major Lorenz so displayed indefatigable zeal and exceptionally good judgment in sorting, caring for, and evacuating thousands of wounded as to directly result in the saving of many lives.
Background & Medical Career
Lorenz was born in New York CityNew 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 the borough of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
) in 1882, and received his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine
New York University School of Medicine
The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States....
in 1903. He took postgraduate training in neuropsychiatry at the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
State Hospital in New York, and completed a fellowship in that discipline with Dr. Adolf Meyer
Adolf Meyer
Adolf Meyer may refer to:*Adolf Bernard Meyer , German anthropologist and ornithologist*Adolf Meyer , Swiss psychiatrist*Adolf Meyer , German architect-See also:...
in Illinois from 1908-1910. Dr. Lorenz joined the faculty in the department of neuropsychiatry at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison
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....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1910, and remained there for the rest of his career, except for a two-year leave of absence to serve in the military during World War I. He was a Professor of Neuropsychiatry and chief of the Wisconsin Psychiatric Institute in the late 1920s and 1930s. Lorenz is credited, along with Dr. William Bleckwenn
William Bleckwenn
Dr. William Jefferson Bleckwenn 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."-Early years & education:Bleckwenn was born in...
, with developing the technique of sodium amytal-mediated disinhibition ("narcosynthesis
Narcosynthesis
In psychology, narcosynthesis refers to a group of techniques which has its origins in the practice of "narco-hypnosis". Narco-hypnosis, as its name implies, is the use of various narcotics to induce various types of hypnotic states...
" or "narcoanalysis"), which allowed psychiatrists to probe the minds of psychotic patients for diagnostically- and therapeutically- vital information. Along with colleagues, he also developed a relatively effective treatment for neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis
Neurosyphilis is an infection of the brain or spinal cord caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It usually occurs in people who have had untreated syphilis for many years, usually about 10 - 20 years after first infection.-Symptoms and signs:...
using an arsenical compound called tryparsamide. Lorenz likewise collaborated with physiologists and pharmacologists on methods to break catatonic mutism; these studies, which were sporadically but dramatically successful, utilized dilute intravenous solutions of sodium cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
and the inhalation of carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
.