The Southeast Louisiana hospital—the new mental institution a-building near Mandeville—em barked Wednesday on a program Some medical men believe will make it "a model for the nation." Deans of the Louisiana State university and the Tulane university medical schools and chiefs of their psychiatry and neurology departments presented a permanent training and research pro-gram to the board of the hospital at a meeting held on the site close to Fontainebleau Park.
And the board adopted it unanimously. William J. Kross, chairman, said, "We want this to be the finest hospital of its kind, and we are happy to have the affiliation of these two great medical schools."
Dr. Maxwell Lapham, dean of the Tulane school, said that affiliation of sucn a state institution with the two schools will mark it as a pioneer in the South in the field of psychiatry. He told the board and others present that association of the hospital, which will eventually have 1500 beds, with the two med-ical centers "should have an up- lifting effect on other such insti-tutions in our state."...Dr. Lapham explained further that 15 specialists from the two schools would serve as
consultants and assist in the training program at the hospital. He told the board the hospital could get this service for $45,000 a year from the schools but that if they had to go out to hire men of comparable backgrounds it would cost more than three times that amount, Kross assured the doctors funds would be available to place the program on a permanent basis and said the state "would do everything possible so our hospital can get recognition by the AMA (American Medical Association) and the psychiatry organizations." Garvey said Governor Earl K. Long "wants this to be a fine hospital, and I know he will do everything possible to help. He thought it was a good idea to have! the medical schools in on it.
J. H. Handley, Lake Charles, executive secretary of the Louisiana commission on alcoholism, a state agency, asked the board to treat alcoholics at the hospital, and Kross promised that consideration will be given to them.
Handley said a survey showed that 65 percent of the state alcoholics could be rehabilitated if given proper treatment. [PHOTO CAPTION READS] JOINT TRAINING AND RESEARCH PROGRAM was adopted Wednesday by two medical schools and the new Southeast Louisiana Mental hospital near Mandeville. At the board meeting held at the hospital are (from left) Oliver Brock Sr. (background), board member from Bogalusa; William J. Kross, board chairman, New Orleans; Dr. William Frye, dean of the LSU medical school, and Dr. Maxwell Lapham, clean of the Tulane university medical school.
