On Thursday, June 1 the Department of Psychiatry at Queen’s University celebrated its 60th anniversary. The day featured a number of speakers including Dr. Richard Reznick, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Roumen Milev, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, and Dr. Ron Pokrupa, Department of Surgery.

Dr. Reznick began the afternoon by acknowledging and praising the tremendous advances of the Department of Psychiatry under Dr. Milev’s leadership over the last 10 years. Dr. Milev then took to the podium as he provided a detailed history of the Rockwood Asylum in Kingston. He noted that although teaching of psychiatry for the medical school at Queen’s was provided by psychiatrists from Rockwood since the 1850s the formal establishment of the department occurred in 1957. Dr. Pokrupa followed by discussing the history of neurosurgery at Rockwood and Dr. Jacalyn Duffin, a physician and historian who holds the Hannah Chair in the History of Medicine, provided a comprehensive look at the factors that led to the establishment of the Department of Psychiatry in 1957.

A display from the Museum of Health Care at Kingston was set up for attendees to view throughout the day. Among the artifacts was a recording of Sigmund Freud, a padlock that was used for the front door of Rockwood, and Electroshock Therapy Equipment circa 1950-1959.

Visit the Department of Psychiatry at Queen’s University and the Museum of Health Care at Kingston for more information.