A Man Against Insanity: The Birth of Drug Therapy in a Rural Michigan State Hospital

by Paul de Kruif

Meet the man against insanity. His laboratory? The sadly sinister wards of the 3,000-bed Traverse City State Hospital. His apparatus? Only his own eyes and hands, plus the hands and eyes of more than one hundred nurse attendants. And for his experiments, the patients whom staff referred to as the “cats and dogs”— the seemingly incurable psychotics resistant to all treatment and far beyond hope. “Maybe we’re not scientific here,” Ferguson admitted. “I know we’re different than they are in the big medical schools. We don’t treat diseases — we try to treat sick people.” In this book, originally published in 1957, author Paul de Kruif tells the story of Dr. Jack Ferguson, a family physician who originally made a name for himself by perfecting a three-minute lobotomy. In 1954, he arrived in Traverse City, Michigan, ready to perform 500 lobotomies on the so-called incurably insane. Yet he never got around to even the first one. Instead, using an unscientific combination of chemicals, copious notes, and loving attention, he began one of the boldest drug therapy experiments ever attempted in a mental institution, helping to reshape how the mentally ill are treated in this country and abroad.

203 pages, Paperback

Published January 8, 2019

About the author

Paul Henry de Kruif was an American microbiologist and author of Dutch descent. Publishing as Paul de Kruif, he is most noted for his 1926 book, Microbe Hunters. This book was not only a bestseller for a lengthy period after publication, it has remained high on lists of recommended reading for science and has been an inspiration for many aspiring physicians and scientists.

He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor's degree (1912) and remained to obtain a Ph.D. (1916). He immediately entered service as a Private in Mexico on the Pancho Villa Expedition and afterwards served as a Lieutenant and a Captain in World War I in France. Because of his service in the Sanitary Corps, he had occasional contacts with leading French biologists of the period.

After returning to the University of Michigan as an Assistant Professor, De Kruif briefly worked for the Rockefeller Institute (for Medical Research). He then became a full-time writer.
De Kruif assisted Sinclair Lewis with his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Arrowsmith (1925) by providing the scientific and medical information required by the plot, along with character sketches. Even though Lewis was listed as the sole author, De Kruif's contribution was significant, and he received 25 percent of the royalties. Many believe the characters in the novel represent people known to De Kruif, with Martin Arrowsmith (a physician, unlike de Kruif) possibly representing himself.
Some of his writings created problems for him. Some essays written while working for the Rockefeller Institute led to his dismissal. Ronald Ross, one of the scientists featured in Microbe Hunters, took exception to how he was described, so the British edition deleted that chapter to avoid a libel suit.
De Kruif was a staff writer for the Ladies' Home Journal, Country Gentleman, and the Readers Digest, contributing articles on Science and Medicine. He also served on commissions to promote research into Infantile Paralysis.
The Sweeping Wind, his last book, is his autobiography.

Reviews

[Tea73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is framed around emails between Miriam who becomes a CASA (Court appointed special advocate) volunteer and an old friend of hers. The author was the director of the Jackson County (MO) CASA for many years and knows the system inside and out. We follow three children from their removal from their mother's home to their eventual final fates. We see the court documents, the endless (and very repetitive!) forms and reports. The stupidity of the system that rarely acts in the best interests of the child is shown all too well. It was disconcerting for me to read a book where I deliberately did not read many pages, because they were just repeats of forms where the actual new information was pretty limited. Not exactly a fun read, but if you have an interest in foster children or are considering working in some aspect of the system this book will provide a great introduction.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book rings all too true. It's written by a former CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and the entire book consists of e-mails, notes, and documents about a case. The epistolary style can be annoying, especially the documents, which are faithful reproductions and are largely boilerplate. I found myself skimming and skipping huge chunks of those. The author uses e-mails to a friend to explain procedures for the reader. She also uses the e-mails to expound on problems with the system. Although this sometimes gets in the way of the story, it's part of her reason for writing the book. If you are a CASA or have an interest in becoming one, this is a great way to see what the work is all about.

[Justine Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written from the perspective of a CASA worker. It contains mock court documents and everything that could be included in a foster kiddos packets. I found it to be informative, but keep the lens that we don’t know if it is 100% true!

[Frankie Delson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as a series of emails and case notes by a CASA volunteer this book provides a gripping look into the foster care system. Frequently forgot I was reading a novel.