A Tribute to Daniel Blain

Daniel Blain, M.D., the first medical director of the American Psychiatric Association and the founder of both the institutes and this journal, was a special guest at the 26th Institute on Hospital & Community Psychiatry held September 30 to October 3 in Denver. In a talk after the annual dinner, Dr. Blain shared some of the material he has gathered for his book on the history of psychiatry in the United States since World War II. He reviewed major landmarks in the mental health movement over the past 25 years, described the growth and contributions of the institutes, and praised the progress made by psychiatry. Dr. Blain's own role in all of that was described by Robert L. Robinson, APA's director of public affairs, in his warm and humorous introduction of Dr. Blain. The following are excerpts of Mr. Robinson's remarks.