C00021814

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Dear Dr. Heartiest Greetings froml

I would like to take thls opportunity to thank you for your interest in our proposed project. I aa sorry that I was not able to return to the States this sumer and ciscuss It vith you personally. \I think, has kept me well informed of developments. He suggested in his last letter to me that I write to you clarifying some of the details reoarding the use of "amytal interview" Hospital Psychiatric Prison Service.

"Anytal inierview" or the interview of patients while under the influence of intravenous sodiua anytal has been considered a routine procedure on the prison service. It has been performed at the discretion of the ward physician in any case he felt it was indicatec. In the sane wav that the ward physician would decide upon the adsinistrat: of sedatives. trancuilizers and other medication. a shortage of time and personnel generally caused us to limlt its use to cases involving serious crimes or problens of particular psychiatric interest. álthough when I first began on the ward a stenographer vas generally present during the interview we later used a tape recorder routinely. Since the interview serves cedical rather than legal purposes, there has never been ary real basis for objection on the part of either the D.A. or the cefense counsel. .The naterial, of course, like all data obtained from the patient whils at jis not admissable as evidence Into the trial. Statements obtained froz the patient ouring the amytal intervleu are also not made a part of the regular hospital chart as an additional precaution. 2.

The procedure of "amytal Intervlew" hay long been accepted in the, Court System although I can not tell you how long. jat the

Hospital which also serves the Hospital wnicn also serves the

at. lin a similar capacity as published an article on the results of its use in the early nineteen fifties. I migtt, add that in my use of the technique sver a period of several years there has not b n any morbidity of even significant complications.

The only changes in the routine proposed in our project involve more careful documentatlon by the use of more adequate secretarial assistance and more careful calibration and monitoring of the administration of the crug. Such monitoring as with the use of eye movements is already in use either manually or in select cases with nystagmography or ENG. The lack of the proper apparatus on the ward prevented the. more routine use of the latter, which we hope will be corrected by conditions of the proposed study.

If there are any other problens or questions don't besitate to write or if urgent telephone. I am usually at home in the evening and teiephone connections to the States have so far been excellent.

Sincerely,

C00021814

Septenber 23, 1966

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