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Memoranius for: General Counsel

'Subject:

Observations on Mr. Frark Olson fron 24 Novenber through 27 lovesber 1953

1. . I urlerstard that in conzection with the subnission of a clain to the Rarecu of Faplcyees Ccrpersstion, you wish a report on the events prior to the denth of Mr. Oison fros re. The follovins is subritted for your records.

2. I sav Mr. Olcon in the ccmpany of Dr. Lashbrook and Colonel Ruvet in ry cffice in Hev York City, 133 East 5êth Strect. I unierstosi that he hai becn azitated for scne tire aid that le had been rekins statenants which appoered to be cenfused. I vas asked to rake further observations so that preper tront-ent for Kr. Olson could be instituted for lr. Olson if any treetment ves considered necessary.

3. On Tuosday, 24 lovembcr 1953, conversations were begun which centered mainly on cur carlier nectings durirg the war in ichh and lfh5. Many olcer interests vere reenlled. Wu diocusrcà construetion of ces racks, filtratlen problems, our attituies towarós rritusl frierãs, ani riy things vhich vere most pertinent at that tice. Cur conversnticn at this point vas on a sosial level in vhich the ratient had, contrary to his lster ettitudes, cn excellent feeling anl mesory for people, evonts und reelirtic espects of thesc reople and events. He dià show that he vas urier atrain by his .msnnerisns but at no tire during his primary coaveraatien did he appenr to be definitely cut of touch vith reality. Dr. Lashbrook and Colenel Ruvet left the office and I spent abcut one hour alone with Nr. Clsoa., As soon as these gentlemen left, he shcved greeter anxiety about his sense of irsdequacy .with particular reference to the scientific perfonrsnce of his duties. He was obsessed with the idca that his mezory ves poor, that his vork was inadequate, and that he vas failing to live up to expectations of his femily erà friends. He menticnei thct he vas dishonest bacsuse he had been retirei fron the Any fer an ulcer ani shcved a certoin omcunt of unreslistic but nevertheless anticipateà gult foelings about teking retirezent pay. I attemptei to confir what I had hearà that an experiments had been perforned especially to trap hin the precedirz veek but

4 December 1953

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he emheslzed thet his present problen did rot loy in that cren and that his prolcn wes his ou shility to live rp to hís c conecpt of what his perforrnce of his duties should be and his irsbility to ettain the perfections necessitsted by the needs of lis verk. le, hisself, pointed cut that vhen te vas asked to teke over zore resconsibility and heed up a division te refuscl and vent into a state of paric feeling thet he couli hardly, vith his cn grcving feeliass cf inadequacy in his vork, take over more responsibility.

4. That eveninz, in order to.keen in contact with him ard to accurulete more dnte, I vent to thc hotel asl spont fron 10:30 to 1l:30 vith lr. Olson, Dr. Lashbroek and Colozel Fuzet. Agein, Mr. Olscn appeared to raintsin an excellent rolaticnship vith all of us. Althouga epprehensive he apparently vas rich celrer eni after a strictly socie) diccussion saii as I left, "Ycu kzcv, I foel a lot better. Tris is what I have been needing.".

5. The noxt dey lr. Clson spont an hour vith me in vhich he again eppasred agitatel. There vns repentoi diseussion of his eoncern with the Tality of his vork, his guilt cn beins retirei fros tho Ary for an ulcor, and his relesse of classified irforntion. Ke said that ho hod rad theso feelirzs for c very long tirs erd that they bei net startei the veek before vhen he participatel in an exçerirent and that, indeei, in March of l953 his vife thought that he wes so dopressed and egiteted that she thcuzht thnt ho stoulà see a doctor. He seid thet he hni been sleeninz roorly sinen Karch of l53 and arplified his diffieulties vith regará to poor memsry aná poor verk. Hovever, I could net harnonize vhat he said.ebout his job porforrarcs vith the nttitude of his superiors sinee he hed teen offerei a division. lor did this check vith repested questioning of past events. I azsin attempted to get further inforrntion in regeri to his feolirgs of percecution but at ro time dia he spezk or aryore but with the highest reznrd for both friends ani family. He stated erplicitly that ho vished to so bock hcne cnd thet arrengements.hai been rsde. I sav no wey in which this cculd be prevented but plans were mede for his return end further discussion.

6. I unlerstand that on his vay hore he became egitated, very confused, end insisted on cczing back to sce re. He errived in ry Huntington office about four o'clock and this tirs the pent-up feelings vhich he had successfully hisien burst out in the grestost detail. The patient. explicitly statod that he had long felt that his inability to sleer vas connected vith his belief that the CLà Eroup hzi been putting somethins

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like benzedrins in his coffee at night to keep hia avekc; thet he hed. heard voiees the nirht tefore tellirz hin to thrcv cvey his vallez. His history nsv crystallizel irto a definite fom, ir ve ecccpt vhat he stii thàt he had been delusional at leest for vesks, probably ecaths, tut that he hal been sble to crerate fairly vell except in certain crises such es beinz offcred rore respcnsibility in takins cver the di:isisa.

7. The diccosis ves ouite clenr of a paychotic state vhich secsed to bave bcen crystallizei by an experirent is vhich l-. Olson particisated the erecedirz veck,emorently on s Thursáay. Ee felt that his frelin"s during the experinent vere like those of beinz overvhèlred bv a zouatain vers rch the saze es he felt vhen he had to tate over a rev responsibility. Since the experirent he fvlt thzt he vas zot able to deal vith his vork as vell as he boi beore acl elthcugh he personally ccnaidered the exnerirent to be unrelated to his bnsic problez he hes nevertholess felt vorse sinec, cni that the exparimest aiEhs have intensifici cary of his problcas.

8. With this inforzntion I.reccrrtrded hospitalication at once erd cn Frióay rornint, llovemher 27, lir. Cscn, Dr. Laskbrook, an2 I diseussed in coue àcteil the choics of hospitil. Er. Olaea thovght that he vould like to be nenr hore anì for this reason a nental institvtion noar Vashinaten vas chosen ard a roon vas reseryed.. Tof hcrnitni could not taie Nr. Olson that doy and arranseztats vere made"for hespitalization the next rorning.

CONCIUSICH

Hr. Olscn ves in e psrchotic stste tiien hospitalizntion vns dècided upon vith delusicns of persocution. Tare are tvo espects in regard to the relationship to the vork.in vhict:he vas enzszed. It is well knon that it is an occupational laznid torentel stability to be. doing the type of vork connectcd vith his dutio. Cuilt feelings ere vell knon to occur to a grceter or less extert. Surorirposei on these guilt feelings vhich are certeirly an ceeupaticnl hazara is his rartieipation in an experizent wherein he felt that tsny of his fcclirgs bacane ovenvbeirinz. It is vell kacm that raryànugs prciues this efrtet. For exarple, I have hed a patient of mine recenly ettempt suieide sftor taking one carsule of lembutal. A capsule of Habutal contsins cne and one-holf grains. This is a therapeutic dosc wtich is taken by thozsczis

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of people daily yet this piticnt's perzonnlity structire was so orientel that one dose of this raterial taken by. thoussnds of peonle crily ves sufficiont to have her reach for the box which she die. Fortwately, her husbanl ves present ani cnusei her to vorit up the copsules. It is certninly cencoivable end certeinly ennnct be excluies that Hr. Olson's participetion in an experinent in vhich e cru vas cisinistered could in just the sane voy precipitate a crisis vhich vould cpset the ranpel processes so that disorientatien oni the lack ef nentel functionirs right be proluced vith the results realily obésrvea.. In this conrectlci it hes been ry experience that certain iniividuars vho, in an experimental situation mey be given no drg whatsoever, yet show greet symptons of anxiety and confusion.

Minrk G. Whonor

Harold A. Abranson, M. D.