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15-Nov-2005
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Arch Hellen Med, 22(4), July-August 2005, 403-408 HISTORY OF MEDICINE Involuntary psychiatric examination and its problems: Two case-vignettes from Greek history V. TOMARAS, D. PLOUMPIDIS |
The involuntary psychiatric examination process addresses crucial issues concerning medical ethics. In this situation a third party intervenes between the medical practitioner and the patient, usually the public authorities who have ordered the examination. The alleged examination of Democritus by Hippocrates and that of General Makrygiannis by a medical committee both clearly illustrate the issue of the independence of the medical practitioner from the third party who requested the examination. The question of the evaluation of "abnormal" behaviors according to medical/psychopathological criteria is of equal importance.
Key words: History of psychiatry, Involuntary psychiatric examination, Medical ethics.
