[Anthropological medicine: myth and reality].

Abstract

After discussing the term "anthropologist doctor", the author describes the hard job of the psychiatrist in the penitentiary in Lantin. From the historical account of the penitentiary anthropology service, he establishes that this service has never had the necessary financial means to create and run laboratories of penitentiary anthropology, especially after the law for social defence was voted and enforced. He fears that, for want of money, the creation now of observation and treatment services would reduce the time one could spend working with prisoners in psychiatric wards. He deals briefly with the condition of psychopaths and drug-addicts in prisons.