Marc-Adélard Tremblay, “Alexander H. Leighton’s and Jane Murphy’s Scientific Contributions in Psychiatric Epidemiology: A Personal Appreciation”. Un article publié dans la revue Transcultural Psychiatry, vo. 43 no1, March 2006

“Alexander H. Leighton’s and Jane Murphy’s Scientific Contributions
in Psychiatric Epidemiology: A Personal Appreciation” (2006)
Introduction

Une édition électronique réalisée à partir de l'article de M. Marc-Adélard Tremblay, “Alexander H. Leighton’s and Jane Murphy’s Scientific Contributions in Psychiatric Epidemiology: A Personal Appreciation”. Un article publié dans la revue Transcultural Psychiatry, vo. 43 no1, March 2006, pp. 7-20. Montréal: McGill University. [M Marc-Adélard Tremblay, anthropologue, retraité de l’enseignement de l’Université Laval, nous a accordé le 4 janvier 2004 son autorisation de diffuser électroniquement toutes ses oeuvres.]

Introduction

I am deeply honoured to provide the introduction to this special issue of Transcultural Psychiatry, celebrating the many scientific contributions of two pioneers in psychiatric epidemiology: Alexander Hamilton Leighton and his wife Jane Murphy. Originally, I had intended to write only of the contributions of Dr. Leighton. I felt, however, that I had to widen the scope so as to make it possible to give due credit to someone who has accompanied him almost from the beginning of the Stirling County Studies up to now.

I would like to begin by briefly sketching, from a personal perspective, some details of Dr. Leighton’s career. It is, without doubt, a unique and exceptional career, one which integrates facets of the many scientific disciplines in which he worked and the rare excellence he achieved in each of them. Of course, it will not be feasible to provide here a full account of all his many feats. Leighton’s profile will be followed by a discussion of Dr. Murphy’s research career, first on St. Lawrence Island, located near the Bering Strait, and later on, as she became a key figure in the Stirling County project. A brief conclusion will follow which will highlight the main aspects of their joint legacy, a legacy that is still growing, as they continue to build the analytic schemes and theoretical parameters required to provide a full and valid interpretation of the 1952–1970 Stirling cohort data.