Psychiatry occupies a shady place in the panoply of medical specialisms. The workings of the mind are mysterious, and the very idea of mental illness is controversial. Psychiatrists themselves hold different views of their profession. Some insist they are no different from other medical practitioners, treating malfunctions of the physical organism. Others hold that mental phenomena are different in kind from physical disease. A small minority doubt the existence of mental diseases, and see traditional psychiatric treatments as nothing more than social control. No wonder, then, that many ordinary folk harbour the suspicion that psychiatry should be classed as a dark art. This view was seemingly shared by former New Mexico State Senator, Duncan Scott, who proposed an amendment to a State Bill in 1995, which would have required psychiatrists (and their professional cousins, psychologists) to dress as wizards when giving expert testimony in court:
When a psychologist or psychiatrist testifies during a defendant’s competency hearing, the psychologist or psychiatrist shall wear a cone-shaped hat that is not less than two feet tall. The surface of the hat shall be imprinted with stars and lightning bolts. Additionally, a psychologist or psychiatrist shall be required to don a white beard that is not less than eighteen inches in length, and shall punctuate crucial elements of his testimony by stabbing the air with a wand. Whenever a psychologist or psychiatrist provides expert testimony regarding a defendant’s competency, the bailiff shall contemporaneously dim the courtroom lights and administer two strikes to a Chinese gong.
Apparently, the amendment passed with a unanimous Senate vote, but was removed from the Bill before being approved by the House. Thus sadly, it never became law.
Via BC Injury Law.
