Nathan S. Kline

Nathan S. Kline
Dr. Kline in 1957, 1965, and ~1975

Nathan S. Kline, M.D. (1916–1983) was a man of diverse talents and interests whose mind was ever open to new ideas. He was best known for his pioneering work with psychopharmacologic drugs.^[1]

A graduate of the New York University School of Medicine, he is the only two-time winner of the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, an award sometimes referred to as "America's Nobel Prize." Kline was best known for his pioneering work with psychopharmacologic drugs. In 1952, he started a research unit at Rockland State Hospital, NY (later the Rockland Psychiatric Center). At that time, the national inpatient population in public hospitals was approaching the half-million mark. Traditional therapies seemed inadequate to treat the growing number of mentally ill patients.

Kline and his colleagues took the unusual step of investigating reserpine, a derivative of Rauwolfia serpentina. Rauwolfia was commonly used in India to treat many physical complaints,and reserpine was being used in the US to treat high blood pressure. For two years, trials with hospitalized patients found that approximately 70% of those suffering from schizophrenia were markedly relieved from their symptoms.

Many laboratory techniques were developed to determine the therapeutic doses of frequently used medications, doses which are safe yet effective at the Rockland Research Institute.

In 1960, Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline coined the term cyborg, using it in an article in Astronautics Magazine about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. ^[2] Along a similar vein, Kline believed that computers could be used in large scale epidemiological studies and streamline the administration of complex health facilities. In 1968 he oversaw the installation of a major computer center at Rockland, funded by the Federal government. He led the development of many computerized medical systems, which led to improvements in patient care.

After his death, the Rockland State Hospital was renamed the Nathan S. Kline Institute (NKI) for Psychiatric Research, part of the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Dr. Kline's only sibling was distinguished American Art dealer Terry Dintenfass.

See also

• Psychopharmacology
• Psychiatric medication
• Psychiatry
• Mental health
• Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research
• Cyborg

External links

• http://www.academic.marist.edu/VBSC/mricenter/kline.htm
• http://books.google.com/books?id=6O2rPJnyhj0C&pg=PA125&lpg=PA125&dq=nathan+kline+nobel&source=bl&ots=9Guz85FKfR&sig=ybUxyuiTVU3PwP25t1mnujDJi2Y&hl=en&ei=jA48So7ZOYK8M8-M4bsO&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1
• http://www.rfmh.org/nki/welcome/kline.cfm
• New York Times Obituary

1. ^ "The Man Behind the Institute [1]"
2. ^ "Cyborgs and Space [2]," in Astronautics (September 1960), by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.

Persondata
Name	Kline, Nathan S.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1916
Place of birth	Atlantic City, New Jersey
Date of death	1982
Place of death