Welcome to The Welsh Psychiatric Society

Welcome

The society has been in existence for nearly fifty years and during this time almost every aspect of psychiatric practice has altered. To respond to these changes the society is being relaunched so that it will continue to be relevant to the needs of all psychiatrists in Wales at beginning of this new century. During the last seven years Wales has developed a new confidence and the country is now buoyant and vibrant. Several factors have played a part but particularly devolved government, the growth of bilingualism and thriving performing arts with Bryn Terfel in the vanguard. There are also important developments in medicine such as the new medical school in Swansea. We hope that the new Welsh Psychiatric society will be imbued by this vitality and that soon it will be a major player within psychiatry in Wales.

Notes to images on this page

Left

This is Llyn y Fan Fach (small lake [near] the peak), a brooding, evocative tarn in the Black Mountain range in northeast Carmarthenshire, south Wales. The legend of the Lady of the Lake has made it famous and she also has a direct link with the Physicians of Myddfai.

Wales has two recognised medical traditions. In north Wales there are the Bone Setters of Anglesey and from this background emerged Hugh Owen Thomas (Thomas’ splint and hip flexion test) and later Sir Robert Jones, the father of modern orthopaedic surgery. In south Wales we have the Physicians of Myddfai, a famous tradition of doctors in a family in northeast Carmarthenshire. This started in the 13th century and continued well into the 18th century.

Myddfai is a small village five miles north of Llyn y Fan. In the legend a maiden emerges out of the Lake and in due course she marries a local farmer. Eventually she returns to the Lake; however she keeps reappearing to her eldest son Rhiwallon when she teaches him the value of plants in treating disease. He in turn teaches his three sons the art of herbalism and in this way the tradition of the Physicians of Myddfai was established.

Right

Dr Ernest Jones - 1879 - 1958

Ernest Jones was born at 12 Woodlands Terrace, Gowerton, near Swansea where there is a blue plaque to commemorate this. After qualifying at University College Hospital, London he became interested in psychiatry. In 1907 he came across Carl Jung. Shortly afterwards he met Sigmund Freud and soon he became a colleague and close friend. Jones was devoted to Freud and to the advancement of psychoanalytic theory and practice.

He was president of the International Psychoanalytic Association for many years. With the exception of Freud no other analyst had a greater influence on the development of psychoanalysis in the English-speaking world. In 1938 he rescued Freud and his family from Vienna and brought them to London. He wrote Freud’s definitive biography. This is in three volumes and is the primary source for the history of psychoanalysis.

Ernest Jones died on 11th February 1958. He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium and his ashes were later laid in the family grave at Cheriton church, Gower near Swansea.