[70 years of educational, research and therapeutic-preventive activity at the Psychiatric Clinic of Brno University].

The Medical Faculty of the Masaryk University in Brno and thus also the psychiatric department was established by act no. 50 of January 28, 1919 in the newly founded Czechoslovak Republic. Records on care of the mentally sick in municipal hospitals, later in the hospital of the brethren of mercy and finally in the municipal hospital in Pekarská street date to the 16th century. After establishment of the mental asylum in Brno--Cernovice in 1863 in the provincial hospital a department comprising 46 beds for mental patients proceeded with its activities and after the foundation of an independent Czechoslovak State it was transformed into a psychiatric and later psychiatric and neurological department. Despite the modest conditions heads, of the department, Prof. Dr. K. Bĕlohradský, Prof. Dr. H. Procházka and Prof. Dr. M. Krivý, managed to maintain a high clinical standard of patient care, teaching and research oriented above all on organic psychoses, examination of the cerebrospinal fluid and concurrent supporting psychotherapy. After closure of the Czech universities the department was transformed into a ward. After the Second World War the combined psychiatric and neurological department was headed by Prof. Dr. K. Popek. The first head of the separate psychiatric department in 1948 was Prof. Dr. Z. Lauterer, who was also appointed in 1954 the first head of the independent chair. He was followed by Prof. Dr. J. Hádlík whose chief merit was that the activities of the department were transferred to the new modern building in Brno-Bohunice and that a department of medical psychology was attached to the chair. Subsequently Prof. Dr. K. Náhunek, DrCc. founded and contributed towards the success of the Brno school of psychopharmacology. At present the authors try to ensure the scientific and professional development, to improve under--and postgraduate training and in collaboration with other research institutes to raise the scientific standard of the discipline.