TIME CAPSULE

1809

Charles Darwin was born on Feb. 12. His theory of evolution by natural selection opened all human qualities to scientific inspection, gave rise to comparative psychology and strongly influenced developmental psychology.

1925

On Feb. 2, APA President Madison Bentley appointed Robert M. Yerkes, Paul T. Young and Edward C. Tolman to the Committee on Precautions in Animal Experimentation--APA's first body concerned with the treatment of animals used in research. The current APA Committee on Animal Research and Ethics is a descendant of this committee.

1955

Carl Jung appeared on the Feb. 14 cover of Time magazine.

1990

On Feb. 5, in the first-ever special presidential message on mental health, President John F. Kennedy called on Congress to establish a national network of community mental health centers and a national program for prevention, service and research in mental retardation. The Maternal and Child Health and Mental Retardation Amendment and the Community Mental Health Centers acts were passed later in the year.

1963

In the case of "Washington v. Harper," the U.S. Supreme Court decided on Feb. 27 that the state could treat mentally ill prisoners with antipsychotic drugs against their will and without a court hearing. In amicus curiae briefs, APA opposed this
policy and the American Psychiatric Association
supported it.

Source: APA Historical Database, created and maintained by Warren R. Street, Central Washington University, and published as "A Chronology of Noteworthy Events in American Psychology" (APA, 1994).

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