F. Smaltino – författare

A few evenings ago in the Hall of the Neurological Clinic of Bologna University Dr. HENRI HEcAEN gave a lecture on the physiopathology of writing. As I was listening to his learned exposition, memories returned to me of times when my reaction to his work was not always the enjoyment of a quiet listener; namely, of the times when, ten years before, during the" seances du samedi" at the Neurosurgical Center of Saint' Anne Hospital in Paris, our meetings often consisted of disputes, in a sparkling tangle of alliances and hostilities, which would often result in clashes between TALAIRACH,AJURIAGUERRA, BREGEAT, M. , and Mme DELL,KLoTz (each one passionately pleading for his own speciality), with a brillant chorus of collaborators: CONSTANS, ABouLKER, DELIGNE, SADOUN, BANCAUD ...enlivening the scene. I re- member the discussions on clinical cases, the "lettres au directeur et aux medicins soignants" in which GUILLY was a master of diplomacy, the biting hints at the administrators, the smiles between allies or lovers.And in that casbah-like uproar of students, doctors, patients, attendants, technicians, and spectators, the voice of the "Grand Chef," preceded by a slam on the table, ringing out loudly: "Nom de Dieu! Voulez-vous vous taire et nous foutre la paix?" Monsieur David was always able to humanize any abstract problem. Saint' Anne! An arena where we dealt with the latest findings of neurology, psychiatry, stereotaxis, neurosurgery, neurophthalmo- logy, electroencephalography and neuroradiology. lowe my career to having met Erik Lindgren and Marcel David.