KLINE, NATHAN S.

KLINE, NATHAN S. (1916–1982), U.S. psychiatrist and psychopharmacologist. Kline was born in Philadelphia. He graduated in medicine from New York College of Medicine in 1943 and founded the Rockland Psychiatric Center in 1952, which became the Rockland Research Institute in 1975 and was later named after him following his death. By utilizing serendipitous clinical observations, Kline pioneered the introduction of anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drugs in psychiatric practice. He discovered the anti-psychotic effects of reserpine and was the first to use the monoamine-oxidase inhibitor iproniazid to treat severe depression. The Rockland Institute's work introduced psychopharmacology to psychiatric practice and collated data on clinical trials and drug safety, including the application of new computer systems. Kline assisted in establishing mental health clinics worldwide. He was deeply involved in lay education on mental diseases and founded and directed the International Committee against Mental Illness. He was twice awarded the Lasker Prize for clinical medical research (1957 and 1964). (Michael Denman (2nd ed.)