Papers of Professor A. T. Altschul

The collection of papers is composed of: circa 50 files of notes or correspondence or reports; many copies of journals, articles, and printed books; and, a tube of diplomas and degrees, including those from the Royal College of Nursing (Fellowship of College), the Open University, and the University of London Birkbeck College. The printed books include a title by Annie T. Altschul,Patient-Nurse interaction. A study of interaction patterns in acute psychiatric wards(1972), and one with a foreword by Altschul,Psychiatric nursing in the community(1979).

Annie T. Altschul - an Austrian by birth - arrived in Britain with her mother in 1938, after the Anschluss. The Altschuls were a Jewish family. She trained as a nurse in London in the 1940s, and although qualifying as a general nurse and as a midwife, she found her niche in psychiatric nursing. After training at Mill Hill Emergency Hospital she moved to the merged Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals and, while progressing from staff nurse to sister to Principal tutor, she also took a first class honours degree in Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London. In 1964 she was appointed as a Lecturer in the Department of Nursing Studies at Edinburgh University. She then became a Senior Lecturer before being appointed to the Chair of Nursing Studies in 1976-77. Her publications includePsychiatric Nursing(1957), andPsychology for Nurses(1962). Altschul retired from the University in 1983, and on her retirement she was awarded the CBE and given the status of Professor Emeritus of Nursing Studies. Annie T. Altschul died on 24 December 2001.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Compiled by Graeme D. Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Material received from Altschul's solicitors dealing with the estate, April 2002, Accession no. E2002.9.

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.