In the mid-1950s, a unique section of transcultural psychiatric studies was
established within the McGill Department of Psychiatry. These personal rec
ollections describe the backgrounds, methods, and motivations of those most
involved and suggest why such a specialized study should have emerged in C
anada and at McGill. Some of the major controversies and developments in th
e field are explored, focusing on the question of culture-bound syndromes a
nd their occasional biological underpinnings. The relevance of transcultura
l psychiatry to psychiatric practice is discussed.