Dr. Andrew Lees
Ep. 21 — A disenchanted doctor finds secret inspiration for his groundbreaking Parkinson’s research from a heroin addict / Dr. Andrews Lees, University College of London, Institute of Neurology. Dr. Andrew Lees was a young medical student when he realized that his profession was not everything it was cut out to be. Feeling suffocated by the conservative and powerful British medical system, which gave little room for independent thought and experimentation, Lees was at risk for dropping out. Then one day, Lees, a Liverpool-born avid Beatles fan saw the cover of their new album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. When Lees scanned the celebrity-laden faces on the album cover, he saw someone he didn’t recognize. It was William S. Burroughs, the Beat Generation writer, heroin addict, and harsh critic of doctors and the medical establishment. Feeling quite anti-establishment himself, Lees began reading Burroughs' work, starting with his most controversial book, “Naked Lunch,” and was soon sucked into Burroughs’ intellectual orbit. Lees was inspired and influenced by Burroughs’ writings about his frequent self-experimentation with dangerous opiates and his efforts to kick his various drug addictions. Re-energized, Lees dedicated his career to conduct ground-breaking research into the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, including using the drug Apomorphine to treat advanced complications of the disease — a drug Burroughs had used to kick his heroin addiction. Lees became one of the world’s most respected and cited neurologists on the disease. Because of Burroughs' checkered reputation, Lees kept his “Invisible Mentor,” a deep secret because he was afraid his colleagues would ostracize him. But late into his distinguished career, Lees finally picked up his courage and told the world about his muse through his book, Mentored by a Madman: The William Burroughs Experiment. Tanscript Download the PDF Chitra Ragavan: For much of his celebrated career renowned British neurologist, Dr. Andrew Lees, kept a deep professional secret from his peers and the world. The secret was that his groundbreaking research into Parkinson's disease was deeply influenced by the controversial American writer and heroin addict, William S. Burroughs. It all began when Dr. Lees, saw a face he didn't recognize on the cover of the Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Acting on idle curiosity, Lees learned it was William Burroughs. Pretty soon Lees was going down the Burroughs rabbit hole, learning from a man he would never meet, but who would become his life-long invisible mentor. Chitra Ragavan: Hello, everyone. I'm Chitra Ragavan, and this is, When it Mattered. This episode is brought to you by Good Story, an advisory firm helping technology startups find their narrative. I'm joined today by Dr. Andrew Lees, Professor of Neurology at University College, London Institute of Neurology. His book about Burroughs is called, Mentored by a Madman: The William Burroughs Experiment. Dr Lees, welcome to the podcast. Dr. Lees: Thank you, Chitra. Chitra Ragavan: You achieved global recognition and many, many awards for your work on Parkinson's disease and abnormal movement disorders and you are one of the most cited researchers in the field. And one could argue that no one should be less afraid of ostracism by your peers than you. What was it about William Burroughs himself and about the culture of the medical profession that made you afraid to disclose his influence on your work and why did you keep it a secret for so long? Dr. Lees: Well even today, the British medical establishment is very conservative and also very powerful. So that, if you blot your copybook particularly as a trainee, you end up in the Outer Hebrides during something that you don't really want to do. We were all, I think certainly as trainees quite fearful because unlike the United States which is far bigger,