Otto was President of the WFSA from 1972-76 and is now 92 years of
age with his birthday approaching in November. When I emailed him to ask
if I could visit, he replied enthusiastically that he would be pleased
to see me and where would I like to visit in his city. After some
thought I asked if we could go to the Freud Museum and he agreed. We met
at my hotel in the morning and I was immediately taken by his obvious
fitness and indeed at times I struggled to keep up with him as we moved
from street to tram to other tram! He told me that despite a lifetime in
Vienna he had not visited the Freud Museum himself so we both had a
very interesting time there. It was good to see Koller’s picture there
and copies of Uber Cocain by Freud who had been instrumental in
initiating Koller’s work with the drug.

Over a subsequent coffee I
was able to pass on the best regards of two other past-Presidents,
Angela Enright and Kester Brown who both sent him their regards. We then
moved on via further trams and some walking to an outstanding
restaurant for lunch. As we talked I was able to explain some of the
considerable changes that the WFSA was undergoing and received some
useful comment and further ideas from a highly experienced European and
World authority. It was so helpful.

Back at my hotel I was able to
meet Professor Klaus Markstaller who was the current Chair of Vienna
University’s Department of Anaesthesia. We were able to discuss numerous
projects and future plans over more coffee before I had to go to the
airport to fly home.

It was a marvelous experience to spend time
with such colleagues and to gain much excellent advice for the future. I
asked Otto as I was leaving if he would please keep fit for a further 7
years so that he could attend the Prague World Congress in 2020, which
was only an hour away from Vienna, when aged 100! He promised to do his
best to achieve this goal so we must keep our fingers crossed that he
does.