[8] Heath founded the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Tulane University, New Orleans, in 1949 and remained its chairman until 1980.
[4][9][10] He performed many experiments there involving electrical stimulation of the brain via surgically implanted electrodes.
[19] Heath also experimented with psychosurgery, the drug bulbocapnine to induce stupor, and LSD,[20][21][22] using African-American prisoners in the Louisiana State Penitentiary as experimental subjects.
[24] Today Heath's work is considered highly controversial and is only rarely used as reference material.
[28] In 1954, Heath published a monograph called "Studies in Schizophrenia" detailing his deep brain stimulation experiments on 25 schizophrenic patients.
The scientific community tended towards skepticism of his claims, and attempts to replicate his findings ensued.
[19][30] While the electrodes were attached they temporarily facilitated arousal to a female prostitute, but they did not change the patient’s long term sexual interests.
[31][18] The patient, who had been arrested for marijuana possession, was implanted with electrodes into the septal region (associated with feelings of pleasure), and many other parts of his brain.
[18][better source needed] Heath's experiment was also criticized by Fred Mettler, who was previously his mentor.
[19] Goethe argues B-19 approached Heath for help with his sexuality, rather than having it imposed on him in exchange for leniency over drugs charges, which was suggested by Bill Rushton.
"[33] According to the BBC, "His findings of permanent brain damage have been dismissed by similar, independently conducted studies.
"[34] According to NORML, Heath's "work was never replicated and has since been discredited by a pair of better controlled, much larger monkey studies, one by Dr. William Slikker of the National Center for Toxicological Research and the other by Charles Rebert and Gordon Pryor of SRI International.