Ted Kaczynski's Letters on an Old Colleague's Mental Health Issues
From Bagemihl to Ted
February 28, 1989
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
P.O. Box 413. Mi1waukee. Wisconsin
COLLEGE OF LETTERS AND SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
(414) 963–4836
Dear Dr. Kaczynski:
Over the years, McMillan became more and more of a recluse. He would not return a friendly greeting from a colleague, so after a while people ceased to greet him. To avoid people he would never take an elevator. His judgement deteriorated.
Someone went to see him about a proposal he had made, suggesting that he change it, and McMillan did not utter a word, so that the man left in embarrassment. I heard that on separate occasions a student and a faculty member had feared that McMillan would become violent. Under these conditions, I did not “give” your letter to him, I put it into his mailbox; but I was skeptical about his answering you. After he resigned, I was told that he and his wife had separated; moved to an apartment, his neighbors complained that he was creating a disturbance shouting, and he was institutionalized for 90 days and released. Since then I have heard nothing about him, except that his physical appearance has deteriorated.
It seems a great tragedy, for at one time he was an excellent and very promising mathematician. He is said to be living in his own world, out of touch with reality; perhaps he has found some sort of refuge there.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ F. Bagemihl
From Ted to Bagemihl
March 8, 1989
Dear Professor Bagemihl:
I’m very sorry to hear about Professor Mc Millan. A couple of years ago I had a very interesting book about schizophrenia; sounds as if that might be McMillan’s problem...If you’re not well-informed about schizophrenia and if McMillan’s case is of sufficient concern to you to make it worth your while, you might want to read that book. The title is Schizophrenia’s, yours and mine ... Whether or not schizophrenia is the cause of McMillan’s problem, you’re right — it’s a great tragedy ...
Sincerely yours ...