Dr. Robert

There has been alot of speculation about John Lennon's song, Dr. Robert.  The running theory was that John was writing about a New York doctor, Doctor Robert Freymann who prescribed drugs to rich, celebrity clients.  Another theory was that Dr. Robert was a composite of several figures who were involved in the dispensing or promoting of LSD. 

If you look at the lyrics, though, it is PLAIN that John was talking about a British physician because the lyrics have John "quoting" someone who is talking about having a friend in the National Health--the English socialized medicine system.

So I've been waiting to find some confirmation of the above and I found it in an interview of Paul (or possibly Faul) by Patrick Skene Catling in the November 23, 1966 edition of the British magazine, Punch.

Skene discussed John maturing as a writer:
     "After the fragmentary adolescent journal, 'The Daily Howl,' after the dark thoughts of loneliness and insecurity expressed in the Joycean punning fables of 'In His Own Write' and 'The Spaniard in The Works,' he now seems to be confident enough, and certainly he is able, to write sermons and diatribes as well as today's best love songs.  There's nobody else anywhere writing songs like 'Dr. Robert,' about a mercenary National Health panellist, except, of course, Paul McCartney and George Harrison."

The question would be, of course, why the song is a "sermon or diatribe"?  And obviously it's because a Dr. Robert was involved in The Beatles' lives in a negative way.  I think the character Robin, the butterfly stomper in the animated film, Yellow Submarine is supposed to be Dr. Robert.  And when people track down who Dr. Robert was, we will be closer to finding out what happened to Paul.