What was going on when I was born?

A pharmacist testified today in Westchester County Court that Dr. Herman Tarnower was prescribing a variety of stimulants, depressants and painkillers to Jean S. Harris, who is accused of his murder, for two years prior to the shooting. The pharmacist, Joseph Eisenberg, said that Mrs. Harris picked up the medication each time and that 13 of the 17 prescriptions offered into evidence between Aug. 21, 1977 and Sept. 1, 1979, were ''controlled substances,'' or strong enough to come under state control. Mr. Eisenberg, of Vexler's Pharmacy in White Plains, was not asked about the quantities but said that 10 of the prescriptions were for Desoxyn, which he described as an methamphetamine, or stimulant. The seven others were for Percobarb, a sedative; Percodan, a heavy painkiller; Plexonal, a depressant; Valium, a tranquilizer, and Nembutal, a sleeping pill.

A decision by the Reagan Administration to lift remaining controls on the price and allocation of petroleum is ''fairly imminent,'' David A. Stockman, director-designate of the Office of Management and Budget, said today. The move is expected to raise within weeks the price of gasoline and heating oil by perhaps 5 to 10 cents a gallon, according to independent analysts. But the impact on consumers would be limited because under existing legislation controls were scheduled to expire Sept. 30, resulting in similar price rises then. The comment by Mr. Stockman, confirmed by a well-placed Department of Energy source, was the strongest indication so far that controls, which limit the retail price of gasoline and propane and the price that producers can charge for several categories of crude oil, would be ended in the next few days. The controls were imposed more than nine years ago; the decontrol process has been under way since April 1979.

WASHINGTON WHEN the Soviet Union sent a new science attache to its embassy here recently, President Carter's science adviser refused to receive him for the customary get-acquainted chat. The attache, Dr. Igor M. Makarov, ultimately met informally with the adviser, Dr. Frank Press, at private parties and he says, with a sly grin, that there are ''no bad feelings.'' This year, too, for the first time in 15 years, Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner, the child development expert at Cornell, failed to get any New Year's greetings from his many Russian colleagues. These two episodes - and others - are indicative of the frosty scientific contacts that now exist between the world's two largest technological powers. The breakdown of what was once a cordial relationship started about a year ago, the result of both the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union over the latter's invasion of Afghanistan and by revulsion among American scientists over Russian treatment of Andrei D. Sakharov and other dissidents.

Gold and silver prices plunged yesterday as traders reacted to comments by President Reagan and Paul A. Volcker, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, indicating they would like to see gold prices move sharply lower. Their comments were made during a meeting last Friday at which both agreed that lower gold prices would lessen inflationary expectations and bolster the dollar. Although the meeting did not produce any specific measures to achieve a lower gold price, many traders reacted by selling bullion yesterday. ''The implied unity of views between the White House and the Fed sank in over the weekend, during which the selling pressure mounted,'' said James E. Sinclair, who heads a major brokerage house specializing in precious metals that bears his name.

The board of the Atlantic Richfield Company yesterday named William F. Kieschnick president and chief operating officer amid indications that he might be just as unconventional as Thornton F. Bradshaw, his predecessor, who ignored industry dogma on issues such as the ''windfall'' profits tax. Mr. Bradshaw, who is 63 years old, was named chairman of the RCA Corporation over the weekend. Mr. Kieschnick disclosed in a wide-ranging interview yesterday a number of diverse aspects of his life, such as that his politics tended to be ''maverick independent'' and that he enjoyed a whirl on the disco dance floor. He indicated strongly that he viewed his new job as an opportunity to make major changes in a company that has so far largely been the creation of two men, Mr. Bradshaw and Robert O. Anderson, Arco's chairman. ''I don't think you ever finish designing a company,'' Mr. Kieschnick said. ''You better never slow down.'' Mr. Kieschnick, who is 58 years old, has been vice chairman at Arco for the past two years. He was an executive vice president before that.

The Reagan Administration reported today that ''a dozen or so'' of the 52 Americans freed from captivity in Iran still had ''severe'' mental problems and that the welcoming ceremony at the White House tomorrow would therefore be subdued in nature. ''It's not really a festive occasion,'' said James S. Brady, the White House press secretary. He said that the former hostages would receive a warm welcome from 6,000 officials gathered on the South Lawn of the White House, but that there would be no firing of cannon or formal parade through the streets of Washington. However, at least one former hostage, Barry M. Rosen of Brooklyn, has accepted New York City's invitation to a ticker-tape parade Friday, and a spokesman for Mayor Koch said the city would go ahead with the parade. (Page B8.)

International Primacy for the State Department in the formulation of foreign policy was sought urgently by Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr., according to Reagan Administration aides. They said Mr. Haig submitted a 20-page memorandum presenting ways to implement the request to President Reagan while he was still in his inaugural attire. Mr. Reagan, they said, deferred a response. (Page A1, Column 5.) Cool scientific contacts between Washington and Moscow have become the rule in the last year because of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and revulsion among American scientists over Moscow's treatment of Soviet dissidents. American scientists disagree over the effects of the change. (C1:6.)

Former Representative Richard Kelly of Florida was found guilty today of bribery and conspiracy, becoming the sixth member or former member of Congress to be convicted on charges arising from the Abscam investigation of political corruption. Mr. Kelly, a lanky, 56-year-old Republican, blinked and took a deep breath as the jury foreman announced the verdict in Federal District Court here. The jury, seven women and five men, deliberated for more than six hours before notifying Chief Judge William B. Bryant of their decision. During the trial, the prosecutors presented a videotape that showed Mr. Kelly taking $25,000 in cash and putting it in his pockets after promising to do what he could to help two wealthy Arab sheiks immigrate to the United States.

'' I have every confidence, knowing these men and women, that they are going to bounce back in spirit and strength.'' - L. Bruce Laingen, speaking of those held hostage with him. (B8:1.)

The British Government today approved about $2.38 billion in emergency aid over the next two years for BL Ltd., the ailing state-owned auto company. Britain's Industry Secretary, Sir Keith Joseph, told the House of Commons that BL, the former British Leyland, would receive $1.49 billion in 1981-82 and $888 million in 1982-83.

An Administration decision to speed up decontrol of petroleum prices is ''fairly imminent,'' David A. Stockman, director-designate of the Office of Management and Budget, said. Such a move could raise the price of gasoline and heating oil by as much as 5 to 10 cents a gallon within weeks. (Page A1.) Gold and silver prices plunged on world markets in a selloff apparently triggered by President Reagan and Paul A. Volcker, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. The two agreed that they would like to see gold prices move sharply lower. (D1.) The dollar climbed to 2.06 West German marks and hit a record high of 972.30 against the Italian lira as traders scrambled to convert precious metals holdings into the currency. (D13.)

IF it were possible to get several hundred people together in a room for an hour and ask them a few hard questions about their drug and alcohol use, whether they gamble compulsively, overeat or overwork, most would understate or deny any addictive behavior. But if those same people could answer the questions anonymously - by pushing buttons attached to their home television sets, say - what would happen then? Dr. Lawrence J. Hatterer, a psychiatrist with The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, who tried this approach on interactive television in Columbus, Ohio, recently, found that 49 percent of the 420 viewers said they were addicts themselves or had one in their family. ''I was shocked by the number,'' Dr. Hatterer said. ''Addicts are a population of deniers. One of the hardest things I find in treating them is getting them to admit the problem in the first place.'' He was further surprised to learn that the self-professed addicts in the television audience named more than one substance or activity as their problem.