Psycho-Social Medicine. A study of the Sick Society
- Author:
Halliday, M.D., D.-P.H.
Wm. Heinemann Medical Books. 17s. 6d.
Readers of Dr Halliday’s stimulating papers.on various psychosomatic complaints will no doubt be attracted by the title of this book and look for a comprehensive account of the relations of these conditions and social behaviour ; and they will find the first chapters encourage their hopes, and insist that the individual must always be seen in regard to his place in society. After this, however, ?}r. Halliday’s touch becomes less sure and some of “is chapters are distinctly sketchy. That on ePidemiology draws a striking contrast between the child’s environment in 1870 and in 1930, and nghtly shows that although the physical factors have improved, the psychological environment is in many ways less favourable ; but the list of frustrating factors might perhaps include the war of 1914-18, ?niitted in this context. The adult tendencies listed are dealt with all too briefly, and ignore the vicious circles of personal relationships which industrial and social development produced in this era ; and the growth of respectability in the British soldier from 1899 onwards is not everywhere regarded as the cause for the prevalence of hysteria in World War I, and of anxiety in World War II.
The sections on the declining birthrate and on rnorale are so short as to be tantalizing, and contain some loose thinking. ” Rationalization ” (against a larger family) ” is seldom referred to economics or finance ” but ” the father wished them to have a better chance in life “?which seems contradictory. The author’s ” practical conclusion”, that to maintain high morale it is necessary to eliminate the sources of spread of low morale, is not far in advance ?f “to maintain health, avoid illness ” ; on the other hand some phrases lose by too frequent repetition; the adjective ” ontogenetic ” fills many a gap.
But in spite of these carping criticisms there is much valuable matter in the book ; the questions asked about the individual’s illness (what kind of a person, why did he become sick when he did and how he did ?) can well be asked too about the illness of society ; and any attempt to bring the needs and Problems of the latter into closer touch with general medicine deserves sympathy and careful consideration. R.F.T.
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