Die Psychohygiene
- Author:
Federn and H. Meng,
edited by Dr Maria Phster-Ammende. Verlag Huber, Bern, 1949, 423 pages.
This volume was planned to mark the fortieth anniversary of the ” mental hygiene ” movement and the sixtieth birthday of Dr Heinrich Meng to whom it owes so much. The editor acknowledges also the stimulating influence by the International Congress held in London in 1948.
The majority of the forty-three contributions deals with problems of social psychology and psychiatry; and the rest (in fact the two introductory sections) discuss a few selected problems of psycho-analysis and medicine. In this latter category, Dr L. Szondi’s brief report on his original research in heredity will stimulate readers to peruse his elaborate publications on the latent carriers of psychopathological factors; these conductors (as he calls them) can be very gifted, and their occupational preference is an unconscious sublimation of the corresponding abnormal propensity.
Dr W. Hulse presents an informative account of the beginnings and present stage of Group-therapies, originally devised for the management of the organically ill, and only subsequently applied to the neurotic and psychotic patients. European readers may learn much from this article whose author has been living for years in the U.S.A.
Professor H. Fischer’s article on the prevention of drug addiction is written in the typical, accurate and massive manner of the best traditions of German medicine; it contains, almost with superfluity, wellnigh everything worth knowing about the subject. Dr R. Konig writes on the Over-organization of the Family. Under this original and thoughtprovoking title, the role of traditional concepts, loyalties and ties are discussed in causing but harm where the proper atmosphere of family has ceased to exist.
Dr Theodor Bovet’s contribution must fill with warmth the hearts of all actual and prospective patients of the psychotherapist. In his view, the moral standard of such a professional man must be exceedingly high if he is to be of use to his fellow men. Not only must his personal relationship to work and recreation, to family and sex, and so on, be near to perfection, but he should be also a person who discusses all his problems with his G?d.
Dr E. Kaufman and Dr E. Follender write with intelligence on the Psycho-analysis of Jew-hatred. With some misgiving do we commence the reading of an article by Dr F. Alexander, because of his title: “The Psychiatric Prophylaxis of War”The content of this writing is, however, much better than its title. Apart from presenting some sensible views, and results of American research workers in anthropology, the author says clearly that warprevention must start with the final conclusion: that wars must be considered by all men as insanityHe does not overlook the practical difficulties of such a universal change in outlook.
Pleasant and profitable reading is provided by the contribution by Dr S. Frank, who presents a feW illustrative cases where it was possible to help in broken marriages, and in improving people with criminal tendencies.
In the section ” Contemporary Problems”? accounts of research in prison camps and refugee camps are presented. Among the several good articles, those written by Dr Pfister-Ammende seem especially to reveal the experienced practical expert. The last section contains a number of reports on the general state of mental hygiene in different countries; on the teaching this science within universities; and an historical appreciation of Adolf Meyer, his work in psychiatry and his influence on the mental hygiene movement.
Each article has a clear abstract in French and English. The original German is in most cases heavy going, verbose, and full of definitions?-just as most readers of this volume would expect itIt is, however, nowhere confused, owing to the comparative intact traditions of the Swiss German literature. The value of the volume is indubitableS.L.
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