he Problem of Mental Disorder
- Type:
Book Reviews
T. The McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Ltd. 1934. (pp. 388. 24s. net.)
This is a study undertaken by the Committee on Psychiatric Investigations of the National Research Council of America, whose Divisional Chairmen, Professor Madison Bentley, Cornell University, and Professor E. V. Cowdiy, Wash- ington University, are the editors. The work was supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation and it is certainly a far-sighted policy of this body to give a portion of their funds for research into mental problems.
The material is excellent, the twenty-five papers are of a high standard and there is evidence of originality of thought, and of clinical or laboratory experience in each of them. They are indeed teeming with both facts and sug- gestions, and no matter how senior the psychiatrist, he will find something to learn. Moreover, there is that subtle difference in style of writing and arrangement of the book which makes this American symposium most fresh and fascinating.
The book was undertaken because the Com- mittee felt that while the curative arts are con- stantly discovering new measures and medica- ments for preventing and relieving many of the graver ills of the body, no like agency is success- fully coping with the mentally disordered in public and private institutions for the insane and in the open life of the community. They realised that nearly every hospitalised patient means a disturbed and disorganised family and were conscious of the magnitude of the problem, since the number of mentally disturbed and un- governed outside the hospitals probably exceeds that of the hospitalised cases. There is a vast army of mental sufferers under the care of physicians and psychoanalysts, and also under faith-healers, magicians, quacks, astrologers, mystics, and the like. The problem of mental disorder not only includes those who are insane, but also the queer, the vagrant, the flighty, the incorrigible, the suspicious, the irascible, the unstable, and reclusive people. All these are individuals who, because of defective self- direction and of unbalanced performance, are more or less incapacitated for effective living in society.
It was therefore decided that a genera approach might be made by undertaking an inventory of the scientific support which ma> now profitably be used to extend knowledge of mental disorders, and of the best ways afl means to direct diagnosis and therapy. , The first five papers are entirely medical, afl. the full value of them can only be got by phy^1 cians who have specialised in the work. T*1 names of the contributors give confidence a once for they are already known to Engl^ students of psychiatiy and psychology. 1 first is by Dr C. Macfie Campbell, B?s^?, Psychopathic Hospital, who deals with Clinic^ Psychiatry, and speaks here as a physician the sick personality. He suggests severa avenues of research leading towards an extensi0 of psychiatrical knowledge and, as can be e* pected from such a physician the view-p01 is wide. The second is by Dr A. Myers0^ Boston, who takes the general physicia11 attitude and his primary search is fore for the pathological condition unde lying the symptoms presented. This tyPjj of research, as everyone knows has, been ^ ^ rewarded in the past in G.P.I., pellagra, the toxic psychoses and may yet elucidate cause of other mental disorders. Dr WechsI<V Columbia University, takes the neurology .
point of view and puts emphasis first and la^ upon the study of structure and function aIinsists upon the utilisation of scientific and e perimental methods in fathoming such pr? , lems. Dr Adolf Meyer, John Hopkins Hosp1^. (whose teaching has inspired so many of ?. English psychiatrists), takes the psycho-biol?? cal point of view and contributes a most co centrated and clear thesis. Dr Kubie . upon psychoanalysis and presses for research discovering the neurotic origins and tendenc of childhood; he counsels rigid, methodical a^. liberal training for the psycho-analytical prf tioner, pointing out how many very superficia ‘ trained people practise what they call psyc i analysis. These five papers should be cons uey separately and then reflected upon, when will be found to have many common ,us which dovetail into each other and make little series complete in itself.
The major part of the book deals with s ^ jects which are only indirectly connected mental disorders and consists of twenty paP each of them upon a different theme. The pi ^ bers of the personnel of the Universities ^arvard, Washington, Chicago, McGill, Hop- kins, Boston, Cornell, Columbia and others c?ntribute papers, as also do workers of the Rockefeller Institute, Lilly Research Labora- tories, etc. General biology and genetics are represented as are also such diverse subjects as endocrinology, nutrition and pharmacology; anthropology and education account for two short papers, the latter a most refreshing one. Some of the papers in this section are quite suitable reading for those who are not physi- Clans, and social workers, biologists, and Psychologists will find its pages stimulating.
The book, however, is not an easy one and cannot be read in a few days for each article demands thought and reflection. The whole ^end of the text is to encourage scientific Workers from every field, to help in elucidating ^e great problem of mental disorder, which as ^he editors point out, touches to-day not only individuals but also nations. Gratitude is due the collaborators for so widely selecting the Papers and for their comments upon them. Isabel Emslie Hutton, M.D.
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