THE STORY OF PSYCHOTHERAPY: Peck, Martin W.

353-365 (July 1936).

Mental Hygiene, 20:3,

"The history of psychotherapy from earliest times to the present can be summarized and recapitulated in a few words: Magic, Occultism, Gross Superstition, Religious Mysticism, Charlatanism, Mesmer, Braid, Charcot, Janet, and Freud:" Preceding this summary with a more detailed and interesting review of the factors and persons concerned with the evolution of psychotherapy, Dr. Peck goes on to a discussion of modern developments, of which an abstract follows:

Among cll the great moverents in this field, the present analytic one bids fair to be the most striking and far-reaching. Freud's great contribution to the century of progress in science has been in the discovery and partial exploration of the unconscious mind. The main mental forces which motivate conscious thought and determine behavior lie in the unconscious. These revolutionary concepts of the structure of man's mind acted at first as a sad blow to self-esteem. The increase in capacity for self-understanding makes possible a greater measure of self-direction and control, and thereby compensates for that chastening of the spirit which followed the first realization of so much helplessness.

In addition to revealing contributions that deal with psychotherapy in general, Freud evolved a new method called psychoanalysis, which is distinct from those preceding it in various striking respects. Its purpose is to reach and modify the unconscious mind to a depth and degree rarely to be accomplished be accomplished otherwise. With this goal in mind, psychoanalytic treatment concentrates mainly on the subjective life of the patient and reduces to a minimum guidance and support in external affairs. In so far as immediate aid of this nature is needed, it can best be obtained elsewhere, in order not to confuse the issue and divert attention from the special business of the analysis. The psychoanalytic method follows set rules and the physician who is to become skillful in its practice must have special and intensive training over a period of years. The treatment is time-consuming in the extreme, and thus, at least in its present form, is impracticable for wide application......It stands today as the most thorough going means available to effect changes in those buried regions of mental life where lie concealed the basic roots of the more important neuroses. It is referred to, not inappropriately, as the major surgery of psychotherapy.

In all psychotherapy there is increased recognition of the important part played by those obscure factors, the special "personalities" of physician and patient and the emotional relationship between them. It is the understanding use of these forces of transference that makes possible penetration and revelation of the patient's unconscious mind.

It remains for the future to work out satisfactory eclectic procedures of psychotherapy that may apply with some specificity to various kinds and degrees of nervous troubles among people at various cultural and economic levels.

USE OF UREA TO STIMULATE HEALING IN CHRONIC PURULENT WOUNDS: Robinson, William, Senior Entomologist, U. S. Department of Agriculture. American Jour. of Surgery, New Series 33:2, 191-197 (August 1936).

A contribution from the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Robinson's article gives the results of his studies of the healing effects of surgical maggots.

Robinson has previously shown that the purine derivative, allantoin (C4H6N403) occurs in maggot excretions and stimulates healing in purulent wounds. Further study has shown that the still simpler and wellknown product of protein metabolism, urea (CC (NH2)) has been found to produce similar healing.

The use of urea was suggested by the picture presented by the structural chemical formula of allantoin which contains a side chain. This side chain can easily be converted into urea.

"The healing action of urea probably accounts in part", says Robinson, "for the custom prevalent for centuries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and also practiced in America, of using urine to promote cleansing and healing of wounds.

The author collaborated with various surgeons and clinicians throughout the country, and has presented 14 case histories, representing a wide range of chronic suppurating wounds, burns, and ulcers. Actual trial will convince physicians of the merits of this treatment, Robinson believes.

LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS--JULY 15 TO AUGUST 15

REPRINTS FROM "PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS" AVAILABLE JULY 15 TO AUGUST 15

NEWS BRIEFS

September, 1936

CARTER PLACE, BALBOA HEIGHTS, C. z. South

of Gorgas Road, and extending from the Cathedral of St. Luke Frangipani Street, a palmlined roadway passes in front of the official quarters of the Superintendent of Gorgas Hospital. On this site formerly stood the quarters occupied by the late Henry Rose Carter, United States Public Health Service, Chief Quarantine Officer of the Isthmian Canal Commission and later Director of Hospitals. Here Dr. Carter lived from June 1904 until September 1909. By proclamation, dated July 16, 1936, J. L. Schley, Governor of the Canal Zone, designated the roadway as Carter. Place, honoring one of the Service's most-beloved and distinguished officers.

In his citation, Governor Schley said, "Dr. Carter was recognized
as one of the most efficient and valuable of the Department of San-
itation personnel during the construction period; his work contrib-
uted largely to the successful organization of the Department of
Sanitation and its hospitals and quarantine service and to the ear-
ly control of infectious diseases so largely prevalent at the time
of the inception of the work."

TRIBUTE TO DOCTOR CUMMING. The House of Representatives paid tribute to the former Surgeon General following his retirement, in an address by the Honorable S. C. Bland (Virginia). Tracing the history of Dr. Cumming's long career of distinguished public service, Mr. Bland closed his remarks with the reading of letters from the President and the Secretary of the Treasury, in accepting the Surgeon General's resignation, and commending his work. Reprints of the speech are available from Representative Bland's office, House of Representatives Office Building, Washington, D. C.

on

CFFICERS TRAINING CLASS 1936. With the completion of the 1936 Train-
ing Course for Public Health Service Commissioned officers,
August 5, thirteen members of the class were assigned to active
duty in various divisions of the Service. Assignments were as fol-
lows: Binford, C. H.--To the National Institute of Health where

he will be engaged in research in the Divis-
ion of Pathology under the direction of Sur-
geon Ralph D. Lillie.

Boone, Bert R.
Bert R.To the Marine Hospital, Stapleton, N.Y.,
where he will work with Acting Assistant Sur-
geon Liberson on original research with the
electrocardiograph, directed to the develop-
ment of more precise diagnostic procedures
with this instrument.

Burney, Leroy E.--To the Division of Venereal Diseases,
(Assistant Surgeon General Vonderlehr) where
he will conduct clinical research.

Elliott, D. C.---To the Harvard University School of Medicine where he will take the "long course" of one year's special training in public health under the provisions of the Social Security Act.

Flinn, R. H.---To the Division of Scientific Research (Assistant Surgeon General Thompson) where he will work with Surgeon Albert E. Russell on industrial diseases produced by dusts, in the Office of Industrial Hygiene and Sanitation, Senior Surgeon R. R. Sayers.

Griffey, W. P.---To the Marine Hospital, Stapleton, N. Y., for special work in opthalmology and

rhinolaryngology.

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Lyman, H. D.---To the Marine Hospital, San Francisco, California, for general work in internal medicine.

Murdock, J. R.---To the Rockefeller Foundation in New York,
for a two months course on yellow fever; then
to San Francisco for a month of plague work
with Surgeon C. R. Eskey; then to South Amer-
ica with the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, un-
der the direction of Medical Director J. D.
Long, for work in tropical diseases.

McKneely, T. B.---To the Division of Scientific Research,
Scheele; L.A.- where he will conduct research in public
health administration under the direction of
Surgeon Joseph W. Mountin.

Oliphant, J. W. To Ellis Island, N. Y., for a month of
training in foreign quarantine, then to Ha-
vana, Cuba, as Quarantine Cfficer.

Van Slyke, C. J.--To the Division of Venereal

where he will conduct laboratory

Diseases, research

at the Marine Hospital, Stapleton, N. Y.

Robinson, R. S.To the Division of Domestic Quarantine (Assistant Surgeon General Waller) for field work in dental research.

WHAT THE PUBLIC LIKES AND WHY in health radio programs were the subjects of Dr. W. W. Bauer's article, Evaluating Health Dramatizations, in the American Medical Association Bulletin, May 1936. Fan-mail response to thirty-one dramatized programs was tabulated. Dr. Bauer found that programs have little or no "pull" unless some form of supplementary printed-matter is offered to those who will write in for it. In four broddcasts out of the thirty-one, such an offer was made; to these programs--Asphyxiation, Infantile Paralysis, Little Tips on Home Hygiene, and Maternal Care--365, 932, 5,649, and 1,517 fans responded, respectively. Response to the remaining 27