PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE 1S1 



ITg goes further, however, in formulating a definite scheme of in- 

 struction. This is governed in certain details by its author's special 

 psychology; some rearrangement of headings, if not also some altera- 

 tions of terminology, might well prove desirable. Yet it is quite evi- 

 dent that in a number of the titles we have at least an enumeration, in 

 greater detail, of the phases which a course along the lines above indi- 

 cated would take up. 



When Dr. Prince was reading this summary in Washington, I 

 turned to some one sitting next to me and rather lightly remarked that 

 this was all very well, but Prince was the only man who could give 

 such a course, my neighbor promptly assuring me that I was alto- 

 gether mistaken, that he knew many persons who could give such a 

 course. It was not meant, of course, that there was no one who could 

 talk about these subjects for the number of hours the course would 

 specify. But we can not consistently reproach psychology for our lack 

 of knowledge in these matters, and at the same time propose their im- 

 mediate fitness as a teaching subject. As a matter of fact we have 

 very little systematic information about the majority of the topics pre- 

 sented in Prince's summary. It is most likely to increase if the stu- 

 dent be brought to observe and study in his cases in these terms, but 

 this side of the course could to-day no more than reflect the subjective 

 reactions of certain original and more or less critical intellects upon 

 the most adequate clinical experience. 



The interest and import of these questions most thoughtful persons 

 will admit, though any psychological critic would probably be quick to 

 ask how such matters are to be in any part submitted to objective, not 

 to say experimental, inquiry. jSTot with the color-wheel probably, or 

 through the tonvariator, or the sound-hammer. Could the question now 

 be satisfactorily answered, the proper psychology for medical schools 

 would not be long under discussion. We are not in a position to say, 

 however, that no progress towards a solution is possible. Our experi- 

 mental inquiries have not been directed along lines that would develop 

 such methods. We must also know with greater exactitude the ques- 

 tions our experimental methods are to be put to answer, and shall need 

 to experiment with our experiments a good deal. There is to-day only 

 one experimental method whose direct value in the dynamic psychology 

 seems comparatively assured; this is the ordinary "free" association 

 experiment, especially evaluated. 10 There are also some possible adap- 

 tations of the method of " measurement by relative position " X1 as well 



10 Cf. the " Diagnostische Assoziations studien" of Jung; Kent and Eosanoff, 

 "A Study of Association in Insanity," Am. Jr. Ins., LXVIL, 1910, 37-96, 

 317-390. 



11 Cf . the early work of Sumner and the more recent studies of Hollingworth 

 and of Strong; also, in pathological reference, G. G. Fernald, Am. Jr. Ins., 

 LXVIIL, 1912, 545-547. 



