Literary Notices. xxi 



the author states that his experience in mental diseases covers a period 

 of more than twenty-five years with extensive observations upon every 

 phase of this disease, yet all his illustrative cases are quoted from the 

 writings of various alienists, especially those of Clouston, Bevan 

 Lewis, Stearns, Sankey, Folsom, Hammond, Spitzka, Savage, 

 Campbell Clark, Berkley, Dercum and E. D. Fisher. On the 

 whole the book, of nearly 300 pages, is well written and includes all the 

 salient features of the subject without treating any of them exhaustively. 



G. ALFRED LAWRENCE, M. D., PH. D. 



Researches in Psychopatliolog'y.' 



This well printed volume contains six studies in psychopathology 

 conducted in the psychopathologic hospital under the direction of Dr. 

 SiDis. These studies are preceded by a section of 32 pages by the 

 Director entitled, "Some General Remarks Concerning Psychopatho- 

 logical Research," written in a literary style too discursive and prolix 

 to be easy reading. The cases which are presented in the succeeding 

 studies are, however, of great interest. The underlying motives of 

 these studies can best be presented in the words of Dr. Sidis' summary 

 as given in the Introduction to the volume, from which the following 

 extracts are taken: 



"The present researches form a series of cases, the investigation of 

 which is undertaken with the object of studying the problems presented 

 by the phenomena of functional psychosis. Out of a mass of material 

 we have selected a few cases typical of many others, each case standing 

 for a type. As much as possible we have tried to avoid theories and 

 principles and give simply a resume of the facts and experiments." 



"The first study of the series presents an investigation of the main 

 phenomena observed in dissociative states of functional psychosis. An 

 account is given of some of the methods of bringing about a synthesis 

 of subconscious dissociated systems. The study specially relates to 

 psycho-motor reactions of subconscious systems. Different methods 

 are worked out to obtain subconscious reactions to stimulations. The 

 extent and intelligence of the dissociated subconscious systems are tap- 

 ped in various ways. The results clearly reveal the nature of the 

 phenomena of functional psychosis. Psychologically, funclional psycho- 

 sis is coextensive with the tvhole domain of tlie subconscious. Y\\y)i\o\og- 

 ically , functional psychosis is correlated not with organic neuron degenera- 

 tion, but with functional disaggregation of whole systems of neuron-aggre- 

 gates. In functional psychosis, the function apparently lost and de- 



iPsychopathological Researches. Studies in Mental Dissociation. By Boris 

 Sidis and others. Published under the auspices of the Trustees of the Psycho- 

 pathic Hospital, Department of the New York Infirmary for Women and Chil- 

 dren. New York, Q. E. Stechert. 1902. 



