bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tryptophan Metabolism in Affective Psychoses
Authors: Cazzullo C. L. , Mangoni A. , Mascherpa G.
Published: August 2008

Tryptophan has attracted attention during recent years for the possible role played by some of its metabolites in the aetiology and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Of these metabolites, serotonin has received special attention and considerable work has been carried out in order to elucidate its physiological and pharmacological actions. Studies from animal experiments are thus available on the function of serotonin in nervous activity (Marrazzi and Hart, 1955; Brodieet al., 1955; Pletscheret al., 1956; Welsh, 1957), but the results obtained thus far in psychiatric patients are uncertain. Recent researches in the affective psychoses (Burgermeisteret al., 1963) did not reveal significant differences between patients and normal controls in the urinary output of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) before or after an oral 5-hydroxytryptophan load.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Lithium in Manic Illness
Authors: Baker Max Alden , Winokur George
Published: August 2008

The lithium ion has been found increasingly valuable in the treatment of manic illness (1, 2). In the therapeutic use of lithium there are two phases, stabilization and maintenance. These data have been reviewed by Gershon and Yuwiler (1), but a clear explanation of the pharmacodynamics involved is not evident. Animal experimentation has been used to study the behaviour of the lithium ion as compared with other cations. The lithium ion's behaviour resembles sodium in some tissues and enzyme systems but is more like potassium in others. These authors have reported a three- to fourfold increase in the tolerance for toxic symptoms due to lithium ion in manic patients as compared to normals. They found that this increased tolerance decreased to normal as the patient's manic state subsided.
Changes in Urine Volume and Diurnal Rhythm caused by Reserpine Treatment of Schizophrenic Patients
Authors: Randrup Axel , Munkvad Ib
Published: August 2008

During a study of schizophrenic patients under prolonged treatment with reserpine alternating with placebo, night and day portions of urine were sampled for the determination of 4.-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid (VMA). We found that reserpine treatment caused a moderate decrease in the excretion of this metabolite of adrenaline and noradrenaline, as reported in detail elsewhere (Munkvad and Randrup). We also observed certain characteristic changes in urine volume and diurnal rhythm, and these changes will be reported on in the present paper.
Hospital Work and Family: A Four Year Study of Young Mental Hospital Patients
Authors: Goldberg E. M.
Published: August 2008

While a study of schizophrenia and social class (Goldberg and Morrison, 1963) was in progress, it became obvious that some problems of hospital and community care among young male mental hospital patients should be pursued. Accordingly, it was decided to extend the project to a systematic follow up of the patients admitted to one of the two hospitals included in the study. This paper reports the findings in two parts; Part I relates length of stay in hospital to the severity of a patient's illness and to his circumstances before and after leaving hospital; Part II relates the patient's post-hospital work performance to certain other factors.
The Early Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Authors: Chapman James
Published: August 2008

Since Bleuler introduced his concept of schizophrenia in 1911, there has been a steady growth of clinical and experimental data relating to this disease. However, the literature dealing with early diagnosis is sparse and as yet there is no general agreement as to what symptomatology constitutes the early clinical picture. Older texts (Kraepelin, 1919; Bleuler, 1911) do not elaborate early diagnosis, dwelling more on distinguishing schizophrenia from other disease entities. Likewise, more recent texts tend to refer to the early stages very briefly in rather vague terms, signifying the development of the disease over the first few years from its onset. Although practice varies, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is often reserved until Bleuler's primary symptoms of disordered volition, thinking and affect appear overtly, by which time there may be also some evidence of deterioration. It is recognized, however, that these symptoms may take years to appear (Gillies, 1949) so that early diagnosis cannot readily be made by using these criteria.
The Phenomenology of Obsessions in Depressive Psychosis
Authors: Gittleson N. L.
Published: August 2008

There is a general view that the content of obsessions occurring in the course of depressive psychosis is frequently aggressive, homicidal or suicidal. Prichard (1835), Esquirol (1838), Marc (1840), Maudsley (1895), Heilbronner (1912), Gordon (1925 and 1950), Muncie and White (1937), Henderson (1937), Bowlby (1940), Lion (1942), Oltman and Friedman (1943), Stengel (1945), and Skoog (1959) all express this view on the basis of single anecdotal case reports or series of fewer than ten cases. The largest reported series is that of Vurpas and Corman (1933) who described 27 cases (2 organically based) of homicidal obsessions in depression. Only 3 cases (Nos. 10, 24 and 27) exhibited obsessions before the depression and this is too small a number to serve as a control group.
Mental Health and Student Wastage
Authors: Lucas C. J. , Kelvin R. P. , Ojha A. B.
Published: August 2008

This report is published with the blessing of the College authorities, although they would challenge one or two elements in it. The main points of contention would be, first, the definition of wastage (it is understood that some of the students who are classified in the report as “wasted” did in fact go on to degree courses in other subjects elsewhere, having realized that they had chosen the wrong subject at first); second, that to quote a single year's figures may be misleading, since there are reasons for thinking that the picture may be changing for the better; and third, that academic inadequacy and idleness are thought to be at least as prevalent, as reasons for failure, as psychological disturbance, whereas this investigation concentrates almost exclusively on the latter.
Some Problems in Behaviour Therapy
Authors: Meyer V. , Crisp A. H.
Published: August 2008

Behaviour therapy is conducted in this department under combined general psychiatric and behaviour therapist supervision. Patients considered suitable for behaviour therapy are first assessed clinically at a phenomenological and psychodynamic level. On the basis of this assessment an appropriate symptom or number of symptoms are selected for treatment by behaviour therapy. The patient is thereafter observed by the original clinician and assessed at regular intervals. Meanwhile the behaviour therapist treats the specific symptom or symptoms.
A Short Form of the WAIS for use with the Aged
Authors: Britton P. G. , Savage R. D.
Published: August 2008

Since the introduction of the WAIS many short forms have been proposed, but specific problems associated with the assessment of the aged have not been factors influencing their development. The measurement of cognitive functioning in persons over 65 presents the clinician with many difficulties, not least of which is a consideration of time.
Bereavement in Childhood and Depressive Psychosis
Authors: Hopkinson G. , Reed G. F.
Published: August 2008

There have been many reports of the high incidence of early parental loss among groups of patients suffering from various psycho-pathological disorders. Bowlby (1951) cited numerous relevant studies in his influential monograph, and Gregory (1958) has critically reviewed a dozen others. More recently Brown (1961) reported a significantly higher incidence of parental loss in childhood among depressed patients than among the general population, and Beck et al. (1963) found that the incidence among highly depressed psychiatric patients was higher than among non-depressed patients. Both these writers aver that their findings provide evidence that parental loss in childhood is a significant factor in the development of a depressive illness in adult life.
A Treatment Regime for Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Crisp A. H.
Published: August 2008

This report is based on a study of 21 cases of anorexia nervosa treated and followed-up for a mean period of 1½ years.
Symptom Questionnaire Validity in Assessing the Need for Psychiatrists' Care
Authors: Richman A. , Slade H. C. , Gordon G.
Published: August 2008

In recent years there have been an increasing number of attempts to survey the distribution of psychiatric morbidity, or to estimate the need for psychiatric treatment, in the general population. Various methods of defining or diagnosing psychiatric illnesses have been used (Blum, 3; Scott, 20). These methods include interviews by psychiatrists (Lin, 17; Essen-Müller, 13; Hagnell, 14); the judgment of family physicians (11; Kessel, 16; Shapiro and Fink, 21); the use of self-administered symptom check lists (White et al., 23); and structured interviews by non-psychiatrists relating to symptom occurrence, attitudes, personality scales, etc. This paper outlines an attempt to determine some of the relationships between the results of a symptom-questionnaire; the diagnoses recorded by physicians; and the physicians' request for psychiatric consultation.
The Relationship of Psychiatric, Psychosomatic and Organic Illness in a General Practice
Authors: Kreitman Norman , Pearce K. I. , Ryle A.
Published: August 2008

The main aim of this investigation is to determine whether patients with psychiatric illness have more somatic illness than those who are psychiatrically well, and conversely, whether those who have more than an average amount of physical sickness also suffer from an excess of psychiatric disability. A subsidiary purpose is to determine how much “psychosomatic” illness occurs in association with physical and with mental illness.
Geriatric Admissions to a Mental Hospital
Authors: Herbert E. , Jacobson S.
Published: August 2008

Recently Kay, Beamish and Roth (1964) have shown that there is only a small fraction of old people with psychiatric disorder being cared for either as hospital in-patients or as residents in Homes. Their investigation was carried out in Newcastle-on-Tyne. They pointed out that various other reports concur with the view that medical services at the present time deal only with the visible part of the “iceberg” of mental disorder and handicap.
Shortened Treatment in a Child Guidance Clinic: The Results in 119 Cases
Authors: Hare Marjorie K.
Published: August 2008

Conventional Child Guidance treatment includes a diagnostic “work-up” of five to ten hours and then weekly psychotherapeutic and casework interviews for the child and mother which last for months or years and are very expensive of professional time. There have been few reports of evaluation of such treatment, though Levitt (1963) combined the results of a number of studies to include nearly 10,000 child patients. Of those who received treatment, between two-thirds and three-quarters were improved, but a similar improvement rate occurred in those who were not treated. Eisenberg and Gruenberg (1961) found short-term treatment as effective as intensive psychotherapy, and Phillips and Johnston (1954) and Phillips (1960) claimed better results with short than with conventional treatment. Among the few reports from Britain is that of Barbour and Beedell (1955). They found no difference in outcome between treated and untreated cases or between short and long methods of treatment.
Amphetamine Intoxication and Dependence in Admissions to a Psychiatric Unit
Authors: Johnson John , Milner George
Published: August 2008

The absence of specific physical or psychological symptoms of amphetamine intoxication, coupled with the patient's reluctance to admit dependence upon these drugs makes recognition of these complications difficult. In order to overcome this, Connell (1958) suggested that the methyl orange test for amphetamine substance in urine might be carried out as a routine procedure on all admissions to psychiatric hospitals. As yet, no reports have been made on the value of this procedure.
Clinical Experience with Sulthiame (Ospolot)
Authors: Liu M. C.
Published: August 2008

The anticonvulsants now in general use have made epilepsy among the mentally subnormal no longer the problem it was. However, the treatment of long standing epilepsy associated with behaviour problems or personality disorders in the so-called temporal lobe syndrome still remains a challenge. Surgical intervention seldom has a place in cases with severe and diffuse brain damage complicated by subnormal intellectual functioning, frequent seizures and personality changes.
A Controlled Comparison of Diazepam and Amylobarbitone in Anxiety States
Authors: McDowall A. , Owen S. , Robin A. A.
Published: August 2008

Amylobarbitone has been shown to be effective in the symptomatic treatment of neurotic anxiety in a number of controlled trials (Raymond et al, 1957; Scott, 1955; Robin, 1959), and can therefore be used as a standard of comparison in the treatment of anxiety states. It is here compared with diazepam (7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-1 -methyl-5-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one).
A Two-Year Follow-up Study of Alcoholic Patients
Authors: Rathod N. H. , Gregory E. , Blows Derek , Thomas G. H.
Published: August 2008

This study concerns a two-year follow-up of all the male alcoholics discharged from the Alcoholic Unit at Warlingham Park Hospital between January 1960 and October 1961.
Suicide: The Clinical Problem
Authors: Maddison David , Mackey Kenneth H.
Published: August 2008

In one of the outer suburbs of Sydney, along the jagged Pacific coastline, there is a high cliff known as “The Gap” which is notorious for the frequency with which it attracts, often fatally, the person with suicidal intent. Recently a young man entered a Sydney taxi-cab and asked to be driven to an address in the street which leads to this particular area. Having settled comfortably in the front seat he announced cheerfully to the driver, “Well, this is certainly going to bemylast ride!” To his apparent surprise and annoyance, his cab promptly deposited him at the nearest police-station, from where he was removed, under considerable protest, to a psychiatric hospital for observation.
The Diagnostic use of the Amylobarbitone Interview Among Patients with Psychotic Illnesses
Authors: Woodruff Robert
Published: August 2008

Since 1932 the amylobarbitone (amobarbital sodium, Amytal) interview has been used as a technique for diagnostic evaluation of patients with psychiatric illnesses (Lindemann, 1932). Amytal has also been used to make mute patients talk, as a sedative, a mood elevator, and as an agent in various other types of psychiatric treatment such as sleep therapy, abreaction, narcoanalysis (Horsley, 1936), narcosynthesis (Grinkeret al.,1945), narcosuggestion, and narcoplexis (Brickneret al.,1950).
The Effects of Prescribing Minimal Barbiturates in an Acute Psychiatric Ward
Authors: Mitchell Neil , Turton Christopher
Published: August 2008

The deleterious effects of barbiturates on the vulnerable addictive personality have been well recognized for some years. The first warning came as far back as sixty-one years ago (Clarke, 1904) only a year after the introduction of the first barbiturate drug. Goodman and Gilman (1956) state that habituation to the barbiturates in the sense of psychic dependence is not infrequent, and point out the important fact that most persons addicted to barbiturates have some basic character disorder or psychoneurosis. These authors even go on to say that barbiturate addiction is a more serious public health and mental health problem than morphine addiction because it produces greater mental, emotional and neurological impairment, and because withdrawal entails real hazards.
Tegretol (Carbamazepine): A Controlled Trial of a New Anti-Convulsant
Authors: Bird C. A. K. , Griffin B. P. , Miklaszewska J. M. , Galbraith A. W.
Published: August 2008

Tegretol (carbamazepine; 5-carbamyl-5H-dibenz (b, f) azepine) has been under investigation since 1958 in the treatment of epilepsy on the continent of Europe, following the demonstration of its anticonvulsant properties in animals by Theobald and Kunz (1963). Clinical reports have been enthusiastic (Lorgé, 1963, Bonduelle et al., 1963). The present investigation was undertaken with a view to a more critical appraisal of this drug, avoiding the dangers of sudden alteration of anticonvulsant therapy in epileptic patients, documented by Schwab et al. (1959), while still maintaining the double-blind nature of the trial.
Subjective Ideas of Sexual Change in Male Schizophrenics
Authors: Gittleson N. L. , Levine S.
Published: August 2008

Ideas of changing sex, and the doubt about sexual identity which these ideas imply, are considered to be “invariable” and “pathognomonic” features of schizophrenia by Macalpine and Hunter (1955). The authors quote, in a footnote, a personal communication from Manfred Bleuler dated 1953 which states that Eugen Bleuler would have agreed that “schizophrenics are almost invariably, if not indeed invariably, in doubt about the sex to which they belong”. Planansky and Johnston (1962), in an uncontrolled study of 150 male schizophrenics, found that only 15 per cent. (22 cases) exhibited “direct expression of confusion of sex identity” and only 4·7 per cent. (7 cases) had clear delusions of having changed into a woman. Jackson (1960), Weckowicz and Sommer (1960), and Skottowe (1964) state merely that these ideas occur, or occur frequently. A check of the standard English language teaching texts reveals that Allen (1962), Bleuler (1911), Mayer-Gross et al. (1960), Noyes and Kolb (1963) and Sim (1963) make only oblique references to ideas of changing sex, whilst Anderson (1964), Arieti (1959), Bellak and Benedict (1958), Curran and Partridge (1963), Fish (1962 and 1964), Freeman et al. (1958), Henderson and Batchelor (1962), Merskey and Tonge (1965), and Stafford-Clark (1964) make no reference at all. In their study of schizophrenic delusions Lucas et al. (1962) similarly do not mention change of sex. They state simply that (in males) 30 per cent. had a sexual content.
Schizophrenic Versus Organic Impairment in Abstract Ability
Authors: Begelman D. A.
Published: August 2008

Problem

The existence of impairment in abstract ability for certain abnormal groups has been well documented in the clinical literature (Goldstein, 1936, 1943; Goldstein and Sheerer, 1941). The concept of “abstract ability” involves various types of abilities which may or may not be related to each other in specific ways. For example, the ability to solve syllogisms need not necessarily require the same order of skill as elucidating proverbs, although persons gifted in abstract capabilities may excel in both. Nevertheless, groups of abilities variously referred to as “abstract” seem to undergo appreciable modifications in organic and functional pathologies and disorders.
Psychiatric Disorders in Foster Home Reared Children of Schizophrenic Mothers
Authors: Heston Leonard L.
Published: August 2008

The place of genetic factors in the aetiology of schizophrenia remains disputed. Several surveys have demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of the disorder in relatives of schizophrenic persons as compared to the general population. Furthermore, the closer the relationship, the higher the incidence of schizophrenia. The studies of Kallmann (1938) and Slater (1953) are especially significant and the research in this area has been thoroughly reviewed by Alanen (1958).
The Relationship Between Obsessions and Suicidal Attempts in Depressive Psychosis
Authors: Gittleson N. L.
Published: August 2008

A previous study of depressive psychosis—Gittleson (1966a) showed that depressives with obsessions attempted suicide six and a half times less often than depressives exhibiting obsession-delusion transitions (without change of content) or those without any obsessions at all. It was suggested that the essential “protective” factor against suicidal attempts was the phenomenological form of the obsession as an obsession and its persistence as such throughout the course of the depression.
A Short Clinical Diagnostic Self-rating Scale for Psychoneurotic Patients
Authors: Crown Sidney , Crisp A. H.
Published: August 2008

In the practice of our department at the Middlesex Hospital, the need has been felt for a means of rapid quantification of common symptoms and traits relevant to the conventional diagnostic categories of psychoneurotic illness. Until now, none of the available British scales have fulfilled this requirement. The most widely used is the Maudsley Personality Inventory (Eysenck, 1959) with its subsequent modifications. This, however, although scientifically based, is limited to the assessment of broad categories such as “neuroticism” and “extraversion” which appear to go only a small way towards describing the wide variability of psychoneurotic disturbances. Foulds and his co-workers (Foulds, 1965) have for a number of years developed personality scales in which clinical sophistication and a rigorous methodology are combined. Their Symptom-Sign Inventory, however, consists of eighty questions which have to be presented orally. Furthermore, although the inventory covers psychotic disturbances, it is necessary to use an additional questionnaire, the Hysteroid-Obsessoid Questionnaire (Caine & Hawkins, 1963) to complete the spectrum of psychoneurotic illness. Moreover, the concept of psychiatric illness developed by these workers is individual rather than conventional in a number of respects. The Tavistock Self-Assessment Inventory (Sandler, 1954) is too long for the present purposes (876 items in six booklets). The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (Taylor, 1953) is short and convenient, but it measures one dimension only. As many doctors, including psychiatrists, find it useful to think in terms of orthodox clinical categories for diagnostic, therapeutic, prognostic and research purposes, it was decided to design and attempt to validate a self-rating scale adapted to these categories, taking the patient 5–10 minutes to complete and capable of being rapidly scored by the doctor or an assistant.
Response Inhibition and Deviant Social Behaviour in Children
Authors: Lowe Gordon R.
Published: August 2008

In this paper “response inhibition” refers to the individual's capacity to refrain from responding in ways that are inappropriate. Inappropriate responding, usually in the form of over-responding, is more natural when we are young; but as we grow older our capacity to inhibit response, and hence our effectiveness, is normally expected to improve.
Group Work in Mental Hospitals
Authors: Jones Maxwell
Published: August 2008

Many mental hospitals are practising some form of group treatment either intra- or extra-murally or both. (Martin, 1962; Clark, 1964; Freeman and Farndale, 1961). Thus, ward meetings with as many as 60 patients and staff (Jones and Hollingsworth, 1963), small therapeutic groups of selected patients limited to 8 or 10 individuals (Foulkes and Anthony, 1965), family groups involving single families or several families taken as one group, follow-up groups with ex-patients and many other patterns are being developed. Most of the literature available and most of the training is based on the classical model (Bion, 1961) of the psychoanalytically-orientated group of selected patients, mainly cases of psycho-neurosis and character disorders, who have been suitable for this type of therapy.
A Personal Survey of Industrial Therapy in the Psychiatric Hospitals of the Sheffield Region
Authors: Douglas A. D. M. , Conway Stella , Beeby G. J.
Published: August 2008

Saxondale Hospital was one of the first in the Sheffield Region to start Industrial Therapy. Since June 1960 the unit has grown, more patients are employed, and we hope for further expansion in the near future. From our experience it seemed that Industrial Therapy was useful in the management of the chronic psychiatric patient. However, we felt that a more objective assessment could be obtained if we surveyed eight comparable hospitals. A personal survey has certain advantages over postal questionnaires, and we decided to conduct a complete survey of one region. All visits were made between November 1964 and January 1965.
“No Fixed Abode”: A Survey of Mental Hospital Admissions
Authors: Berry C. , Orwin A.
Published: August 2008

Reorientation of the mental health services towards community care was one of the main recommendations contained in the report of the Royal Commission on Mental Health Law (1957) and accepted as Government policy. It was implied that there would be a considerable expansion in the services provided by local health and welfare authorities for the benefit of the mentally disordered, and local authorities were asked to draw up a proper order of priorities and plan their activities accordingly (Ministry of Health, 1959). The priorities depended upon an assessment of needs and time had to elapse before these became apparent. Since four complete years have passed since the coming into operation of the Mental Health Act, 1959, detailed assessment has become possible and this has revealed the difficulties experienced in the community by two special groups of patients, namely mentally abnormal offenders and patients of no fixed abode (N.F.A.s).
The Clinical Features and Outcome of Stupor
Authors: Joyston-Bechal M. P.
Published: August 2008

Stupor is an unusual but striking phenomenon, generally recognized but difficult to define in precise clinical terms. A large literature exists on the diverse conditions in which it may occur, but there is little information on differentiating one cause from another, or on the prevalence of these causes. This insufficiency extends to the phenomenology of stupor, where descriptive criteria are not always adequate for separating stupor from allied states. Such difficulties are reflected in a current text book by Merskey and Tonge (1965). The authors only recognize stupor if there is total akinesis, where it is assumed that the diagnosis is schizophrenia. Depressive stupor is not recognized as an entity.
Persistent Oral Dyskinesia in Female Mental Hospital Patients
Authors: Pryce I. G. , Edwards H.
Published: August 2008

An association between certain persistent oral dyskinesias and medication with phenothiazines has been observed in middle-aged and elderly women for several years. In most of the published reports it is held that the phenothiazines are an important cause of the abnormal movements, since phenothiazines are known to exert a selective action on the basal ganglia. Other possible causes, however, are almost invariably present. These are brain damage from disease, leucotomy or electroconvulsive therapy (Hunter, Earl and Janz, 1964; Hunter, Earl and Thornicroft, 1964; Uhrbrand and Faurbye, 1960), and buccal factors such as ill-fitting dentures or the edentulous state (Joyston-Bechal, 1965; Evans, 1965). Similar dyskinesias are also said to occur with brain damage when phenothiazines have not been given (Rosin and Exton-Smith, 1965).
Depressive Illness in Jews and Non-Jews
Authors: Fernando S. J. M.
Published: August 2008

Depressive illness is a major medical problem among psychiatric out-patients (Davies, 1964). Most of the recent investigations of depression have been related to the use of antidepressive drugs and electroplexy, but a deeper understanding of the condition quite apart from the efficacy of treatment is necessary (Lewis, 1964). The importance of cultural factors in mental illness is well recognized (Myers and Roberts, 1959), but their study has been neglected in Britain in spite of the variety of ethnic groups in many British cities, especially London. Many of the cultural groups in London consist of recent immigrants in whom the factors connected with immigration are difficult to separate from cultural influences. However, Anglo-Jews form a long established though distinct group which has been fully accepted in Britain for over a hundred years (Roth, 1964). They are predominantly British-born and English-speaking and number about 450,000, more than half of these living in London (Brotman, 1964). One of the older areas of settlement is the East End of London, but with economic advancement there has been a drift away from there to better class areas (Krausz, 1964). It was felt that a cross-cultural study in the East End of London comparing Jewish and non-Jewish patients suffering from depression might provide some insight into intercultural differences as well as the dynamics of depressive illness.
Working for the Hospital
Authors: Oram E. G. , Clark D. H.
Published: August 2008

In 1954 a programme of “occupation and liberalization” was started at this hospital. Attempts to assess this programme were made and have been reported (Clark and Hoy, 7; Clark and Oram, 8). As a result of these surveys, we possess a complete list of the male patients in the hospital in October 1954 and February 1961, showing the work they were doing at these times; many men's names appear in both lists. This paper reports the analysis of these lists and some interesting facts that emerged.
Order of Birth and Schizophrenia
Authors: Sundararaj N. , Rao B. S. Sridhara Rama
Published: August 2008

In a previous survey of hospital in-patients it was observed that among schizophrenics the earlier born were affected to a greater extent (Rao and Sundararaj, 1964). Following a suggestion by Slater (personal communication) the work was extended and further data collected on a larger number of patients to determine the role of birth order in schizophrenics. The present communication reports the findings.
Personality Characteristics of Attempted Suicides
Authors: Vinoda K. S.
Published: August 2008

The aim of this study is to describe by means of certain psychological tests various personality characteristics of those who have made suicidal attempts and to see how they differ from other psychiatric patients and from normals who have not made such attempts at suicide.
The Establishment of a Psychiatric Syndrome
Authors: Moran P. A. P.
Published: August 2008

Recently several papers have appeared which apply the techniques of multivariate analysis in attempts to show that patients suffering from depression can be divided into two groups, often called “endogenous” and “neurotic”, which tend to have different groups of symptoms and different outcomes with E.C.T. or other treatment. The purpose of the present paper is to look at this problem from the point of view of a statistician in an attempt to clarify the logic involved in the various procedures.
Models of Madness
Authors: Siegler Miriam , Osmond Humphry
Published: August 2008

Schizophrenia is disputed territory. Thus, the numerous theories put forth to explain it are of all sorts: biochemical, genetic, religious, psychoanalytic, sociological, crosscultural, interactional, legal, moral, and so forth. These theories resemble, in a curious way, the productions of the schizophrenic patients on whose behalf they are constructed; they tend to be self-involved, and while they often display much internal consistency, they lack any comprehensible relation to each other.
Psychiatric First Admissions from Cambridgeshire
Authors: Moss M. C. , Davies E. Beresford
Published: August 2008

Although the main value of hospital statistics is administrative, in connection with planning future needs of the mentally ill, they have been used by Shepherd (1957a), Brown et al. (1961), Barr et al. (1962), and Ratcliff (1964) to study trends in the characteristics and fate of patients admitted to mental hospitals. Since the factors that govern the admission of patients to psychiatric hospitals are both complex and varied, as has been shown by Svendsen (quoted by Reid, 1960), it would be more correct to say that the studies referred to describe the end-results of a number of factors interacting with each other and changing from time to time, such as hospital policy, demands of the mentally ill, available resources, therapeutic advances, attitudes of the community to admission, the state of the law, and so on. All these factors could be expected to influence the number and characteristics of patients admitted, especially for the first time.
Palmar Digital Sweating in Women Suffering from Depression
Authors: Bagg C. E. , Crookes T. G.
Published: August 2008

This investigation began as an attempt to measure the anxiety shown by patients while awaiting electro-convulsive therapy. One measure used was an assessment of the degree of palmar digital sweating, using the plastic paint technique described by MacKinnon (1963). This is a method by which the number of active sweat glands in a given area at a given time can be counted. In a preliminary trial, the effect on sweating of waiting for E.C.T. was equivocal, but there seemed to be an increase in sweating in depressed patients as their clinical condition improved. In the main trial, therefore, the emphasis was placed on differences in sweating of depressed patients when ill and recovered, though the reading in the E.C.T. waiting-room was retained.
Plasma Cortisol Levels in Depression
Authors: Doig R. J. , Mummery R. V. , Wills M. R. , Elkes A.
Published: August 2008

Sleep disturbance is commonly found in depression. Plasma cortisol levels in non-hospitalized normal subjects show a rise prior to waking, with peak values at between 5 and 8 a.m. (9, 10). In a group of eight normal subjects, Perkoff (10) changed the sleep rhythm to sleeping during the day, using darkened rooms, and found that the plasma cortisol level followed suit, rising sharply in the two-hour period before waking. He stated: “A fundamental characteristic of the diurnal variation of plasma 17 OHCS concentration is the abrupt rise which occurs during the sleep period.”
Objective Recording of Arm and Leg Activity in Normal and Clinical Samples
Authors: Gottfries Carl Gerhard , Gottfries Ingrid , Olsson Eric
Published: August 2008

In the study of mental diseases and their treatment physical activity seems to be an important variable. In order to get an objective recording of physical activity, we have applied two methods. In this study we wish to show how a normal group behaves under different circumstances concerning these two measures of activity, and we also report a pilot study in which the two methods were applied to a group of patients with mental diseases.
Anaemia and Reticulum Cell Hyperplasia in Schizophrenia
Authors: Beattie Myra K.
Published: August 2008

As cases of fatal non-responsive anaemia have been observed in schizophrenia over a period of years, with few corresponding cases in other mental diseases, it was decided to collect and tabulate the findings in cases in which full histological examinations had been carried out. This was done covering a period of 11·5 years (1951–1963).
The Prognostic Importance of Genetic Factors in Functional Psychoses
Authors: Astrup Christian
Published: August 2008

For a series of 972 first admissions of functional psychoses admitted to Gaustad Hospital between 1938 and 1950 a long-term clinical follow-up has been carried out. The prognostic importance of clinical, social and genetic factors was analysed in great detail (1).
The Ganser Syndrome
Authors: Whitlock F. A.
Published: August 2008

In 1897 Ganser delivered a paper entitled “Concerning an Unusual Hysterical Confusional State” in which he described three prisoners who developed transitory symptoms of mental illness. The main features were disturbances of consciousness with subsequent amnesia for the episode, prominent hallucinations, sensory changes of an hysterical kind and, on questioning, peculiar verbal responses which have come to be regarded as the hallmark of the Ganser state. The illness terminated abruptly with full restoration of normal mental function. Despite Ganser's designation of the condition as hysterical, controversy over its precise nosological status has persisted over the past sixty-odd years. Is it in fact a form of hysteria, or is it a psychotic illness of brief duration? Is the hysterical pseudo-dementia described by Wernicke (1906) identical with or distinct from the Ganser syndrome? What is the relationship, if any, of the symptomatology of the Ganser state—the often-described “vorbeireden” and “approximate answers”—to the disordered thought of the schizophrenic and the dysphasia of the patient suffering from organic brain disease? Is it a fact that the Ganser syndrome occurs most frequently in patients in military or civil prisons and is rare in the non-delinquent population? To these and other problems the standard textbooks of psychiatry return conflicting answers.
Familial Transvestism
Authors: Liakos A.
Published: August 2008

This paper reports and discusses the occurrence of transvestism in three members of the same family, over two generations. No similar series of cases has been found in the literature. Lukianowicz, in his survey of the subject, mentions two cases in which there was a suspicion of transvestite tendencies in another member of the family. Taylor and McLachlan mention that two brothers of one transvestite in their series were said to have symptoms similar to those of the patient. They located one of the two, but decided not to include him in their series because “his cross-dressing was not without strong and persistent criminal motives. He posed as a prostitute and carried a weapon with him to assault his ‘customers' before robbing them.”
Differences in Cognitive Status between Healthy, Psychiatrically Ill, and Diffusely Brain-damaged Elderly Subjects
Authors: Kendrick Donald C. , Post F.
Published: August 2008

It has recently been pointed out by several authors that the psychometric assessment of the elderly patient has largely been geared to, or preoccupied with, the solution of diagnostic problems, measuring deterioration or discovering early dementia (Post, 1966; Inglis, 1962). Therefore, it appears that little attention has been paid to the use of psychometric tests in the broad area of prognosis. Often the psychiatric diagnosis of an elderly patient is quite clear, and in these circumstances it would be valuable to be able to discern reliable and significant changes in the cognitive status of such patients. For example, it may well prove quite significant, prognostically, to measure the rate of change in cognition of an elderly person suffering from a progressive cerebral disease. The rate of decline could be a prognostic indicator for the future disposal of the patient or for impending death. A variety of studies have shown that scores on measures of physical and cognitive abilities can predict death or discharge from hospital (Cosin et al., 1957; Inglis, 1959; Kleemeier, 1961; Kral, 1963). In the case of patients suffering from depressive “pseudo-dementia” (Post, 1965) it will probably be valuable to know if their cognitive status reflects changes in their clinical status. But probably the most important aspect of the psychometric assessment of the geriatric patient will be found to lie in measuring changes in function which may be the sequelae of treatment affecting brain function in general, i.e. anti-depressant preparations and electroconvulsive therapy.
The Grünthal-Störring Case of Amnesic Syndrome
Authors: Zangwill O. L.
Published: August 2008

In 1930, the first report appeared of what was later described as “the first pure case of a man with complete and isolated loss of memory-retention”. At the age of 24, the patient, a skilled tradesman employed in an iron foundry, had been found unconscious at his place of work and was thought to have been overcome by an escape of gas. Some months later he was admitted to Professor M. Reichardt's clinic at Würzburg, where he was diagnosed as a case of severe organic amnesic syndrome consequent upon carbon monoxide intoxication. Over the next few years the patient was exhaustively investigated by Grünthal and Störring, who reported his case in a series of papers (Grünthal and Störring, 1930a, b; Störring, 1931a), later supplemented by a monograph (Störring, 1936). The patient was twice filmed (in 1930 and 1935) and presented at numerous psychiatric meetings and conferences. The sound film was presented by Störring at the International Congress of Neurology in London in July, 1935.
The Development of Treatment Skills in Contrasted Therapeutic Communities
Authors: Ritson E. B. , Smith C. G.
Published: August 2008

The nurse's role in caring for the psychologically sick has undergone sweeping changes during the past century. This study investigates some of the new techniques which the nurse needs to acquire if she is to be effective within the therapeutic milieu that is increasingly being adopted in mental hospitals. It is essential that the training of the nurse should fit her properly for the new role and that we should examine the treatment skills which will be required.
Amitriptyline and Perphenazine in Depressive Illness a Controlled Trial
Authors: Haider Ijaz
Published: August 2008

This paper describes a “double-blind” trial comparing ‘Triptafen’ tablets—each containing amitriptyline hydrochloride 25 mg. and perphenazine 2 mg.—with a matching placebo in the treatment of depressive illness.
Gastric “Hunger” Contractions in Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Silverstone J. Trevor , Russell G. F. M.
Published: August 2008

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder characterized by loss of weight occurring as a result of a reduced intake of food; it may be aggravated by vomiting, excessive exercise or purgation. Females are affected much more commonly than males; the illness often begins during adolescence and one of its early manifestations is the cessation of menstruation.
Body Build and Urinary Steroid Excretion in Mental Illness
Authors: Coppen Alec , Julian Thelma , Fry D. E. , Marks Vincent
Published: August 2008

Although abnormalities in physique in mental patients have been reported many times (see review by Rees, 1960) their cause and significance are obscure. Rey and Coppen (1959) reported the results of an investigation into the physique of mental patients using a measure of sexual maturation known as the androgyny score (Tanner, 1951, 1962).
A Study of Pairs of Sibs both Hospitalized for Mental Disorder
Authors: Tsuang Ming-Tso
Published: August 2008

The present study is concerned with what is inherited in mental disorder. Is it an unspecific tendency to mental disorder, is it specific symptoms or features such as age of onset, course or outcome, or is it psychiatric diagnosis?

The study of pairs of relatives with mental disorder is certainly the best approach to investigating the problem of what is inherited. Unfortunately there has been a paucity of studies primarily dealing with this particular problem.
Psychological Theories of E.C.T.: A Review
Authors: Miller Edgar
Published: August 2008

Since the inception of the use of artificially induced convulsions as a therapeutic agent in 1935 by Meduna and the modification of this method of treatment by the use of electric currents by Cerletti and Bini in 1938, a vast literature has accumulated on this form of psychiatric treatment. Yet, despite this vast literature and the passage of over 30 years of experimental opportunity, no predominant or convincing rationale for the use of electroconvulsive therapy (E.C.T.) has emerged; Meduna's (53) original theory of the incompatibility of schizophrenia and epilepsy having been long discredited. E.C.T. remains, therefore, an empirical form of treatment.
Successful Hypnotic Abreaction after Twenty Years
Authors: Leahy M. R. , Martin I. C. A.
Published: August 2008

It is now widely accepted that abreaction as a technique can most usefully be applied in the field of psychoneurotic reactions arising from exceptionally traumatic experiences. During the last world war, ether and intravenous barbiturates were extensively used in the treatment of battle neuroses, often with dramatic results (Sargant and Slater, 1940; Shorvon and Sargant, 1947). For the less spectacular syndromes of peace-time, such methods are probably best applied to investigation and elimination of resistances encountered in the therapeutic situation (Horsley, 1943).
Atypical Endogenous Psychosis. Report on a Family
Authors: Kaij Lennart
Published: August 2008

The classification and nature of psychoses with both schizophrenic and manic-depressive symptoms is still highly controversial. The original view based on the Kraepelinian dichotomy of endogenous psychoses was that the “mixed” or “schizo-affective” psychoses were mixed also in a genetic sense. This would mean that some individuals inherit both schizophrenic and manic-depressive Anlage. This view has not been confirmed. One alternative is that proposed by Kleist and Leonhard, namely, that atypical forms of endogenous psychoses exist, which are genetically independent of both schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis. It seems, however, that Leonhard's concept has attracted little attention. Slater (1953) stated that Leonhard's work was “most interesting”, but hardly mentions it in his text-book of psychiatry (Mayer-Gross, Slater and Roth, 1960). An account of Leonhard's views on schizophrenia has however, been given by Fish (1958).
Late Paraphrenia
Authors: Herbert M. E. , Jacobson S.
Published: August 2008

An editorial in theBritish Medical Journalin 1962 drew attention to the fact that research workers have taken relatively little interest in the psychoses of the elderly. The editorial commented on the important paper by Kay and Roth (1961), which analysed the condition known as “late paraphrenia”. Since the publication of this editorial, no significant contribution has been added to the analysis of this illness.
The Self-pitying Constellation in Depression
Authors: Rosenthal Saul H. , Gudeman Jon E.
Published: August 2008

A revival of interest in psychiatric classification has led to the use of statistical techniques such as factor analysis to help describe the depressive population. Several recent factor analytic studies rating symptoms in depressed patients have had results which portray a common clinical pattern (Hamilton and White, 1959; Kiloh and Garside, 1963; Rosenthal and Klerman, 1966b; Rosenthal and Gudeman, 1967). In each of these studies the first or primary factor has suggested the endogenous depressive pattern. In the most recent of these papers we presented the first factor in our study of 100 depressed women (Rosenthal and Gudeman, 1967). This factor was shown to be similar to the principal factors of the other studies, and to suggest the “endogenous” or “autonomous” pattern. This replication has been an encouraging indication that studies carried out in different patient populations may indeed give reproducible symptom patterns.
Reliability of a Procedure for Measuring and Classifying “Present Psychiatric State”
Authors: Wing J. K. , Birley J. L. T. , Cooper J. E. , Graham P. , Isaacs A. D.
Published: August 2008

It is generally agreed that psychiatric illnesses can fairly reliably be categorized into four broad groups—organic psychoses, functional psychoses, neuroses and personality disorders. Cases are assigned with greatest confidence to the first group and with least confidence to the fourth. The reliability of specific diagnoses within these classes is much less secure and decreases in the same order. The best recent reviews of the literature are by Kreitman (1961) and Foulds (1965).