The New York herald., 1921-07-24
ENGLAND'S MEDICAL
EXPERTS SEARCH FOR
AN ELIXIR OF SMILES
Newcastle Conference Ac-
cepts Psychotherapy
With Limitations.
TRADITION is UPSET
Hospital Beds for Unhappy Ad-
yocated-Christmas Best
for Cures.
Special Gable TO THE New York HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE NEW YORK HERALD.


Copyright, 1921, 6y THE New YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
London, July 90.
Cures by mind, including psyche
analysis, psychotherapy. mental sug-
gestion and all the rest, won complete
recognition at the British Medical AS
sociation conference at Newcastle thu
week. But experts carefully defined
limitations, particularly emphasizing
their warnings against dangerous and
unqualified practitioners. The theory.
taken broadly, was indorsed for the
first time by this distinguished circle.
but it scientifically developed into a
search for the elixir OF happiness
something that will restore smiles
"The best kind of mental sugges-
ton is happy marriage and happy
home life," declared one Harley street
specialist.
Accepted as Genuine.
The conference established beyond
doubt that the medical profession is TAX
ing keen interest in this controversial
i0tolAoii, Olu TtCdlleQ IL
was not so long ago when any doctor
who talked about mental suggestion was
in danger of being denounced as a uuack
ana a cnarlatan. But, according TO DR..
Bernard Hellander. who eleven years ago
published a sensational book on hypno-
tism and suggestion. the war brought
about a changed attitude, because SCI
ence practised widely with good results
not only on the battle fronts but among
home folks In the provinces during the
fighting. He said il was now accepted
as genuine treatment.
Zone disadvantage" he said by way Of
warning, ''lies in improper recognition OF
the value Of these methods. Thousands
of lay practitioners have risen who rely
on suggestion only and do not treat the
body at all, although the mental trouble
may be occasioned by something that Is
wrong with the body that must be dealt
with before suggestion can have chance
OF success. Many practise psychoanaly-
sis In way that exaggerates certain
instincts which are very dangerous.
Moreover. people are led to disclose pri-
vate affairs. which a qualified doctor
might be trusted not to divulge. but
patient has no legal protection IL they
are divulged to an unscrupulous prac-
titioner."
He insisted that il was an established
fact that cases OF neurasthenia could be
cured by rest and hygienic treatment.
As to "Borderlnnd" Cases.
Godfrey Rhodes, joint author OF
Health and the Mind" urged the med-
cal profession to take steps to educate
the public regarding treatment by sug-
gestion, because 'borderland" cases
should always be under the supervision
of properly qualified medical men. He
said that unhappiness played an alarm
ing part in the cause for mental dis
eases. with the next stage melancholia-
or an incipient mental disease. and in
dicated that many cases which were
labelled neurasthenia or hysteria were
so called merely TO avoid the stigma OF
truth-insanity. He asserted that many
persons suffering from strained mind
represented "borderland" cases. but they
would not admit that theirs were mental
cases.
'"rhe ideal sanatorium." he continued.
would be place where the moral and
the ethical side of life was cultivated
along with medical treatment"
He declared that the matron OF one
OF the largest hospitals In England told
him that the greatest proportion of cures
was around Christmas time. when gifts
and entertainments had the effect OF
making the patients forget their all
ments. He asserted that tho natural
tendency OF the body was to cure itself
II IL were left alone, adding:
''Our nation is suffering from growing
pains. We have not yet adapted our
minds to all the machinery that sur
rounds us. People are slaves to the
telephone. the typewriter and so on. un-
til tho mind gets strained. II limb gets
strained Il can be cured only by rest,
and the same Is true Of the mind. IL we
could have happier home life we would
not have 80 many patients for the hos
pitals for the unhappy"
Doctors pointed out that the mental
disease called nerves was largely an
aftermath OF the war and said II had
been found that n soldier could be cured
of shell shock by mind healing. At the
same time Il was admitted that relatives
of slain soldiers had worried themselves
into the grave, some having died OF
wounds self-inhicted and others of un-
happiness.
Or. Gelen Boyle OF Brighton advc-
Gated beds in hospitals for unhappy per-
sons and startled some OF the more ad-
yanced students when she said her sug-
gestIon was just as logical as were beds
for persons with broken limbs. She even
went so fa- as 10 suggest that doc
tor has authority 10 separate temporarily
husband and wife,