Evening star., 1933-09-17

FORTY YEARS OF PSYCHIATRY. BY Will
liam A. White AM. MD, Sc. D. New York
and Washington: Nervous and Mental
Disease Publishing Co.
~ R. WHITE. superintendent of st.
Elzabeth's Hospital, the Govern
ment hospital for the insane at
Washington, presents in this small
volume q section of his professional
experience that part having to do
With his personal work in one OF the newer
departments of medicine, psychiatry. He does
not make an exhaustive survey of all that has
been accomplished In that field in 40 years.
but tells only what he has seen and partici-
pated in. Any one familiar with DR.. WHITES
reGsrd as practitioner. administrator author
and editor will be sure that this constitutes
a large part of the general development OF
the science of psychiatry during the 40 years.
Dx. White was only about Is years old when he
discovered a key to knowledge which became
one of the most important things in his life
the works of Herbert Spencer. This was when
he had just entered Cornell University where
he had won a scholarship. Graduation from
the Long Island College Hospital Medical Col
lege followed that from Cornell and then for
period he rode the ambulance at an emer-
gency hospital So far and for time after
ward his path was much the same as that
followed by hundreds Of other young medicos
just out Of college. but new path was entered
when he received an appointment assistant
at the Binghamton State Hospital, for mentally
ill patients So his career in psychiatry began
early.
During the years at Binghamton, Dr. White
saw many changes in ideas and methods con-
cerning the mentally diseased. It was period
when New York State progressing from
old to new conceptions under its new State
care act, from restraint to humanitarianism,
then to scientific treatment At Binghamton
D. White progressed from the position of
Eourth assistant physician to that of first
s.stant physician, or practically assistant super
intendent. He there did his first Independent
teaching and lecturing, began to contribute
to- the Journal of Nervous and Mental Di-
seases and through the Pathological Institute
O. the New York State hospital system, met
Dr. Boris Sidis and became interested in his
studies of hypnosis. This stimulated him to
study the symptoms of his patients and their
meaning. 1t vital stage in his develop
ment as a psychiatrist. 1T was an exceedingly
interesting. valuable and I believe, crucial ex
perience for me personally. Almost without
knowing it absorbed the rudiments of what
was subsequently to be the doctrine of the un-
conscious and accepted from the very begin
ming in my attitude toward these problems the
principle of determination in the psychological
Gcld." The doctrine Of the unconscious has
become DR.. Whites fundamental hypothesis
N his diagnosis and treatment Of mental di
scaSe.
In 1908 Dr.. White came to Washington to be
superintendent OF St. EliZabeth'S Hospital. He
found practical problem. ST. Elizabeth S was
dominated by the humanitarian spirit, but still
retained such forms of mechanical restraint
as the camisole and the bed saddle. He
also plunged into the midst of construction
program inaugurated by his predecessor, and
had in addition to become familiar with al the
complexities of the Federal regime. Shortly
after his arrival he was asked to become pro-
fccsor of nervous and mental diseases of
Georgetown University, and the following year
$50 became professor of psychiatry of the
George washington University. 1t a busy
isse from the start and has remained SO ever
since; a life of great accomplishment both
admnistratively in making st. Elizabeths one
OF the foremost institutions of the kind in the
world. and scientifically through the progress
size knowledge gained about mental disease
and the resultant ability to treat the patients
OF the hospital. In both of these fields DR..
White has been a pioneer. DR.. Whites book
carries enlightenment for the non-medical
reader In spite of his disclaimer for it OF
the term autobiography, it has strong auto
biographical element, and SO interesting do we
find it that hope some time to have from
him a fully fledged autobiography.
GIACOMO CASANOVA. Chevalier de Sem
gait. BY Bonamy Dobree, New York: D.
Appleton Century Co.
COR any biography of that strange person.
ality. adventure, teller of tall tales. prac-
titioner of magic, librarian of the Bohemian
Count Wa!dstein, supreme egotists, master
charlatan, indefatigable hunter of amorous
diversions. Giacomo Casanova his own Mem
oirS mus be the chief source But these
Memoirs are SO full Of errors and probably
deliberate misstatements that any biographer
must check and re-check them, if he wishes
to find and deliver information approximating
the truth This Mr.. Dobree assures us he has
conscientiously DONE His photography includes