Evening star., 1935-05-17
MUSIC, PERFUMES
END NIGHTMARES.
DR.. Valentine UiheIy De-
Scribes Treatment to
Psychiatrists.
BY THOMAS 4. HENRY.

Fighting Nightmares with soft music
and perfumes was described before
the American Psychiatric Association,
meeting here today, by DR.. Valentine
Ujhely of Columbia University.
The patient reclines on a cot, his
face covered with gauze on which at
intervals the perfumes Of tuberose
and jasmine are sprinkled. Mean
while soft, dreamy music Is played.
The purpose Is to induce state OF
day dreaming entirely free from ex-
ternal annoyances.
The patient already has been in
structed what to fix his mind on-the
pleasant experiences and ideals OF the
past. When this dream state Is well
established, q gong sounds and the
character Of the music changes. This
is the previously arranged signal for
the patient to try to bring back
the nightmare. But now he Is fully
conscious that 1t is not a reality. He
makes a conscious effort to 60 through
it again in its most terrible form, all
the time assuring himself 1t Is only
o dream.
Strange Case Described.
The treatment has proved very sue
cessful, DR.. Ujhely said, 50 patients
who have resorted to drugs to escape
the tortures of nightmare-haunted
sleep have been able to give them
up. The method. he believes, has
possibilities even in the established
mental diseases.
The strange case Of q patient who
drove three steel drills through his
skull and into the left side Of his
brain was reported by DR.. Jacob Cohen
of New York. The drills had been
In the brain two years when they
were discovered. The patient reported
that putting the drills through the
scalp had been very painful. but
that he had felt no pain in going
through the bone or the brain tissue.
The drills have not been removed
and the man at present Is in good
physical condition.
The act was due to the patients
delusion that the left side Of his
brain was suffering from some de-
fornity which hindered his progress
In life. He was trying to change 1t.
Use of twilight sleep" for the treat
ment Of obsessions and other prelim-
mary symptoms of insanity was re-
ported by Dr.. A. L. Skogg Of k..rl-
sas City.
Power Of Suggestion Used.
The patients respond to the drug.
q form of sodium amytal, with con-
dition of deep drowsiness during which
the physician talks to them and sug-
gests that their difficulties are really
non-existent and that there is moth
ing organically wrong with them.
The treatment is especially valuable
If employed when obsessions Of per-
secution. etc. are first becoming ap-
parent in the mind Of the victim.
A study Of quacks operating as
'yogis, food faddists. practical psy-
biologists and so-called psycho-ana-
lysts" was reported by DR.. Charles A.
Rymer of Denver. The operations OF
these practitioners all over the coun-
try Is much the same, DR.. Rymer said.
After holding out glowing promises
and arranging free public lectures,
they start classes" for $25 per-
son or more.
One professors theory" as re-
ported by DR.. Rymer, Is that I'VE
allow the II quarts of blood In the
body to become filled with dirt, acid
and mucous, loosen our teeth, become
bald, and suffer from an imposing list
of diseases. He would cure this py
substituting Tive foods and sunshine.
Another doctor offers the greatest
message of the age, the discovery OF
soul breathing which removes all
pain regardless of its nature"
Urges Control Board.
To combat the influence Of these
teachings, DR.. Rymer urged that each
city establish q board Of physicians
to examine the credentials of any lee
turer claiming the ability to heal dis
ease, regardless of its nature.
Human life circles around seven
basic problems, DR.. Paul Schilder OF
New York told the association. and
all seven cause discomfort and unhap-
piness until mastered, both emotion
ally and Intellectually. The seven are:
Body and beauty, health and eficiency.
aggressiveness and submission, mas
culinity and feninity, sex and love,
expectation of the future and the
meaning Of death.
Ones idea In respect to these basic
problems, DR.. Schilder said, are usually
determined by the social setting Of the
individual constituting "ideologies" al
most as inflexible as religious dogmas.
Individuals" DR.. Schilder said,
usually believe that their ideologies
are the result Of pure reasoning, but
astonishingly often they do not care
to find out why these are 50 con-
vincing to Themselves. Ideologies
constitute not only theoretical beliefs,
but they have . profound influence on
our reactions and very often are the
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