Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 1.djvu/142

 134 BOOK REVIEWS

and, further, that unless positive transference occurs the metliod is powerless to effect a cure" (p. 110). And yet this passai^e immed- iately follows one quoted from Freud enunciating the same tiling as ^ a truism of psycho-analysis.

Part II, "Theoretical", comprises three chapters. The first is on Freud's theory of dreams. A concrete account is given and the author's only personal comment is to express the opinion that the interpretation of fear dieams as wish-fulJilmcnt dreams leaves him unconvinced. In fact, he stigmatises it as "this persistent and almost impertinent faith- fulness to one idea". The second chapter, "Freud's Theory of the Unconscious", is a condensation of the final chapter of the Traum- deutuiig, the last page or two being dovotc<I to McDougall's views on the psycho-physics of inhibition. The third chapter, "Theories of the Emotions", discusses JVIcDougaU's, Shand's and Ribot's views on this subject, besides which the author finds Freud's dichotomy into egoistic and sexual instincts "rather vague and incomplete".

Part III is on Psychotherapy proper. There are said to be four fundamental factors at work: Psycho-Synthesis, Psycho-Catliarsis, Auto- gnosis, and the personal influence of the physician (suggestion). The first of these refers to the recovery of lost memories, chiefly in hyp- nosis. The second is, of course, Breuer's abreaction, to which the author attaches great value. The third term is coined to replace the more humble expression of self-knowledge. The metliod by which this is attained does not seem to differ from a combination of Dubois' per- suasion and Dejerinc's conversational talks. "In a certain class af cases it may give findings that correspond with the theories of psycho- analysis. In such cases it should, of course, be called psycho-analysis" (p. 14). Presumably in these cases the subject of sex has been men- tioned by the patient, but wc cannot sec what change this makes to the method. The reader may indeed ask why in this section there is no account given of the psycho-analytic method, for it would be very appropriate here, and nearly a half of the whole book is taken up with the subject of psycho-analysis. Furtlicr, the author tells us that he has performed numerous psycho-analyses in the past eight years with a view to testing the theory of it (p. vii). The answer is a simple one. In spite of his wide reading, the author seems to bo under the curious impression that the psycho-analytic method comprises nothing beyond letting the patient talk. He says, for instance, "Psycho-Analysis is simply the method of free association" (i>. 14), and it is implicit in his whole attitude towards the subject, notably in the account he gives of a "Freudian case" (p. 106, 107). Having no sort of familiarity with the psycho-analytic technique, it is comprehensible that his knowledge of the unconscious is purely second-hand and his views on it, there- fore, of no particular interest.