DERMATOLOGY

which primarily aims at mental and physical relaxationas providing the correct atmospherefor the implantation of suggestivetreatment. The patient is placed on a couch and told to lower his upper eyelid and handsat the same time. The procedure produces an automatic relaxation which leads to easy thinking. Positivesuggestionsleading to alleviation of symptomsare then given. He regardstwo main processesat work in humanbeings. "The negatives make for difficulty, un-ease,disease; the positives for ease,power, health." Among the former are classed depression (self-pity), greed, self-consciousness, worry, obstinacy,helplessnesset cetera. The corresponding positives would be self-congratulation,gratitude, altruistic thinking, ease,cooperation,power of self-help. In giving suggestion the direct opposite'of the negative phase is stressed, and this tends to produce ali uplift of the positives in general, a phenomenon termed positive circling. The author is at pains to differentiate the state of relaxationfrom that due to hypnosis. Much of the curative value is ascribed to the "easy thinking" producing its own catharsis. Although Dr. Inkster disowns Freudian leanings, it is apparent that the method in certain aspects is closely akin to treatmentby free association. Illustrative cases are cited and good results are reported. The essayis worthy of close attentionby thosepractising psychiatry, but is of little interest to the general practitioner.