The first number of the Journal of Mental Science appeared on 15 November, 1853. It will be noted that we are still in our 99th Volume—the discrepancy is accounted for by changes in the mode of issue during the first few years.

The present investigation belongs to a series of studies (1) in which an attempt has been made to contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms underlying those forms of therapy of mental diseases which directly involve physiological mechanisms.† In the previous work an experimental analysis was performed in order to determine the common factor involved in the various forms of so-called shock therapy. It was found that all forms of this therapy produced in the experimental animal an increased reactivity of the centres of the sympathetic system to direct (2) and reflex stimulation (3). Chronic experiments (4) also showed that these alterations in autonomic reactivity persisted for a long period of time if the “therapy” (e.g., electroshock) was applied repeatedly as it is commonly done in the human patient. Special experiments revealed that increased sympathetic reactivity can be demonstrated in the hypothalamus (5).

My first words must necessarily be an expression of sincere thanks to the Association for the great honour they have done me in electing me their President for the ensuing year. In the interval since this was proposed I have often reflected on the number of eminent men who have filled the Presidential chair with great distinction, only to become more conscious of my inadequacies to reach the standard they have set.

I. Problem and Method.

Recent work on the psychology of intelligence and thinking suggests that perceptual types of intelligence tests are inadequate for dealing with psychiatric cases, young children, old people, mental defectives, and primitive peoples. The argument is that, in these groups, intellectual processes have either deteriorated from or failed to develop to that level with which most perceptual intelligence tests are concerned. The methods of scoring also assume that the correct answers are always reached in the same way, but this is by no means always the case, as Goldstein and Scheerer (1941, p. 14) have pointed out. The studies of Werner (1948), Piaget (1951), Goldstein (1940), Hanfmann and Kasanin (1942), Rapaport (1951), Moursy (1952) et al. show convincing evidence that cognition can take place at different “levels.” The exact determination of the number, nature, and scope of the different levels remains a task for the future, since the present situation is confused, to say the least.

How electro-convulsive therapy (E.C.T.) acts, what is the chain of cause and effect from the electrical application to the clinical improvement, are questions whose answers are as uncertain as ever, in spite of the importance of such knowledge to psychiatry and in spite of the researches of nearly twenty years. The experiments reported in this paper are an attempt to elucidate the links of one possible chain. What are the possibilities? I shall review them briefly, restricting the review to the physiological and biochemical aspects and omitting any reference to the psychological or psycho-analytical.

It has become increasingly apparent in recent years that perception may afford a valuable approach to the study of personality. In this growing awareness several converging trends may be distinguished, which have their origin in different branches of study.

The first duty of your President is to say thank you and this I do with great sincerity. To be elected President of this historic association is indeed an honour, and I very much appreciate it.

This is the third of a series of articles reporting an investigation of the block design rotation effect. This effect is shown by some patients when they are doing the Kohs' Blocks Test, which is known in other forms as the Block Design Test. In this test the subject has to reproduce patterns with the aid of diversely coloured one-inch cubes. It was observed that some patients, while they reproduced these patterns correctly, left their blocks in an obviously rotated position, apparently with no idea that anything was amiss (see Illus tration i). Such rotation can often be as great as 45°.

The Education Act of 1944 lays on the Local Education Authorities the duty of providing special educational treatment for certain categories of children distinguished as “handicapped.” Included under this heading are maladjusted pupils. These are defined (by regulations) as “pupils who show evidence of emotional instability or psychological disturbance and require special educational treatment to effect their personal, social or educational readjustment.” This definition is, in the words of The Times (1950), “broadly based,” and has indeed been a source of confusion. The first clause asserts a proposition which is very nearly circular, since “emotional instability” and “psychological disturbance” stand as much in need of definition as maladjustment. The second clause makes for even greater uncertainty. Is it intended to indicate that only some children showing evidence of psychological disturbance or emotional instability need “personal, social or educational readjustment”? The suggestion that this can be effected by special educational treatment has led to much bewilderment. Presumably what is intended is that these children have, in common with other handicapped children, a need for special educational treatment, and also a need for personal, social and educational readjustment. For no other class of handicapped pupils is it suggested that the handicap can be treated by education, however widely this term is conceived or however specialized to the particular needs of the handicapped child.

In this paper, which is a preliminary communication, I want to present and discuss phantasies of the process of birth and of life before birth, which emerged from certain patients undergoing hypnoanalysis.