Eugene Davidoff

Prepsychotic personality in alcoholic psychoses

Summary1.In the more acute phases of alcoholic psychoses, the toxic factors apparanetly predominate.2.In the more protracted forms of alcoholic psychoses, the introverted personalities seem to predominate, although organic deterioration cannot be disregarded.3.There appears to be need for a subdivision in the group of alcoholic psychoses to be designated “alcoholic personality disorders”.4.At times it is difficult to distinguish between psychotic, psychoneurotic or psychopathic individuals who drink, and alcoholic individuals with severe personality disorders.5.The traits listed above (See Table 2) in order of their frequency are indicative of the maladjustments found in the personality of alcoholism.6.Complicating organic factors as well as personality integration may influence the severity of the prognosis.1. In the more acute phases of alcoholic psychoses, the toxic factors apparanetly predominate. 2. In the more protracted forms of alcoholic psychoses, the introverted personalities seem to predominate, although organic deterioration cannot be disregarded. 3. There appears to be need for a subdivision in the group of alcoholic psychoses to be designated “alcoholic personality disorders”. 4. At times it is difficult to distinguish between psychotic, psychoneurotic or psychopathic individuals who drink, and alcoholic individuals with severe personality disorders. 5. The traits listed above (See Table 2) in order of their frequency are indicative of the maladjustments found in the personality of alcoholism. 6. Complicating organic factors as well as personality integration may influence the severity of the prognosis. In the more acute phases of alcoholic psychoses, the toxic factors apparanetly predominate. In the more protracted forms of alcoholic psychoses, the introverted personalities seem to predominate, although organic deterioration cannot be disregarded. There appears to be need for a subdivision in the group of alcoholic psychoses to be designated “alcoholic personality disorders”. At times it is difficult to distinguish between psychotic, psychoneurotic or psychopathic individuals who drink, and alcoholic individuals with severe personality disorders. The traits listed above (See Table 2) in order of their frequency are indicative of the maladjustments found in the personality of alcoholism. Complicating organic factors as well as personality integration may influence the severity of the prognosis.

Attempted suicide—A comparative study of psychopathic and general hospital patients

A previous communication of the writers concerned itself with data obtained in regard to 150 patients who were referred to the medical services of two general hospitals because of attempted suicide during a six-year period from 1932 to 1938. In the present paper, they are comparing the findings in that group with those obtained in a series of 150 suicidal patients admitted to the Syracuse Psychopathic Hospital during a 26-month period from 1936 to 1938. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any broad or striking statistical similarities or dissimilarities were demonstrable. Therefore, no theoretical considerations are offered. The two groups were compared with respect to incidence, diagnostic classification, the presence of organic disease, sex and civil status, age, occupation, religion, methods employed, reasons given for the attempt and personality integration. In the general hospitals, patients attempting suicide comprised .27 per cent of the total number of 55,983 admissions (approximately one of 370). At the Psychopathic Hospital, patients with suicidal intent were found to constitute 9 per cent of 1,600 admissions (approximately one of 11).

The sedative action of “delvinal” sodium in disturbed psychiatric patients

Summary1.“Delvinal” sodium is a new sedative which except in the most disturbed cases, is effective in relatively small doses and possesses a wide margin of safety.2.Its action compares favorably with that of sodium amytal.3.It is of value in disturbed psychotic patients because of the mild and relatively infrequent toxic effects which occur following its administration; because of the rapidity with which it induces a satisfactory length and degree of sedation and narcosis, even after continued administration; and because a comparatively slight degree of tolerance is developed.4.The best therapeutic results are obtained in patients with psychoneuroses, manic-depressive manic or mixed psychoses, toxic or infectious psychoses—and, to a lesser extent, in patients with involutional melancholia.1. “Delvinal” sodium is a new sedative which except in the most disturbed cases, is effective in relatively small doses and possesses a wide margin of safety. 2. Its action compares favorably with that of sodium amytal. 3. It is of value in disturbed psychotic patients because of the mild and relatively infrequent toxic effects which occur following its administration; because of the rapidity with which it induces a satisfactory length and degree of sedation and narcosis, even after continued administration; and because a comparatively slight degree of tolerance is developed. 4. The best therapeutic results are obtained in patients with psychoneuroses, manic-depressive manic or mixed psychoses, toxic or infectious psychoses—and, to a lesser extent, in patients with involutional melancholia. “Delvinal” sodium is a new sedative which except in the most disturbed cases, is effective in relatively small doses and possesses a wide margin of safety. Its action compares favorably with that of sodium amytal. It is of value in disturbed psychotic patients because of the mild and relatively infrequent toxic effects which occur following its administration; because of the rapidity with which it induces a satisfactory length and degree of sedation and narcosis, even after continued administration; and because a comparatively slight degree of tolerance is developed. The best therapeutic results are obtained in patients with psychoneuroses, manic-depressive manic or mixed psychoses, toxic or infectious psychoses—and, to a lesser extent, in patients with involutional melancholia.

Psychotherapy in neurotic patients with somatic disease

ConclusionBecause of the increasing interest in the personality factors in somatic disease, the type of case herein mentioned is worthy of our attention from a psychotherapeutic, social and mental hygiene standpoint. However, much knowledge is yet to be obtained before any definite conclusions can be reached concerning all factors in the symptomatology and treatment of somatic disease as well as the personality manifestations occurring prior to and in their course.Because of the increasing interest in the personality factors in somatic disease, the type of case herein mentioned is worthy of our attention from a psychotherapeutic, social and mental hygiene standpoint. However, much knowledge is yet to be obtained before any definite conclusions can be reached concerning all factors in the symptomatology and treatment of somatic disease as well as the personality manifestations occurring prior to and in their course.

Habitus and personality in mental disease associated with organic disease

This paper presents an analysis of 100 patients admitted consecutively to the Syracuse Psychopathic Hospital in whom a diagnosis was made of psychosis associated with an organic disorder. These cases consisted for the greater part of psychoses with acute infectious disease, with postinfectious states, with somatic disease, and with toxic, metabolic or endocrine disturbance. Since the type of patient admitted to this hospital usually manifests early acute or subacute mental illness, those with degenerative disease such as arteriosclerosis comprised hut a small percentage of the cases. As far as possible, those patients were excluded who had developed psychoses previous to the onset of their organic illness. All the patients admitted to the psychopathic hospital naturally reacted poorly to their illness and adjusted poorly to the home or to the general hospital regimen. These included, therefore, the excessively aggressive or submissive and the confused or delirious reaction-types. During hospitalization these patients were either dull, apathetic, self-absorbed and depressed, or suicidal, agitated, destructive, assaultive, impulsive, homicidal, delusional, hallucinatory, confused and grossly delirious. I t is interesting to note that in many of these cases the previous personality defects were so severe that a differential diagnosis between functional psychosis and organic psychosis was established with difficulty. After the acute phase of the illness had subsided, these patients generally showed some improvement mentally. However, favorable adjustment in the hospital was delayed in most cases because the defects in personality became more evident.

The function of the Mental Hygine clinic in regard to juvenile conduct disorders

Frequently in the intermediate type of delinquency the psychiatric approach can be used, personality studies are of value, a period of readjustment can be planned, coordination between agencies can be secured and the community can accept this type. The two cases presented above are representative. However, there are cases in this group which present therapeutic obstacles similar to those mentioned in the previous communication in regard to the protracted juvenile delinquent.

The Child Guidance Approach to Juvenile Delinquency

80 to go per cent of juvenile delinquents will not carry their delinquency into adult years, so that efforts toward the prevention of delinquency have relatively little meaning in the reduction of adult crime. While Bovet recognizes the reality of law and delinquency, he decides that prevention must be considered as an opportunity for an effective and strong mental hygiene effort. A serious approach, he concludes, can only be hindered by considering delinquents as a group and treating them according to their offenses. He offers a few practical modifications of present-day institutional and other methods of treatment. The notable characteristic of this work is the authors ability to use knowledge from various schools of thought, both medical and nonmedical, on the subject of delinquency, organize it deftly, and present it concisely.

Personality and habitus in organic disease

In an effort to ascertain the reaction of individuals to organic disease, the writers investigated a series of 100 consecutive cases admitted to the ward medical service of a general hospital.t The majority of these persons were suffering from subacute organic disease. An analysis was made of these patients, with respect to adjustment to hospital routine, previous personality and physical habitus. An attempt was made to correlate the data thus obtained (1) to gain some conception of the rSle played by the personality and the habitus in physical disease and (2) to provide material for comparison with a similar group of patients admitted to a psychopathic hospital with physical and mental disease.

The function of the mental hygiene clinic in regard to juvenile conduct disorders: The intermediate type of conduct disorder

SummaryFrequently in the intermediate type of delinquency the psychiatric approach can be used, personality studies are of value, a period of readjustment can be planned, coordination between agencies can be secured and the community can accept this type. The two cases presented above are representative. However, there are cases in this group which present therapeutic obstacles similar to those mentioned in the previous communication in regard to the protracted juvenile delinquent.