Die Würzburger Siebold

These two volumes must become standard works in the history of psychiatry and indeed in the early history of spiritualism. Volume III is particularly valuable, for access to the literature of hypnosis in Russia, Poland and in the Spanish and Portuguese homelands, colonies and excolonies is particularly difficult. Dr. Ludmila Zielinski rightly points out that ideological bias has affected nearly all scientific enquiry in the Soviet Union since 1917, and that the materialist approach does not favour studies of the paranormal. However, it is surprising what she has unearthed. The golden age of animal magnetism occurred in Russia between 1880 and 1890, at a much later stage than in other parts of Europe, but its manifestations were very similar. Aristocratic and middle class patients were fascinated and amused by the process, the usual crop of paranormal experiences were reported and a special journal called Rebus was published, somewhat akin to the Zoist. In Poland the political situation, and in Italy, Portugal and Spain and Latin America the influence of the Catholic Church all contributed toward the somewhat fragmentary quality of the work that was done, but, although mostly trivial, Dr. Dingwall has done us a service in publishing the data he has gleaned from the literature of all these countries. Volume IV is another matter, for it deals with the United States and Great Britain, the two countries which, together with France, played the major roles in the study of magnetic phenomena. It is with some reluctance that one has to admit to some disappointment with this particular volume, especially with the section dealing with the United States-the home of Mary Baker Eddy, Phineas Quinby and William James. Nor is the seventy-eight page account of hypnotism in Great Britain at all comprehensive enough for the student of the subject. It is also a great pity that there is not more than a brief summary and conclusions at the end of Volume IV, for a synthesis of the vast amount of interesting material contained in the four volumes would have been invaluable. Despite this, anyone who has worked in this field knows how much has to be read, how difficult the material is to obtain, and how daunting a task it is to put it all down on paper. Dr. Dingwall has left us greatly in his debt for accomplishing what he has, and like all his other books, these volumes will become collectors' pieces, as well as necessities for our libraries. DENIS LEIGH