First, can I applaud the Journal for publishing Dr Bourne's (Reference Bourne2004) rude and rousing letter, but also express a concern and hope that the Editor does actually read and take note of the letters sent ‘to him’. I have recently had reason to re-read Bleuler, Jaspers and Jung on the origins, phenomenology and understanding of schizophrenia, and been warmed and deeply impressed by the intimacy, humanity and complex insightfulness they offer. Their writings are richly populated by the people they studied, not a few of whom seem rather like my patients too. Their work stands in striking contrast to the current literature, not least because there is not a single table of numbers in their collected works.

We appear to have lost something of great value, and I am less sure of the value of the dispassionate, anonymous, scientific material that has replaced it. Time to redress the balance?