Sirs, — In a short account of Sir F. Treves's address at Liverpool I observe that the two principal points mentioned both refer to a subject that is coming more to the front every day. I allude to the power of the mind over the body. He speaks with the greatest appreciation of the value of symptoms, pointing out that in diseases generally (specially naming appendicitis) they are nature's effort to cure the disease. In short, he fully recognises the value of the vis medicatrix naturae, or as “nature” in this connexion is a pure fiction, we may say the unconscious purposive action of the organism or more briefly, and more accurately, “the unconscious mind.” The second point alluded to is that in a hospital patients should not know where the operating theatre is or when they are to be operated on. This is because of the depressing effect the conscious mind, dwelling on these points, has on the body, influencing, indeed, to some extent the operation itself. This address therefore gives two capital illustrations of the effect of the unconscious mind and conscious mind on the body in disease—a subject I am most anxious to see developed scientifically by the profession and no longer left to be exploited by quacks.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,

A. T. Schofield, M.D. Brux.

Harley-street, W., Oct 13th, 1902