Letter from Lou Andreas-Salomé to Freud, October 15, 1917

Göttingen, 15 October 1917

Dear Professor,

I have read Groddeck's brochure with great pleasure. It is excellent, just what we need. That is how Adler should have proceeded, as in fact he had begun to do in his Inferiority of Organs,90 instead of being diverted into speculation. I have often thought what a pity it was that no one had pursued this path further and that some specialist for internal diseases or general practitioner had not taken it up, for the psycho-analysts themselves must be very careful not to get involved in such cases and cause renewed misunderstandings. It is already difficult enough to overcome these gradually in the purely psychical sphere. And for this reason what you said is certainly true, that in cases where physical illness is also present, it should be dealt with alongside the psycho-analytical treatment, and where possible by a different doctor.

In any case that is what is necessary in the first place. People like Groddeck will certainly discover for themselves how soon their method will be confused with every species of quackery, including faith healers, telepathy experts and such like. But if he now manages on his own territory to conquer a small area, that is excellent for the future of psycho-analysis. In comparison with this practical aspect the question of whether his ‘Id’ is identical with your Ucs or is more comprehensive seems to me unimportant. He is clearly one of those who make use of theories, in order to be unimpeded in the range and boldness of their researches—and in the light of these researches to be able to abandon or modify their theories as the case may be. And that after all is your standpoint too: for me at least the way you made use of any particular theory as well as your dislike of philosophizing was an expression of this determination and resignation—namely, to concentrate wholly on the particular subject of investigation. Even in Groddeck's style there is something which