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In this article Perlson gives a short review of our knowledge of the etiology and treatment of schizophrenia. The very disparity of modern viewpoints indicates a high degree or helplessness in our approach to schizophrenia. Kraepelin's terminology, though bringing some order into the confusion of concepts, has afflicted us with a therapeutic hopelessness reflected in the term 'dementia' præcox. Freud's research has led us into a more and more detailed study of early childhood traumata. The sweeping generality that schizophrenia 'is due to a regression to an earlier state of development or a flight from reality into a world of fantasy' still leaves us with an enormous complexity of etiologic factors, which may in each case determine the schizophrenic development in a different way. There are mentioned unfavorable hereditary conditions, physical disease, trauma or infection on the one hand, and frustrations of emotional urges, feelings of guilt and inferiority and disillusionments on the other, which may be due to social or economic degradation or disruption of home and family life.
The same insecurity as to etiology exists about factors that are responsible for remission or recovery. Almost any sort of therapy can make the claim of contributing to the cure of the distressing illness. Perlson dwells particularly on the different forms of shock treatment. He sees in all of them the fear of approaching death as the activating stimulus which brings the patient back to sanity. But he warns of indiscriminate application of these drastic methods, the brain damage of which has not yet been sufficiently evaluated. Perlson stresses the benefits of occupational and recreational therapy for the readjustment