The author makes an interesting historical contribution to the controversy regarding the discovery of the cathartic method. Breuer used the method from 1880-1882 but published his results with Freud in 1893. Janet wrote about the method in 1889. In 1888 Bourru and Burot published a book which contained a detailed account of what is now called experimental regression by hypnotic suggestion, the technique which was to lead to the discovery of the cathartic method. Freud had heard of the book by Bourru and Burot but whether he had any firsthand knowledge of it is unknown. On August 10, 1889 at an International Congress of Hypnotism in Paris, Bourru and Burot described a technique very similar to the cathartic method. Freud was in Paris at the time of the Congress but left on the evening of August 9th.