You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
This book is important to all who are interested in the Schreber case, in the theory of paranoid delusions evolved from it, and, indeed, in schizophrenic disorders in general. Here, at last, we have Dr. Niederland's studies of the case collected in one place, and their collective impact is almost overwhelming, even to one who has read them previously. Part I provides a background for the studies and includes Schreber's family tree, a chronology of his life and illnesses, annotated excerpts from his memoirs, and a brief summary of Freud's analysis of the case. Part II consists of Niederland's seven papers amended to eliminate redundancies, plus a brief chapter on the contemporary significance of the Schreber case. Part III contains several papers and excerpts of papers by other analysts that Niederland considers of major relevance.
When Freud published his psychoanalytic notes on Schreber's psychosis, a florid and confusing set of paranoid delusions was clarified and given meaning for the first time. As is well known, his study was based almost entirely on Schreber's own account of his psychosis. However, Freud was aided in his analysis by his work with psychotic patients as well as his exchanges with Jung and Ferenczi. Freud recognized the limitations of his interpretations and wrote, 'Anyone … who was in touch with Schreber's family and consequently better acquainted with the society in which he moved and the small events of his life would find