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At a previous meeting of this Association an effort was made to throw some light upon certain resemblances and differences in the behavior of individuals suffering from a type of disorder roughly envisaged as “schizophrenic” and others equally dimly grouped as “encephalitic.”
In that contribution1 the chief accent was laid upon what was termed the “Mental Picture,” after preliminary remarks had outlined a point of view regarding the working fictions of nosology in general.
No contrasting situations such as epidemic encephalitis and schizophrenia are implied in the topic chosen to be presented at this session. Yet in that aspect of the former discussion which might be viewed in the light of a psychobiological reaction known as “schizophrenia” as resulting directly or indirectly from an infectious disease process known as lethargic encephalitis (v. Economo) certain issues emerge which are of paramount significance. It is to these in part that this study will devote its attention.
It is not to be assumed that an attempt will be made to discuss the thesis that even certain types of schizophrenia might be conceived of as due to an infectious process, such as encephalitis, or other related or nonrelated infection. While this might prove to be an interesting as well as a profitable adventure, it is not here contemplated. Nor, on the other hand, will it be a part of this enterprise to again attempt to show what for centuries has been proven to be true, that “ideas,” “thoughts,” “feelings,” are just as capable of producing, under favorable situations, lesions of structure, capable of altering function in much the same, though often with differences, as toxins, bacteria, or traumata.