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Dear Friends,
There has been a heated newspaper campaign against psycho-analysis in the last couple of months, but I am glad to say that it shows signs of dying down. The »Times« and other papers have clamoured for an outside medical investigation of our work. At a meeting of the Royal College of Physicians a discussion took place about appointing a sub-committee for this purpose, but the proposal was negatived. The Commissioners in Lunacy2, a Government body – also discussed the matter and decided in the negative. On the other hand, the International Council of Mental Hygiene have publicly announced that they have appointed a committee of inquiry, but they have not approached any analyst for evidence.3
This month's »Psyche« has a leading article entitled »The Conversion of Freud« and also a second article on the subject containing the following passage: »A few years ago the analysis of dreams must have seemed to many adherents of the Viennese school to be developing into a not altogether inexact science ... But today the wild men are once more not far from the fold – for if Telepathy be accepted the possibility of a definite oneiric aetiology recedes some decades, if not centuries, into the future«. Much wilder articles to the same effect have appeared in the popular Press. The so-called conversion has encouraged the mysticists, who also say that Freud's life instinct no longer differs from the élan vital, and has been hailed by opponents who say that their opinion has always been that psycho-analysis is a branch of occultism. So once more my predictions have unfortunately been verified and we have added one more resistance to face.«
About twenty doctors are attending the course of lectures given by Flügel, Glover and myself. There has been great difficulty in securing accommodation for the new clinic, but this week the prospect is brighter. A suitable house has been found and if the necessary alterations and arrangements can be effected we may start work towards the