A sample of case histories that illustrate the work of the Amsterdam Suggestive Psychotherapy Clinic (1887–1893) taken from my translation of the classic French text Psycho-Thérapie—Communications statistiques, Observations Cliniques Nouvelles and previously only available in that language, is presented and contextualised here. The founding physicians, Albert Willem Van Renterghem and Frederik Van Eeden, hoped to revolutionise medical practice with the methodical application of hypnotic suggestion. It is concluded that their ambitions were a lost cause by the turn of the century.
BatesG (2024) Charles Lloyd Tuckey: Medical hypnotist and ‘amiable necromancer’. History of Psychiatry35(2): 215–225.
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Boston Medical and Surgical Journal (1894) Unsigned Book Review vol. CXXXI, 14: 349.
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BulhofI (1981) From psychotherapy to psychoanalysis: Frederik Van Eeden and Albert Willem Van Renterghem. Journal of the History of the Behavioural Sciences17: 209–221.
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CharcotJMde la TouretteG (1892) Hypnotism in the hysterical. In: TukeDH (ed.) A Dictionary of Psychological Medicine. P. Blackiston, Son & Co., pp.606–610.
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ChettiarT (2012) Looking as little like patients as persons well could: Hypnotism, medicine and the problem of the suggestible subject in late nineteenth-century Britain. Medical History56(3): 335–354.
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ForrestD (1999) The Evolution of Hypnotism. Black Ace Books.
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FreudS (1918 [1955]) Lines of advance in psycho-analytic therapy. In:FreudS (ed.) The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological works of Sigmund Freud, vol. XVII. Hogarth, p.168.
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GauldA (1992) A History of Hypnotism. Cambridge University Press.
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GrossmanJ (ed.) (1894) Die Bedeutung der hypnotischen Suggestion als Heilmittel. Gutachten und Heilberichte der hervorragendsten. wissenschaftlichen Vertreter des Hypnotismus der Gegenwart, 2nd edn. Bong & Co.
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HaldipurCV (1985) The meanings of psychotherapy. Psychological Medicine15: 727–732.
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JJ (Book Review) (1889) Clinique de Psycho-Thérapie suggestive fondée à Amsterdam par les docteurs by A. W. van Renterghem and F. van Eeden. The American Journal of Psychology2(4): 666–667.
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MaehleA (2017) A dangerous method? The German discourse on hypnotic suggestion therapy around 1900. Notes and Records: The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science71(2): 197–211.
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ShamdasaniS (2005) ‘Psychotherapy’: The invention of a word. History of the Human Sciences18(1): 1–22.
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TuckeyCL (1888) Faith-healing as a medical treatment. The Nineteenth Century XXIV: 839–850.
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TuckeyCL (1894) Letter VII, Allard Pierson, University of Amsterdam, Hs. XXIV C 81, transcribed by Bates, G. Personal communication.
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TukeDH (1872) Illustrations of the Influence of the Mind Upon the Body in Health and Disease Designed to Elucidate The Action of the Imagination. J&A Churchill.
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Van EedenF (1892) The principles of psycho-therapy. In: London International Congress of Experimental Psychology. Cited in SWilson (trans.) (2019). Psycho-Therapy. Amazon Digital Services. p.70.
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Van EedenF (1912) Happy Humanity. Doubleday, Page & Co.
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Van RenterghemAWVan EedenF (1894) Psycho-Thérapie – Communications statistiques, Observations Cliniques Nouvelles. Société D’éditions Scientifiques. Cited in SWilson (trans.) (2019). Psycho-Therapy. Amazon Digital Services.
