University of Michigan Medical and Nursing School - Aequanimitas Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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My three month elective period was spent working in the Pathology Department. My activities during this time were of such a varied nature as to make their specific descriptions too lengthy for this writing. However, the majority of my time was spent participating, in some capacity, in the routine work of the Department which in itself is quite diversified. The time spent there was both pleasurable and a good learning experience. To form genuine personal relationships with the staff of a de- partment was an opportunity presented to me during this time which Ibelieve that, unfortunately, all too few medical students have had. In this regard I am sure my elective period did much to aid me in determining my own future. r H 5 I Michael S. Leahy 63 131

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Fred S. Wright 63 pf . , ' I -6 ' 4 The opportunity to select my own work for half of my final year has proved a wel- come one. Of the variety of possibilities offered by the new curriculum, my choice was a limited one-a project investigating intestinal malabsorption-but this is not to say it had limitations, On the contrary the task grew from within, In developing a largely untried method each step proved to be the source of several questions de- manding answers before the next step could be taken. ln analyzing data returned from a new experiment what answers that did come were more frequently only new questions in disguise, the result being the suggestion of a better experiment that the first. This is to say that the work seemed at times to progress slowly, Whatever the rate of progress, however, the work itself was fascinating and enjoyable. lt was a pleasure to have a sufficient length of time available to work out the methods myself. It was rewarding to have enough time to know the patients whom I studied. 130

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if One of the more recent developments in the field of obstetrics is the use of hypno- sis as an analgesic for painless childbirth. Expectant mothers are delivered, episioto- mies are done and repaired, and Caesarean sections are performed with hypnosis as the only analgesic, It has been my privilege to spend my selective study time with R. V. August, M.D., learning about this new art. Daily, Iworked with him both in his private practice and at Hackley Hospital in Muskegon, Michigan, where he is Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology. While living at the hospital, I was able to see and do many deliveries with the aid of standard analgesics and anesthetics, some with hypno- sis, and others with a combination of both. My data is in the form of a report that has been turned over to Dr. Kutcipal of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan. Hypnosis was also applied successfully in the treatment of vaginismus, menstrual dysfunction, frigidity, pseudocyesis, functional dysmenor- rhea, psychogenic amenorrhea, psychogenic uterine bleeding, premenstrual tension, menstrual migraine, psychogenic pruritis vulvae, functional sterility, psychogenic leukorrhea, obesity, problems of menopause, and other areas. Presently hypnosis has not been accepted by most obstetricians, yet it does seem to offer many advantages over other forms of analgesia. Participation in this area of medicine was a rewarding experience. M. C. Burton, '63 132