Ernest Jones Letters re "The controversy over Psychoanalysis," March, 1911

Sidis wrote: "Some of Freud's admirers, with a metaphysical proclivity, are delighted over the theory of suppressed wishes. The wish is fundamental and prior to all mental states. This piece of metaphysical psychologism is supposed to be based on clinical experience. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. The Freudist manages to ride such horses."

Wrote Jones: "Sidis' remark is of course unpardonable, and Prince should not have allowed it to be printed; one will be bound to ignore him in the future."

Biographical Material

Boris Sidis
b. Oct. 12, 1867, Berditchev, Russia
d. Oct. 24, 1923, Portsmouth, NH

Dr. Boris Sidis was born in Russia and came to the United States when twenty years old. He won four degrees at Harvard, the A. B., A. M., Ph. D.,' and M. D. He is a widely known writer on psychopathology and kindred subjects. "Experimental Study of Sleep," "The Psychology of Laughter," "The Causation and Treatment of Psychopathic Diseases, and "The Source and Aim of Human Progress," are among his books. He has been associated with various institutions, including the Pathological Institute of N. Y. State. He is fifty-three [56] years old and resides at Portsmouth, N. H.
American Magazine, 1923, 95, 14-15; 98-102.

Outline for The Sidis Story (Contains more biographical information about the Sidises than any other source found so far.)

The Sidis Story by Sarah Sidis, M.D. (1952)

"Most thoughtful people today have come to realize that all effective psychologists must be as much artist as scientist. They must have a perception so delicate and acute that they can follow instantly along the twisting paths of the subwaking mind. Boris had the delicacy, the perception and the artistry that that takes. It made him not only a great scientist, but a great teacher and a great man, and it made him a marvelous husband."

"But his college teachers did not want him to be a college teacher. 'I am in a rut', said James. 'I teach the same thing over and over again year after year. I have too little time to really study, or really contribute anything to the world. It is a question to me whether my teaching means anything at all to 90 per cent of my students. You mustn't teach, for you can do greater things'."

"...so Boris said to Morton Prince, who had inherited a million dollars, 'Look here, Prince, let's have a Journal of Abnormal Psychology'. Prince said, 'If you think it's a good idea, let's do it'."

[Photo: Boris, Helena, Sarah in Los Angeles, ca. 1920]

Biographical Sketches (1923) "He did not encourage anything in the way of a 'following' of pupils to disseminate his findings and his doctrines. Nor was he in frequent contact with fellow-workers. Add an uncompromising intellectual honesty that impelled him to a blunt outrightness with regard to whatever seemed to him erroneous or mischievous, and it is not difficult to understand why during his lifetime Boris Sidis did not enjoy the full measure of recognition which he merited, and which it would seem certain will eventually be accorded to him." Harold Addington Bruce

        This was in 1888. Less than a decade later―the young Russian having managed to put himself through Harvard, where he came under the stimulating influence of Professor William James, and was led to specialize in psychology―he astonished the veterans in that science by the publication of a striking book on "The Psychology of Suggestion." In the meantime he had been appointed Associate in Psychopathology in the then recently established Pathological Institute of the New York State Hospitals. Here he remained several years, developing his method of hypnoidization and effecting many impressive cures."  Harold Addington Bruce

BORIS SIDIS in H. A. Bruce's The Riddle of Personality (1915) "A bitter controversy developed, and in the end he and his associates were swept from office with their work unfinished, and the institute was reorganized on a "practical" basis. For a time the little band of investigators found refuge in a private laboratory, but ere long lack of funds caused their dispersal, Dr. Sidis removing to Brookline, Mass., where he continued his scientific work, to no small extent centering his efforts on elaborating the law of dissociation."

Letter from Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus to Dr. Sarah Sidis (1950)
"There is no memory of any friend that I hold more dear than that of Dr. Boris Sidis. I need not tell you how close we were and how greatly I admired his ingenuity, his ability, and especially his character and personal qualities. He was a great pioneer in his chosen field of abnormal psychiatry...Hence I was very much interested to learn from you that the University of Miami is planning with you the establishment of a department bearing the name of your illustrious husband."

"The treatment is essentially PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC, based on the latest methods of medical research in the domain of Psychopathology. The psychotherapeutic treatment, however, is combined with general medical treatment of the patients along established and well accepted methods of medicine. Special care is given to the hygienic and dietetic regulation of the patient's life, and electrotheraphy and hydrotherapy, etc., are used when requisite.

"By psychotherapeutic methods is meant to indicate the practical therapeutic results obtained by medical psychopathologists in clinics and laboratories. As a reply to many inquiring letters, the opportunity is taken here to state, although it ought to be needless, that Psychotherapy, based on Psychopathological research, has nothing in common with, and in its methods is, diametrically opposed to the superstitious and anti-scientific practices of lay healers and non-medical practitioners. This point cannot be too strongly emphasized." See Sidis Psychotherapeutic Institute

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