PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 3

PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGY

■ WELCOME TO DR FENNELLY

A representative attendance of past and present, members of tho Dunedin Practical Psychology Club gathered in the Jubilee Hall last night to welcome Dr P. Fennelly (past president of the British Association of Practical Psychology] and Mrs Fennelly to Dunedin. The President of tho club (Miss 0. Mercer), in introducing tho guest, said it'was a great privilege for all interested in practical psychology to havo such a widely-travelled lecturer in their midst, Dr Fennelly having been a world tour through India, Europe, South America, South Africa, and Australia, and now visiting the chief cities of New Zealand, and giving a series of lectures in bach. Tho following programme was presented:—Accordion solo, Mr G. Bennet; song, Mr F. C. Cooper; song, Miss Finnerty; song, Mr L. Booth. Mrs W. T. Wilson acted as accompanist. During tho evening Dr Fennelly delivered a short address on the subject of the psychology of music and colour, pointing out tho manner in which they havo recently been employed in English and other hospitals for the cure and alleviation of disease. He gave some w'ondorf ul instances of the-manner in which music. had been substituted as an anaesthetic in both major and minor operations and the painless extraction of teeth. It was a fascinating lecture. “Half an hour,” said the doctor, “ listening to tho right kind of music will heal some diseases more certainly than any medicine. Music which invokes tho normal expansive emotions makes for health and happiness.” Quoting from the report of an operation in tho Sisters Hospital, Chicago, the doctor said: “ ‘ The Kreiitzucr Sonata ’ was probably never played under more unusual circumstances than when Jan Rubini, a Russian violinist, played it in the operating theatre of the hospital when Mrs Vaezcll was undergoing an abdominal operation. When sho had been properly placed in position on the operating table the surgeon nodded to tho violinist, and tho melody sounded through tho room, 4 Do you feel any pain,’ said the surgeon as ho made tho incision. ‘Not in the least,’ was the woman’s reply, 4 the music is beautiful.’ As tho operation continued the 4 Krcutzner Sonata ’ melted into • Schubert’s 4 Avo Maria.’ After tho operation Mrs Vaezell smiled as she was carried back to her bed. Music as an amesthetic had been a complete success.-