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Your mind and appearance, a psychological approach to plastic surgery
ABSTRACTS
AND
303
REVIEWS
knowledge increases, our ideas of the degree of distinctness of a race or of the interrelations of races may change. For example, hypotheses concerning the relation of the Bush race to other African groups will vary, but there is just one such group no matter how its anatomy is described. There is no conflict between genetic and anatomic methods of studying races, provided the descriptions are based on populations and t,he same concept of evolution is used. If races are based on types selected from breeding populations, then genetic and anatomical races will be different. Likewise. if the outmoded concepts (orthogenesis, irreversibility, exclusive use. of nonadaptive traits, or arbitrary sorting methods) are used, then anatomical and genetic races may be different. Since many of the human races in the literature are based on these erroneous concepts, at the moment there may appear to be a conflict between the methods of genetics and anthropology. But this appearance is superficial and misleading. Human genetics and human anatomy supplement each other, and both are necessary for the understanding of race. As knowledge of human genetics advances, the apparent barriers bet,ween genetics and anatomy should disappear.
Your Mind and Appearance, By Adolph 212 pp.
Abraham
A Psychological
Apton,
New York,
Approach
to Plastic Surgery:
Citadel Press, 1951.
Price, $3.00.
Apton, a practicing plastic surgeon in New York City, discusses in simple language the problems which those with facial and bodily disfigurements suffer in their daily life. He presents his subject matter as it relates to children, adolescents, and adults. “P,atients seeking surcease of sorrow over their facial or bodily disfigurements are in no sense all neurotics or freaks, ” says Spton. “They are normal people with frustrations. . . . They desire what all normal people seek-‘selfrespect, happiness, and love.’ Even before the young child becomes fully aware of his deformity, he is already a problem to his parents, relations, and friends. These require orientation in their reactions to the malformed child. “ In early adolescence,” we are told, “an orthodontist can change the dental malformation to a degree that it almost disappears. ” However, as this reviewer has pointed out elsewhere, facial malformations which combine a receding chin and a long nose show a startling change of contour after rhinoplasty when the facial features are given a different perspective. The cleft palate and cleft lip child is discussed from the standpoint of his relation to his environment, including his family, friends, .and the outside world. The team approach in the handling of these patients is st,ressed. The correction of clefts by means of surgery or prosthesis is insufficient because it does not correct psychosomatic disturbances and does not help the patient in making adjustment to his new physical state. Apton considers orthodontics, if not .also all of dentistry, as subdivisions of plastic surgery. He agrees that “the orthodontist must approach his patients with psychologic understanding in order to inspire the necessary faith and confidence. Among the topics discussed in the book, in addition to those already mentioned, are: disfigurements of the nose, ears, and lips; deformity of the male breast, the female breast, birthmarks, and other conditions. The limitations of reconstructive surgery are presented. In his account of “the Public versus the malformed person, ” Apton touches upon the reaction of children to adults who have visible facial or bodily malformations. Thus a pediatrician found some children uncooperative because After undergoing plastic surgery the pediaof his own facial disfigurement.
trician found his patients more expressive to his attempts to gain their cunfidence and friendship. IXsfigurement arouses abhorrence in children. This may later be displaced by a feelint? of pity as the child grows older. Orthodontists and practitioners of dentistry in general will find much in this book which will help them in the understanding and handling of their own patients. The author evidences a wide knowledge of the related science of psychology in t.reating patients who suffer from personality involvements traceable to physical deformity. The book is highly recommended t,o practitioners and patients alike. J.
A.
Sulzmmn..
AND
303
REVIEWS
knowledge increases, our ideas of the degree of distinctness of a race or of the interrelations of races may change. For example, hypotheses concerning the relation of the Bush race to other African groups will vary, but there is just one such group no matter how its anatomy is described. There is no conflict between genetic and anatomic methods of studying races, provided the descriptions are based on populations and t,he same concept of evolution is used. If races are based on types selected from breeding populations, then genetic and anatomical races will be different. Likewise. if the outmoded concepts (orthogenesis, irreversibility, exclusive use. of nonadaptive traits, or arbitrary sorting methods) are used, then anatomical and genetic races may be different. Since many of the human races in the literature are based on these erroneous concepts, at the moment there may appear to be a conflict between the methods of genetics and anthropology. But this appearance is superficial and misleading. Human genetics and human anatomy supplement each other, and both are necessary for the understanding of race. As knowledge of human genetics advances, the apparent barriers bet,ween genetics and anatomy should disappear.
Your Mind and Appearance, By Adolph 212 pp.
Abraham
A Psychological
Apton,
New York,
Approach
to Plastic Surgery:
Citadel Press, 1951.
Price, $3.00.
Apton, a practicing plastic surgeon in New York City, discusses in simple language the problems which those with facial and bodily disfigurements suffer in their daily life. He presents his subject matter as it relates to children, adolescents, and adults. “P,atients seeking surcease of sorrow over their facial or bodily disfigurements are in no sense all neurotics or freaks, ” says Spton. “They are normal people with frustrations. . . . They desire what all normal people seek-‘selfrespect, happiness, and love.’ Even before the young child becomes fully aware of his deformity, he is already a problem to his parents, relations, and friends. These require orientation in their reactions to the malformed child. “ In early adolescence,” we are told, “an orthodontist can change the dental malformation to a degree that it almost disappears. ” However, as this reviewer has pointed out elsewhere, facial malformations which combine a receding chin and a long nose show a startling change of contour after rhinoplasty when the facial features are given a different perspective. The cleft palate and cleft lip child is discussed from the standpoint of his relation to his environment, including his family, friends, .and the outside world. The team approach in the handling of these patients is st,ressed. The correction of clefts by means of surgery or prosthesis is insufficient because it does not correct psychosomatic disturbances and does not help the patient in making adjustment to his new physical state. Apton considers orthodontics, if not .also all of dentistry, as subdivisions of plastic surgery. He agrees that “the orthodontist must approach his patients with psychologic understanding in order to inspire the necessary faith and confidence. Among the topics discussed in the book, in addition to those already mentioned, are: disfigurements of the nose, ears, and lips; deformity of the male breast, the female breast, birthmarks, and other conditions. The limitations of reconstructive surgery are presented. In his account of “the Public versus the malformed person, ” Apton touches upon the reaction of children to adults who have visible facial or bodily malformations. Thus a pediatrician found some children uncooperative because After undergoing plastic surgery the pediaof his own facial disfigurement.
trician found his patients more expressive to his attempts to gain their cunfidence and friendship. IXsfigurement arouses abhorrence in children. This may later be displaced by a feelint? of pity as the child grows older. Orthodontists and practitioners of dentistry in general will find much in this book which will help them in the understanding and handling of their own patients. The author evidences a wide knowledge of the related science of psychology in t.reating patients who suffer from personality involvements traceable to physical deformity. The book is highly recommended t,o practitioners and patients alike. J.
A.
Sulzmmn..