Free The Mind of Mr Soames by Charles Eric Maine

education is concerned.’ Pedantically self-assured, he clasped his hands behind his back and rocked to and fro on his heels. ‘I shall be personally responsible to Dr Breuer for the overall psychotherapy programme, and you, gentlemen, will be responsible to me for putting it into effect. Since the education authority, the Ministry and the world in general are keenly interested in the progress of Mr Soames, it is most important that adequate written records should be kept. Additionally, the Ministry have arranged to have visual and audio recordings made at certain phases in the treatment, so from time to time you may find the annexe invaded by technicians with cine cameras and lights and tape recorders.’
    ‘Don’t you think that might have a disturbing effect on the patient?’ Dr Bird asked, putting his head on one side in a characteristic manner. ‘I mean, once he begins to realise that he is the centre of such publicity...’
    ‘It could indeed, but it is our function to make sure that he suffers no disturbing effect of any kind from any source. In other words, Mr Soames must be taught to regard manifestations of outside interest as unremarkable.’
    ‘I take it that the general policy is firm conditioning from the outset,’ Conway said.
    ‘But of course. We must establish a normal pattern of behaviour by discipline, just as one would with a very young child.’
    ‘You mean normal in the sense of inhibited—conforming to accepted social practices and conventions?’
    ‘What else could I possibly mean, Dr Conway?’
    Conway shrugged. ‘It’s just a question of perspective. It seems to me that Mr Soames is normal here and now. He has a virginal mind, so far unmodified by the stringent requirements of civilised communal living. In effect what we have to do is make Mr Soames abnormal, but in the same way as we are all abnormal, so that he can take his place among us and be accepted without raised eyebrows.’
    ‘I question the accuracy of your perspective, as you put it,’ Mortimer said, ‘but the end result is the same.’ He frowned petulantly. ‘We all have our individual interpretations of social psychology and human behaviour, but let me say this, Dr Conway—so far as this Institute is concerned we are trying to turn Mr Soames into a normal man, not an abnormal one, and that is the policy which must be reflected in written records and official reports.’
    ‘I appreciate that,’ Conway remarked. ‘It’s simply that I can’t help feeling that we’re throwing away a wonderful opportunity to find out precisely what is normal in an adult human being. Agreed, Mr Soames has to be taught certain obvious habits for his own good, just as one might house-train a kitten or a puppy, and he has to be taught to communicate, and he must necessarily learn something of the kind of world he is living in. Those things are fundamental. But supposing we were to let him establish his own behaviour patterns beyond that level, to adapt himself to his environment instead of forcing him to conform to the established adult syndrome.’
    ‘An interesting experiment,’ Mortimer said with a hint of sarcasm in his gravelly voice. ‘However, this is not an experiment at all, but simply a matter of efficiently applied psychotherapy.’ He smiled condescendingly. ‘I think it is better, ethically, to leave experiments of that kind to the specialists who practise on dogs.’
    Conway said no more. He felt effectively silenced.
    ‘In my office,’ Mortimer continued, ‘ is a schedule—what you might call a master plan. It was drawn up by Dr Breuer and myself in collaboration with experts from the regional board and the Ministry. It details the essentials of the entire psychotherapeutic programme and forms the framework within which we must proceed. I should like you all to read it and subsequently refer to it as and when necessary. It will be readily available at all times.’
    Dr Wilson said: ‘I assume we start here and