Comments on L.S. Vygotsky's Theater Review on E.V. Gel'tser's Performance

This article presents detailed comments on L.S. Vygotsky's review of the famous Russian ballerina E.V. Gel'tser's performance during her Gomel tour in the autumn of 1922. We present a reconstruction of the cultural context, which is quite essential for understanding multiple aspects of the content of Vygotsky's review. We stress the importance of the distinction between artificial and natural movements introduced by Vygotsky's when considering the uniqueness of expressive movement in choreography.

The uniqueness of cathartic experience, which became a central theme in Vygotsky's research monograph The Psychology of Art (1925), is examined in this review using the analysis of classical dance perception. We establish the methodological importance of Vygotsky's account of the opposition between classical and so-called untaught, natural dance (I. Duncan and M. Fokine), which in turn makes it possible to designate the fundamental difference between “spiritual” [dukhovnyi] and “mental/emotional” [dushevnyi] experience.     

Q. & A. on C. P. S

Encephalitis is a challenging public health problem in Kern County and in the San Joaquin Valley area. During the last ten years the authors have studied the epidemiology of encephalitides due to arthropod-borne viruses and the methods used in the differential dignosis of these conditions. To incriminate a virus it is necessary to demonstrate a rise in antibody titer in the blood over a period of seven to fourteen days, the first specimen to be taken as soon as possible after onset of symptoms. A variety of tests may be necessary in some cases. Among the patients included in this presentation the greater number of those with encephalitis and also of those with poliomyelitis were under 30 years of age. The age range was five weeks to 49 years. The median annual mortality rate was 4.3 deaths per 100 cases for poliomyelitis and 3.9 for encephalitis. The greatest incidence occurred during the summer months.The clinical manifestations usually observed in encephalitis are described, but it is emphasized that wide variations and even completely atypical clinical phenomena are encountered. Four representative cases are reported and treatment is discussed. Vaccination and vector control are considered as the most promising means of combating the disease.     

Symposium on diarrhea. 5. Postoperative diarrhea.

Under normal circumstances many physiologic mechanisms prevent diarrhea. The most important are the normal processes of gastric emptying, digestion and absorption, the functioning of the ileocecal valve and elimination of bacteria from the small bowel. A surgical procedure may disrupt any of these mechanisms or may unmask a previously asymptomatic disorder that now requires appropriate treatment. Treatment of diarrhea related to surgery may be directed toward the diarrhea itself with such agents as tranquilizers and opiates but if these are not soon effective any disrupted functions must be analysed and specific measures taken to correct or compensate for these disruptions. The most useful measures in appropriate cases are the prevention of the dumping syndrome and the administration of pancreatic enzymes, cholestyramine, hydrophilic stool thickeners and broad-spectrum antibiotics. These measures may be ineffective or inadequate and surgical revision may be necessary.     

Symposium on diarrhea. 6. Infectious diarrhea.

Diarrhea may be primarily infectious in origin. Causes can be conveniently classified according to the etiologic agent, which may be viral, chlamydial, bacterial, protozoal, helminthic or fungal. The most common type of infectious diarrhea in Canada is viral. Bacterial infection, particularly staphylococcal and salmonellal, also is relatively common.