 This film is dedicated to the memory of Vladimir Deftere, Restoration of Sanity, scripted by Alnaldi, Chief Consultant Professor Mershyshev, Consultant Senior Researcher Triliwitsky, Direction Bartegna, Camera Jere, produced by the Leningrad Popular Science Film Studios, released by SovExport Film. Insane aside, man, crazy, lunatic, are some of the terms applied to people who have lost their minds. They used to be called God's fool. Medical idealists alleged that it was the possession of a man's soul by vicious passions. And so to purge the soul, they tortured the body, though it was in the early 19th century. But even at that time, materialists said there was no such thing as a soul. They maintained that insanity was a disease of the brain. Irana Setinov, the founder of the Russian School of Physiology, and later the great scientist Ivan Pavlov, investigated the functions of the human brain and nervous system. They ascertained that all psychic activity stems from reflexes. This is an unconditioned reflex. During his lifetime, man also develops a great variety of conditioned reflexes. The reflex is a form of bond between the organism and its environment. This person is mentally healthy. Not only the prick of a needle, but even the sight of it stimulates a reflex. But how does the mentally deranged person react? The diseased brain does not respond to external irritation. The organism has lost contact with its environment. The psychic phenomena were first studied by Vladimir Bechtere, a progressive-minded man of science and of materials. He made an enormous contribution to the science, which deals with the structure and functions of the human brain. Bechtere applied the science of conditions, or, as he called them, combination reflexes to the study and treatment of neuroses and psychoses. His pupils and followers, on the staff of the Psycho Neurological Institute, founded by Bechtere, are continuing the humanistic traditions of Russian medicine for promoting the health of the people. A new patient. Let's trace his death. We shall follow him into the institute to see what the doctors and scientists are going to do to bring him back to sanity. A great misfortune has befallen Valerian Paniček. He has lost the power of understanding where he is, and what happened to him. He is pursued by terrifying monstrous images. Can sanity be restored to Paniček and the other patients? I tear like a wolf at the throat of bureaucracy, down with routine and red tape. But look, those verses are not yours. They are. They are Mayakovsky's. But Mayakovsky has died long ago. Yes, but I wrote them in 1930. You're still living, aren't you? So how does Mayakovsky come? I'll explain. He was my son. He also wrote poetry and used my pseudonyms. He died for lyrical reasons. This patient imagines that he is in his country home. Are you a composer too? Yes. What have you written? I've written ten Shostakovich symphonies. All of Shostakovich's symphonies are mine. Some of Prokofiev's compositions are mine too. Every mental illness has its causes associated with a patient's character, his upbringing, and the joys and sorrows he has gone through. It is necessary to know all this before beginning a treatment. It's better to get the story from the patient himself. Medicine now has means of temporarily restoring the patient's consciousness. Well, how do you feel? Where am I? In a hospital? Yes, you are not feeling well. Why were you silent? Why didn't you eat anything? They thought badly. Who is there? I don't know. They're not around anymore. Don't worry. Everything will be all right. We'll cure your illness. The talk with Panichev was the psychiatrist's first step. Later he questioned the patient's parents and relations. Panichev's mother told the doctor that her son lived in living red when he was 14 and suffered all the horrors of the blockade, hunger, cold, and bombardment. He was shell shocked. And before the war, was he a nailing child? Yes. He was a weak boy, easily susceptible to sickness. Could it have been the ailments of childhood that deranged Panichev's mind? Was that the cause of his hallucinations? Perhaps. But there may be other reasons. The patient's brain related the following incident. Two years ago when he and Valerian were returning together from work, a car coming round the corner almost over ran a child. Valerian rushed to save it. It was in time to push the boy aside, but was knocked down by the car's fender. The psychiatrist is not the only person concerned with the well-being of each patient. The institute's researchers and physicians and the laboratory staff helped to identify the disease, detect the organic changes that are caused, and devise methods of treatment. It is not easy to make a diagnosis, nor is it easy to treat a mental disease, especially in its early stage. The patient views the doctor's actions as a threat to his life. Various primitives are applied in the institute. Panichev is medicated with aminosin. Epileptics are treated with a best-of combination. With a best-of compound in combination with other remedies. Insulin shock and other modern methods are applied to schizo-phrenics. The treatment goes on for weeks. Seldom does a mental disease a date suddenly. All of the institute's departments pitch into the health-restoring effort. This department is for treating neurosis. Nina Yemelyanova suffers from hysterical paralysis of the right arm. The worst of that of every disease is moral depression, when the patient loses heart, as well as hope of recovery. Victoria attached much importance to psychotherapy. The psychotherapist must find the source of the ailment, explain it, and restore the patient's good chair and confidence in recovery. Do you know the cause of your paralysis? No. Is it nervous trouble? Yes, you guessed right. But why should the nerves of a young woman like you be in disorder? What do you think? It's been with me that way before, since childhood. It's the consequence of wrong upbringing, of pandering. Coddling deranges the nervous system. You had always been guarded from trouble, and when it did come, your nerves capitulated. Rest assured that we will cure you. Today we're going to start treating you by hypnotism. Your arm will be active again. Sleep. Your eyelids are heavy with drowsiness. They have closed, and you cannot open them. Sleep deeper. Now you are calm. Your arm is gaining strength. I will now lift it, and it will stay raised. Move your wrist. Power of motion is coming back. When you awake, your arm will function. Very good. You're on the road to recovery. Victoria developed the theory of hypnosis, and applied it for the treatment of nervous and mental disorders. Sleep sound. One, two, three. Hypnosis is applied in the institute today for individual and group treatment of alcoholism and other diseased conditions. You now feel repugnance for vodka, for wine, and all other alcoholic beverages. You will awake with an aversion to alcohol. Sleep sound. After weeks of treatment, Nina Yemelyanova works almost as deathly as other patients. Since Victoria's time, the doctors have been prescribing manual work as a potent therapeutic agency. Special workshops have been opened for this purpose. Valerian Panichev also continues his treatment here. Vladimir Victoria introduced a new branch of medicine. Neurosurgery for the treatment of nervous diseases by surgical operation. What brought this man to the neurosurgical clinic? The presumption that he has a brain tumor. Presumption, however, is not sufficient ground for venturing such a delicate operation. Modern instruments trace the curve of the brain's electric currents. Yes, there are electrical phenomena in the human brain. They were discovered and studied by Dr. Victoria's back in the old days, when there were no such sensitive instruments. Present-day radio and television techniques afford an opportunity to probe into the brain. All doubts are now being discussed. The findings have confirmed the diagnosis. An x-ray of the brain's blood vessels shows the exact location of the tumor. Now the surgeon can apply the scalpel. Neurosurgery has saved thousands of lives. The operation was successful. The vestiges of the tumor will be destroyed by x-rays. Here again is Nina Yamelyanima. She completes her course of treatment with radioactive valves and other physical methods. The physical methods applied at the Institute are based on Victoria's ideas of treating nervous diseases by reflexo-therapy. Fresh confirmation of Victoria's ideas have been found in an ancient curative method of Chinese medicine. Treatment by needle pricks and cauterizing is another good remedy. And so, having completed our round of the Psycho-Neurological Institute, we shall leave it together with Paneche. The doctor reminds him that he should visit the neuro-psychiatric dispensary. And one more reminder. Panechev should abstain from alcoholic drinks. Every day the Departments of Institute send home people to whom the doctors and scientists have restored sanity and health. Vladimir Becharev, the doctor, scientist and prominent public figure, was a man spelled with a capital letter. He lived and worked for the sake of restoring sanity to the insane of promoting the health of mankind.