Letter: BBB to Board of Medical Examiners (1951)

March 19, 1951

Dr. E. S. Hallinger, Secretary
Board of Medical Examiners
28 West State Street
Trenton S, New Jersey

Dear Doctor Hallinger:¹

This is in reply to your letter of March 14, asking for such information as we  may have on “Dianetics.”

The Bureau has not done anything in the  way of investigating this activity, other than to collect data from various sources concerning it. These are, of course, for the most part, hearsay, and they may not be of value to you in your regulatory activity against the firm.

For instance, the files contain reference to considerable material which has been published„both critical and otherwise, concerning Hubbard. There was an editorial based on Hubbard!s book in Postgraduate Medicine for Septenb6r 1950, pages. 242-243,  entitled , ‘Dianetics, Or the Poor Man’s’ Psychoanalysis”, by Dr. Morris Fishbein.

A book review on “Dianetics” appeared in the Mental
Health Bulletin for September-October 1950.  An editorial note on Dianetics which appeared in the New York Herald Tribune book review section for Sept. 3, 1950, was reprinted in Psychosomatic Medicine for November-December 1950, Page 343.

Our files also contain material which has appeared in Time Magazine for June 24, 1950,page 64, and two articles by Robert S. Kleckner, one entitled “Science or Quackery? Dianetic Disciples Claim Cures” which appeared in the same paper for Oct. 26, 1950, and the other entitled “New ‘Mental Science’ Cult Hard Hit by Two Resignations”, which appeared in the same paper for Oct. 26, 1950. In the latter article reference is made to the resignation of Dr. J. A. Winter from the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation. Dr. Winter wrote the preface to the book “Dianetics.”

We also have in the files a bulletin entitled “Family Life”, put out by the American Institute of Family Relations, for September 1950, which contains a review of “Dianetics.” An editorial appeared in the American Journal of Psychotherapy for October 1950, and Look Magazine for Dec. 5, 1950, published an article entitled “Dianetics – Science or Hoax?”

Dr. E. S. Hallinger 3-19-51
Page 2

We would be very happy to prepare for you photostatic copies of any of the material  that we have here. We could probably get them to you in time for your use on March 27.

We  enclose a copy of a “Query and Minor Note” on “Dianetics” which appeared in THE JOURNAL for July 29, 1950, page 1220.

Very sincerely yours,

Oliver Field,
Director

Notes