TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the ITALIAN FREUDIAN PSYCHOANALIST EMILIO SERVADIO to the author JOHN HYDE PRESTON, regarding taking the author on as a patient.

Rome, Italy, October 17th, 1949.. 1949.. Good. - Over 340 words typed on his personal 1-3/8 inch high by 8-7/8 inch wide onion skin stationery. One can assume that Emilio Servadio and John Hyde Preston knew each other for when addressing the author of "Mad Anthony Wayne" and "Revolution 1776" among other books, Emilio Servadio writes that "I was glad to hear your voice on the phone...." John Hyde Preston had apparently left behind some possessions when he'd last stayed in Rome as Dr. Servadio mentions that he has phoned the Inghilterra hotel on Preston's behalf and was told that "everything has been taken away long ago by a friend of yours named 'Marcello".... Was he not the photographer you told me about - a sort of young 'protege' of your wife?" As Preston will be returning to Rome, Dr. Servadio has been looking into the possibilities of putting him up with a family. He goes on to say that "Regarding the analysis, I must let you know that I could not take you immediately, because I am terribly overworked and I have refused not less that [sic] five new cases in the last two weeks.... First of all you should try to settle down agreeably in Rome .... In the meantime it is to be hoped that I will have some 'hole' in my time-table, and be able to take you for three hours a week as planned." Signed "E. Servadio". Folded for mailing with short tears to the edges of the horizontal fold. There are creases to the edges and corners and another short tear to the left edge of the page. <p>The Italian physician and Freudian psychoanalist Emilio Servadio studied music before moving on to the study of law and eventually psychology. A lover of literature, Servadio was drawn to the French avant-garde & symbolist poets. Psychology, particularly the academic psychology of the period, held little interest for him until Freud's "Introduction to Psychoanalysis" stirred deeper feelings. He met and learned from Edoardo Weiss and later collaborated with Weiss to found the Italian Psychoanalytical Society. At the Lucerne Congress in 1934, he presented his paper on "Psychoanalysis and Telepathy" and in 1937 co- founded the "Societa di Metapsichica" (which became the "Societa Italiana di Parasicologia" after the war). Fascinated by metaphysical subjects, Servadio made use of investigative methods to study paranormal phenomena. Servadio was Jewish and he and several colleagues were forced to flee when the Fascist regime enacted racial laws in 1938. Having already been following Indian spiritual practices and possessing a diploma from an Indian University, Servadio moved to India where he came into contact with the religion, symbols and cultures of the people and could further his interest in Yoga and investigate its parallels with psychoanalysis. After his return to Italy in 1946 he, together with Nicola Perrotti and Cesare Musatti, was responsible for the rebirth of Italian psychoanalysis. To understand psychotic states, he experimented with hallucinogens and studied the effects of LSD. "I passed hours in a memorable psychological state of chaos", he wrote, "Today, when a patient talks about depersonalization, neurosis of abandon or persecution fantasies I know what it means." Servadio co-authored with Roberto Cavanna "ESP Experiments with LSD 25 and Psilocylbin: A Methodological Approach", published by the Parapsychology Foundation in 1964. Back in 1952, the renowned Italian film director Federico Fellini experienced the first signs of clinical depression while filming "La Strada" and sought out Emilio Servadio for therapy. Fellini was later attracted to parapsychology and the Turin magician Gustavo Rol introduced him to spiritism and seances. Soon after, Fellini took LSD under Servadio's supervision. His hallucinatory insights and visions subsequently inspired his 1965 film "Juliet of the Spirits". Servadio was a man of many interests and his quest for knowledge led him to join the Freemasons. As a member of the "Monte Sion Har Tzion" lodge he pursued studies on the Jewish-cabalistic tradition. His interest in sexology led to the publication of his "Sex Education" book in 1970, "Psyche and Sexuality" in 1972 and "Sex and Psyche" in 1979. He was an early supporter of sex education in school and spoke on the subject of homosexuality as well as feminine sexuality. Harkening back to his early love of literature and avant-garde poets, at the age of 80, Servadio published his second book of poetry "Poesie d'amore e di Pena". The book was the recipient of several awards and led Servadio to publish several more poetry books.