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A book that would record the progress made in psychiatry in the last ten or fifteen years would be extremely useful. It is unfortunate that this volume, which appeared in the excellent "Recent Advances" series, falls so far short of what is needed. Of course, it is scarcely possible to record recent progress in psychiatry so adequately that a critical reader would not be able to point out omissions and what he considers unnecessary overemphasis. But in expressing his disappointment with this book, the reviewer is not referring to this type of minor criticism. The chief thing one notes is that there is no proper background of psychiatric doctrine, against which the advances should be recorded. As a result of this lack, the whole presentation is diffuse and lacking in perspective.
The general classification of the material is neither very logical nor helpful. The introductory part, which is entitled "The