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The authors in their preface state that this book is “intended to serve as an outline of the various practical and scientific aspects of shock treatment.” They have fulfilled their purpose in a highly satisfactory manner.
The book begins with a short chapter on the historical development of the subject followed by a long section devoted to a discussion of insulin shock therapy in all its aspects. There follows another extensive report on pharmacologic (metrazol) and electric shock methods. The work is concluded with shorter chapters devoted to a discussion of other somatic non-surgical treatments, prefrontal lobotomy, and, finally, theoretical considerations. In presenting their material, Kalinowsky and Hoch have drawn not only on their own clinical and research experience but also have quoted and discussed the contributions of hundreds of other workers in the field.
The approach is essentially didactic and expository and should appeal to students and beginners in the field. Where detailed explanation is called for—as, for example, technique of preparing and treating the patient — the reader is presented with one method of procedure. This results in an easy comprehension of detail and enables one to master the technique readily. On the other hand, controversial matter, pertaining particularly to the problems of contraindications, complications and prognosis, is presented with considerable statistical data supplied by various groups of workers both in Europe and America.
The most controversial aspect of the subject matter is that which pertains to prognosis. This is readily understandable since criteria for improvement and recovery are not as yet standardized. Furthermore, the values of the various reports differ enormously. Some papers are relatively poor in so far as adequate controls and long range follow-ups are concerned. All that the authors want to state with finality is that electric shock therapy achieves its best results in depressive states, whether these sta