The psychic factor in diseases, not as a merely verbal statement but as a phenomenon worth scientific investigation and understanding, is progressively becoming recognized. Dr. O'Donovan has been content in this little monograph to give a descriptive account of various skin diseases, with several brief case histories, where the recognition of the psychological element was of therapeutic value. The skin diseases here discussed include alopecia, areata, urticaria, pruritus, eczema, lichen planus, varicose ulcer, psoriasis—a large proportion of the commoner skin affections. To the psychotherapist, the occurrence and disappearance of some of these skin troubles in his routine practice will be familiar; in others, e.g. lichen planus, the psychological factor will probably be new. It is to be hoped that Dr. O'Donovan will pursue his valuable and in many respects original line of investigation. In many patients the determination of the seat of the disease, and perhaps of the particular lesion, is historical, but a psycho-analytic