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Dr. Juarros, author of Los horizontes de la Psicoanálisis, in his introduction to this work of two young pupils, calls it 'one of the most interesting books recently published in Spain.' Having regard to the very backward condition of psycho-analysis in Spain, and to the practical difficulties which apparently confronted them, the authors are to be congratulated on their courage in making an attempt to show how medical psychology, and more especially psycho-analysis, may illuminate the problems of crime and punishment. Unfortunately the attempt has been made with insufficient means. Indeed, the authors' understanding of analysis hardly improves on that generally displayed by writers antagonistic to it. Dr. Juarros has himself something to say about psycho-analysis in his introduction, and, in view of the great admiration which the authors have for him, it is not altogether surprising to find some of the errors he there makes reproduced in the text.
There is also a somewhat extraordinary (annotated) bibliography comprising books and papers in several languages (pp. 216-247). We imagine the authors would be hard put to it to justify the inclusion of some of the works mentioned, or the exclusion of others, but very likely the practical difficulties already alluded to may have been largely responsible. In the section on periodicals, etc. (pp. 245-247), although Stekel's Psa. Praxis and the Int. Z. f. Individual psychologie are mentioned, there is no reference to any one of the German psycho-analytical journals.
We can only hope that more favourable opportunities will present themselves to the authors for acquiring a deeper understanding of psycho-analysis, armed with which we feel sure they could render valuable assistance in the campaign for a more rational and humane system of dealing with the criminal.