The history of a 10-year-old male dwarf is described, in which constitutionally defective instinctual equipment and immaturity of ego apparatuses at birth played a formative part. The instability of homeostatic regulation, especially of the protective barrier, can be inferred from the fact of premature birth. Hand-mouth integration was noticeably defective throughout infancy. He made no attempt to place things in his mouth, and fingersucking and autoerotic activity, with the exception of head rolling and rocking, were noticeably absent. The field was set therefore for defective ego integration.

Being unable to relieve oral tension by finger sucking, he cried frequently, and excessive feeding was resorted to, not necessarily with good effect. Defective utilization of the oral phase resulted in defective object relations. At a later age, while he was obsessed with food and stole it frequently, he refused to take it from his mother, and preferred stealing from neighbours' houses. Food and mother