This is a case presentation of a woman who was apparently interested only in what she could get out of her two husbands and in depreciating her stepdaughter. She identified herself narcissistically with her adopted son whom she kept dependent upon her in an overly close relationship. The tone of

the report is depreciating to the object of study. The interpretations are interspersed in the history and often seem dogmatic. The emphasis is placed upon the narcissism and anal trends, but 'her ruling motto was: Get out of people all you can, and give only what you choose'. This suggests that the basic problem was oral, a question which is not discussed. Moreover we read that 'There can be no question that F.'s chief repressed affect was the inability to bear a child'. Also, 'That F. was gravely schizoid is beyond all doubt'. Thus is raised the question of the present advantages of this method of depicting trends in the description of cases according to the older concepts of set levels of libido.