Orthopsychiatry 1923–1948. Retrospect and Prospect: Edited by Lawson G. Lowrey, M.D. and Victoria Sloane. New York: American Orthopsychiatric Association, Inc., 1948. 623 pp.

Many analysts are unfamiliar with the American Orthopsychiatric Association, notwithstanding the fact that two of its founders, four of its past presidents, and many of its members are psychoanalysts and that much of its basic orientation stems directly from psychoanalytic principles. This volume, which commemorates the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Association, presents a careful description of its history, development and achievements. It offers a scholarly group of well-documented articles on the integration of dynamic psychiatry, child guidance, delinquency, crime, clinical psychology, education, anthropology, pediatrics, family casework, industrial relations, psychiatric social work and psychotherapy. Much space is assigned to the evolution and aims of child guidance in America and the training needs of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and caseworkers. The psychoanalyst who is unacquainted with orthopsychiatry will find this book an unusually good source for its past performances, principles, practices, and goals. For the orthopsychiatrist, it provides an excellent survey and summary digest of much valuable material.

What is orthopsychiatry? Literally, it means 'straightening of the mind'. One can hardly do better than quote the tenets preceding each of the three parts of the book: 'A fundamental task of orthopsychiatry is the study of behavior of the total personality and its integration in varied, perplexing and traumatic total life