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The first edition of this book was most excellently reviewed by John A. P. Millet in this QUARTERLY, Volume VI, 1937. At that time the reviewer said 'a real debt is owed to Dr. Allen by those interested in acquiring some understanding of the history of modern psychological thought without the necessity of delving into original writings or elaborate expositions of the various points of view which have been developed'.
The popularity and acceptability of this book is attested to by the fact that it has sold continuously since 1937 and has been translated into such diverse languages as Italian and Bengali.
The 'modern discoveries' are those contributions to morbid psychology made by Mesmer, Janet, Morton Prince, Adler, Jung, Kretschmer, Pavlov, and Freud. Two chapters are devoted to the findings of psychoanalysis, and it is obvious that the author considers these to be of signal import.
In his introduction to this second edition, the author notes that in the intervening years there has been a shift in psychiatric interest to organic and physical methods of treating neurotic and mental illness. Perhaps because of this he has added a chapter on physical methods, beginning with Wagner-Jauregg and his discovery of a treatment for paresis, and following with sections on prolonged