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Those who can recall the pioneer excursions of psychoanalysis in the field of sociology will find Dr. Zilboorg's book more than a little nostalgic. Whereas in the case of anthropological essays the earlier analysts could bring to their self-appointed task a substantial number of analytic formulations, to which they had little difficulty in finding anthropological parallels, their essays on sociological subjects were based largely on the application to the more sophisticated end products of modern society of a few simple psychoanalytic generalizations regarding group structure and function. Hence no doubt some of the depreciation, scepticism, and occasional ribaldry with which their ex cathedra pronouncements were greeted in the academic groves of sociology.
This state of affairs is well illustrated in the history of forensic psychoanalysis. In the first place the approach of psychoanalysis to criminology was extremely tardy and continued so to lag for many years; and in the second, psychoanalysts failed for a long time to recognize that within this field lies a rich vein for clinical exploration, to wit, a varied assortment of 'pathological' crimes—antisocial or asocial manifestations which are either symptomatic of mental disorder or the psychic sequelæ of organic disorders. Indeed, it is