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This little book, “Insanity and Law”—a treatise on forensic psychiatry—is a contribution to a subject which for some reason or other in recent years has not invited many writers of books, notwithstanding the fact of its very great social significance and importance. The present volume was written by two physicians, Dr. Singer and Dr. Krohn, and is divided into two parts, which I take it were written respectively by the two authors. The first part, consisting of approximately 200 pages, largely, I take it, from the pen of Dr. Singer, is to all intents and purposes a brief textbook on mental diseases. It defines the various types of reaction, gives the classification of the insanities, and describes their several forms. The second part, which I presume is largely from the pen of Dr. Krohn, deals with the legal aspects of the subject, and is divided into some eleven chapters, and treats of such specific legal situations as guardianship, contracts, marriage, torts, criminal responsibility, testamentary capacity, etc., with some more general discussion of miscellaneous matters. The book is in reality two volumes in one, with very little really organic tying of the two parts together. Mental disease as treated by Dr. Singer is mental disease as the average psychiatrist deals with it. Mental disease as treated by Dr. Krohn is mental disease as the average lawyer sees it. Therefore, law and medicine are brought no nearer together in this work than they are in fact.
The book does not, as a matter of fact, pretend to offer any solution of the various vexatious problems that medical jurisprudence has raised in recent years. It is rather an attempt, I take it, to set forth the situation as it actually exists. Mental diseases are described in modern psychiatric terms. Legal situations are brought up to date with a multitude of citations as is usual. It is true that there is a chapter on suggestions for reforms in procedure, but this chapter offers very little except a repetition