Differential Diagnosis in Clinical Psychiatry: The Lectures of Paul H. Hoch, M.D. Margaret O. Strahl and Nolan D. C. Lewis (Eds.). New York:  Science House, 1972.  796 pp.

This collection of lectures of Paul H. Hoch reflects his style, his superior knowledge, and his extraordinary ability to separate the essential from the nonessential. The lectures are grouped into five sections: an introduction to clinical psychiatry; alterations of consciousness perception and conception; organic reaction states; affective disorders; and schizophrenia. I remember listening to these lectures while preparing for the examination of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and being aware that other members of the audience were also spellbound and appreciative of Dr. Hoch's articulateness and ability to draw an accurate line between proven facts and appealing hypotheses. All of his statements were incisive and to the point; he was never ambiguous. He carefully gave each symptom his very detailed attention and transmitted his knowledge, training, and experience to a younger generation of psychiatrists and allied professionals with missionary zeal. This is one of the reasons why Paul Hoch received so much respect and affection from his students.

Clinical differential diagnosis cannot be taught in one book alone, but if any one book can help a trainee become proficient in this art, it is this book, because it transmits a great deal of practical and usable knowledge. Paul Hoch was always fascinated by the process of new technique and novel clinical interpretations and was able to communicate his integrity and his special talent for finding the most perfect definition.

I wish to draw special attention to the part of the book that deals with schizophrenia. It was Hoch's life goal to solve the riddle of this