Psychological Illness

This small book in the series "Mind and Medicine Monographs" should be read by every general practitioner. The author has been stimulated by Balint's seminars to study the amount of psychiatric illness in his own practice in the North of Scotland and to settle down to treat it: for, as he says, "the general practitioner is in the most advantageous position for dealing with disturbed human relationships of psychogenic origin". Though the figures are too small to have statistical validity, it may be noted that mental disorders were at the rate of 131.7 per 1,000 population, and that over 90% of these were neurotic. Dr. Primrose is to be congratulated on a clear account of painstaking work.