This chapter describes earlier descriptions of difficulties in relating and communicating in children. It addresses the work of Jean Gaspard Itard with Victor, a feral child described as the Wild boy of Aveyron. Itard described the features of what now we consider autistic disorder and the rehabilitation efforts to teach language and promote learning developed by Itard. We also review other contributions to the characterization of autism, including the work of Hans Asperger who described “autistic psychopathy” in children with great detail. The concept of autistic spectrum is addressed. The work of Sula Wolff with “loners,” i.e. children who did not socialize is also described; she called these children schizoid. Wolff addressed their suffering and rehabilitation needs. The work of Grunya Sukhareva is also discussed, as she described the condition about a decade before Kanner and Asperger. In all these descriptions, we compare the original descriptions with the current views on autism. The implications for early recognition and remedial intervention as early as possible are also described.