We may therefore tentatively assume that the fever which marks the onset and frequently the course of these benign stupors is the result of a failure of the heat loss function, this being due to an imbalance in the involuntary nervous system that is occasioned, in turn, by insufficient circulating adrenalin, and the final cause for the poor suprarenal function is to be traced to the most consistent symptom of the stupor, namely, apathy. This hypothesis is welcome, not only because it would account adequately for the fever, but it also tends to accentuate the relationship with other forms of manic-depressive insanity, all of which are marked fundamentally by a pathological emotion. Naturally enough, one turns to the records again to see if the blood-pressure of these patients was low, as would be expected with a poor adrenalin supply. Unfortunately record was made of the blood-pressure in only two cases, in both of which the reading was 110 m.m. Two such isolated observations mean, of course, nothing whatever. It is possible that the drooling which so many stupor cases show is not merely the result of the failure of the swallowing reflex, but represents as well a compensation for anhydrosis by excessive salivary secretion. Another symptom suggestive of involuntary nervous system or endocrine disorder is the highly frequent suppression of the menstrual function. At times this may occur as a sequel to mental shock, as it did in the case of Celia H. (Case 19), who was menstruating when, frightened by the suicidal attempt of her brother, the flow ceased abruptly. That purely psychic factors can produce marked changes in such functions has been demonstrated by Forel and other hypnotists time and again; presumably the effect is produced by way of alteration in the endocrine or involuntary nervous system influence. In such cases, however, we can trace the menstrual suppression directly to an emotional cause. On the other hand, most women in stupor fail to menstruate during the bulk of the psychosis at a time when we believe emotions to be absent or greatly reduced in their intensity. The recent work of Papanicolaou and Stockard[9] offers a simple explanation for this phenomenon. They have shown that in the guinea pig the œstrous cycle can be delayed by starvation, while in weaker animals a period may be suppressed completely. When one considers that even with the greatest care the nutrition of tube-fed patients is bound to be poor, it would be only natural to suppose that this malnutrition would cause such a disturbance in the œstrous cycle and was evidenced objectively by a failure to menstruate. Even in patients who are not tube-fed, under-nutrition is to be expected and, as a matter of fact, is usually observed. The work of Pawlow and Cannon has shown how essential psychic stimulus is for gastric digestion. Any condition of apathy would therefore tend to retard digestion and indirectly affect nutrition.