Benign Stupors: A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction TypeHoch, August
Science
Benign Stupors: A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type
Hoch, August
Manic-depressive illness; Stupor
For three months the patient was very inactive, moving very
little. She had to be dressed and undressed, when taken out
of bed. She often was markedly constrained, either lying
with her head raised from the pillow, or for long periods
of time holding her arms or hands in rather constrained
positions on her body. But there was at no time any
catalepsy when tested by moving her arms. In the beginning,
however, before she lay so persistently with her head
raised, she was found holding it up from the pillow after
her hair had been fixed. Again, she did not correct other,
rather uncomfortable, positions in which she had been left.
There was also at times a slight or occasionally a somewhat
more marked resistance in her arms and neck, but this never
amounted to a pronounced resistance. She sometimes did not
react to pin pricks, sometimes flinched a little, never
warded off the pin, indeed she would put out her tongue
repeatedly when asked to do so in order to have a pin stuck
into it. She very often wet and soiled, once even
immediately after she had been taken to the closet, on
which occasion she did not urinate. Her face was usually
dull, vacant and immobile, but sometimes, when questioned
or when something obtrusive happened, a little puzzled.
Occasionally she looked slowly about or followed people
with her eyes. There was no evidence of any affect as a
rule, but not infrequently she smiled, even quite freely at
times, when the physician came to her or on other
appropriate occasions. For example, once when a nurse came
into the ward whom she had known outside she flushed and
smiled a little. Once when the mother came to see her a few
tears appeared, the only time this occurred.
Although for the most part immobile, when she did move, she
was distinctly slow. When asked to do certain things, she
usually did not comply, but now and then, after urging,
would show her tongue after delay, or merely open her
mouth; or she would bring the hand forward slowly when the
physician offered his hand in greeting. Once she fumbled
with her braids slowly. When out of bed, she stood about
aimlessly or sometimes walked somewhat slowly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account