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
On _October 24_ the patient began to be preoccupied and to
answer slowly. A few days later she became distinctly dull,
walked about in an indifferent way or lay in bed immobile.
Twice on _October 27_ she said in a low tone and with
slight distress, “Give me one more chance, let me go to
him.” But she would not answer questions. At times she
lapsed into complete immobility, lying on her back and
staring at the ceiling. When the husband came in the
afternoon, she clung to him and said: “Say good-by forever,
O my God, save me.” Again, very slowly with long pauses and
with moaning, she said: “You are going to put me in a big
hole where I will stay for the rest of my life.” _On
October 28_ she was found with depressed expression and
spoke in a rather low tone, but not with decided slowness
as had been the case on the day before. She pleaded about
having her soul saved; “Don’t kill me”; “Make me true to my
husband”; once, “I have confessed to the wrong man the
shame of my life.” Later she said she did not tell the
truth about her life before marriage. Again she wanted to
be saved from the electric chair. At times she showed a
tendency to stare into space and to leave questions
unanswered.
3. From now on a more definite stupor occurred, which is
also best described in summaries of the individual notes.
_Oct. 29._ Lies in bed with fixed gaze, pointing upward
with her finger and is very resistive towards any
interference. She has to be catheterized.
_Oct. 30._ Can be spoon-fed but is still catheterized.
During the morning she knelt by the bed and would not
answer. At the visit she was found in a rather natural
position, smiling as the physician approached, saying “I
don’t know how long I have been here.” Then she looked out
of the window fixedly. At first she did not answer, but,
when the physician asked whether she knew his name, she
laughed and said, “I know your name--I know my name.” Then
she would not answer any more questions but remained
immobile, with fixed gaze. When her going home was
mentioned, however, she flushed and tears ran down her
cheek, though no change in the fixedness of her attitude or
in her facial expression was seen.
_Nov. 1._ Lies flat on her back with her hands elevated.
She is markedly resistive.
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