_February 3._--The patient has recovered his self-confidence, and
the compliments of his friends prove an additional restorative. It
is true the tics still recur, but their number is less, their
duration shorter, their severity considerably diminished. What O.
is best able to appreciate is the disappearance of the state of
_mal obsédant_ that accompanied them.
Take another example in the person of young J.:
In his case our object was to discipline him by successive
modifications of his caprices. The first important result achieved
was the suppression of his precious mattress--a result not obtained
without difficulty, for the mere mention of it sufficed to provoke
floods of tears and ebullitions of anger. He was then sent into the
country for a few days to forget his heart's desire, but the labour
was lost. No sooner had he arrived than he discovered another
mattress in a barn, and transferred his affections to it.
Eventually the day came when he was finally convinced of the
absurdity and inconvenience of his practice, and when the tender
yet firm remonstrances of his parents prevailed. The prospect of
congratulations awaiting him, and his own keenness to get better,
stimulated him to fresh efforts, and the reward was success.
Not long after, however, he began to complain of mental suffering
from the restraint laid on him, and the distress was undoubtedly
genuine. We accordingly gave him permission to stretch himself on
his bed at certain fixed times and for a fixed period, which was to
be reduced each day by some minutes. He entered into the spirit of
the regulations so happily that in less than a month the period
spent in the horizontal position had sunk from two hours and three
quarters to an hour and a half daily, and at last it was dispensed
with altogether.
On his "nervous movements" re-education by immobility and
methodical exercises had a beneficial influence, and he acquired
the faculty of controlling his variable and attitude tics.
Repetition of the séances under the eye of the physician, drill in
front of a looking-glass, symmetrical and synchronous exercises for
the arms, as well as ordinary practice in dressing and undressing,
buttoning and unbuttoning clothes, eating, drinking, etc, with the
left hand--all contributed materially to his progress. Many other
re-educative prescriptions were enjoined on the patient; suffice it
to say that in three months he was able to dress and feed himself,
to behave properly at table, and to restrain himself generally, in
spite of the obstacles provided by his babyish tricks and natural
weakness.
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