CASE HISTORIES 25 



puckered and furrowed with anxiety on account of this con- 

 tinual " influence." He was irritable and unsocial and didn't like 

 to work. Most of his time was spent in wandering miserably 

 around the institution. He couldn't enjoy himself in the Red 

 Cross recreation rooms because the other patients kept digging 

 into his mind. 



I often attempted to explain to him mental mechanisms such 

 as repression and projection, but he vigorously rejected the ex- 

 planation that his woes might come from his own unconscious 

 mind. My talks made not the slightest impression on him. 



He said he often found his hands crossed over his genitals or 

 his thumb or finger in his mouth, but of course it was " influence " 

 that made him do this. 



Occupational therapy: He took to the work without urging, 

 did fairly well and seemed to enjoy it, then got more worried 

 and resistive and refused to work saying, " I can't do it, I don't 

 feel well," and making other excuses. He had parole of the 

 grounds and preferred to go outdoors rather than do handiwork 

 in the ward. 



Physical examination: Tall, slender type of skeleton. Head 

 elongated. Slight amount of hair over body. Genital hair and 

 genitalia normal. Perspires easily. Heart normal. Moderate 

 tremor of fingers. Reflexes sluggish. Pulmonary tuberculosis is 

 suspected. 



Endocrine diagnosis: Submyxedema. 



Glandular therapy: Thyroid was first given and seemed to 

 make him very irritable. He had been peaceable previously, but 

 now he quarreled with the attendant and complained of him for 

 being noisy and bossy. " It's been harder to keep my mind on 

 things today. I feel like throwing my food on the floor. I don't 

 enjoy nothing." The nurse reported him as restless and more 

 talkative than usual. The thyroid stimulation seemed only to 

 increase his difficulties. 



A combination of thyroid and orchic was next tried and proved 

 beneficial. He lost the " influence " for half an hour at a time, and 

 during these welcome interludes his mind felt free of all outside 

 control. He said he felt better physically, and his appetite im- 



3 



