The study of Rosett1 on the experimental production of rigidity was undertaken on organic neurologic cases. Some of his patients, in addition to rigidity, also showed phenomena of an affective nature, emotional outbursts and a condition that could be interpreted as an irritation of the thalamus. On account of such emotional outbursts, I undertook to try his method on patients suffering from purely functional conditions.
I selected five patients with an established diagnosis. The cases were classified as hysteria, anxiety neurosis and psychoneurosis. All the patients were women, their ages ranging between 18 and 30. The results obtained are briefly reviewed here.
REPORT OF CASES
Case 1.
—A woman, aged 28, American born, a factory worker, came to the clinic on account of weakness and a slight tremor of the right hand. The history was suggestive of a possible postencephalitic syndrome. The neurologic examination was negative.After deep, rhythmic