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PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 145
off. An irremovable lesion of the postcentral gyrus was found higher
up-
Only the second case reacted with sensations different from those
of the aura.
A. M.
HYSTERIA.
La definition de I'hysterie. ED.
CLAPAREDE.
Archives de Psy-
chologie, VII., 167-193.
There is much confusion between the empirical definition and the
theory of the nature of hysteria.
Neither suggestion nor auto-suggestion constitute sufficient expla-
nation of hysteria. In regard to the former we have a choice of three
hypotheses. (1) The exaggerated suggestibility is dependent on the
constitutional cerebro-mental trouble. (2) The hypersuggestibility
comes from the lessening of the personality, the non-assimilation by
the ego of certain complexes. (3) The hypersuggestibility is an ac-
celerated or exaggerated reaction. Merely an enumeration of these
hypotheses will suffice to show that we say nothing when we say that
hysteria is a case of hypersuggestibility, for we have the same problem
to work over again. The same statement may be as truly said of
auto-suggestion.
The interrelations of the troubles which constitute the hysterical
character may be shown by the following scheme:
Primitive Troubles
:
Constitutional or acquired state characterized by
a
ten-
dency to exaggeration of reaction of defense.
Exaggerated
reactions.
Secondary Troubles: Inhibitive. Positive.
Trembling, anassthesia, Vomiting, convulsive
paralysis, amnesia, etc. cries, cutaneous trou-
I bles, etc.
Tertiary Troubles: Breaking of the personality to the profit of the sub-
conscious.
Quaternary Troubles: Augmentation of suggestibility.
Quinary Troubles
:
Suggested troubles.
This scheme shows the extreme complication of hysterical mani-
festations and the impossibility of attempting to define hysteria before
we know its nature.
M. L. BILLINGS.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.