In previous papers on the use of sodium amytal I1 showed that this drug makes possible the eliciting of certain psychologic data not otherwise obtainable in some mental syndromes. In this paper it is my purpose to show what data have been secured in a study of the catatonic syndrome.
The material for this study represents a carefully selected group of patients showing catatonic manifestations of marked degree. The selection of a group on this basis may be expected to induce a quantitative error into the estimation of the results, but I considered that it would be best to avoid the induction of a qualitative error by the introduction of patients the diagnosis of whose condition might be questionable. Sixty-two patients were used, of whom some were followed for two years and none was observed for less than three months. This state hospital2 material included both chronic and