e. The pseudomelancholia,
however, had only existed in one case for about a year, and in the
other for six months. One case passed away from my observation, and I
know nothing of its further course. The other case recovered in nine
months' treatment, and during the three years that have since elapsed
he has been an active business man, although I have not seen him myself
during that period, as he took a great dislike to me because I was
forced to take strong measures to keep him under treatment, so
persistent were his suspicions."

Athetosis was first described by Hammond in 1871, who gave it the name
because it was mainly characterized by an inability to retain the
fingers and toes in any position in which they might be planed, as well
as by their continuous motion. According to Drewry "athetosis is a
cerebral affection, presenting a combination of symptoms characterized
chiefly by a more or less constant mobility of the extremities and an
inability to retain them in any fixed position. These morbid,
grotesque, involuntary movements are slow and wavy, somewhat regular
and rigid, are not jerky, spasmodic, nor tremulous. The movements of
the digits are quite different from those attending any other disease,
impossible to imitate even by the most skilful malingerer, and, if once
seen, are not likely to be forgotten. In an athetoid hand, says Starr,
the interossei and lumbricales, which flex the metacarpo-phalangeal and
extend the phalangeal joints, are affected; rarely are the long
extensors and the long flexors affected. Therefore the hand is usually
in the so-called interosseal position, with flexion of the proximal and
extension of the middle and distal phalanges. The athetoid movements of
the toes correspond to those of the fingers in point of action. In a
great majority of cases the disease is confined to one side
(hemiathetosis), and is a sequel of hemiplegia. The differential
diagnosis of athetosis is generally easily made. The only nervous
affections with which it could possibly be confounded are chorea and
paralysis agitans. Attention to the twitching, spasmodic, fibrillary
movements, having a quick beginning and a quick ending, which is
characteristic in Sydenham's chorea, would at once exclude that
disease. These jerky movements peculiar to St. Vitus's dance may be
easily detected in a few or many muscles, if moderate care and patience
be exercised on the part of the examiner. This form of chorea is almost
al