8. Towards the end of this period she had again three more absorbed days, but when examined on the third of these days got rather talkative and somewhat drifting in her talk on superficial topics.
9. Two days later she began to sing at night, kissed everybody, said it was the anniversary of her meeting her husband, again cried a little, and on the following morning began to sing love songs, with a rather ecstatic mood, and at times stood in an attitude of adoration with her hands raised. This passed over to a more elated state, during which she smiled a good deal, often quite coquettishly; she sang love songs softly; on one occasion put a mosquito netting over her head like a bridal veil; or she held her fingers in the shape of a ring over a flower pinned to her breast. But even during this state she said little, only once spoke of waiting for her wedding ring, and again, when asked why she had been singing, said "I was singing to the man I love." (Why are you so happy?) "Because I am with you" (coquettishly).
This, however, represented the end of the psychosis. She improved rapidly. At first she smiled rather readily, but soon began to occupy herself and made a perfect recovery.
She gave a rather shallow retrospective account about the last phase: at first she said it was natural for people to feel happy at times, and that she did not talk more because the inclination was not there. The only point she added later was that she held her fingers in the shape of a ring because she was thinking of her wedding ring.
She was discharged on October 11.
The patient was seen again in September, 1915. She then stated that she had been perfectly well until 1912, when she had a breakdown after childbirth. (A childbirth in 1910 had led to no disorder.) The attack lasted six months. She slept poorly, lost weight, and felt weak, depressed, "my strength seemed all gone." In July, 1915, following again a childbirth, she was for about six weeks "despondent, weak and tired out."
At the interview she made a very natural, frank impression, and displayed excellent insight.
Case 13.—Johanna S. Age: 47. Admitted to the Psychiatric Institute January 23, 1904.
F. H. It was claimed that there was no insanity in the family.
P. H. The patient was said to have been bright and rather quick-tempered. She came to the United States from Ireland at the age of 20, worked as a servant, was well liked, and retained her position well.