You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
The author describes narcolepsy as a condition characterized by recurrent states of sudden and profound sleep. He divides cases of narcolepsy into two main groups: 1. Those in which the attack is symptomatic of definite organic disease. 2. Those in which there is no evidence of organic disease. He first deals shortly with the various hypotheses concerning the psychological mechanisms of normal sleep, and then points out how identical are the physical signs of sleep of hypnosis, and postulates the theory that sleep is initiated by a process of auto-suggestion as the psychical development of the infant develops. Dr. Worster-Drought suggests that there are several varieties of 'functional' narcolepsy, each corresponding with a different psychological level, ranging from the superficial to deep, until a form is reached the reaction of which occurs at a purely physiological level. The different forms he illustrates by comparing them with the various fits from hysterical to frankly epileptic.
In discussing treatment of the psychogenic forms the author deprecates any methods of gross suggestion, such as false operations, etc., and finds the most satisfactory method to be 'a preliminary modified psycho-analysis, with detailed investigation into the history of the onset of the attacks and of the individual, followed by a reconstruction of the origin of the narcolepsy, or of the emotional experience giving rise to the condition under light hypnosis'. He cites several cases which seem to have responded favourably to such abreaction methods. He adds that his experience has not convinced him of the veracity of Myers' view that an emotional abreaction during the revival of dissociated memories is not essential.