In a series of twenty-six women who had undergone hysterectomy for benign uterine disease the authors observed that the intensity, duration, and tolerance of physical symptoms paralleled the emotional suffering resulting from the loss of the uterus. The immediate postoperative reaction in the period of recovery from anesthesia provided a rather accurate prediction of their subsequent reactions in the hospital. The speed and nature of recovery from anesthesia bore little relation to the extent and duration of the surgical procedures. The women who suffered least emerged into consciousness with well-integrated egos. Their defenses of rationalization, intellectualization, isolation of feeling, and denial of loss were sufficiently strong to speed the recovery. The women overwhelmed by