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Mirouze discusses his treatment of an erythrophobic patient for whom the classical explanations of erythrophobia were not helpful. The theoretical work of Kohut was, in contrast, very important in Mirouze's understanding and analytic efforts with this patient. The classical view of blushing considers it to be genital excitation which undergoes an exhibitionistic regression and a displacement to the face. The syndrome is thus regarded as an aspect of anxiety hysteria, with shame linked to oedipal guilt. For Mirouze's patient, however, it seemed more appropriate to consider the phobic symptom related to the shame of narcissistic injury. Shame was utilized as a danger-signal which permitted the ego to institute a flight, that is, a rejection of an object relation, in favor of maintaining the cohesion of the grandiose self. Exhibitionistic and omnipotent tendencies could not risk being disavowed by an environment which did not conform to and support the patient's narcissism. Mirouze reviews the progress of the case, noting that the patient steadily improved when interpretations were given within the framework provided by Kohut. He uses this case presentation to discuss Kohut's theories and to criticize some of Kernberg's. Concluding that Kohut's theories have a practical value and applicability for clinicians, he finds this especially interesting, in that Kohut's work developed within a metapsychological framework not in vogue in French theoretical circles and held suspect by them. He questions whether, because French theorists express justifiable criticisms of Hartmann's ego psychology, they should reject all elaborations of it concerning the notion of the self. He feels that Kohut's work should be given careful consideration.