Gazengel J
Association pour le maintien d'un lien psychique en réanimation, Paris.
Agressologie. 1993;34 Spec No 3:151-2.
S. Freud in his "Metapsychological supplement to the theory of dreams" considers dreams and Meynert's "Amentia" as a "Hallucinatory-wishful psychosis". After investigation in resuscitation units and reading of the "Amentia", it seems that this designation by a respectful master of Freud refers to pathological states identical to the ones we observe nowadays with patients getting out of coma. Jensen's "Gradiva" describes a kind of benign madness, since it is an amorous folly. This again is a "Hallucinatory wishful psychosis". Freud tells us that the novel explain precisely how to cure this state. From Meynert's "Amentia" and from Jensen's "Gradiva" commented by Freud, the author goes on with remarks about the illusions of resuscitation and about the means of helping the patient to recover.