I questioned the patient much more than I have ever done before. I wanted to completely understand the facts of his illness. The way that I did this was, I now see, a little bit cruel. It seemed as though I did not want him to relax and become calm. Usually I avoid doing this with the patients the way I would avoid the mouth of hell.

(Note to myself. Is there any time that I would not avoid the mouth of hell? Hell has its price!) If there is any reason why I want to know more about this patient, perhaps it would be a good diea to record the facts accurately. So I had better begin doing so. Therefore . . .

The patient is R. M, Renfield, age 59. He is a relaxed, cheerful person and he is also very strong. It is unusually easy to upset him, and he has periods when he is very quiet and upset. These periodsend with him having some idea I cannot understand. Possibly his character and his mental illness together make him a dangerous man. If he is unselfish then he is probably dangerous. A selfish man does not want to get into trouble and this protects both himself and others. When a person thinks of himself, he is not prepared to risk more than he will gain. But when a man thinks that something is more important than himself, then that man will take risks, and only an accident can change this.