The expression "frightened to death" or "scared to death" has been handed down generation after generation. It is still in common use today and is, indeed, quite descriptive of the emotions produced by unusual or extraordinary fright. A particularly harrowing experience is vividly described when one says, "It scared the life out of me." Have people actually been "scared to death?" It is common knowledge that fright may have varied effects on a person, e. g., tachycardia, palpitation, increased sweating, weakness, tremor of hands or voice, and syncope. Certainly patients with heart disease, such as coronary artery disease, have suddenly died after some fright or other similar emotional upset. The usual mode of death is attributed to ventricular fibrillation. We have observed patients with underlying heart disease in whom emotional-excitement precipitated ventricular tachycardia. One of these was a man with coronary artery disease and an old myocardial infarct. He had