The frequency of clinical observation of cold, moist, cyanotic extremities, hypotension,1bradycardia and low rates of oxygen consumption2in schizophrenic patients has led many investigators to postulate in this psychosis an imbalance or dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, generally with a predominance of the parasympathetic division.3Studies in recent years have shown that the schizophrenic psychosis is marked by certain displacements of metabolic levels of performance and, what is probably of greater importance, that the relationships among various functions are seriously abnormal.4As a result, the patients, although able to show approximately normal organic performance in most respects and under episodic test conditions, nevertheless, on more penetrating study, disclose an inability to make rapid, smooth adaptive responses to given situations. They show "organic clumsiness." Fine coordination of the metabolic ("vegetative") processes (homeostatic efficiency) is dependent in a large measure on the efficiency and prompt responsiveness