Remembering Mr B.
In the accompanying translation and film, Gustav Störring describes the psychological profile of Mr. B. (Franz Breundl), a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning with a nearly complete short-term memory deficit. Störring diagnoses Mr. B. as lacking entirely the capacity to register or retain any information in consciousness for longer than two seconds. Here we introduce these historical documents, describe their historical context, summarize and discuss the central features of the case, and consider the potential significance of the case for contemporary theories of working memory, the self, and personal identity.
Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program, Washington University in St. Louis, United States. Electronic address: ccraver@artsci.wustl.edu.
Carl F
CF
Craver
J.D. Candidate, Yale Law School, United States.
Benjamin
B
Graham
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada.
R Shayna
RS
Rosenbaum
D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000523:psychology; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000150:complications / Q000266:history* / Q000523:psychology; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term
Amnesia; Carbon monoxide poisoning; Memory; Self; Working memory