Part Two: Chapter Thirteen, Yes, Father-Sister Summary and Analysis

Mrs. B used to be a research chemist, now she suffers from a change in personality. When Dr. Sacks enters the room she rapidly addresses him as Father, Sister, and Doctor. Mrs. B. sees parts of people, not the whole person. Sacks' beard reminds her of a priest, his white coat of a nun, and his stethoscope of a doctor. So to Mrs. B., Sacks is all three people. Mrs. B does not have a problem with this way of perceiving her environment and does not understand why Sacks makes a fuss over it.

In the postscript, Sacks notes that Mrs. B. is not an unusual case. This form of schizophrenia is not uncommon but is puzzling to those close to the patient, including doctors. The patient acts as if he...