Abstract
A sedative or tranquillizing effect may be important in the treatment of mild depressive illness not requiring admission to hospital or ECT (Wheatley, 1969), and Hare et al. (1962, 1964) have suggested that antidepressant drugs may exert their effect by virtue of their sedative action. Other workers also have found similar effects from antidepressant drugs and tranquillizers (Overall et al., 1964; Paykel, 1969).