[Trichophagia treated successfully by intravenous iron injections]

The case of a trichophagic child is presented. Oral and intramuscular iron therapy brought only temporary effect at the age of 3. Seven years later the 10-year-old highly intelligent girl ate again hair. She was not anaemic and her serum iron level was not low. Intravenous iron injections applied again ceased immediately the psychic aberration that did not return even after 4 years. The authors are of the opinion that in cases of such psychic anomalies the iron content of the iron-rich cerebral ganglia is lower than normal and the disturbance can be ceased by the administration of iron.