Treated initial depressive episodes and later recurrences with either MAO inhibitor or tricyclic antidepressant drugs. Treatment of repeat attacks did not necessarily follow the same choice of drug for each patient. Therapy outcome did not vary significantly for cases treated similarly or differently in successive attacks. It is concluded that antidepressants are not specific aids in typing depressed patients. A single patient may display the whole range of depressive symptoms over a number of attacks.