In alcoholic psychoses an essentially uniform clinical course is usually encountered. In order of increasing severity, the progression is: automatism, delusions, hallucinations, delirium, stupor, convulsions, coma and death. With the exception of the last step, this series tends to be reversible. However, improvement may stop at any point before health is regained, leaving residual deterioration or chronic psychoses simulating schizophrenic patterns. It is suggested that the diagnosis of alcoholic psychoses include the most severe stage reached at the height of the illness as well as the maximum improvement obtained.