Herman was afflicted with an explosive personality that caused him more
and more problems at home and on the job. Finally, his distressed family
persuaded him to enter an anger-management course.

Herman's therapy included an alarm clock on his bedroom table that was
tuned in to his brain by electronic pulses. Every time Herman flew into
a tantrum, the clock would explode into a loud and irritating ring that
wouldn't stop until he calmed down.

For quite a while, Herman deeply resented the noisy timepiece, but
eventually he came to see that it was helping him to control his anger.
He would even sing to it: "Clock of rages, left for me. Let me chide
myself with thee."