3. The command to regard only women as beautiful; to approach them, to dream of them, and to have libido and erection at sight of them.
The sittings occurred daily. On April 14th, the patient announced, with thankfulness and a kind of moral satisfaction, that he had had pleasure in coitus, and had ejaculated tardily. On April 16th, he felt free from inclination to masturbate, attracted to women, and perfectly indifferent to men. He dreamed of female charms and coitus with women. May 1st, the patient seemed and felt himself to be normal sexually. He has become a different man mentally, full of courage and self-confidence. He has coitus with complete satisfaction, and thinks that he is insured against relapse.
In a later letter Mr. P. writes: “As was only to be expected, I find myself lastingly freed from my errors. All that remains to remind me of my unhappy time are the dreams, which, though they are infrequent, come from my past, which I have no power to banish, and which sometimes, indeed, pleasantly occupy my thoughts. But by my own will I yet hope soon to succeed in freeing myself absolutely from them. Should I ever become weak again, the ideas you have impressed on me would, I am sure, make an energetic resistance, and I should not succumb.”
On October 20, 1890, P. wrote me: “I am completely cured of onanism, and I have no pleasure in male-love. Yet complete virility does not seem to have been re-established, notwithstanding the fact that I lead a virtuous life. Nevertheless, I feel satisfied.”
Case 136. Acquired Contrary Sexual Instinct.—Mr. Z., aged 32, divorced. He comes of a hysteropathic mother. Maternal grandmother suffered with hysteria, and her brothers and sisters were neurotic. One brother is an urning. Z. was but poorly endowed mentally, and did not learn easily. No sickness besides scarlatina. When thirteen, he was taught to masturbate by companions in a school. Sexually, he was hyperæsthetic, and, at seventeen, began to indulge in coitus, with full pleasure and power. For reasons of position and money, he married at twenty-six. The marriage was very unhappy. After a year Mrs. Z. became incapable of coitus, by reason of uterine disease. Z. satisfied his inordinate desires with other women, faute de mieux, by masturbation. Besides, he gave himself up to play, led an absolutely dissolute life, became exceedingly neurasthenic, and sought to strengthen his weakened nerves by drinking great quantities of wine and brandy. To his essential cerebral asthenia were added peripheral alcoholic cramps and globus, and he became very emotional. His libido nimia continued unabated. On account of his disgust of prostitutes and fear of infection, satisfaction by coitus was exceptional. For the most part, the patient helped himself with onanism.
Four years ago he noticed weakening of erection and decrease of libido for women. He began to feel himself drawn toward men, and his lascivious dreams were no longer concerned with women, but with men.
Three years ago, while being rubbed by a bath-attendant, he became powerfully excited sexually (the attendant also had an erection, to patient’s surprise). He could not keep from embracing and kissing the attendant, and allowing him to perform masturbation on him, the attendant doing it most willingly. From this time this mode of sexual indulgence was all that he cared for. Women became a matter of entire indifference to him; he devoted himself exclusively to men. With them he practiced mutual masturbation, and had a longing to sleep with them. He abhorred pederasty. He was entirely satisfied until (August, 1890) an anonymous letter, warning him to be careful, brought him to his senses. He was much frightened, had hysterical attacks, and became much depressed. He was embarrassed before men, seemed like a pariah in society, contemplated suicide, and finally confessed to a priest, who comforted him. He now fell into a religious state (equivalent), and, out of remorse and to cure himself of his abnormal sexual inclinations, wished to go into a cloister. While in this state, my “Psychopathia Sexualis” fell into his hands. He was frightened and filled with shame, but found a comfort in it, inasmuch as he concluded that he must have some malady. His first thought was to rehabilitate himself sexually in his own eyes. He overcame all disinclination, and visited a brothel. At first he was not successful, on account of great excitement, but he finally succeeded.
Since, however, his contrary sexual inclinations were not overcome, in spite of all his efforts to put them down, he finally came to me, asking for assistance. He felt himself to be terribly unfortunate, and very near to despair and suicide. He saw destruction before him, and would be saved at any price.
His confession was interrupted by numerous hysterical attacks. Comforting and encouraging words about his future had a calming influence.
Physically, patient presented a slightly retreating brow, with no other anatomical signs of degeneration. Spinal irritation, exaggerated deep reflexes, and a sense of pressure in the head pointed to a neurasthenic condition. No genital anomalies, though there was hyperæsthesia urethræ. Mien distressed; attitude relaxed; mind distracted and vacillating.