He thought he could dispense with hypnotic treatment, and gratefully took his leave, with the promise that, should the influence of the suggestion fade, he would come again. Since then, I have heard nothing more of this interesting patient, and I have reason to hope that he remains improved.
The patient is, in all respects, of masculine appearance; beard abundant. Physically, with the exception of slight neurasthenic symptoms, he presents nothing remarkable. Genitals normal. (Personal case. Internat. Centralblatt, etc., Bd. i, Heft 1.)
Case 144. X., aged 33; single; tall. Mentally, of small endowment; comes of tainted family. Paternal grandfather died at thirty-four with a mental disease, which is said to have developed as a result of onanism and spermatorrhœa. His father and brother suffered with disturbances of the sexual functions. There was insanity in the mother’s family; other branches of the family were noted for their irritable and eccentric character.
The patient has too small a head, a retreating brow, abnormal ears, sparse growth of hair, and a hernia, which is probably congenital. Genitals large, and normally developed.
Great impressionability; neuropathic constitution; occasional tædium vitæ. For several years, peculiar, imperative ideas: that he is a locomotive; a horse; a velocipede; and, that he must act accordingly. From his earliest youth, contrary sexual feeling (congenital). Horror feminæ; sexual inclination toward boys; satisfaction by sensual contact, and, faute de mieux, masturbation. One day he had an affair with a boy dressed in gray, which made a deep impression on him. Since then, while masturbating, the image of the boy comes into his mind; and he cannot see gray clothes without having powerful erections. On the advice of physicians whom he consulted, he attempted coitus with women, but was cold and impotent, notwithstanding the assistance of memory-pictures of the boy dressed in gray; and he finally gave up the efforts.
March 27th, first hypnotic sitting. Small result. He resists, and says his fancy keeps him from going to sleep.
In a further series of sittings he declares that he experiences unfavorable effects,—is more excited, and troubled by imperative ideas and the desire to masturbate. He makes fun of the physician and hypnotism, and offers much resistance, with the expression that hypnotism is good for nothing, and only makes people crazy.
However, gradually it became possible to induce somnambulism. After twenty-five sittings the patient confessed that he was better, and that he was less troubled with imperative ideas and onanism. The sittings were repeated every week or two. The patient felt mentally and morally well, ceased to masturbate, but, at the end of treatment, was indifferent toward the opposite sex (Dr. Ladame, Revue de l’hypnotisme, September 1, 1889).
In the two foregoing cases there was successful suggestive removal of homo-sexual feelings,—a result which, as Case 143 shows, means a great improvement for such unfortunate individuals, in that it protects them from shame and the law. An entirely different and phenomenal result is presented by the following case, reported by Dr. v. Schrenk-Notzing in the Wiener internat. klin. Rundschau, October 6, 1889, No. 40, which is a case of effemination. It discloses a new method of treatment of urnings; but it is necessary to guard against illusions. Only where hypnosis can be deepened to somnambulism, are decided and lasting results to be expected:—
Case 145. Congenital Contrary Sexual Instinct Improved by Hypnotic Suggestion.—R., official, aged 28. January 20, 1888, he sought medical advice. He is the brother of the patient who is the subject of Case 135, and, therefore, of a badly tainted family (v. supra). Toward the end of treatment, he confessed that he was the author of the autobiography which was published as Case 83 in the fifth edition of this work, and it is here reproduced:—