“Your obedient servant, ——d.”
From a letter of Dr. v. Schrenk’s, of December 7th, I extract the following:—
“In this case the cure seems to be of longer duration than I expected; for, on speaking with the patient, some months ago, he said that he was perfectly happy in marriage, and, as I hear, he expects soon the happiness of a father.”
Dr. v. Schrenk has reported in the Wiener internationalen klinischen Rundschau, 1891, No. 26, later and very interesting facts concerning his patient, which, therapeutically, are very satisfactory.
IV. SPECIAL PATHOLOGY.
THE MANIFESTATIONS OF ABNORMAL SEXUAL LIFE IN THE VARIOUS FORMS AND STATES OF MENTAL DISTURBANCE.
Arrest of Mental Development.
Sexual life in idiots is, in general, but slightly developed. It is wanting entirely in idiots of high grade. In such instances the genitals are frequently small and deformed, and menstruation is late or does not occur at all. There is impotence, or sterility, as the case may be. Even in idiots of low grade, sexuality is not prominent. In infrequent cases it is manifested with a certain periodicity, and then with greater intensity. It may then be expressed impulsively, and be violently satisfied. Perversions of the sexual instinct do not occur at the lowest levels of mental development.
When the desire for sexual satisfaction is opposed in these cases, great passion is excited, with danger of murderous assault on the persons attacked. It is to be expected that idiots should not exercise choice, and they attempt to satisfy the sexual instinct on their nearest relatives.
Thus Marc-Ideler reports the case of an idiot who attempted to rape his sister, and had almost strangled her when he was discovered.
Friedreich reports an analogous case (Friedreich’s Blätter, 1858, p. 50).