[25]. The following case, reported by Binet, seems to be in opposition to this idea. Unfortunately nothing is said concerning the mental characteristics of the person. In any event, it is certainly confirmatory of the relations existing between the olfactory and sexual senses:—
D., a medical student, was seated on a bench in a public park, reading a book (on pathology). Suddenly a violent erection disturbed him. He looked up and noticed that a lady, redolent with perfume, had taken a seat upon the other end of the bench. D. could attribute the erection to nothing but the unconscious olfactory impression made upon him.
[26]. Meibomius, “De flagiorum usu in re medica,” London, 1765; Boileau, “The History of the Flagellants,” London, 1783.
[27]. Comp. Roubaud, “Traité de l’impuissance et de la stérilité.” Paris, 1878.
[28]. Literature: Parent-Duchatelet, Prostitution dans la ville de Paris, 1837.—Rosenbaum, Entstehung der Syphilis, Halle, 1839; also, Die Lustseuche im Alterthum, Halle, 1839.—Descuret, La médecine des passions, Paris, 1860.—Casper, Klin. Novellen, 1863.—Bastian, Der Mensch in der Geschichte.—Friedländer, Sittengeschichte Roms.—Wiedemeister, Cäsarenwahnsinn.—Scherr, Deutsche Cultur- und Sittenge- schichte, Bd. i, Cap. 9.—Tardieu, Des attentats aux mœurs., 7 édit., 1878.—Emminghaus, Psychopathol., pp. 98, 225, 230, 232.—Schüle, Handbuch der Geisteskrankheiten, p. 114.—Marc, Die Geisteskrankheiten, übers v. Ideler, ii, p. 128.—v. Krafft, Lehrb. der Psychiatrie, 4 Aufl., i, p. 90; Lehrb. d. ger. Psychopathol., 2 Aufl., p. 234; Archiv f. Psychiatrie, vii, 2.—Moreau, Des aberrations du sens génésique, Paris, 1880.—Kirn, Allg. Zeitschr. f. Psychiatrie, xxxix, Heft 2 u. 3.—Lombroso, Geschlechtstrieb u. Verbrechen in ihren gegenseitigen Beziehungen (Goltdammer’s Archiv, Bd. xxx.).—Tarnowsky, Die krankhaften Erscheinungen des Geschlechtssinns, Berlin, 1886.—Ball, La Folie érotique, Paris, 1888.—Serieux, Recherches cliniques sur les anomalies de l’instinct sexuel, Paris, 1888.—Hammond, Sexual Impotence.
[29]. Vide Ultzmann, Genito-Urinary Neuroses in the Male (published by The F. A. Davis Co., Philadelphia), for discussion of peripheral neuroses.
[30]. An interesting example of how an imperative conception of non-sexual content can exert an influence is related by Magnan (Ann. méd. psych., 1885): Student, aged 21, strongly predisposed hereditarily, previously a masturbator, constantly struggles with the number 13 as an imperative conception. As soon as he attempts coitus the imperative idea inhibits erection and makes the act impossible.
[31]. Louyer-Villermay speaks of masturbation in a girl of 3 or 4 years, and Moreau (“Aberrations du sens génésique,” 2 édit., p. 209) of the same in one of 2 years. See, further, Maudsley, “Physiology and Pathology of Mind;” Hirschsprung (Kopenhagen), Berlin, klin. Wochenschr., 1866, Nr. 38; Lombroso, “The Criminal,” Cases 10, 19, and 21.
[32]. Comp. Kirn, Zeitschr. f. Psych., Bd. xxxix. Legrand du Saulle, Annal. d’hyg., 1868, Oct.
[33]. The translator has lately seen a case of this kind that illustrates the lack of care taken by our criminal courts. A very infirm man, aged 55 to 60, under favoring circumstances, made an unsuccessful sexual assault on a girl aged about 18. At his trial he made full confession, and explained his act as due to ordinary sinfulness. He was the father of a family and living with his wife, and up to that time blameless sexually. He was sentenced to five years of hard labor! He was incapable of almost the lightest work. Conversation with him while in jail showed at once that he was well advanced in senile dementia. Legal question concerning his mental condition was not raised,—because he confessed, probably!