We shall now turn our attention to a case which illustrates many of these points:
Mr. Alfred V., clerk, 26 years of age, complains of a long array of nervous symptoms. In the first place there is his inability to attend to his work. He is without employment, because he is unable to hold on to any place. He cannot concentrate his thoughts as his mind turns all the time to women.
In the morning, as soon as he wakes up, his first thought is: I could enjoy a woman now! He thinks this over and finds that, after all, it is too early in the day. He goes to the restaurant and there looks over the morning papers. It is almost too much for him to do even that. Usually he only glances over the news of the day and then turns to the want ads, particularly those marriage offers and “personals” with more or less pointed allusions. Several hours pass that way and meanwhile he looks at the women passing by the window. Then he takes a walk and tries to talk to the girls he meets and to strike up acquaintance with them. If he finds that they are after money he breaks up his talk with them. He would rather take a real prostitute than pay a half-prostitute. Occasionally he finds a girl who meets his wishes. Then he goes with her to a hotel, although it is still forenoon. For a short time after that he is more quiet and he even feels that he could work an hour or two. But soon his restlessness seizes him again which is always at first a purely psychic urge. It is not erections that trouble him, but craving and unrest. He attains erection only when he is with the puella. His potentia varies. Sometimes he is through very rapidly, sometimes he requires a half hour before he accomplishes erection and orgasm. Again he may indulge in coitus several times in succession, although he feels quieted down after the first.
This condition he naturally describes as painful and unpleasant. He tries to interest himself in art and science, as other men do; he would also like to carry on intellectual conversations. But he can only think of “obscenities” to talk about. The more foolish and cynical the better he likes them. He feels impelled to use the grossest expressions, especially before prostitutes and doing so brings him great pleasure.
He also has fits of anger during which he is almost beside himself. If something is not to his liking it makes him raving mad. At such times he is likely to break out with violence, for instance, destroy a chair, or hurl things through the window regardless of the danger of striking some passer-by, and he may say the most awful things to his landlady. He has had many quarrels and violent scenes have been caused on account of his uncontrollable temper.
For some months he kept a fairly good job but had to quit because he talked back to his office chief, using bad language. It always made him mad to have work piled up on him. Work is a red rag to him. He found on his desk twenty letters which had to be done. Instead of settling down to work he began swearing. What did the folks think anyway? How did they expect one man to do it all? The very impertinence! etc. After several hours of fuming that way he fell to his work. Then everything was all right and he got through fast enough for he always finished his work before all others in the office.
He wondered that he was not dismissed from that office long before. His chief had the patience of an angel. Finally even that man’s patience was exhausted and he was discharged. After that he could find no permanent employment. He kept a job a few days at a time; then the chip on his shoulder would cause him to be discharged.
He related his sexual life in great detail; of particular importance is his statement that he never had anything to do with homosexuals; though he well knew there are homosexuals. Such folks were “beasts” who inspired him only with disgust....
We allow here Alfred to speak for himself. In the account of his life there are a number of observations which are characteristic of the whole man: