today we continue in our series of transcribed case studies from the classic psychopathia sexualis. for those who are just joining us psychopathia sexualis was first published in germany in 1886 and was an attempt by richard von krafft-ebinng m.d. to catalogue and illuminate every manner of “sexual perversion” bubbling under the surface in his day and age. (earlier entries in the series include cases 225, 123, 98 / 99, and 88) today’s case is filed under the pathological erotic fetishism heading-
case 116
l, aged thirty seven, clerk, from a tainted family. at five years old, he had his first erection when he saw his bedfellow -an aged relative- put on his nightcap. the same thing occurred later when he saw an old servant put on her nightcap. later, simply the idea of an old ugly woman’s head covered with a nightcap, was sufficient to cause an erection. the sight of a cap, or a naked woman or man alone made no impression, but the mere touch of a nightcap induced erection,, and sometimes even ejaculation. l was not a masturbator, and had never been sexually active until his thirty second year, when he married a young girl with whom he had fallen in love. on his wedding night he remained cold until, from necessity, he brought to his aid the memory-picture of an ugly woman’s head with a nightcap. coitus was immediately successful. thereafter it was always necessary for him to use this method. from childhood he had been subject to attacks of depression, with suicidal tendencies, and occasional frightful hallucinations at night. when looking out a window he became dizzy and anxious. he was a perverse, peculiar, and easily embarrassed man of bad mental constitution.
in this very peculiar case, the simultaneous coincidence of the first sexual reference and an absolutely heterogeneous impression seems to have determined association
a related case of accidental associative fetishism which is quite peculiar, is that of a married man, aged thirty, who in other respects, was physically and mentally healthy, who is said to have suddenly lost hi sexual power after moving into another house, and to have regained it as soon as the furniture of the bedroom had been arranged as before.
tune in next time when we will highlight the fetish for limping.