Psychopathia sexualis: With especial reference to contrary sexual instinct
3. The hetero-sexual instinct long remains predominant, and the
478 words | Chapter 38
impossibility of its satisfaction gives pain. It weakens in proportion
as the homo-sexual feeling gains in strength.
On the other hand, in congenital cases (_a_) the homo-sexual instinct is
the one that occurs primarily, and becomes dominant in the vita
sexualis. It appears as the natural manner of satisfaction, and also
dominates the dream-life of the individual. (_b_) The hetero-sexual
instinct fails completely, or, if it should make its appearance during
the life of the individual (psycho-sexual hermaphroditism), it is still
but an episodical phenomenon which has no root in the mental
constitution of the individual, and is essentially but a means of
satisfaction of sexual desire.
The differentiation of the above groups of congenital contrary sexuality
from one another, and from the cases in which the anomaly is acquired,
will, after the foregoing, present no difficulties.
The prognosis of the cases of acquired contrary sexual instinct is, at
all events, much more favorable than that of the congenital cases. In
the former, the occurrence of effemination—the mental inversion of the
individual, in the sense of perverse sexual feeling—is the limit beyond
which there is no longer hope of benefit from therapy. In the congenital
cases, the various categories established in this book form as many
stages of psycho-sexual taint, and benefit is _probable_ only within the
category of the psychical hermaphrodites, though _possible_ (_vide_ the
case of Schrenk-Notzing) in that of the urnings.
The prophylaxis of these conditions becomes thus the more important,—for
the congenital cases, prohibition of the reproduction of such
unfortunates; for the acquired cases, protection from the injurious
influences which experience teaches may lead to the fatal inversion of
the sexual instinct.
Numerous predisposed individuals meet this sad fate, because parents and
teachers have no suspicion of the danger which masturbation brings in
its train to such children.
In many schools and academies masturbation and vice are actually
cultivated. At present much too little attention is given to the mental
and moral peculiarities of the pupils. If only the tasks are done,
nothing more is asked. That many pupils are thus ruined in body and soul
is never considered. In obedience to affected prudery, the vita sexualis
is veiled from the developing youth, and not the slightest attention
given to the excitations of his sexual instinct. How few family
physicians are ever called in, during the years of development of
children, to give advice to their patients that are often so greatly
predisposed!
It is thought that all must be left to Nature; in the meantime, Nature
rises in her power, and leads the helpless, unprotected innocent into
dangerous by-paths.
A more detailed treatment of this prophylactic side of the subject is
impossible here.[118]
To parents and teachers, the experiences detailed in this work, and
numerous scientific works on masturbation, give suggestions.
The lines of treatment, when contrary sexual instinct exists, are the
following:—
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