Sexual anomalies and perversions : physical and psychological development and treatment a textbook for students, psychologists, criminologists, probation officers, judges, and educationists / a summary of the works of Magnus Hirschfeld ; compiled as a humble memorial by his pupils.

  • Hirschfeld, Magnus, 1868-1935.
Date:
[between 1935 and 1939?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Sexual anomalies and perversions : physical and psychological development and treatment a textbook for students, psychologists, criminologists, probation officers, judges, and educationists / a summary of the works of Magnus Hirschfeld ; compiled as a humble memorial by his pupils. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of a heavy load. All this is part of a pathological compulsive act, and all this is present in a high degree in exhibitionism. But exhibitionism is not a disease in itself, but only a symptom of a general disease of the central nervous system. There are three groups of diseases in which it has been observed. This deliberate exposure occurs firstly in the weak-minded, including those suffering from senile dementia or infantile idiocy, and silly persons whose develop- ment has stopped at the infantile stage. Secondly, exhibitionism occurs in epileptics, in whom it takes the place of an epileptic attack. The third and largest group is composed of seriously neuropathic persons, many of whom also have other nervous compulsive fantasies. The urge to expose parts of the body is based on such a fixed idea, and is sometimes so overwhelming that all the inhibitions are swept away. That is the case with the accused. That he is a severely neuropathic subject is clear from his reported history; besides which we have been able to establish that he exposed his genitals under a compulsion that was stronger than his will. One might be inclined to think that reflection and resistance are possible to exhibitionists, since they are capable of taking certain pre- cautions. One exhibitionist will look round to see whether he is not being observed by a man; another—as alleged about T. by a girl wit- ness—screens himself with his coat or umbrella when people who are not to see the exposure suddenly appear. Every experienced psychia- trist knows that even in the worst state of twilight sleep an appar- ently consistent, deliberate, and useful act is no rarity and this applies all the more here, where, although the consciousness is dazed, it is not completely eliminated. The pathological aspect in this case is pre- cisely a compulsion directed toward a special aim to which the sub- ject's will power is not equal, a compulsion whose intensity defeats natural restraints and inhibitions. But that does not preclude other manifestations of the will that do not relate directly to the act of ex- hibitionism. In another expert opinion Hirschfeld writes: In view of these findings and the general condition of his nerves I consider that Mr. R. is of a severely neuropathic constitution. The urge to expose his genitals is obviously only a component phenomenon