Case Histories #1 & 2 — from my edition of “Psychopathia Sexualis” by Richard von Krafft-Ebing
CASE 1.
J. René, always given to indulgence in sensuality and sexual pleasures, but always with a regard for decorum, had shown, since his seventy-sixth year, a progressive loss of intelligence and an increasing perversion of his moral sense. Previously bright and outwardly moral, he now wasted his property in concourse with prostitutes, frequented only brothels, asked every woman on the street to marry him or allow coitus, and thus became publicly so obnoxious that it was necessary to place him in an asylum. There the sexual excitement increased to a veritable satyriasis, which lasted until he died. He continuously masturbated, even before others; took delight only in obscene ideas; thought the men about him were women, and followed them with indecent proposals (Legrand du Saulle, La folie, p. 533).
Moreover, previously moral women, when affected with senile dementia, may manifest similar conditions of great sexual excitement (nymphomania, furor uterinus).
It can be seen from a reading of Schopenhauer that, as a result of senile dementia, the abnormally excited and perverse instinct may be directed exclusively to persons of the same sex (see below). Gratification is obtained by passive pederasty, or, as I ascertained in the following case, by mutual masturbation:
CASE 2.
Mr. X., aged eighty, of high social standing, from a family with hereditary taint. He was always very sensual, cynical, of uncontrollable temper, and, according to his own confession, reported that as a young man he preferred masturbation to coitus. However, he never showed signs of sexual perversion, and kept mistresses, raising a child by one. At the age of forty-eight he married, out of inclination, begot six children, and never gave his wife cause for complaint. I was unable to obtain a complete history of his family. What was ascertained, however, was that his brother was suspected of love for men, and that a nephew became insane as a result of excessive masturbation.
The patient’s temper, always peculiar and quick, had for years been growing more violent. He had become exceedingly suspicious of others, and even slight opposition to his wishes induced attacks of anger that at times turned into actual raving, whereby he would then raise his hand, even against his wife. For a year there had been unmistakable signs of incipient senile dementia. The patient had become forgetful, had incorrectly localized past events, and had false ideas of time. For fourteen months it was noticed that he manifested affection for certain male servants, especially for a gardener’s boy. Otherwise rude and overbearing to servants, he surfeited his favorite with favors and presents, and commanded his family and his house officials to treat the boy with the greatest respect. The aged patient awaited the hour of rendezvous in a state of true sexual excitement. He sent his family away so that he might be with his favorite undisturbed, and remained shut up with him for hours. When the doors were opened again, he was found lying on the bed exhausted. In addition to this object of his passion, the patient had intercourse episodically with other servants. He enticed them, asked them for kisses, exhibited himself, allowed manipulation of his genitals, and practiced mutual masturbation. As a result of these practices, absolute demoralization was brought about in the household. The family was powerless, for any opposition caused violent outbreaks of anger and even threats against them. The patient was completely without appreciation of his perverse sexual acts, and therefore the only course left to the afflicted family was to remove all authority from his hands and place him in an asylum. No erotic inclination toward the opposite sex was observed, though the patient occupied a bedroom with his wife. With reference to the perverse sexuality and the defective moral sense of this unfortunate man, it is worth noting that he questioned the servants of his daughter-in-law as to whether she had lovers.