Selected papers on hysteria and other psychoneurosesFreud, Sigmund
Science
Selected papers on hysteria and other psychoneuroses
Freud, Sigmund
Hysteria; Neuroses; Psychoanalysis
A few months before a lady friend visited the house and on leaving
kissed both children on the lips. The father, who was present,
controlled himself and said nothing to the lady, but when she left he
was very angry at the unfortunate governess. He said that he held her
responsible for this kissing; that it was her duty not to tolerate it;
that she was neglecting her duties in allowing such things, and that if
it ever happened again he would entrust the education of his children to
some one else. This occurred while she believed herself loved and waited
for a repetition of that serious and friendly talk. This episode
shattered all her hopes. She thought: “If he can upbraid and threaten me
on account of such a trifle, of which I am entirely innocent, I must
have been mistaken, he never entertained any tenderer feelings towards
me, else he would have been considerate.”—It was evidently this painful
scene that came to her as the father reprimanded the chief accountant
for attempting to kiss the children.
On being visited by Miss Lucy R. two days after the last analysis I had
to ask her what pleasant things happened to her. She looked as though
transformed, she smiled and held her head aloft. For a moment I thought
that after all I probably mistook the conditions and that the governess
of the children had now become the bride of the master. But she soon
dissipated all my suppositions, saying, “Nothing new happened. You
really do not know me. You have always seen me while I was sick and
depressed. I am otherwise always cheerful. On awaking yesterday morning
my burden was gone and since then I feel well.”—“What do you think of
your chances in the house?”—“I am perfectly clear about that. I know
that I have none, and I am not going to be unhappy about it.”—“Will you
now be able to get along with the others in the house?”—“I believe so,
because most of the trouble was due to my sensitiveness.”—“Do you still
love the master?”—“Certainly I love him, but that does not bother me
much. One can think and feel as one wishes.”
I now examined her nose and found that the pain and the reflex
sensations had almost completely reappeared. She could distinguish
odors, but she was uncertain when they were very intense. What part the
nasal trouble played in the anosmia I must leave undecided.
The whole treatment extended over a period of nine weeks. Four months
later I accidentally met the patient at one of our summer resorts—she
was cheerful and stated that her health continued to be good.
EPICRISIS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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