The Sexual Life of the Child
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Title: The Sexual Life of the Child
Author: Albert Moll
Contributor: Edward L. Thorndike
Translator: Eden Paul
Release date: March 25, 2009 [eBook #28402]
Most recently updated: January 4, 2021
Language: English
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THE SEXUAL LIFE OF
THE CHILD
By
Dr. Albert Moll
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY
DR. EDEN PAUL
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
EDWARD L. THORNDIKE
PROFESSOR OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1919
_All rights reserved_
COPYRIGHT, 1912,
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Set up and electrotyped. Published June, 1912.
NORWOOD PRESS
J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Moll is a gifted physician of long experience whose work with those
problems of medicine and hygiene which demand scientific acquaintance
with human nature has made him well known to experts in these fields. In
this book he has undertaken to describe the origin and development, in
childhood and youth, of the acts and feelings due to sex; to explain the
forces by which sex-responses are directed and misdirected; and to judge
the wisdom of existing and proposed methods of preventing the
degradation of a child's sexual life.
This difficult task is carried out, as it should be, with dignity and
frankness. In spite of the best intentions, a scientific book on
sex-psychology is likely to appear, at least in spots, to gratify a low
curiosity; but in Dr. Moll's book there is no such taint. Popular books
on sex-hygiene, on the other hand, are likely to suffer from a
pardonable but harmful delicacy whereby the facts of anatomy,
physiology, and psychology which are necessary to make their principles
comprehensible and useful, are omitted, veiled, or even distorted. Dr.
Moll honors his readers by a frankness which may seem brutal to some of
them. It is necessary.
With dignity and frankness Dr. Moll combines notable good sense. In the
case of any exciting movement in advance of traditional custom, the
forerunners are likely to combine a certain one-sidedness and lack of
balance with their really valuable progressive ideas. The greater
sagacity and critical power are more often found amongst the men of
science who avoid public discussion of exciting social or moral reforms,
and are suspicious of startling and revolutionary doctrines or
practices. It is therefore fortunate that a book on the sexual life
during childhood should have been written by a man of critical,
matter-of-fact mind, of long experience as a medical specialist, and of
wide scholarship, who has no private interest in any exciting
psychological doctrine or educational panacea.
The translation of this book will be welcomed by men and women from many
different professions, but alike in the need of preparation to guide the
sex-life of boys and girls and to meet emergencies caused by its
corruption by weakness within or attack from without. Of the clergymen
in this country who are in real touch with the lives of their charges,
there is hardly a one who does not, every so often, have to minister to
a mind whose moral and religious distress depends on an unfortunate sex
history. Conscientious and observant teachers realize, in a dim way,
that they cannot do justice to even the purely intellectual needs of
pupils without understanding the natural history of those instinctive
impulses, which, concealed and falsified as they are under our
traditional taboos, nevertheless retain enormous potency. The facts, so
clearly shown in the present volume, that the life of sex begins long
before its obvious manifestations at puberty, and that the direction of
its vaguer and less differentiated habits in these earlier years is as
important as its hygiene at the more noticeable climax of the early
'teens, increase the teacher's responsibility. Moreover, there is
probably not a teacher of ten years' standing who has not faced--or by
ignorance neglected--some emergency where moderate insight into the laws
whereby the vague instincts of sex are turned into healthy and unhealthy
habits, and form right and wrong attitudes, could have rescued a boy or
girl from years of wretched anxiety, or degraded conduct, or both.
The social worker, still more emphatically, knows his or her need of a
surer equipment for the wise direction of the life of sex in childhood
and its protection from the abominable suggestions of those who are
themselves sexually diseased or depraved. The casual questioning of
medical or legal friends, reminiscences of vague references in the Bible
or classic literature, and the miscellaneous experiences which life
itself throws in one's way, are hopelessly inadequate.
The conscientious practitioner of medicine, too, will gladly add to the
scanty, though accurate, knowledge of the sex-instinct and its pathology
which is all that even the best medical course can compass, the facts
presented by a specialist in this field. The easiest way for those
parents who accept the responsibility for rational guidance of their
children in matters of sex-behavior to discharge this responsibility is
by the aid of the family physician. For the physician in such cases to
gain the child's confidence, understand his individual dangers and
possible false attitudes, and give more than perfunctory general
counsel, knowledge of the psychology of sex-behavior, as well as its
physiology, is necessary. In general, also, modern medical practice must
look after the _prevention_ of bad habits and unnecessary anxieties in
respect to the sex-life as well as their cure; and the science of
preventive medicine in this field receives a substantial contribution
from this summary of the sex-life of childhood.
There are now many men and women who are dissatisfied with doing for
their children merely what outgrown customs decree, who are willing to
give time and study, as well as money and affection, in their service,
and who are eager to see or hear or read anything pertinent to their
welfare. For many such parents, if they are of the scientific,
matter-of-fact type, Dr. Moll's book may prove the means of answering
many troublesome questions and of prompting to a wiser coöperation with
church, school, and the medical profession in safeguarding their
own--and, we may hope, all other--children against blunders and
contaminations.
One word of caution is perhaps necessary for those readers who are
unused to descriptions of symptoms of diseases, abnormalities, and
defects. Such readers are likely to interpret perfectly ordinary facts
as the symptoms which they have been studying. So the medical student at
the beginning of his reading, fears appendicitis when he has slight
indigestion, and sees incipient tuberculosis in every household! So the
embryonic psychologist finds 'degenerates' in every crowd of boys,
'hypnotic suggestion' in every popular preacher, and 'aphasia' in any
friend who forgets names and faces! Dr. Moll gives more protection
against such exaggerated inferences than is commonly given in books on
pathology, but many of his readers will do well to be on their guard
lest they interpret perfectly innocent behavior as a symptom of
abnormality. The mischief done by our present ignorance and neglect of
important features of sex-behavior should be prevented without the
incidence of mischief from exaggerated expectations and unwise meddling.
It would be evasive to shirk mention of the fact that many of the most
devoted servants of health and morals object to public discussion of the
facts of sex. They discard enlightenment about sex as relatively
unimportant because a clean ancestry, decency in the family and
neighborhood, and noble needs in friendship, love, and marriage must, in
any case, be the main roots of healthy direction and ideal restraint of
the sex-instinct. Or they fear enlightenment as a possible stimulus to
undesirable imagination and experimentation. Or they dislike, even
abhor, it as esthetically repulsive--shocking to an unreasoned but
cherished craving for silence about these things--a craving which the
customs of our land and time have made an unwritten law of society.
Of the first of these three attitudes, it may be said briefly that the
relative unimportance of enlightenment is a fact, but no argument
against it. Modesty, austerity, and clean living on the part of parents
will counterbalance much negligence in direct guidance or protection.
But the former need be in no wise lessened by improving the latter. Of
the second, I dare affirm that if the men and women in America should
stop whatever they are doing for an evening and read this book, there
would be less harmful imagination as a result than from the occupations
which its reading would replace. Of all the causes of sexual disorder,
the reading of scientific books by reputable men is surely the least!
The third--that is, the esthetic--repulsion toward publicity in respect
to the natural history of sex, I will not pretend to judge. Only we must
not strain at gnats and swallow camels. It is no sign of true esthetic
or moral sensitiveness for a person to be shocked by 'Ghosts,' 'Mrs.
Warren's Profession,' or 'The Sexual Life of the Child,' who finds
pleasant diversion in the treatment of sex-behavior in the ordinary
novel, newspaper, or play.
On the whole, the gain from giving earnest men and women the facts they
need, seems likely to outweigh by much the harm done to such light minds
as will be misled, or to such sentimental minds as will be wounded, by
enlightenment about sex. No harm will be done to those men and women
whose interest in the welfare of children makes them eager to face every
problem that it involves, and whose faith in the ideal possibilities of
love between the sexes is too well-grounded to be disturbed by the facts
of its natural history.
EDWARD L. THORNDIKE.
MAY, 1912.
PREFACE
The number of books and essays dealing with sexual topics published
during recent years is by no means small; but although some of the works
in question have added considerably to our knowledge, the advance of
sexual science as a whole has not been proportionate to the extent of
these contributions. The reason is that insufficient attention has been
paid to special problems; and the majority of writers have either
repeated what has already been said by another, in identical or
equivalent words, or else they have published comprehensive treatises on
the sexual life, which may, perhaps, be of interest to the laity, but do
not in any way enrich our science. Further advances in our knowledge of
the sexual life can be effected only by the investigation of special
problems. Such work is, indeed, laborious; but that it is also fruitful,
has been clearly shown, not only in the first instance by von
Krafft-Ebing, but more recently, above all, by Havelock Ellis, whose
special studies have contributed more to the advance of sexual science
than the work of dozens of other writers.
The recognition of the need for specialised investigations has led me,
in this province of scientific work as in other departments, to devote
myself to the elucidation of certain definite problems. For several
reasons I determined to study the sexual life of the child. In the first
place, I believe that an advance in our knowledge of the sexual life of
the child will indirectly enrich our knowledge also of the sexual life
of the adult. In order to understand the sexual life, the gradual
development of that life must be recognised, and for this purpose it is
essential that we should study the sexual life of the child. Moreover,
the modern movement in favour of the sexual enlightenment of young
persons renders indispensable the possession of precise knowledge of the
sexuality of the child; and such knowledge is no less necessary to all
instructors of youth, especially to those to whom the psychical life of
children is a matter of concern. Judges and magistrates also, as we
shall see in the seventh chapter, are very greatly interested in this
matter: it is, in fact, hardly open to question that erroneous legal
decisions and the unjust condemnation of reputed criminals can only be
avoided by giving our judicial authorities the opportunity of obtaining
sound knowledge concerning the sexual life of children in all its modes
of manifestation. By all these considerations I have been induced to
study the problem of the sexuality of children from the most widely
different points of view. Although other writers, such as Freud, Bell,
and Kötscher, have contributed certain data towards the solution of
these questions, no comprehensive study of the subject has hitherto been
attempted. My material does not consist only of the reports of patients.
In addition, in order to avoid a one-sided dependence upon pathological
considerations, I have accepted with greater confidence the reports
concerning the sexual life of children which I have received from
healthy individuals, both men and women. I take this opportunity of
tendering my most heartfelt thanks to all those who have assisted me in
this manner.
ALBERT MOLL.
CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION v
PREFACE xi
CONTENTS xiii
CHAP.
I. INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL 1
Subdivisions of the Period of Childhood--The Notion of
Puberty--Methods of Investigation.
Rousseau and Tissot--The Philanthropes--Medical
Literature--The Older Psychology--History of
Civilisation--Studies of Prostitution--Works on
Zoology--Biographies--Belletristic Literature--Erotic
Literature--Studies of Sexual Perversions--Recent Special
Researches--Diaries.
II. THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS--THE SEXUAL IMPULSE 17
The Male Reproductive Organs--Erection--Ejaculation--The
Voluptuous Sensation--Female Reproductive
Organs--Menstruation and Ovulation--Peripheral Processes,
Erection, Ejaculation, and Voluptuous Sensation, in the
Female--The Reproductive Organs in Children.
Components of the Sexual Impulse--Excitement of the Sexual
Impulse--The Sexual Impulse and the Voluptuous Sensation.
III. SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CHILDHOOD 33
Secondary Sexual Characters--First Period of
Childhood--Second Period of Childhood--Psychical Differences
in Children--The Teachings of Experimental Psychology--The
Teachings of Empirical Psychology
(_Erfahrungspsychologie_)--Inborn Character of Sexual
Differences--Pathological Experiences--Criminological
Experiences.
IV. SYMPTOMATOLOGY 50
Erections in the Child--Ejaculation--Origin of
Ejaculation--Voluptuous Sensation.
The Undifferentiated Sexual Impulse--Examples--Phenomena of
Contrectation in the Child--The Object of
Desire--Romanticism--Manifestations of
Love--Jealousy--Love-Letters and
Love-Poems--Vanity--Shame--Differences between Boys and
Girls--Changes in the Object of Desire.
Interdependence of the Processes of Contrectation and
Detumescence--Temporal Relationship between these respective
Processes.
Masturbation--The Voluptuous Sensation--Modes of
Masturbation--Erogenic Zones--Comparison between Boys and
Girls.
Ejaculation as a Consequence of Feelings of
Anxiety--Pollutions--Madame Roland's Description--Individual
Differences--Sexual Phenomena in the Youth of the Lower
Animals.
The Teachings of Castration--Significance of the
Reproductive Glands--Theories.
The Years of Ripening--Retardation of Sexual Development.
V. PATHOLOGY 114
Pathologically Premature Menarche in Girls--Premature
Puberty in Boys--Conditions met with in Dwarfs--Sexual
Parodoxy--Examples.
Sexual Perversions--Premature Development--Congenital
Character of Perversions--Illusions of Memory--Disappearance
of the Perversions of Childhood--The Association
Theory--Criticism of this Theory--Instances in which
Perversions could be traced back to a very early Age--Origin
of Sexual Perversions in Non-Sexual
Dispositions--Homosexuality and Friendship--Sexual Cruelty
and Cruelty of other Kinds--Diagnostic
Difficulties--Exhibitionism--Skatophilia--Hermaphroditism.
VI. ETIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS 146
Family Tendencies--Abnormal Nervous
System--Race--Climate--Position in Life--Town and
Country--Modern Civilisation--Importance of Congenital
Predisposition--Seduction--Local Stimulation--Chemical
Stimuli--Psychical Stimuli.
Diagnostic Difficulties--Recognition by means of
Observation--Erroneous Diagnoses of Masturbation--The Value
of Physical Signs--Value of a Confidant--Misleading
Statements and Conduct on the part of Children.
Non-Sexual Erections--Non-Sexual Manipulations--Sucking
Movements--Nail-Biting--Imitativeness--Impossibility of any
Definite Demarcation of Sexual Feelings.
VII. IMPORTANCE OF THE SEXUAL LIFE OF THE CHILD 179
The Sexual Life and Morbid Hereditary
Predisposition--Hygienic Dangers--The Dangers of
Masturbation in General--Of Masturbation in the
Child--Masturbation without Ejaculation--Exaggerated Views
to be Avoided--Amatory Passion and Suicide--Freud's
Theory--Infectious Diseases.
Ethical Dangers--Masturbation and Ethics--Social
Dangers--Social Degradation of Girls--Seduction of
Girls--Forensic Importance of the Sexual Life--Children's
Evidence--Circumstances affecting Culpability--Penal
Responsibility of Children--Intellectual Dangers--Sexuality
and Altruism.
Sexual Perversions and the Choice of a
Profession--Punishments and Masochism--Curiosity of
Children--Sexuality and Art--The Question of the Offspring.
Importance of Tardy Sexual Development.
VIII. THE CHILD AS AN OBJECT OF SEXUAL PRACTICES 219
Pædophilia Erotica--Other Sexual Offences against
Children--Sexual Acts Performed on Children--Significance of
each Acts to the Child--Artificial Production of Sexual
Perversions--False Accusations--Statistics of Accusations by
Children--Reasons for Protecting Children----Injuries
effected on Children by the Law--Responsibility of
Pædophiles.
Exhibitionism--Sadism--Newspaper Advertisement.
IX. SEXUAL EDUCATION 246
Limits of Educability--General Hygiene--Custom and
Morality--Inculcation of the Sentiments of Shame and
Disgust--Influence upon these Sentiments of Habit and
Example--Morality and Nakedness--Excessive Sentiments of
Shame and Disgust--The Nude in Art--Morality in
Fanatics--Erotic Books and Pictures.
Co-Education of the Sexes--Children's Balls--Diversion of
the Sexual Impulse--Religious Education--The Bible--The
Confessional--Hypnotism--Psycho-Analysis--Counteraction of
Psychical Contagion.
Sexual Enlightenment--General Educational
Interests--Hygienic Reasons for Enlightenment--The Dangers
of Venereal Infection--Of Masturbation--Ethical
Reasons--Forensic Reasons--Social Reasons--Age at which
Enlightenment is Desirable--Place of Enlightenment; School
or Home--The School Physician--Importance of the
Mother--Individualisation--Mode of Enlightenment.--Reasons
urged against Enlightenment--Need that the Instructor should
be an Enlightened Person--Exaggerated Views regarding the
Importance of Sexual Enlightenment.
Physical Hygienic Measures--Stimulation by Means of the
Bed--Local Stimulation--Mechanical
Measures--Hydrotherapeutic Measures--Dirt--Sport and
Games--Féré's Method.
Pedagogy and Sexual Perversions--Dangers from
Pædophiles--Necessity for Heterosexual Influences--Dangers
of Corporal Punishment--The Right of the Teacher to Inflict
Punishment--Conclusion.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS 325
INDEX OF NAMES 337
THE SEXUAL LIFE OF
THE CHILD
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL
To speak of "the sexual life of the child" seems at first sight to
involve a contradiction in terms. It is generally assumed that the
sexual life first awakens at the on-coming of puberty (the attainment of
sexual maturity of manhood or womanhood); the on-coming of puberty is
regarded as the termination of childhood; in fact the term _child_ is
usually defined as the human being from the time of birth to the
on-coming of puberty. But this contradiction is apparent merely, and
depends on the assumption that the on-coming of puberty is indicated by
certain outward signs (more especially the first menstruation and the
first seminal emission), insufficient attention being paid to the long
period of development which usually precedes these occurrences. And yet,
during this period of preliminary development, the occurrence of certain
manifestations of the sexual life is plainly demonstrable.
The period of childhood is subdivided into several sub-epochs, but the
delimitation and nomenclature of these varies so much with different
investigators, that to avoid misunderstanding I must first define the
subdivisions which I myself propose to employ. If we regard the
beginning of the fifteenth year as the termination of childhood, we may
divide childhood into two equal periods, the first extending from birth
to the completion of the seventh year, the second from the beginning of
the eighth to the end of the fourteenth year. I shall in this work
designate these two periods as the _first_ and the _second period of
childhood_ respectively. In the first period of childhood, the first
year of life may be further distinguished as the _period of infancy_.[1]
The first and second periods of childhood comprise childhood in the
narrower sense of the term. The years that immediately follow the
beginning of the fifteenth year I shall denote as the _period of youth_.
Inasmuch as the symptoms of this latter come to differ from those of
childhood proper, not abruptly, but gradually, the first years, at
least, of youth will often come under our consideration, and I shall
speak of this period of life as the _third period of childhood_.
Although childhood in the narrower sense comprises the first and second
periods only, childhood in the wider sense includes also the third
period. It is hardly possible that any misunderstanding can arise if the
reader will bear in mind that whenever I speak of childhood without
qualification, I allude only to the period of life before the beginning
of the fifteenth year. For all these periods of childhood, first,
second, and third, I shall for practical convenience when speaking of
males use the word _boy_, and when speaking of females, the word _girl_.
The use of this terminology must not be regarded as implying that the
distinctions indicated correspond in any way to fixed natural lines of
demarcation; on the contrary, individual variations are numerous and
manifold. Not only does the rate of development differ in different
races (in the Caucasian race, more especially, the age of puberty comes
comparatively late, so that among the members of this race childhood is
prolonged); but further, within the limits of one and the same race,
notable differences occur. More than all have we to take into account
the differences between the sexes, childhood terminating earlier in the
female sex than in the male--among our own people [the Germans] this
difference is commonly estimated at as much as two years. In addition,
in this respect, there are marked differences between different classes
of the population, a matter to which we shall return in Chapter VI.
It is also necessary to point out here in what sense I employ the term
_puberty_ (nubility, sexual ripeness, or maturity), and the associated
terms, _nubile_ and _sexually mature_. Much confusion exists in respect
of the application of these terms. Some use _puberty_ to denote a period
of time, others, a point of time, and in various other ways the word is
differently used by different authors. Similarly as regards the term
_nubile_; some consider an individual to be nubile as soon as he or she
is competent for procreation, others speak of anyone as nubile only when
the development of the sexual life is completed. Obviously, these two
notions are very different; for instance, a girl of thirteen who has
begun to menstruate may be competent for the act of procreation, and yet
her sexual development may still be far from complete. The confusion as
regards the use of the substantive _puberty_ is no less perplexing. One
writer uses it to denote the time at which procreative capacity begins,
and believes he is right in assuming that in the male this time is
indicated by the occurrence of the first involuntary sexual orgasm.[2] I
may point out in passing that there is a confusion here between
procreative capacity and competence for sexual intercourse, for as a
rule the first seminal emissions contain no spermatozoa. But, apart from
such confusions, the term puberty is used in various senses. Thus, a
second writer denotes by puberty the point of time at which the sexual
development is completed; a third means by puberty the period which
elapses between the occurrence of the first involuntary orgasm and the
completion of sexual development; a fourth uses the word to denote the
entire period of life during which procreative capacity endures; and
finally, a fifth includes under the notion of puberty the whole course
of life after the completion of sexual development. In this work I shall
mean by _puberty_ the period of life between the completion of sexual
development and the extinction of the sexual life. The period during
which the state of puberty is being attained will be spoken of as the
_period of puberal development_, and I shall therefore speak of the
_beginning_ and the _end_ of the puberal development. The terms
_nubility_, _sexual maturity_, _nubile_, and _sexually mature_, will be
used with a similar signification. As regards the puberal development,
let me at the outset draw attention to the fact that it takes place very
gradually; and further, as we shall see, that it begins much earlier
than is commonly believed. In the young girl, from the date of the first
menstruation to the time at which she has become fitted for marriage,
the average lapse of time is assumed by Ribbing[3] to be two years. This
is a fair estimate, but it does not correspond to the totality of the
period of the puberal development. If we estimate that period from its
true beginning its duration greatly exceeds two years, for the first
indications of the puberal development are manifest in the girl long
before the first menstruation, and in the boy long before the first
discharge of semen. The approach of puberty is indicated by numerous
symptoms, some of which are psychical and some physical in character. In
perfectly healthy children, as will be shown in the sequel, individual
symptoms may make their appearance as early as the age of seven or
eight, and further symptoms successively appear during succeeding years,
until the puberal development is completed.
What methods are available for the study of the sexual life of the
child? Three methods have to be considered: first, the observation of
children; secondly, experiment; and thirdly, reports made by individuals
regarding their own experiences. As regards the last mentioned, we must
distinguish clearly between accounts reproduced from memory long after
the incidents to which they relate, and accounts given by children of
their state at the time of narration. But both varieties of clinical
history are defective. The child is often incompetent to describe his
sensations--think, for instance, of the processes of the earliest years
of life. Even when the child is able to make reports, a sense of shame
will often interfere with the truthfulness of his account. Whilst as
regards the memory-pictures of adults, recourse to this method often
fails us because the experiences are so remote as to have been largely,
if not entirely, forgotten. The autobiographies of sexually perverse
individuals have drawn my attention to the fallacious nature of memory.
Its records are uncertain, but that especially is recorded which has
aroused interest. Not only the interest felt in the experiences at the
time determines what shall be recorded, but also the interest felt later
when reviving these experiences in memory. Childish experiences are very
readily forgotten, either if they were uninteresting at the time, or if
subsequently they have become uninteresting. During childhood, a
homosexual woman has experienced sexual feeling, directed now towards
boys, now towards girls. Later in life, when the homosexuality has
developed fully, the memory of the inclination towards boys fades away,
and her homosexual sentiments only are remembered. As a result, we often
find that the homosexual woman--and the converse is equally true of the
homosexual man--declares at first, when inquiries are made, that she has
never experienced any inclination for members of the other sex; whereas,
at any rate in a large proportion of cases, a stricter examination of
her memory, or the reports of other individuals, will reveal beyond
dispute that in childhood heterosexual inclinations were not lacking.
A further defect of memory has been made manifest to me by the study of
perversions. Processes which in childhood were entirely devoid of any
sexual tinge, but which later became associated with sex-feelings, very
readily acquire false sexual associations also when they are revived in
memory. Consider, for instance, the case of a homosexual man. He
remembers that, as a small boy, he was very fond of sitting on his
uncle's knees, and he believes that the pleasure he formerly experienced
was tinged by sexual feeling. In reality this was by no means the case.
His uncle took the boy on his knee in order to tell him a story.
Possibly, also, the riding movements which the uncle imitated by jogging
his knees up and down gave the child pleasure, which, however, was
entirely devoid of any admixture of sexual feeling. But in the
consciousness of the full-grown man, in whom homosexual feeling has
later undergone full development, all this becomes distorted. The
non-sexual motives are forgotten; he believes that even in early
childhood he had homosexual inclinations, and that for _this_ reason it
gave him pleasure to ride on his uncle's knees.
Nor is observation in any way adapted to furnish us with a clear picture
of the sexual life of the child. So little can be directly observed,
that in the absence of reports much would remain entirely unknown. From
the moment when the children gain a consciousness, however obscure, of
the nature of sexual processes, they almost invariably endeavour to
conceal their knowledge as much as possible, so that we shall discover
its existence only by a rare chance. None the less, the results of
direct observation are often important; sometimes because we are able to
watch children when they are unaware of our attention, and sometimes
because they do not as yet fully understand the nature of the processes
under observation, and for this reason are less secretive.
The third method, that of experiment, is available to us only in the
form of castration. I need not dilate on the inadequacy of this
application of the experimental method, even apart from the fact that it
subserves our purposes almost exclusively in respect of the male
sex--for in the case of young girls, castration (oöphorectomy) is almost
entirely unknown.
Thus we see that all our methods of investigation exhibit extensive
lacunæ, and further, that they are all in many respects fallacious; we
shall therefore endeavour to supplement each by the others, in order to
arrive at results which shall be as free from error as possible. Thus
guided, we learn that sexual incidents occur in childhood far more
frequently than is usually supposed. So common are they, that they
cannot possibly escape the notice of any practising physician or
educationalist who pays attention to the question, provided, of course,
that he enjoys the confidence of the parents. These latter have often
been aware of such sexual manifestations in their children for a long
time, but a false shame has prevented them from asking the advice of the
physician. They have been afraid lest he should regard the child as
intellectually or morally deficient, or as the offspring of a degenerate
family. In addition, we have to take into account self-deception on the
part of the parents, who, indeed, often deceive themselves willingly,
saying to themselves that the matter is of no importance, and that the
symptoms will disappear spontaneously.
Having given this brief account of the terminology to be employed and of
the methods of investigation, I propose to sketch no less briefly the
history of the subject.
Casual references to the sexual life of the child are to be found even
in the older scientific literature. In the latter half of the eighteenth
century, and at the beginning of the nineteenth, interest in the subject
became more general. Two works, in especial, published almost
simultaneously, attracted the attention of physicians and
educationalists. One of these, Rousseau's _Émile_, discusses the proper
conduct of parents and elders in relation to the awakening sexual life,
and what they should do in order to delay that awakening as much as
possible. The other, the celebrated work of Tissot, depicts the dangers
of masturbation, but deals chiefly with persons who have attained sexual
maturity. None the less, in consequence of this book, much attention was
directed to the sexual life of the child. Earlier works on masturbation,
such as that of Sarganeck, for instance, had not succeeded in arousing
any enduring interest in this question. But Rousseau's and Tissot's
books induced a large number of physicians and educationalists to occupy
themselves in this province of study. Thus at this early day many
authorities were led to advocate the sexual enlightenment of children,
in order to guide them in the avoidance of the dangers of the sexual
life. An excellent historical and critical study of this movement,
written by Thalhofer, has recently been published.[4] Among the
educationalists who took part in it may be mentioned Basedow, Salzmann,
Campe, and Niemeyer. The modern movement in favour of sexual
enlightenment originated chiefly in the endeavour to prevent the
diffusion of venereal diseases; but the earlier movement, occurring at a
time when much less was known about venereal diseases, had a different
aim. This was rather to prevent masturbation and other sexual excesses,
on account of their direct effect upon the organism; an aim not
neglected by the modern movement for sexual enlightenment, though
subsidiary to the object of the prevention of the venereal diseases.
Teachers of that day touched, of course, upon the subject of the sexual
life of the child. But this was done cursorily, for when instruction was
given on the sexual life, not the actual experience of children, but the
sexual life of mature persons, was the subject of discourse. This must
be said also of the works of those physicians who, like Hufeland in his
_Makrobiotik_ (written as a sequel to the work of Tissot), spoke of the
dangers of masturbation.
A few of the numerous medical books dealing with the puberal development
deserve mention in this place; for instance, Marro, _La Pubertà_ (first
edition, published in 1897), and Bacqué, _La Puberté_ (Argenteuil,
1876). A number of recent works on masturbation have also touched on the
topic of the sexual life of the child.
Apart from these recent special investigations, the older and the more
recent medical and anthropological literature contains numerous
observations which concern the subject of this book. More especially do
we find reports of cases in which the external manifestations of sexual
maturity appeared in very early childhood. Now we find an account of a
girl menstruating at four years of age, now an account of a
three-year-old boy who exhibited many of the external signs of sexual
maturity. Even in the older, purely psychological works we find
occasional references to the sexual life of the child--a fact that will
surprise no one who is acquainted with the high development of the
empirical psychology (_Erfahrungspsychologie_) of that day (1800). The
_Venus Urania_ of Ramdohr, for instance, a work on the psychology of
love, emphasises the frequency of amatory sentiments in children.
In works dealing with the history of civilisation, we also encounter
occasional references to our subject. Take, for instance, the knightly
_Code of Love_ (_Liebeskodex_), a work highly esteemed in the days of
chivalry, and legendarily supposed to have originated in King Arthur's
Court. Paragraph 6 of this _Code_ runs: "A man shall not practise love
until he is fully grown." According to Rudeck,[5] from whom I quote this
instance, the aim of the admonition was to protect the youth of the
nobility from unwholesome consequences. Obviously, the love affairs of
immature persons must have been the determining cause of any allusion to
the matter. We may also draw attention in this connexion to many
marriage laws, which show that the subject has come under consideration,
either because they expressly sanction the marriages of children, or,
conversely, because they forbid such unions. At the present day, among
many peoples (as, for instance, the Hindus), child-marriages are
frequent; and in many countries in which such marriages are now illegal,
they were sanctioned in former ages. Many works on prostitution also
touch on our chosen subject. Parent-Duchâtelet, in his great book,
refers to girls who had become prostitutes at the ages of twelve or even
ten years. I shall show later that in individual instances such early
prostitution is directly dependent upon the sexuality of the children
concerned. Many ethnological works also contribute to our knowledge of
the sexual life of the child, describing, as they do, in certain races,
the early awakening of sexual activity.
Remarkably little material do we find, however, in many works in which
we might have expected to find a great deal. I refer to works on
education and on the psychology of the child. In exceptional instances,
indeed, as I have already indicated, the educationalists have taken part
in the movement in favour of sexual enlightenment. But when we consider
the enormous importance and great frequency of the sexual processes of
the child, we are positively astounded at the manner in which this
department of knowledge has been ignored by those who have written on
the science and art of education, and by those psychologists who have
occupied themselves in the study of the mind of the child. Has it been a
false notion of morality by which these investigators have been withheld
from the elucidation of the sexual life of the child? Or has the reason
merely been their defective powers of observation? As a matter of fact,
I suppose that both these causes have operated in producing this
remarkable gap in our knowledge.
A certain amount of material is to be found in a number of books on
zoology, and also in a few quite recent works on comparative psychology.
Among works of the former class I mention especially that of Brehm, who
has reported a considerable number of individual details; of books on
comparative psychology, one of the most useful for our purposes is that
of Groos,[6] who gives us much valuable information regarding love-games
of young animals.
I may also point out that in the autobiographies, biographies, memoirs,
&c., of celebrated persons, we find much information regarding premature
amatory sentiments. Goethe, in his _Wahrheit und Dichtung_, relates that
as a boy of ten or so he fell in love with a young Frenchwoman, the
sister of his friend Derones. Of Alfred de Musset, his brother and
biographer, Paul Musset, records that at the early age of four he was
passionately in love with a girl cousin. It is on record that Dante fell
in love at the age of nine, Canova at five, and Alfieri at ten. Well
known also is the story of Byron's love, at eight years of age, for Mary
Duff. Möbius tells us of himself that when a boy of ten he was
desperately enamoured of a young married woman. We are told of Napoleon
I. that when a boy of nine he fell in love with his father's cousin, a
handsome woman of thirty, then on a visit to his home, and that he
caressed her in the most passionate manner. Belonging to an earlier day
was Felix Platter, the celebrated Swiss physician of the sixteenth
century, who tells us in his autobiography that when he was a child he
loved to be kissed by a certain young married woman. In _Un Coeur
Simple_, Flaubert describes the development of the love-sentiments. "For
mankind there is so much love in life. At the age of four we love
horses, the sun, flowers, shining weapons, uniforms; at ten we love a
little girl, our playmate; at thirteen we love a buxom, full-necked
woman. The first time I saw the two breasts of a woman, entirely
unclothed, I almost fainted. Finally, at the age of fourteen or fifteen,
we love a young girl, who is a little more to us than a sister and a
little less than a mistress; and then, at sixteen, we love a woman once
more, and marry her."
Most charmingly Hebbel describes his first experience of love, when but
four years old. "It was in Susanna's dull schoolroom, also, that I
learned the meaning of love; it was, indeed, in the very hour when I
first entered it, at the age of four. First love! Who is there who will
not smile as he reads these words? Who will fail to recall memories of
some Anne or Margaret, who once seemed to him to wear a crown of stars,
and to be clad in the blue of heaven and the gold of dawn; and now--but
it would be malicious to depict the contrast! Who will fail to admit
that it seemed to him then as if he passed on the wing through the
garden of the earth, flitting from flower to flower, sipping from their
honey-cups; passing too swiftly, indeed, to become intoxicated, but
pausing long enough at each to inhale its divine perfume!... It was some
time before I ventured to raise my eyes, for I felt that I was under
inspection, and this embarrassed me. But at length I looked up, and my
first glance fell upon a pale and slender girl who sat opposite me: her
name was Emily, and she was the daughter of the parish-clerk. A
passionate trembling seized me, the blood rushed to my heart; but a
sentiment of shame was also intermingled with my first sensations, and I
lowered my eyes to the ground once more, as rapidly as if I had caught
sight of something horrible. From that moment Emily was ever in my
thoughts; and the school, so greatly dreaded in anticipation, became a
joy to me, because it was there only that I could see her. The Sundays
and holidays which separated me from her were as greatly detested by me
as in other circumstances they would have been greatly desired; one day
when she stayed away from school, I felt utterly miserable. In
imagination she was always before my eyes, wherever I went; when alone,
I was never weary of repeating her name; above all, her black eyebrows
and intensely red lips were ever before my eyes, whereas I do not
remember that at this time her voice had made any impression on me,
although later this became all-important."
In belletristic literature, also, we find occasional references to the
love-sentiment in childhood. Groos refers to an instance which he thinks
perhaps the most delicate known to him, and one in which the erotic
element is but faintly emphasised, namely, Gottfried Keller's _Romeo und
Julia_. "In a spot entirely covered with green undergrowth the girl
stretched herself on her back, for she was tired, and began in a
monotonous tone to sing a few words, repeating the same ones over and
over again; the boy crouched close beside her, half inclined, he also,
to stretch himself at full length on the ground, so lethargic did he
feel. The sun shone into the girl's open mouth as she sang, lighting up
her glistening white teeth, and gleaming on her full red lips. The boy
caught sight of her teeth, and, holding the girl's head and eagerly
examining her teeth, said, 'Tell me, how many teeth has one?' The girl
paused for a moment, as if thinking the matter carefully over, but then
answered at random, 'A hundred.' 'No!' he cried; 'thirty-two is the
proper number; wait a moment, I'll count yours.' He counted them, but
could not get the tale right to thirty-two, and so counted them again,
and again, and again. The girl let him go on for some time, but as he
did not come to an end of his eager counting, she suddenly interrupted
him, and said, 'Now, let me count yours.' The boy lay down in his turn
on the undergrowth; the girl leaned over him, with her arm round his
head; he opened his mouth, and she began counting: 'One, two, seven,
five, two, one,' for the little beauty did not yet know how to count.
The boy corrected her, and explained to her how to count properly; so
she, in her turn, attempted to count his teeth over and over again: and
this game seemed to please them more than any they had played together
that day. At last, however, the girl sank down on her youthful
instructor's breast, and the two children fell asleep in the bright
midday sunshine."
In erotic literature we also occasionally find descriptions belonging to
our province, as, for instance, in the _Satyricon_ of Petronius Arbiter.
Indeed, a certain kind of erotic literature, more especially
pornographic literature, selects this subject by preference. Thus, I may
allude to the _Anti-Justine_ of Rétif de la Bretonne. In a certain
section of such literature, improper practices between children and
their parents and other blood relatives play a part.
Recently, in connexion with two different fields of study, attention has
been directed to the sexual life of the child. The first of these is
concerned with the abnormal, and especially the perverse, manifestations
of the sexual life, a study of which Westphal, and above all von
Krafft-Ebing, have been the founders. The other is the modern movement
in favour of the sexual enlightenment of children. As regards the
latter, the literature to which it has given rise has not, indeed,
contributed much, beyond a few casual references, in the way of positive
material concerning the sexual life of the child. But none the less, it
is this movement which has made it of prime importance that our subject
should be carefully investigated. As regards studies of the
abnormalities of the sexual impulse, under the name of _paradoxical
sexual impulse_ cases have been published in which that impulse
manifested itself at an age of life in which it is normally
non-existent--old age and childhood. Recent research has brought to
light a large number of cases of this nature. Among those who have
reported such cases, we must mention first of all von Krafft-Ebing, and
in addition, Féré, Fuchs, Pélofi, and Lombroso.
In addition to these various works, others must be mentioned which have
arisen mainly out of the recently awakened interest in the sexual life;
for example, works on puberty, the psychology of love, and similar
topics. In his _Fisiologia del Amore_ (_Physiology of Love_), Mantegazza
emphasises the love-manifestations of childhood. The same may be said of
many other general works on the sexual life, and more especially, as
previously mentioned, of works on prostitution. Certain works on
offences against morality have also enriched our knowledge in this
province.
It might at first sight appear from what has been said that the
literature of the sexual life of the child was extremely voluminous, but
this is not in reality the case. Almost always, this important question
is handled in a casual or cursory manner. A thorough presentation of the
subject has not, as far as my knowledge extends, hitherto been
attempted. Freud rightly insists that even in all, or nearly all, the
works on the psychology of the child, this important department is
ignored. Quite recently, indeed, special works have appeared upon the
sexual life of the child, among which I must first of all mention
Freud's own contribution to the subject, forming part of his _Drei
Abhandlungen zur sexuellen Theorie_ (_Three Essays on the Sexual
Theory_, Leipzig and Vienna, 1905).[7] But what this writer describes as
an indication of infantile sexuality, viz., certain sucking movements,
has, in my opinion, nothing to do with the sexual life of the child--as
little to do with sexuality as have the functions of the stomach or any
other non-genital organ. A number of other processes occurring in
childhood, which Freud and his followers have recently described as
sexual in nature, and as playing a great part later in life in connexion
with hysteria, neurasthenia, compulsion-neuroses, the anxiety-neurosis,
and dementia præcox, have very little true relationship to the sexual
life of the child. In any case, Freud has not systematically studied the
individual manifestations of the sexual life of the child. I must also
mention a small work by Kötscher, _Das Erwachen des Geschlechtsbewusstseins
und seine Anomalien_ (_The Awakening of the Consciousness of Sex and its
Anomalies_, Wiesbaden, 1907). Kötscher, however, does not give any
detailed account of the sexual life of the child; he starts, rather,
from the sexual life of the adult, and only as a supplement to his
account of this does he give a few data regarding the awakening of the
consciousness of sex. In the _American Journal of Psychology_, July
1902, we find an elaborate study of the sexual life of the child. In
this paper, _A Preliminary Study of the Emotion of Love between the
Sexes_, the writer, Sanford Bell, devotes much attention to the
love-sentiments in childhood. He discusses, indeed, only heterosexual,
qualitatively normal inclinations, and his essay deals only with the
psychological aspects of the question. The processes taking place in the
genital organs do not come within the scope of the writer's
observations, and, indeed, are outside the limits of his chosen theme. A
great many other points connected with the question are also left
untouched. None the less, the paper is full of matter. The same must be
said of the works of the English investigator, Havelock Ellis, who is,
in my opinion, the leader of all those at present engaged in the study
of sexual psychology and pathology. Unfortunately his writings are not
so well known in Germany as they deserve to be, the reason being that
owing to their strictly scientific character they are not so noisily
obtruded on the public notice as are certain other widely advertised and
reputedly scientific works. In his various books, and above all in his
six volumes entitled _Studies in the Psychology of Sex_ (F. A. Davies
Company, Philadelphia, Pa.), as a part of his general contributions to
our knowledge of the sexual life, Havelock Ellis records numerous
observations relating to the years of childhood; especially valuable in
this connexion are the biographies given in the third volume of the
above-mentioned _Studies_.
A valuable source of data for our field of inquiry exists in the form of
unpublished diaries, autobiographies, and albums, which are not
accessible to the general public. I have myself had the opportunity of
studying a number of records of this nature, and have formed the opinion
that a quantity of invaluable material lies hidden in these recesses. I
may add that the records I have been able to use have not only related
to living persons; in addition, I have been able to study a number of
albums and diaries dating from an earlier day. These have remained
unpublished, in part because they appeared to be of interest only to the
families of the writers, and in part because many of them were in
intention purely private memoranda, a written record for the sole use of
the writer.
Speaking generally, however, this province of research has received but
little scientific attention; and of comprehensive studies, intended to
throw light on every aspect of the sexual life of the child, not a
single one is known to me.
Chapter II
THE SEXUAL ORGANS--THE SEXUAL IMPULSE
A proper understanding of physiological functions is based upon
anatomical knowledge of the organs concerned. For our purpose,
therefore, a knowledge of the sexual organs of the child is essential.
The proper course, in this instance, appears to be to start with an
account of the adult organs, and then to describe the distinctive
characteristics of the same organs in the child. Let us, then, begin
with the organs of the adult man.
The _membrum virile_ or _penis_ is visible externally, and behind it is
situated the scrotum. Within this latter are two ovoid structures, named
_testicles_ or _testes_. Each testicle is enveloped in a fibrous
capsule, known as the _tunica albuginea_, from which fibrous _septa_
pass into the interior of the organ, thus dividing it into a number of
separate _lobules_. Each lobule is composed of _seminiferous tubules_,
which are greatly convoluted and likewise branched, the branches being
continuous with those of neighbouring tubules, both within the same
lobule, and (by perforating the fibrous septa) in adjoining lobules. In
the walls of the seminiferous tubules the _spermatozoa_ are formed. The
seminiferous tubules unite to form the efferent ducts (_vasa
efferentia_), about a dozen in number for each testicle; immediately
passing out of the testicle, these efferent ducts make up the
_epididymis_, situated at the upper and back part of the testicle. After
numerous convolutions, these unite at length on each side to form a
single canal, which leaves the epididymis under the name of the _vas
deferens_; this is the excretory duct of the testicle, conveying the
secretion of that organ to the exterior. The vas deferens traverses the
inguinal canal into the abdominal cavity, and therein passes downwards
to the prostatic portion of the urethra (_vide infra_). The anterior
portion only of the _penis_ is visible externally, dependent in front
of the scrotum; the posterior portion is concealed by the scrotum and
the skin of the perineum. The terminal segment of the penis is formed by
the _glans_, which is covered by the _foreskin_ or _prepuce_. This last
is sometimes artificially removed: either on ritual grounds, as, for
instance, among the Jews; or for medical reasons, for example, when the
preputial orifice is greatly constricted. At the anterior extremity of
the glans penis is the orifice of the urethra (_meatus_). The _urethra_
is a canal running through the entire length of the penis, opening by
its proximal extremity into the urinary bladder, and serving for the
passage of the urine from the bladder to the exterior of the body. The
main substance of the penis is composed of three cavernous bodies, the
paired _corpora cavernosa penis_, and the single _corpus spongiosum_, or
_corpus cavernosum urethræ_. These consist of what is known as _erectile
tissue_, a spongy mass within whose lacunar spaces a large quantity of
blood can, in certain conditions, be retained. When this occurs, the
penis becomes notably thicker and longer, and simultaneously hard and
inflexible. This process is known as _erection_ of the penis, and is
requisite to render possible the introduction of the organ into the
genital canal of the female.
The proximal segment of the urethra is surrounded by the _prostate
gland_. The secretion of this gland is conveyed into the urethra by
numerous short ducts, known as the _prostatic ducts_. Behind the
prostate, at the base or fundus of bladder, are the paired _seminal
vesicles_. The duct of the seminal vesicle joins the _vas deferens_ of
the same side (both functionally and embryologically the seminal vesicle
is no more than a diverticulum of the vas deferens); passing on under
the name of the _common seminal_ or _ejaculatory duct_, the canal opens
into the prostatic portion of the urethra (the orifices of the two
common seminal ducts are in the folds of mucous membrane forming the
right and left lateral margins of the _prostatic utricle_ or _uterus
masculinus_). These ducts convey the secretion of the testicles into the
urethra along which canal it passes to the exterior. Behind the
posterior part of the urethra, but distal to the prostate gland, are
situate also the paired _glands of Cowper_, or _suburethral glands_,
whose excretory ducts likewise open into the urethra. There are glands
also in the walls of the seminal vesicles, the vasa deferentia, and the
urethra; the urethral glands are commonly known as the _glands of
Littré_.
As previously mentioned, it is in the testicles that the secretion
necessary for the reproductive act is prepared. This secretion is
evacuated during sexual intercourse, and also during masturbation and
involuntary seminal emissions. The testicular secretion is a tenacious
fluid. When examined microscopically, it is seen to contain countless
spermatozoa, structures about 50 [Greek: m] (1/500 inch) in length, with
a thick head and a long filiform tail. They represent the male
reproductive cells, which during coitus are introduced into the interior
of the female reproductive organs; a single spermatozoon unites with the
ovum of the female to form the fertilised ovum. The spermatozoa are
formed in the walls of the convoluted seminiferous tubules. The cells
lining these tubules are of several different kinds (although in
childhood they are not differentiated as they are after the puberal
development has taken place). One variety of these cells, the
_spermatogonia_, undergo an increase of size at puberty, and from these
spermatogonia, after passing through several intermediate transitional
stages, the spermatozoa are formed.
It was formerly believed that the sole function of the testicles was the
production of the spermatozoa; recently, however, the opinion has gained
ground that these organs have in addition another specific function,
that of internal secretion. Whilst the spermatogonia become transformed
into spermatozoa, other cellular structures of the testicle, more
especially the interstitial cells, produce, it is assumed, the internal
secretion of the gland. The constituents of this internal secretion,
having been poured into the general circulation, are supposed to give
rise to the specific masculine sexual development, and, in particular,
to lead to the appearance of the secondary sexual characters. This
matter will subsequently be discussed in detail, and here I shall merely
add that perhaps none of the proper constituents of the internal
secretion find their way into the external secretion of the testicle.
This external secretion of the testicles does, however, receive the
admixture of a number of other secretions, to constitute the semen as
actually discharged, viz., the secretion of the prostate gland, that of
the seminal vesicles, Cowper's glands, and the glands of the vasa
deferentia, and perhaps also that of the glands of Littré. The term
semen is, indeed, often applied to the secretion of the testicles alone;
but to avoid misunderstanding, Fürbringer[8] recommends that only the
mixed secretion, as actually discharged, should be spoken of as the
semen, and that this term should never be employed to denote the
testicular secretion alone.
In what has gone before, I have not only described the structure of the
male sexual organs, but have alluded also in passing to their functions.
These latter must, however, be described more fully. Let us begin with
_erection_, which, as we saw, is due to distension of the penis with
blood. How is this distension brought about? It results from stimulation
of the erection centre. Until recently, it was supposed that this centre
was situated in the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord; but now,
owing to the researches of L. R. Müller, it is believed to form part of
the sympathetic plexuses of the pelvis. Stimulation of the centre leads
to distension of the penis with blood, and thus to erection of that
organ. The stimulation of the centre can be effected in either of two
ways.
In the first place, by psychical processes. Thus, in a man, the sight of
a woman exercises such a stimulus, the stimulation proceeding from the
brain along the spinal cord to reach the centre. The psychical stimulus
may also consist of reminiscences. In this way the memory of an
attractive woman may be just as effective in causing erection as if she
were actually visible at the moment; reading erotic literature may have
the same result. When the sexual impulse is perverted, the ideas causing
erection will naturally be themselves of a perverse character. Thus, in
the homosexual male, erection occurs at the sight or remembrance of a
man; in the fetichist, the idea of the fetich is operative--in the case
of the body-linen fetichist, for instance, the idea of articles of
underclothing.
In the second place, the activity of the erection centre can be aroused
by physical stimuli. To this category belong masturbatory manipulations,
stimulation of the glans penis and other parts of the genital organs.
But other erogenic areas exist, the stimulation of which produces the
same results. Among these areas, the buttocks must be particularly
mentioned. But individual peculiarities play a great part in this
connexion. Thus, in many persons, a slight stimulation of the nape of
the neck, of the scalp, &c., has an erogenic effect. In all cases alike,
the stimulus is conducted along the sensory nerves to the erection
centre, and it is the stimulation of this centre which by reflex action
leads to distension of the penis with blood and its consequent erection.
The physical stimulus leading to erection may also result from some
pathological process, such as inflammation of the penis or of the
urethra. Finally, certain internal physiological processes may be the
starting-point of the afferent physical stimuli leading to erection; for
example, distension of the bladder, and also of the seminal vesicles,
and of the seminiferous tubules of the testicle. In addition, it is
probable that many of the processes of growth occurring in the
reproductive glands act in a similar way. These internal stimuli all
pass to the erection centre along the afferent (sensory) nerves, and
induce erection by reflex action; and it is important to bear in mind
that this effect may result without any direct affection of
consciousness by the originating afferent impulses.
Although either kind of stimuli, psychical or physical, acting alone,
may give rise to erection, experience shows that in most instances the
two varieties co-operate in the production of this effect. Thus, in the
sexually mature man, the accumulation of semen in the seminal vesicles
gives rise, not only to excitement of the erection centre, but also to
voluptuous ideas, and these latter, in their turn, further stimulate the
erection centre.
Normally, during coitus, erection is followed by _ejaculation_. A
special nerve centre for ejaculation is also supposed to exist; and the
ejaculation centre, like the erection centre, was formerly believed to
be situated in the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord, but recent
investigations have shown that it also most probably forms part of the
sympathetic plexuses of the pelvis. This centre also may be stimulated
either by psychical or by physical stimuli. In normal conditions,
however, much more powerful stimuli are needed to cause ejaculation than
those which are competent to give rise to erection. For this reason,
erections often occur without leading to ejaculation, whereas in normal
conditions ejaculation hardly ever occurs without erection. In fact,
ejaculation in the absence of erection is almost peculiar to
pathological states, and may occur, for instance, in many forms of
impotence, in which the ejaculation centre still remains susceptible to
stimulation, whilst the erection centre is exhausted. Whereas
stimulation of the erection centre exercises its reflex influence
through the vasomotor nerves, thus leading to distension of the penis
with blood, the reflex impulses resulting from stimulation of the
ejaculation centre are transmitted by the motor nerves to certain
muscles--those, namely, whose contraction forcibly expels the
accumulated semen. The contractions of the affected muscles occur
rhythmically, the stimulation of the ejaculation centre giving rise to a
series of contractions alternating with relaxations. True ejaculation,
resulting from the activity of these muscles, must be distinguished from
the appearance of a drop or two of fluid at the urethral meatus, which
occasionally occurs at the outset of sexual excitement--the so-called
_urethrorrhoea ex libidine_. This fluid runs out while the ejaculatory
muscles are quiescent. It was formerly believed that it consisted of the
secretion of the prostate gland; but Fürbringer, to whom we are indebted
for the most valuable researches in this province, has shown that this
view is erroneous. These drops are, he states, derived solely from the
glands of Littré and the glands of Cowper (urethral and suburethral
glands).
Sexual excitement is accompanied throughout by a sensation of pleasure,
specifically known as _voluptuous pleasure_, the _voluptuous sensation_,
or simply _voluptuousness_ (in Latin, _libido sexualis_). Several stages
of the voluptuous sensation must be distinguished: its onset; the
equable voluptuous sensation; the voluptuous acme, coincident with the
rhythmical contraction of the perineal muscles and the ejaculation of
the semen; and, finally, the quite sudden diminution and cessation of
the voluptuous sensation. Associated with the last stage we usually have
a sense of satisfaction, and simultaneously a cessation of the sexual
impulse; a sense of ease and calm ensues, and at the same time a feeling
of fatigue. This voluptuous sensation localised in the genital organs
must, of course, be distinguished from the general sense of pleasure
produced in a man by the idea of, or by contact with, a woman in whom he
is sexually interested.
Now let us pass on to the consideration of the reproductive organs in
the female. The most conspicuous part of the external genital organs
consists of two large folds, situated on either side of the median line,
and known as the _labia majora_. Within these are two much smaller
folds, the _labia minora_ or _nymphæ_. In the median line, in the space
between the labia minora, we see two apertures: the anterior of these is
the _urethral orifice_ (_meatus_), from which the comparatively short
and almost straight urethra of the female passes upwards and backwards
to the bladder; the posterior aperture is the _vaginal orifice_. The
labia minora, divergent posteriorly, converge as they pass forwards like
the limbs of a V; at the apex of the V is the _clitoris_; in shape and
structure this resembles the penis of the male, but it is much smaller,
and is solid, not being perforated by the urethra. It contains two
_corpora cavernosa_, which unite to form the _body_ of the organ, whilst
the distal extremity is known as the _glans_, and is homologous to the
glans penis. Posteriorly to the clitoris, and beneath the mucous
membrane on either side, is an additional mass of erectile tissue, known
as the _vaginal bulb_, or _bulb of the vestibule_. Just outside the
vaginal orifice on either side are visible the orifices of the ducts of
_Bartholin's glands_ (known also as _Duverney's glands_); these are
homologous with Cowper's glands in the male.
When we attempt to pass from the vaginal orifice to the internal
reproductive organs, we find that in the virgin an obstacle exists, the
_hymen_ or _maidenhead_, consisting of a duplicature of the mucous
membrane. It is very variable in form, but in the great majority of
instances it diminishes the size of the vaginal inlet to such an extent
as to render coitus impossible until the hymen has been torn. Through
the vaginal orifice access is gained to the interior of the _vagina_, a
tubular structure, but flattened from before backwards, so that in the
quiescent state the anterior and posterior walls of the passage are in
apposition. The _uterus_ or _womb_ is a muscular, pear-shaped organ,
with an elongated central cavity, which opens into the upper part of the
vagina. At the upper end of the cavity of the uterus are two small
laterally placed apertures, which lead into the _Fallopian tubes_ (or
_oviducts_). These tubes pass outwards in a somewhat sinuous course
towards the _ovaries_, the reproductive glands of the female, homologous
with the testicles in the male, and situated on either side of the upper
extremity of the uterus. The shape of the ovaries is somewhat ovoid.
They contain a large number of vesicular structures, the _ovarian
follicles_, the largest, ripe follicles being known as _Graafian
follicles_, whilst the smaller, partially developed follicles are termed
_primitive ovarian follicles_, or _primitive Graafian follicles_. In the
interior of each follicle is an _ovum_. In the sexually mature woman, a
Graafian follicle ripens at regular intervals of four weeks. When ripe,
the follicle bursts, the ovum is expelled, and passes through the
Fallopian tube into the interior of the uterus: here it is either
fertilised by uniting with a spermatozoon derived from the male, in
which case it proceeds to develop into an embryo; or else it remains
unfertilised, in which case it is shortly expelled from the body.
In the uterus, as well as in the ovaries, an important change occurs at
intervals of four weeks, characterised by an increased flow of blood to
the organ, culminating in an actual outflow of blood from the vessels
into the uterine cavity, and thence through the vagina to the exterior
of the body; the whole process is known as _menstruation_, the _monthly
sickness_ or the (_monthly_) _period_. After the fertilisation of the
ovum, during pregnancy, that is to say, menstruation usually ceases
until after the birth of the child, and often until the completion of
lactation.
I do not propose to discuss here the nature of the connexion between
these periodic processes in the ovaries and the uterus,
respectively--that is, between ovulation and menstruation. I shall,
however, take this opportunity of stating that, as careful
investigations have shown, the periodic processes in question are not
limited to the uterus and the ovaries, but affect also the external
genital organs, which become congested simultaneously with menstruation;
and further, that the entire feminine organism is affected by an
undulatory rhythm of nutrition, the rise and fall of which correspond to
menstruation and to the intermenstrual interval, respectively.
I must now give some account of the peripheral processes occurring in
the female genital organs in connexion with the sexual act. In part,
they are completely analogous to those which take place in the male. I
have already pointed out that in many respects the clitoris in the
female corresponds to the penis in the male, In the clitoris, also,
erection occurs, conditioned partly by psychical and partly by physical
stimuli. The psychical stimuli consist of ideas relating to the male.
The physical stimuli may, just as in the case of the other sex, vary in
their nature. Thus, the condition of the reproductive glands may act as
a physical stimulus to erection; also the touching of certain regions of
the body, especially the clitoris, the labia minora, or other erogenic
zones. Under the influence of such stimuli, the venus plexuses making up
the vaginal bulbs also become distended with blood. In fact, speaking
generally, sexual excitement is characterised by a vigorous flow of
blood to the genital organs. During coitus, in woman, as in man, a
process of ejaculation normally occurs, taking the form of rhythmical
muscular contractions, affecting not only the perineal muscles, but also
the muscular investment of the vagina, and occasionally, perhaps, the
uterus itself. These muscular contractions also favour the expulsion of
a secretion, but this secretion does not contain the reproductive cells
of the female, and consists merely of a mixture of indifferent
secretions--the secretion of Bartholin's glands, that of the uterine
mucous membrane, and that of the mucous glands of the vagina and vulva.
In the woman also, even at the outset of the sexual act, a secretion
from the local glands takes place, whereby the genital region is
moistened prior to the actual orgasm. We have as yet no precise
knowledge as to which glands are concerned in the production of this
phenomenon, which is homologous to the _urethrorrhæa ex libidine_ of the
male. In woman, as in man, the curve of voluptuousness exhibits four
phases: an ascending limb, the equable voluptuous sensation, the acme,
and the rapid decline. There are, however, in this respect, certain
differences between man and woman, to which von Krafft-Ebing drew
attention, and whose existence was confirmed by Otto Alder.[9] Whereas
in the male the curve of voluptuousness both rises and falls with
extreme abruptness, in the female both the onset and the decline of
voluptuous sensation are slower and more gradual. There is an additional
difference between man and woman. In woman very often voluptuous
pleasure is entirely lacking; certainly such absence is far commoner in
women than in men--a condition of affairs which must on no account be
confused with _absence of the sexual impulse_. Even when the sexual
impulse is perfectly normal, the entire voluptuous curve with its acme
may be wanting. In such cases, the after-sense of complete satisfaction,
which occurs more especially when ejaculation has been associated with
an extremity of voluptuous pleasure, it is commonly also lacking.
Finally, it is necessary to add that in woman, as in man, the
reproductive glands appear to have a duplex function--such is, at least,
the belief to which recent investigations more and more definitely
point. The ovaries, that is to say, do not only produce ova; they also,
like the testicles, furnish an internal secretion, and the absorption
and distribution of this secretion by the blood are supposed to cause
the development of the secondary sexual characters in woman.
Having now concluded our account of the structure and functions of the
productive organs of adults, let us turn to consider the differences
between these organs and those of children. In the child, the testicles
are considerably smaller; smaller also are the penis and the other
genital organs. In the adult, the root of the penis is surrounded by the
pubic hair; this hair is absent in the child. The most important
distinctive characteristic, however, lies in the fact that in the child
the morphological elements upon which the capacity for procreation
depends, namely, the spermatozoa, are not yet present in the testicles.
The spermatozoa first make their appearance during that year of life
which is usually regarded as the year of the puberal development. The
microscopical appearances of the testicle, of which an account has
previously been given, thus naturally differ according as the specimen
under examination has been taken from a child or from an adult. As
regards the other glands considered to form part of the genital organs,
some of these secrete even in childhood. This matter will be
subsequently discussed in some detail.
In the female sex, also, there are notable differences in the condition
of the genital organs between the adult and the child. In the first
place, the relative sizes of the various organs differ greatly. But
other differences are also noticeable, not dependent, however, on
differences in age, but on whether there has or has not been experience
of sexual intercourse, and on whether pregnancy and parturition have
occurred. When we compare a female child with an adult woman, the first
obvious difference is in the shape of the external genital organs. In
the child, the vulva is placed much higher and more to the front, so
that it is distinctly visible even when the thighs are in close
apposition. In the child, also, the labia majora are less developed, for
as womanhood approaches a great deposit of fat takes place in these
structures. Again, in the child, the outer surfaces of the labia majora
and that part of the skin of the abdomen just in front of the labia (the
_mons veneris_) are as hairless as the rest of the body, whereas in the
adult woman these regions are covered with the pubic hair. According to
Marthe Francillon,[10] to whom we are indebted for an elaborate study of
puberty in the female sex, during the puberal development changes occur
also in the clitoris. The genital corpuscles of Krause and the
corpuscles of Finger (_Wollustkörperchen_), the terminals of the nerves
passing to the erectile tissue of the clitoris, undergo at this time a
marked increase in size. The clitoris itself, hitherto comparatively
small, now attains a length of three to four centimetres (1.2 to 1.6
inch), in the quiescent state, and of four and a half to five
centimetres (1.8 to 2 inches) when erect. In the virgin also, as
previously mentioned, the hymen is present, a structure of very variable
form. After defloration its remnants persist in the form of small
prominences around the margin of the vaginal inlet (_carunculæ
myrtiformes_). But, quite independently of defloration, in the child the
vaginal orifice is much smaller than in the riper girl. The uterus
undergoes remarkable changes. In the foetus, during the latter part of
intra-uterine life, this organ grows very rapidly; but immediately after
birth its growth is arrested, so that in a girl of nine it is little
larger than in the new-born infant. During the period of puberal
development, however, the growth of the organ is once more extremely
rapid. Its shape also changes at this time. In the child, the uterus is
longer in proportion to its thickness; in childhood, too, the
comparative length of the cervix in relation to that of the body of the
organ is much greater than in the adult woman. We need only allude in
passing to the fact that later in life marked changes occur in the
uterus as a result of pregnancy and parturition. The hyperæmia and the
bleeding that take place periodically during menstruation lead to
certain changes in the mucous surface of the uterus. Ovulation, which in
the sexually mature woman recurs at four-weekly intervals, also gives
rise to certain permanent changes in the ovaries. The site of each
ruptured Graafian follicle becomes cicatrised, and in consequence of the
formation of these little scars, the ovary no longer retains the
smoothness of surface which was characteristic of the organ in
childhood. From birth onwards the ovaries gradually increase in size,
but the growth is disproportionate in different diameters. Thus, for
instance, during the eighth year of life, growth is chiefly in
thickness, so that the ratio between the length and the thickness
becomes less than before. The structure of the ovaries also varies at
different ages. In a girl of three years, the primitive ovarian
follicles number about 400,000; at the age of eight it is estimated that
their number has been reduced to about 36,000. Certainly the majority of
the primitive follicles come to nothing. True Graafian follicles, of
which an account has already been given, are not usually formed prior
to the beginning of the puberal development; occasionally, however, they
are formed in the ovaries of immature girls.
Let us now pass to the consideration of the sexual impulse. We learn
from personal observation that two entirely distinct processes
participate in this impulse. In the first place, we have the physical
processes that take place in the genital organs; these are in part
unperceived, but in part they affect consciousness in the form of common
sensations, or as ordinary tactile and other similar sensations. In the
second place, we have those higher psychical processes by means of which
man is attracted to woman, and woman to man. In our actual experience of
the normal sexual life, both these groups of processes do, as a matter
of fact, work in unison; but not only is it possible for us to
distinguish them analytically; it is, in addition, possible in many
instances to observe them in action clinically isolated each from the
other. A long while ago I utilised this distinction for the analysis of
the sexual impulse, describing the impulse in so far as it was confined
to the peripheral organs as the _detumescence-impulse_ (from
_detumescere_, to decrease in size), and in so far as it takes the form
of processes tending towards bodily and mental approximation to another
individual, as the _contrectation-impulse_ (from _contrectare_ to touch,
or to think about). The distinction will become clearer to our minds if
we familiarise ourselves first with cases in which either process occurs
independently of the other. The detumescence-impulse is sometimes the
sole manifestation of the sexual impulse. Certain idiots practise
masturbation as a physical act, because sensations proceeding from the
genital organs impel them to do so, precisely as itching of an area of
the skin impels us to scratch. They masturbate without thinking of
another person, and they feel no impulsion whatever towards sexual
contact with another person. Analogous phenomena may be witnessed in the
animal world also, in connexion with the masturbatory acts of monkeys,
bulls, and stallions. When a stallion kicks its genital organs again and
again with its hind-foot, and repeats the action until ejaculation
ensues, we are hardly justified in assuming that the animal has the
idea of a mare before its mind. We must rather suppose that we have to
do with a local physical stimulus, to which the stallion reacts in the
manner above described. The other component, also, of the sexual
impulse, the contrectation-impulse, manifests itself, occasionally, at
any rate, in isolation. Certain boys, long before the appearance of any
signs of the puberal development, are impelled towards physical contact
with members of the other sex, to kiss them, to think of them, although
these boys may exhibit no tendency whatever to masturbate, or to
manipulate their genital organs. It often happens, indeed, that such a
boy is himself greatly astonished to find, some day, that these ideas
are reflected to the genital organs, giving rise to erection; or, when
he is embracing a girl, to experience erection and ejaculation. In the
sexually mature normal man, the detumescence-impulse and the
contrectation-impulse act in unison, and hence he is impelled towards
intimate contact with the woman, and is ultimately driven to effect
detumescence by the practice of coitus. Nevertheless, we must hold fast
to the idea that in the normal adult man the sexual processes may also
be theoretically analysed into these two components.
This is true also of woman, in whom the processes in the genital organs
are equally separable from those which impel to contact with a member of
the other sex. But in woman, the processes in the genital organs do not
culminate in the ejection of the reproductive cells, that is, of the
ovum, but, as we have seen, in the ejaculation of indifferent
secretions. In the woman, also, the detumescence impulse is occasionally
met with in isolation--for example, in many female idiots. In the animal
world, too, we encounter it as an isolated phenomenon. Certain mares,
when rutting, rub their hind quarters against some object in their
stalls. The contrectation-impulse may also manifest itself in isolation
in woman. It is then directed towards the male, but is not in any way
associated with the wish for a definite sexual act. Most commonly,
however, in woman also the two components of the sexual impulse are
united, and from this union results the impulsion towards coitus. But to
this extent the conditions in woman are apt to differ from those in
man, inasmuch as, in the former, voluptuous sensations are more often in
abeyance; or in woman voluptuous pleasure may not arise during coitus,
but may be produced in some other way, as, for instance, by a
masturbatory act.
The sexual impulse, and indeed either of its components, may be excited
either by bodily or by mental stimuli; but we must always bear in mind
the fact that in normal adults, both male and female, the two components
are so intimately associated that they can as a rule be separated only
by artificial analysis. The nature and mode of operation of the stimuli
need not be further discussed, since enough has been said about the
matter in our description of erection. Nor is it necessary in this place
to deal with such differences as may exist between the psychosexual life
of the child and that of the adult, since this matter will be fully
considered in the fourth chapter. In this chapter my aim has merely been
to give a general description of the sexual impulse.
Here I need allude to one more point only, a knowledge of which is
indispensable for the understanding of the sexual life of the child,
namely, the connexion between the central processes and the peripheral
voluptuous sensation. Let us ask, in the first place, by what means the
voluptuous sensation, the voluptuous acme, and the sense of
satisfaction, are produced. Various factors are here operative. A
homosexual man, in heterosexual coitus, by keeping present to his
imagination the idea of coitus with a man, may succeed in obtaining
erection and ejaculation; but he does not experience the voluptuous
acme, nor does he feel the sense of satisfaction. Notwithstanding the
fact that the peripheral processes occur in normal fashion, the sense of
satisfaction remains in abeyance; because the act is in his case
inadequate, the sexual act in which he is engaged lacks harmonious
relationship to his sexual impulse. But the same homosexual man,
embracing a man with whom he is in full sympathy, will experience alike
the voluptuous acme and the sense of satisfaction. _Mutatis mutandis_,
the like is true of woman. Many cases which have been regarded as
instances of sexual anæsthesia would appear in quite another light if
the woman concerned were to have intercourse with a sexually
sympathetic man. I have myself known cases in which women were able to
experience the voluptuous acme in intercourse with men whom they
earnestly loved, whilst in intercourse with men to whom they were
indifferent, the voluptuous sensation and the sense of satisfaction were
wanting, even though in some of these cases the peripheral processes
culminated in ejaculation. Such a physically complete sexual act,
without voluptuous acme or sense of satisfaction, may occur when the
woman, having intercourse with a man whom she does not love, pictures in
imagination that she is having intercourse with her lover.
Unquestionably, the psychical processes are of the greatest importance
in contributing to the occurrence of the voluptuous sensation and the
sense of satisfaction. On the other hand, of course, certain peripheral
conditions must also be fulfilled if the voluptuous acme is to ensue.
Among these conditions may be mentioned a certain anatomical state of
the skin and the nerves concerned. Experience also shows that in the
adult the voluptuous acme coincides with the act of ejaculation.
Ejaculation is effected by the rhythmical contraction of certain
definite muscles, and Otto Adler believes that it is these contractions
which are principally effective in producing the voluptuous acme, and
that actual ejaculation is not indispensable. He believes, that is, that
the voluptuous acme may occur in the absence of any discharge of actual
secretion.
In any case, let us hold fast to the fact that in the adult, for the
occurrence of the voluptuous acme and of the sense of full satisfaction,
certain central processes are, in general, indispensable.
CHAPTER III
SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CHILDHOOD
In the previous chapter, I have described the differences between the
reproductive organs of men and women, and between those of adults and
children, respectively. Man and woman are, however, distinguished one
from the other, not only by differences in their reproductive organs,
but by other qualities as well, some of these being bodily, others
mental. Such distinctive characters are spoken of as _secondary sexual
characters_, in contradistinction to the _primary sexual characters_,
the reproductive organs. Our terminology would, perhaps, be more exact
if we were to regard the reproductive glands alone, the testicles and
the ovaries, as primary sexual characters; including the rest of the
genital organs among the secondary sexual characters. Havelock Ellis[11]
distinguishes, in addition to the primary and secondary sexual
characters (as commonly defined), _tertiary sexual characters_, by which
he denotes those differences between the sexes which do not attract our
attention when we compare individual members of the two sexes, but which
become noticeable when we compare the average male with the average
female type. Among such tertiary sexual characters may be mentioned the
comparatively flatter skull, the greater size and activity of the
thyroid gland, and the lesser corpuscular richness of the blood, in
women. Especially distinct are the secondary sexual characters in
respect of general bodily structure. The form of the skeleton is
different in the two sexes. Thus, in woman the pelvis is wider and
shallower than in man. In the hair also there are notable differences:
in woman the hair of the head tends to grow much longer, and woman is
much less liable than man to premature baldness; the beard, on the
other hand, is a masculine peculiarity. In woman the breasts attain a
much greater development. The larynx is in man more prominent and
longer; in woman it is wider and shallower. Woman's skin is more
delicate than man's. And so on.
Now what have we to say regarding these sexual differences in the case
of children? During the age which we have defined as the first period of
childhood, except in the matter of the genital organs, we can detect
hardly any important bodily characters distinguishing the sexes. Still,
even at this early age some differences have been recorded. Thus, the
average weight of new-born girls is less than that of new-born boys, the
figures given by Stratz[12] being, for boys, 3500 grams (7.7 lbs.); for
girls, 3250 grams (7.15 lbs.). According to a very large number of
measurements, the mean length of the new-born girl is somewhat less than
that of the new-born boy, the difference amounting to nearly 1 cm.
(2/5ths inch). Craniometric records, taken at the end of the first
period of childhood, exhibit differences between the sexes; in general,
the measurements show that the girl's head is smaller than the boy's in
respect both of length and breadth. Further, dynamometric records, taken
from children six years of age, have shown that the grasp in girls is
less powerful than in boys. But if we except such differences as these,
which relate rather to averages than to individuals, and which,
moreover, are for the most part demonstrable only during the latter part
of the first period of childhood, we find that, apart from the
reproductive organs, very little difference between the sexes can be
detected during the first years of life. Many investigators have been
unable to confirm the assertion that even in the first year of life the
hips are more powerfully developed in girls than in boys. Fehling,[13]
however, declares that as early as the fifth month of intra-uterine
life, sexual differences manifest themselves in the formation of the
pelvis. However this may be, it is beyond question that during the
earlier years of the first period of childhood the differences between
the sexes are comparatively trifling. But towards the end of this
period, sexual differentiation becomes more marked. According to Stratz,
it is at this time that the characteristic form of the lower half of the
body develops. The thighs and the hips of the young girl exhibit a
somewhat more marked deposit of fat than is seen in the boy of the same
age. To a lesser extent the same is true of the calves. It is often
assumed that even in very early childhood the sexes can be distinguished
by the formation of the face. The girl's face is said to be rounder and
fuller than the boy's; the expression of countenance in the former, to
be more bashful and modest. Stratz, however, urges in opposition to this
view, with justice, in my opinion, that we have here to do only with the
effects of individual educational influences, or perhaps with individual
variations, from which no general conclusions can safely be drawn.
During the second period of childhood sexual differences become much
more distinct. Before considering these differences, I must say a few
words regarding the growth of the child, since in this particular there
exists a notable distinction between the sexes. Careful measurements
have shown that during certain years of childhood growth occurs
especially in height, whereas in other years the main increase is in
girth. For this reason, it is customary to follow Bartels in his
subdivision of each of the two periods of childhood into two subperiods.
The age from one to four years is the _first period of growth in girth_;
from the beginning of the fifth to the completion of the seventh year is
the _first period of growth in height_; from the beginning of the eighth
to the completion of the tenth year is the _second period of growth in
girth_; and from the beginning of the eleventh to the completion of the
fourteenth year is the _second period of growth in height_. During these
periods there are certain differences in respect of growth between boys
and girls. Although in general the growth in height of the boy exceeds
that of the girl, there is a certain period during which the average
height of girls is greater than that of boys. From the beginning of the
eleventh year onwards, the girl grows in height so much more rapidly
than the boy, that from this age until the beginning of the fifteenth
year the average height of girls exceeds that of boys, although at all
other ages the reverse is the case. In our consideration of the
differences between the sexes, these differences in respect of growth
must not be overlooked.
In addition to these, other important differences between the sexes
manifest themselves during the second period of childhood. In the first
place, it is an established fact that in the girl the secondary sexual
characters make their appearance earlier than in the boy, the boy
remaining longer in the comparatively neutral condition of childhood. We
have seen that in the girl, at the end of the first period of childhood,
the lower half of the body begins to resemble that of the woman in type.
During the second period of childhood, this peculiarity becomes more
marked; the pelvis and the hips widen, the thighs and the buttocks
become more and more rounded; the enduring feminine characteristics in
these respects are acquired. More gradually, the feminine development of
the upper half of the body succeeds that of the lower; the transition
from the lower jaw to the neck become less abrupt, and the face becomes
fuller. The sexual difference in the growth of the hair also manifests
itself in childhood. Whether cut or uncut, the girl's hair tends to grow
longer than the boy's. Later, the typical development of the breasts
occurs. As early as the beginning of the second period of childhood, the
surface of the areola mammæ may become slightly raised; but the typical
deposit of fat, leading to the hemispherical prominence of the breast,
does not begin until towards the close of the second period of
childhood. Even later than this is the growth of the axillary and pubic
hair. Various answers are given to the question as to the relation in
time between the appearance of menstruation and the development of the
sexual characters just described. Unquestionably there are great
differences in this respect. Whereas Axel Key declared that the
secondary sexual characters appeared before the first menstruation,
according to C. H. Stratz this is true only of girls belonging to the
lower classes; whilst according to his own observations on girls
belonging to the upper classes of society, the first menstruation
precedes the development of the breasts and the growth of the pubic and
axillary hair.
Concerning a number of sexual differences, during childhood, authors are
not agreed. As regards the type of breathing, for instance, in the adult
man, the abdominal type prevails; that is, the respiratory exchange of
gases is effected chiefly by movements of the diaphragm and the
abdominal muscles: whereas in the adult woman the respiration is costal,
the respiratory exchange being effected chiefly by movements of the
thorax. How unsettled our views are in respect of the types of
respiration in children is well displayed by the collection of opinions
given by Havelock Ellis.[14] According to Boerhaave, sexual differences
in the type of respiration were manifest even in very small children;
but his observations have not been confirmed by others. Thus, Sibson
states that the characteristic costal type of respiration begins in
girls at the age of ten, for which reason some observers have assumed
that the wearing of the corset is the cause of its appearance; others,
however, among whom Hutchinson may be mentioned, deny this alleged
causal connexion, stating that they have observed costal respiration in
young girls who have never worn any constricting garments.
Unquestionably, sexual differences in the type of respiration become
apparent in the later years of childhood.
I have already pointed out that in girls the secondary sexual characters
begin to make their appearance at an earlier age than in boys. In the
onset of sexual differentiation, the boy thus plays a more passive part
than the girl, inasmuch as he retains longer the childish type. None the
less, in the boy also certain secondary sexual characters begin to
develop comparatively early. Thus, in the second period of childhood,
the boy's shoulders often become wider, his muscles stronger, than those
of the girl. Since at the same period there occurs in girls the greater
deposit of fat previously described, marked differences result in the
external contours of the respective bodies. The boy's body is therefore
much more angular and knobby, far less softly rounded, than that of the
girl. Towards the end of the second period of childhood, an additional
sexual character makes its appearance in the male sex, namely, the voice
breaks. The chief remaining differences, the growth of the beard and
the pubic hair, and the development of the characteristically masculine
larynx, usually manifest themselves after the close of the second period
of childhood--that is to say, during the period of youth.
As children become physically differentiated in respect of sex, so also
does a mental differentiation ensue. Authorities are not agreed as to
whether mental sexual differentiation exists in the very earliest years
of life. Many assume its existence, and profess to have observed sexual
differences even in the movements of quite small children. On the other
hand, it is urged that the alleged differences are made up out of
chance, auto-suggestion on the part of the observer, and the results of
education. There is, however, general agreement as to the fact that
during the second period of childhood mental differences become apparent
between the sexes. Such differences are observed in the matter of
occupation, of games, of movements, and numerous other details. Since
man is to play the active part in life, boys rejoice especially in rough
outdoor games. Girls, on the other hand, prefer such games as correspond
to their future occupations. Hence their inclination to mother smaller
children, and to play with dolls. Watch how a little girl takes care of
her doll, washes it, dresses and undresses it. When only six or seven
years of age, she is often an excellent nurse. As Padberg[15] pictures
her, she sits at the bedside of her sick brother or sister, resembling
as she does so an angel in human form. Her need to occupy herself in
such activities is often so great, that she pretends that her doll is
ill. Chamisso, in his poem _Das kleine Mädchen und die Puppe_ (_The
Little Girl and her Doll_), describes this relationship between the
child and her doll, one whose nature is fully understood only by a
mother:--
"Wie Du mit den kleinen Kindern,
Will ich alles mit ihr tun,
Und sie soll in ihrer Wiege
Neben meinem Bette ruhn.
Schläft sie, werd' ich von ihr träumen,
Schreit sie auf, erwach' ich gleich,--
Mein himmlisch gute Mutter,
O, wie bin ich dock so reich!"
"All you do for your children,
For my Doll I do instead,
And in her little cradle
She lies beside my bed.
When she sleeps, I dream about her,
When she cries, I wake up too.
My own, dear, darling Mother,
I'm just as rich as you!"
Once I saw a little girl of seven running up and down the room, carrying
all kinds of things as fast as she could to her doll. When I asked her
what was the matter, she told me that her doll had the measles, and she
was taking care of her. In all kinds of ways, we see the little girl
occupying herself in the activities and inclinations of her future
existence. She practises housework; she has a little kitchen, in which
she cooks for herself and her doll. She is fond of needlework. The care
of her own person, and more especially its adornment, are not forgotten.
I remember seeing a girl of three who kept on interrupting her elders'
conversation by crying out "New clothes!" and would not keep quiet until
these latter had been duly admired. The love of self-adornment is almost
peculiar to female children; boys, on the other hand, prefer rough
outdoor games, in which their muscles are actively employed,
robber-games, soldier-games, and the like. And whereas, in early
childhood, both sexes are fond of very noisy games, the fondness for
these disappears earlier in girls than in boys.
Differences between the sexes have been established also by means of
experimental psychology, based upon the examination of a very large
number of instances. Although it must be admitted that some of the
acquirements of this school are still open to dispute, the data of these
collective investigations must not be ignored. Berthold Hartmann has
studied the childish circle of thought, by means of a series of
experiments which are commonly spoken of as the Annaberg experiments.
Schoolboys to the number of 660 and schoolgirls to the number of 652, at
ages between 5-3/4 and 6-3/4 years, were subjected to examination. It
was very remarkable to see how in respect of certain ideas, such as
those of the triangle, cube, and circle, the girls greatly excelled the
boys; whereas in respect of animals, minerals and social ideas, the boys
were better informed than the girls. Characteristic of the differences
between the sexes, according to Meumann,[16] from whom I take these
details, and some of those that follow, is the fact that the idea of
"marriage" was known to only 70 boys, as compared to 227 girls; whilst
the idea of "infant baptism" was known to 180 boys as compared to 220
girls. The idea of "pleasure" was also much better understood by girls
than by boys. Examination of the memory has also established the
existence of differences between the sexes in childhood. In boys the
memory for objects appears to be at first the best developed; to this
succeeds the memory for words with a visual content: in the case of
girls, the reverse of this was observed. In respect of numerous details,
however, the authorities conflict. According to Lobsien, boys have a
better memory for numbers, words, and sounds. The same investigator
informs us that in girls the visual memory is distinctly better than it
is in boys, this indicating that girls' memory for objects is also
better; but Netschajeff, on the other hand, maintains that boys have a
better memory for objects perceptible by the senses. It is interesting
to note that certain variations have been shown to exist at different
ages. During the first years of school-life, boys' memories are in
general better than girls', this advantage persisting up to the age of
ten; from this time onwards until the end of the years spent in primary
schools, girls excel boys in the matter of memory, but especially at
ages of eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen. Later than this, the
boys become equal to the girls, and still later surpass them. Very
striking is the fact, one upon which a very large number of
investigators are agreed, that girls have a superior knowledge of
colours. Experimental investigations made by means of Holmgren's test
have shown that the superiority of girls in this respect is remarkable,
and these experiments are confirmed by other lines of study.
There are additional psychological data relating to the differences
between the sexes in childhood. I may recall Stern's investigations
concerning the psychology of evidence, which showed that girls were much
more inaccurate than boys. I may also refer, on the other hand, in
relation to sexual differentiation, to the experiences obtained by Hans
Gross by means of observations on practical life, although his results
are not entirely free from certain sources of fallacy, and moreover have
been disputed by other observers as not generally applicable. Hans
Gross, however, found a notable difference between boys and girls, of
which I shall later give a detailed description. Here, I shall merely
quote the comprehensive summary given in his _Criminal Psychology_: "My
results show that the boy who has passed his first years of childhood
is, if well trained, the best observer and witness that can possibly be
found, because he watches with interest all that goes on around him,
stores it impartially in his memory, and reproduces it faithfully;
whereas the girl of like age is often an untrustworthy, and even a
dangerous witness. She is inevitably this when, after traversing the
stages of talent, ardour, reverie, romanticism, and enthusiasm, she has
passed into a condition of _Weltschmerz_, tinged with _tedium vitæ_.
This emotional mental atmosphere is entered at an earlier age than is
commonly imagined; and when such a girl's own personal interests are in
any way affected by the occurrences under examination, we are never
secure from gross exaggeration and misstatement. Petty larceny becomes
robbery with violence; a trifling incivility, a serious assault; a
harmless pleasantry, an interesting proposal for elopement; and the
foolish prattle of children becomes a dangerous conspiracy."
I shall subsequently discuss in detail a psychical difference which is
the most important of all those connected with the sexual life, namely,
the direction of the sexual impulse, which attracts the man to the
woman, and the woman to the man. We shall see to what a considerable
degree this phenomenon manifests itself even in childhood.
It has been widely assumed that these psychical differences between the
sexes result from education, and are not inborn. To avoid
misunderstanding, we must, in our consideration of this question of
education, distinguish between two distinct classes of phenomena, those
which are individual and those which have existed for a number of
generations. The sexually differentiated qualities in any individual may
be regarded as inborn, and yet we may admit that the differentiation was
originally the result of education, if we suppose that in earlier
generations in either sex certain qualities were developed, and that
gradually, by monosexual inheritance, the differences became confirmed,
until finally they became inborn. Others, however, assume that the
psychical characteristics by which the sexes are differentiated result
solely from individual differences in education. Stern believes that in
the case of one differential character, at least, he can prove that for
many centuries there has been no difference between the sexes in the
matter of education; this character is the capacity for drawing.
Kerschensteiner has studied the development of this gift, and considers
that his results have established beyond dispute that girls are greatly
inferior in this respect to boys of like age. Stern[17] points out that
there can be no question here of cultivation leading to a sexual
differentiation of faculty, since there is no attempt at a general and
systematic teaching of draughtsmanship to the members of one sex to the
exclusion of members of the other.
Without further discussing the question, to what extent in earlier
generations there has been any cultivation of psychical differences, I
believe that we are justified in asserting that at the present time the
sexual differentiation manifested in respect of quite a number of
psychical qualities is the result of direct inheritance. It would be
quite wrong to assume that all these differences arise in each
individual in consequence of education. It does, indeed, appear to me to
be true that inherited tendencies may be increased or diminished by
individual education; and further, that when the inherited tendency is
not a very powerful one, it may in this way even be suppressed.
Observations on animals which exhibit sexual differentiation very early
in life, also support the notion of the inherited character of certain
tendencies; for instance, the movements of male animals often differ
from those of the females of the same species.
We must not forget the frequent intimate association between structure
and function. This well-proved connexion would lead us _a priori_, from
the more powerful muscular development of boys, to infer the different
inclinations of the two sexes. Rough outdoor games and wrestling thus
correspond to the physical constitution of the boy. So, also, it is by
no means improbable that the little girl, whose pelvis and hips have
already begun to indicate by their development their adaptation for the
supreme functions of the sexually mature woman, should experience
obscurely a certain impulsion towards her predestined maternal
occupation, and that her inclinations and amusements should in this way
be determined. Many, indeed, and above all the extreme advocates of
women's rights, prefer to maintain that such sexually differentiated
inclinations result solely from differences in individual education: if
the boy has no enduring taste for dolls and cooking, this is because his
mother and others have told him, perhaps with mockery, that such
amusements are unsuited to a boy; whilst in a similar way the girl is
dissuaded from the rough sports of boyhood. Such an assumption is the
expression of that general psychological and educational tendency, which
ascribes to the activity of the will an overwhelmingly powerful
influence upon the development of the organs subserving the intellect,
and secondarily also upon that of the other organs of the body. By the
influence of the will, it is supposed by this school, certain
association-tracts in the brain are developed; or at least certain
tracts hitherto functionally inactive are rendered functionally active.
We cannot dispute the fact that in such a way the activity of the will
may, within certain limits, be effective, especially in cases in which
the inherited tendency thus counteracted is comparatively weak; but only
within certain limits. Thus we can understand how it is that in some
cases, by means of education, a child is impressed with characteristics
normally foreign to its sex; qualities and tendencies are thus developed
which ordinarily appear only in a child of the opposite sex. But even
though we must admit that the activity of the individual may operate in
this way, none the less are we compelled to assume that certain
tendencies are inborn. The failure of innumerable attempts to
counteract such inborn tendencies by means of education throws a strong
light upon the limitations of the activity of the individual will; and
the same must be said of a large number of other experiences.
It is, moreover, established beyond dispute that in certain cases, in
consequence of an inborn predisposition, contrary sexual inclinations
make their appearance, and that these represent a divergency from the
proper sexual characters. It is with these mental sexual differential
characters just as it is with the physical secondary sexual characters,
any of which may, on occasion, make their appearance in the wrong sex,
or may be wanting in the right one. We know that there exist women with
beards, masculine larynges, and a masculine type of thorax; and, on the
other hand, men with feminine mammæ, feminine larynges, and a feminine
type of pelvis. Because we meet with such atypical instances, we are not
therefore justified in inferring that it is by a mere arbitrary sport of
nature that in the woman a great mammary development is normally
associated with the development of the ovaries, and that in man the
growth of the beard is associated with the development of the testicles.
But just as in these respects there are certain exceptions, whose origin
we are not always in a position to explain, so also are there
exceptional sexual associations in respect of the secondary psychical
sexual characters. Thus it comes to pass that many women exhibit
masculine tendencies, and many men exhibit feminine tendencies.
Unquestionably, the fact that psychical qualities, just as much as
physical characters, may occasionally make their appearance in the wrong
sex, does not invalidate the general truth of the statement that
sexually differentiated psychical tendencies are inborn.
Occasionally, indeed, even in late childhood, this psychical
differentiation is still but little marked. We must also bear in mind
the fact that in many instances the bodily development of the
girl--apart, of course, from the actual reproductive organs--differs but
little, even during the second period of childhood, from that of the
boy; and that in such cases the specific differentiation makes its first
appearance later than is usual. We find boys also who have entered upon
the period of youth (see p. 1) without exhibiting any trace of downy
growth upon the upper lip or the chin; in some, the first definite
growth of hair on the face may not occur until several years later. I
remember also that I have seen boys in whom during the period of puberal
development an enlargement of the mammæ took place, going so far that it
was possible by pressure on the glands to expel fluid from the
mammillary ducts; at a more advanced age, however, this mammary growth
was arrested, and subsequently atrophy ensued.
But all these observations notwithstanding, the fact remains well
established that even in childhood notable sexual differences make their
appearance. Other observations, too, confirm this notion of sexual
differentiation--for example, pathological experiences.
There are some diseases to which women are especially liable, others
which occur by preference in men. To some extent, indeed, this is
explained by the special exposure of one sex or the other to certain
noxious influences. The neuroses that appear as the sequelæ of injuries
are especially common in the male sex, because the occupations of men
expose them more than women to injuries of all kinds. Of such cases, of
course, we do not speak here. But there are some unquestionably
hereditary morbid tendencies which manifest themselves by preference in
one sex or the other, and such sexual predisposition shows itself even
in childhood. I propose to give instances of this; some quoted from
Möbius,[18] some from other authors, and some taken from my own personal
experience.
Chlorosis is a disease of feminine youth, but very often makes its
appearance in childhood, especially towards the end of the second period
of childhood, at this earlier age, also, attacking girls in preference
to boys. Hæmophilia, on the other hand, and also certain hereditary
forms of muscular atrophy, occur chiefly in males, and this in early
childhood. Diabetes is principally a disease of adults, but occasionally
it is met with in children also; among adults, there is a considerable
preponderance of males affected with this disease when diabetes occurs
in childhood, the disease also exhibits a preference for the male sex,
although at this time the peculiar sex-incidence is less marked than in
later life. Congenital defects of the heart are commoner in boys, the
proportion obtained from a very large number of cases of this kind being
61.6 boys: 38.4 girls. Chorea (St. Vitus's dance) affects girls more
often than boys, the ratio in this case being 2.5 girls: 1 boy. In the
case of whooping cough, we find that two girls suffer for every one boy.
As regards circumscribed facial atrophy, which usually begins during
childhood, a preponderance of the disease in the female sex is also
noticeable. Hysteria was formerly regarded as a typically feminine
disease, and although this view has now been shown to be erroneous, the
fact remains that girls and women are far more often affected than boys
and men. As regards hysteria in childhood, Bruns[19] states that the
ratio of girls affected is to boys affected as 2:1. It is interesting to
note that in the earlier years of childhood, prior, that is to say, to
the age of nine years or thereabouts, no marked difference exists in the
sex incidence of hysteria, the cases being distributed in the
proportion, 55 per cent. girls, 45 per cent. boys; but after the age of
nine, the proportion of girls affected with hysteria increases, while
that of boys diminishes. Eulenburg,[20] indeed, records 17 cases of
hysteria, affecting children at ages nine to fourteen years; of these
nine were boys, and eight girls. Clopatt, on the other hand, collected
from the literature of the subject 272 cases of hysteria in young
children, 96 being boys, and 176 girls. Typhoid is commoner in males;
and Möbius lays stress on the fact, which he regards as especially
striking, that the difference in the sex-incidence of this disease is
manifest even in childhood. As regards colour-blindness, there is a
notable preponderance among males, and since we here have to do with a
congenital affection, this preponderance is as marked among children as
among adults. Many defects of speech also exhibit a notable difference
in their sex-incidence. Hermann Gutzmann[21] has shown that in the case
of stammerers we find 71 per cent. boys and 29 per cent. girls. I take
this opportunity of referring briefly to the fact that, as Max
Marcuse[22] reports, certain diseases of the skin exhibit sexual
differentiation of type even during childhood. The disseminated
cutaneous gangrene of children is far more frequent in girls than it is
in boys; Broker, among twelve cases, found ten girls. Alopecia areata,
on the other hand, affects both sexes with equal frequency, but affects
them at different ages. Whereas during the first years of life girls are
more frequently attacked; when the age of twenty is passed, the relation
between the sexes in this respect are reversed.
Criminological experiences appear also to confirm the notion of an
inherited sexual differentiation, in children as well as in adults.
According to various statistics, embracing not only the period of
childhood, but including as well the period of youth, we learn that
girls constitute one-fifth only of the total number of youthful
criminals. A number of different explanations have been offered to
account for this disproportion. Thus, for instance, attention has been
drawn to the fact that a girl's physical weakness renders her incapable
of attempting violent assaults upon the person, and this would suffice
to explain why it is that girls so rarely commit such crimes. In the
case of offences for which bodily strength is less requisite, such as
fraud, theft, &c., the number of youthful female offenders is
proportionately larger, although here also they are less numerous than
males of corresponding age charged with the like offences. It has been
asserted that in the law courts girls find more sympathy than boys, and
that for this reason the former receive milder sentences than the
latter; hence it results that in appearance merely the criminality of
girls is less than that of boys. Others, again, refer the differences in
respect of criminality between the youthful members of the two sexes to
the influences of education and general environment. Morrison,[23]
however, maintains that all these influences combined are yet
insufficient to account for the great disproportion between the sexes,
and insists that there exists in youth as well as in adult life a
specific sexual differentiation, based, for the most part, upon
biological differences of a mental and physical character. I have
referred to these criminological data for the sake of completeness, but
I feel it necessary to add that their importance in relation to our
subject of study is comparatively trifling, since most of the cases in
question are offences committed by persons who can no longer properly be
regarded as children.
As we have seen, during childhood, and especially during the second
period of childhood, there exists a larger number of sexual differences
both mental and physical. Some of these are obviously discernible when
we compare isolated individuals; others only become apparent when we
institute a statistical comparison. And when such differences appear in
childhood, we find that they are quantitatively less extensive than the
sexual differences of adults. For the sexual life is in the child less
developed than it is in the adult. We shall learn that in the matter of
the sexual impulse, the child exhibits an imperfect differentiation. A
similarly imperfect differentiation is found in childhood in respect of
a number of other qualities. Thus, there are many diseases which later
in life manifest a sexual differentiation, but in childhood are
undifferentiated. We observe a similar age-distinction in respect of
suicide, which occurs in Europe far more frequently in men than in
women, the ratio among suicides being three or four men to one woman.
Among child-suicides there is far less disproportion between the sexes.
According to Havelock Ellis, indeed, the suicidal tendency makes its
appearance in girls at an earlier age than in boys.
Such a marked differentiation as there is between the adult man and the
adult woman certainly does not exist in childhood. Similarly in respect
of many other qualities, alike bodily and mental, in respect of many
inclinations and numerous activities, we find that in childhood sexual
differentiation is less marked than it is in adult life. None the less,
we have learned in this chapter, a number of sexual differences can be
shown to exist even in childhood; and as regards many other differences,
though they are not yet apparent, we are nevertheless compelled to
assume that they already exist potentially in the organs of the child.
CHAPTER IV
SYMPTOMATOLOGY
The data recorded in the preceding chapter suffice to show that the
activity of the sexual life begins in childhood, for the secondary
sexual characters and the other sexual peculiarities which manifest
themselves thus early in life are dependent upon sex. We shall now
proceed to the systematic description of the direct manifestations of
the sexual life, and we can most usefully begin with the genital organs.
Erections occur during childhood; they have been observed even in
infancy. They sometimes result from external stimuli, especially of a
pathological nature, such as a strictured prepuce, or inflammatory
states of the penis. Occasionally in the child, as normally in the adult
male, distension of the bladder with urine leads to erection of the
penis. Although in these cases the erection is not induced by sexual
processes, it is nevertheless not devoid of significance in relation to
the sexual life. The sensations in the genital organs to which the
pathological stimuli give rise are further increased by the erection,
and the child's attention is therefore increasingly drawn to his sexual
organs. His attention may, of course, be directed to his genital organs
by such stimuli as those we have described, even though these latter do
not lead to the occurrence of erection. By such sensations, the child is
very readily induced to manipulate his genital organs. Just as the
little child soon learns to scratch other itching regions of the skin,
so also he learns to scratch his genital organs when these are the seat
of an itching eruption, or when in any other way irritating sensations
arise in this region. Pflüger and Preyer[24] have made investigations
regarding the itching-reflex (_Kitzelreflexe_), and although in many
respects their results are divergent, yet one point is clearly
established by both, namely, that within a few months after birth a
distinct itching-reflex is in operation, inasmuch as the child
endeavours to scratch itching areas. Thus, by itching of the genital
organs, a child is readily led to practise masturbation; and this is not
necessarily effected by the hands, but sometimes by the feet, or by
rubbing the thighs against one another, this last being generally done
when the child is in the sitting posture. When erections occur in the
child, we cannot always trace them to external stimuli, for in many
cases they are due to stimuli of other kinds. Erection may, in fact,
result from internal stimuli, connected with the development of the
genital organs, and more especially that of the testicles. Moreover,
such developmental stimuli may induce the child to manipulate the
genital organs, and thus give rise to masturbation, without in the first
instance causing erection. It appears that such stimuli leading to the
practice of masturbation occur, during the first years of childhood,
chiefly, if not exclusively, in children with morbid hereditary
predisposition.
Such processes as these, viz., inflammatory stimuli originating in the
external genital organs, or developmental stimuli proceeding from the
testicles, may lead to the practice of masturbation without having
directly affected the child's consciousness. Just as in the pithed frog,
if we stimulate one foot with acetic acid, the other foot scratches the
irritated area, so a child may, with his hands or in some other way,
scratch itching regions of the body, and, above all, of the external
genital organs, without its being necessary for us to assume that he is
fully conscious of what he is doing. Further, as we have already pointed
out, such masturbation may or may not be preceded by a reflex erection.
And just as the boy soon learns that itching is relieved by scratching,
so also he learns that by means of artificial stimulation he may induce
sensations of a voluptuous character. It is the same with the little
girl, in whom sensations occur in the genital organs, due in some cases
to developmental, and in others to pathological stimuli (skin eruptions
are an instance of the latter kind), and these lead to manipulations of
the genital organs.
In contradistinction to the cases just described, in which the child
has learned spontaneously to practise artificial stimulation of his
genital organs, are the cases in which seduction by others is the cause
of masturbation. Nurses sometimes touch, stroke, and stimulate the
external genital organs of the children entrusted to their care--boys
and girls alike--either to keep them quiet, or for the gratification of
their own lustful feelings. In this way the child, who in the case of
all agreeable sensations has a natural desire for their repetition, is
gradually led to imitate the manipulations which have given rise to the
voluptuous sensations, and is thus seduced to the practice of
masturbation.
In the preceding passages I have spoken of all kinds of mechanical
stimulation of the genital organs, and also of erections[25] occurring
in small children. I now pass on to consider ejaculation. Whereas during
normal intercourse in the sexually mature man and woman a fluid
secretion is expelled, nothing of the kind is possible in children, at
least such is the general opinion. Frequently, indeed, as regards the
male sex, the end of childhood, properly speaking, is supposed to be
indicated by the first ejaculation of semen. Matters are, however, by no
means so simple as this. We have seen that the testicular secretion, the
most important constituent of the semen, consists, as Fürbringer[26] has
pointed out, almost entirely of spermatozoa. But how is it in the case
of children? The spermatozoa may be first formed at very varying ages.
According to the investigations of Mantegazza,[27] they rarely make
their appearance earlier than the eighteenth year of life. Fürbringer
does not unconditionally accept this view; but he has himself, as he has
personally informed me, examined boys at ages of fifteen to sixteen in
whom the ejaculation was entirely devoid of spermatozoa. But, on the
other hand, he has found spermatozoa in the semen of a boy aged only
twelve or thirteen years. I have myself examined the emissions of boys
in a considerable number of cases, and have repeatedly found that, even
in the case of boys of sixteen, the ejaculated secretions contained no
spermatozoa. The reports of other investigators also show that as
regards this point very wide individual variations occur. Hofmann[28]
has contributed some data to this discussion. A case published by Klose,
in which pregnancy is alleged to have resulted from intercourse with a
boy aged nine years, is, indeed, regarded by Hofmann as probably
apocryphal. But he had personal knowledge of a case in which a woman was
impregnated by a boy fourteen years of age. He assumes that when a boy's
general development is advanced (masculine habit of body, large penis,
&c.), his reproductive capacity will also make its appearance at an
earlier age. But he has met with exceptions to this generalisation.
Thus, in the post-mortem examination of the body of a boy aged fourteen,
whose physique was still quite infantile, he found well-developed
spermatozoa both in the testicles and in the seminal vesicles. In the
case of two boys aged fifteen years, in whom the genital organs were
powerfully developed, he found in one abundant spermatozoa, but in the
other none at all. In two other boys, also fifteen years of age, in whom
the pubic hair had not yet appeared, spermatozoa were present. They were
absent, again, in a young man of eighteen years. Similar variations were
found by Haberda. Thus, for example, in two boys aged fifteen and
seventeen years, respectively, he found no spermatozoa, notwithstanding
the fact that in both the pubic hair had grown. On the other hand, in a
boy aged 13-3/4 years, with an abundance of pubic hair, numerous
well-developed spermatozoa were present. Haberda is of opinion that,
speaking generally, the first formation of the spermatozoa is associated
with the appearance of the other indications of puberty. The earliest
authenticated age at which spermotozoa have been known to appear is
13-1/2 years; they have been found at this age by two separate
investigators, one in Paris, the other in Berlin. Notwithstanding the
fact that, as we have seen, such extensive variations occur, we are
justified in making the general statement that in the case of children
in our own country no spermatozoa are developed; if exceptions ever
occur, they can relate only to the last year or year and a half of the
second period of childhood.
We must now proceed to ask whether it is possible for ejaculation to
occur in children at a time of life when the formation of spermatozoa in
the testicles has not yet begun; this question must be answered with an
unconditional affirmative. We have seen that the secretions of several
other glands intermingle with the secretion of the testicles. These
glands are the following: the prostate gland, the glands of the vesiculæ
seminales and the vasa deferentia, the glands of Cowper, and the glands
of Littré. It is certain that these glands begin to secrete at different
times, and, above all, that some of them begin to secrete before
spermatozoa have appeared in the testicles. Hence it is rightly believed
that the capacity for coitus (_potentia coeundi_) develops much earlier
than the capacity for procreation (_potentia generandi_)--a fact which
was well known to Zacchias.[29] _Quae enim hanc juventutem vel præcedunt
ætates, vel sequuntur aut plane semen non effundunt aut certe
infoecundum aut male foecundum effundunt._ Strassmann[30] considers
that in our climate the capacity for procreation begins at the earliest
at the end of the fifteenth year, and the capacity for coitus at the end
of the thirteenth year. In a number of cases in which in children I
found stains on the underclothing, or in some other way obtained
specimens of the ejaculated fluid, the results of the examination for
spermatozoa were entirely negative. In a case which came under my notice
a long time ago, that of a child seven years of age, I had assumed that
the fluid with which the underclothing was stained was produced by
inflammatory irritation of the urethra consequent upon masturbation.
Subsequent experience, however, in conjunction with the observations of
other investigators, has led me to the firm conviction that even in our
climate we do not need to invoke the idea of such inflammatory
irritation of the urethra in order to account for the ejaculation of
fluid by children--at any rate when these are approaching the end of the
second period of childhood. In the case of twelve-year-old boys, I
believe that such ejaculations of fluid occur in quite a large number of
cases. One instance, which did not come under my own observation, but
was communicated to me by one of our best-known educationalists, relates
to a boy only ten years of age. This boy, endeavouring to climb over a
fence, repeatedly slipped back; while thus engaged, he experienced his
first seminal emission. In this way he then masturbated several
times.[31]
Let us now consider whence the ejaculated fluid can be derived prior to
the age at which it comes to contain spermatozoa. In the first place, it
is possible that the testicles themselves, before they begin to form the
spermatozoa, may yet furnish an indifferent secretion, although in the
adult the secretion of the testicles consists chiefly of the
spermatozoa. We have also to consider the glands previously enumerated,
whose secretions normally form constituents of the semen. We possess,
however, hardly any trustworthy information regarding the time at which
the glands of the vasa deferentia begin to secrete. The glands of
Cowper, as Henle[32] showed many years ago, begin to secrete within a
few weeks after birth. He believed that these glands secreted
continuously, but that the secretion was retained for a time in the
ducts, and was discharged intermittently with the urine. For this reason
he believed that the glands of Cowper did not form a part of the
reproductive system. Subsequent investigations, however, have led us to
believe that the secretion of Cowper's glands is one of the constituents
of the semen. Another constituent is the secretion of the glands of
Littré, and these glands also perhaps begin to secrete at a much earlier
age than the testicles. We may regard it as certain that the seminal
vesicles may contain secretion before any spermatozoa are formed in the
testicles. As regards the prostate gland, it is supposed that this
first begins to secrete at the commencement of the age of puberal
development or even later. According to the data collected by Frisch,
the prostate gland, comparatively small in childhood, first begins to
grow quickly at the epoch of the puberal development. During childhood,
the gland tissue is comparatively scanty, although it already contains
concretions. Only during the puberal development does the prostate gland
attain its full size; according to the researches of Englisch, who
observed 1282 instances, this does not occur until after the full
development of the testicles. Beyond question we are justified, from the
information at our disposal, in concluding that the prostate gland
begins to secrete comparatively late. But, on the other hand, it is
equally clear that certain glands whose secretion in the adult forms
part of the semen, begin to secrete long before any spermatozoa have
been formed in the testicles, and may in this way give rise to the
formation of a semen incapable of fertilising the ovum.
In respect of the extrusion of the fluid, we have to recognise two
different ways in which this is effected: first, ejaculation, due to a
rhythmical expulsive movement; and secondly, the _urethrorrhoea ex
libidine_ met with in adults, of which an account was given in the
second chapter (p. 22). In my own investigations on the subject, I have
been able to learn nothing regarding the occurrence in children of any
_urethrorrhoea ex libidine_; and my information relates only to the
true ejaculation of a fluid, I have seen a few cases in which such
ejaculation occurred in boys at the early age of twelve years, although
this is quite exceptional, and, as already mentioned, in such cases the
ejaculated fluid contains no spermatozoa.
In the case of women, what has been said of the glands of Cowper applies
equally to the glands of Bartholin, the homologues of the former both as
regards significance and development. The glands of Bartholin also begin
to secrete in sexually immature girls, and even in children. It must be
added that when ejaculation occurs in sexually immature girls, the
products of other glands are probably intermingled with the secretion of
the glands of Bartholin (mucous glands of the uterus, of the cervix
uteri, the vagina, the vulva, and perhaps also of the urethra).
I have distinguished the simple outflow of secretion from its forcible
expulsion--from true ejaculation. This latter demands the rhythmical
activity of certain muscles, such as takes place during coitus. The
question arises, whether such muscular activity can occur before any
fluid has been formed capable of being ejaculated. When I compare what
is published in the literature of the subject with what I have myself
observed in this connexion, I regard the following points as definitely
established. There are certain cases, and these in young persons of both
sexes, in which typical rhythmical muscular contractions take place in
the child, although no ejaculated fluid is discoverable. It remains
doubtful, however, whether a small quantity of secretion, overlooked by
the observer, and perhaps not even recognisable, may not, after all, be
ejaculated. I consider it probable that this is so. Moreover, we must
not forget that the rhythmical muscular contractions, which in the adult
effect ejaculation, are able to expel the fluid from the urethra only
when this fluid is present in sufficient quantity. When the quantity is
minimal the fluid is retained for a time in that passage, owing to the
frictional resistance of the urethra, and is perhaps not expelled until
the next act of micturition. Some may, of course, object to denote such
a process by the word ejaculation; but I myself see no reason why the
term should not be extended to include the rhythmical muscular
contraction both in the child and the adult, even in cases in which
there is not sufficient fluid secretion in the urethra for this to be
visibly extruded by these contractions.
What have we to say regarding the voluptuous sensation in children? It
is extremely difficult to form clear ideas about this matter, for the
sources of fallacy previously described (p. 5 _et seq._) are here
markedly in operation; above all, in the case of little children, the
voluptuous sensation, purely subjective in character, is extraordinarily
difficult to recognise objectively. This much, however, may be said. It
appears to me to be beyond question that in childhood, and even in very
early childhood, a sensation may sometimes be excited of the same kind
as the voluptuous sensation of adult life. None the less, we must be
careful not to assume too readily, in any particular case, that such a
sensation has actually been experienced. Certain oscillatory movements
on the part of infants and other small children have frequently been
regarded as an indication of the practice of masturbation, and of the
occurrence of voluptuous sensations; but in my opinion that view is to a
large extent erroneous. Such movements may be no more than the
expression of a general sense of well-being, without having anything
whatever to do with the sexual life or with the specific voluptuous
sensation. Doubtless the voluptuous sensation may be experienced by very
small children, and even by infants. When we see a child lying with
moist, widely-opened eyes, and exhibiting all the other signs of sexual
excitement, such as we are accustomed to observe in adults, we are
justified in assuming that the child is experiencing a voluptuous
sensation. But what is usually wanting in such cases, at any rate in
young children, is the voluptuous acme which in adults occurs in
association with the act of ejaculation. Cases have also been
occasionally reported to me in which, even in infancy, a voluptuous acme
has occurred; and still more frequently I have been told this in respect
of somewhat older children, for example, at ages of seven or eight
years. I believe, however, that this voluptuous acme is, at any rate in
children, much less common than the equable voluptuous sensation which
can be aroused by all kinds of manipulations and stimulations of the
peripheral genital organs, and more especially of the glans, the penis,
the clitoris, and the labia minora. The older the child, the more
frequently is the voluptuous acme attained; in our own climate, during
the last years of the second period of childhood, this occurs
comparatively often; the voluptuous acme does not last so long as in
sexually mature individuals, but is in other respects described in
identical terms. It is experienced simultaneously with the occurrence of
the rhythmical muscular contractions which have previously been
described. It is possible, as I suggested before, that in such cases the
ejaculation of a certain quantity of glandular secretion always occurs,
although, as I have also explained, this secretion may sometimes be too
small in quantity to be actually expelled from the urethra by the
muscular extractions. This point is, however, still obscure. But it may
be regarded as definitely established that the equable voluptuous
sensation, and more particularly the voluptuous acme, may occur at an
age at which, at any rate, secretion does not yet exist in sufficient
quantity to be expelled from the urethra, and the existence of such
secretion is therefore not unequivocally manifested. In exceptional, and
doubtless pathological instances, and above all in cases in which, owing
to the practice of masturbation, there has been excessive stimulation,
instead of the voluptuous acme, a painful sensation may be experienced.
In general, however, in children, just as in adults, the voluptuous acme
is associated with a sense of satisfaction, and with the subsidence of
the previously existing sexual excitement. _This much is beyond
question, that the voluptuous acme and the sense of satisfaction
associated therewith make their appearance subsequent to the development
of erection and the equable voluptuous sensation in the genital organs._
Mutatis mutandis, _this is equally true of both sexes_.
In other respects, however, the voluptuous sensation and the voluptuous
acme exhibit in the child an important difference from the same
phenomena in the adult, to which we shall have to return later. To sum
up, we may regard it as certain that erections often appear many years
before the end of the second period of childhood; not infrequently,
indeed, in the beginning of the second period of childhood, and even
earlier. These erections may very early in life be associated with an
equable voluptuous sensation, allied to the sensations of itching or
tickling.[33] The voluptuous acme and ejaculation do not make their
appearance until later. These statements apply, in the first place, to
boys. The conditions in girls appear, however, to be analogous. But here
we must be most cautious in drawing conclusions, for the reason that the
sexual life of the girl is still much more obscure to us than that of
the boy; this difference in our knowledge of the sexes is no less marked
in the case of children than it is in respect of the adult man and
woman.
Hitherto we have occupied ourselves with the description of the
peripheral sexual organs, and of the processes of detumescence. We must
now pass on to the second group of sexual phenomena, the processes of
contrectation. Even in childhood, these processes play an important
part; indeed, they generally manifest themselves at an earlier age than
the processes of detumescence. But first, let me briefly summarise Max
Dessoir's account of the stages of the sexual impulse--stages in which
the contrectation impulse is alone concerned. In its development, three
stages may be distinguished. One of these is the neutral stage, in
earliest childhood, in which, speaking generally, the processes of
contrectation are not yet to be observed, and during which the child
does not feel attracted towards anyone in such a manner as to make it
necessary for us to assume the occurrence of any psychosexual process.
This stage is succeeded by the extremely important undifferentiated
stage, to which Max Dessoir[34] has drawn attention. Its principal
characteristic is indicated in its name: the direction of the impulse is
not yet completely differentiated. It oscillates to and fro, and depends
upon the external objects which happen to be in the vicinity. This
undifferentiated stage is of profound importance; and owing to the fact
that its existence has been ignored in the study of sexual perversions,
great confusion has arisen. During the undifferentiated period, it may
happen that quite normal children exhibit homosexual excitement, whose
importance is apt to be greatly over-estimated by their relatives and
others. During the undifferentiated stage a boy may love one of his
teachers or one of his friends, and yet in later life be perfectly
normal; many a woman, again, who loves her husband ardently has earlier,
during the undifferentiated period, passionately loved a school-fellow
or a governess. On the other hand, during the undifferentiated stage a
boy may exhibit an inclination towards someone of the opposite sex, the
governess or the girl-friend of his sister, for instance; conversely,
the girl may be attracted by a boy or a young man. This inclination,
whether homosexual or heterosexual, often leads to bodily acts, to
contact with the beloved person, embraces, and kisses, without the
necessary occurrence of any manifestations on the part of the external
genital organs, although such manifestations may at times ensue. The
undifferentiated stage is followed by the third stage, in which the
contrectation impulse becomes differentiated, so that in normal
individuals the sexual impulse becomes unmistakably heterosexual.
Normally, this differentiated stage endures until the time of the final
extinction of the sexual impulse.
I do not believe that an undifferentiated stage occurs in every one
without exception. On the other hand, I have absolutely no doubt that it
occurs very frequently indeed--far more frequently than is commonly
believed--and that it occurs in persons whose subsequent sexual
development is perfectly normal. Moreover, during the undifferentiated
stage, in addition to heterosexual and homosexual inclinations, perverse
sentiments may make their appearance. Masochistic, sadistic, fetichistic
excitations of all kinds are met with, and sexual inclination towards
animals is by no means rare. As regards the last named, the inclination
is directed especially towards the animals with which the child is most
intimately associated, as, for instance, a dog, a cat, a bird, a horse,
and the like. Again, during the period of undifferentiated sexual
impulse all kinds of disordered ideas may become associated with that
impulse; for instance, an impulse may arise to touch the saliva, or some
other excretory product, of the beloved being, human or animal, as the
case may be, and even to take such a product into the mouth. Many
persons completely forget all these manifestations of the
undifferentiated sexual impulse which have formed part of their own
early experiences. The causes of such oblivion have been discussed in
the first chapter (p. 5).
Yet another reason may be mentioned for regarding a knowledge of the
undifferentiated stage of the sexual impulse as of great importance. In
works on the pathology of the sexual impulse we are frequently assured
that in this or that specific instance the perversion was inborn,
because perverse sensations have existed since the days of childhood.
But the existence of the undifferentiated stage teaches us that we are
not justified in inferring, from the mere fact of the primary occurrence
of a "perverse" mode of sexual sensibility, that this perversion is
congenital; for the primary direction of the contrectation impulse
during the undifferentiated stage often depends to a considerably
greater extent upon chance than upon an inherited predisposition.
The undifferentiated stage begins at very various ages. I have known
instances in which it could be traced back to the fifth, year of life. I
regard it as probable, however, that it may begin even earlier than
this. But more commonly it begins somewhat later; not infrequently at
the age of seven or eight, and very often at the age of nine or ten
years. As previously mentioned, I do not maintain that an
undifferentiated stage is of universal occurrence. When such a stage is
absent, the symptoms of the differentiated sexual impulse often make
their appearance at the age at which in other cases the undifferentiated
stage of the impulse usually begins. In the case of a large number of
men, inquiry will show that at the age of nine or ten they began to
experience an inclination towards persons of the female sex; in a good
many this occurs even at the age of eight, and in a few yet earlier; as
regards women, _mutatis mutandis_, the same conditions obtain. In cases
in which an undifferentiated stage is well marked, its duration is
likewise very variable. In isolated instances it lasts until the age of
twenty, or even a few years longer. Ordinarily, however, the
differentiation of the impulse becomes manifest at an earlier
age--between the ages of fifteen and seventeen years. Beyond question,
in the great majority of cases, the "perverse" sentiments of childhood
subsequently disappear spontaneously. But when I come to discuss sexual
perversions in detail, I shall point out that this disappearance, in
certain circumstances, fails to occur.
I take this opportunity of referring to a beautiful example of the
undifferentiated sexual impulse which is found in _Wilhelm Meisters
Wanderjahren_. In the twelfth chapter of the second book, Wilhelm
describes "one of the earliest incidents of his youth":--"The elder of
these boys, a year or two my own senior, the son of the fisherman,
seemed to take no pleasure in this sport with flowers. This boy, by whom
at his first appearance I had been greatly attracted, invited me to go
with him to the river, a fairly wide stream which flowed past at a
little distance. We sat side by side in a shady spot with our
fishing-rods.... As we sat there quietly, leaning towards one another,
he seemed to grow rather weary of our inaction, and he drew my attention
to a flat stretch of gravel which extended from our feet beneath the
surface of the water. This would be a fine place to bathe. At last,
jumping to his feet, he cried out that the chance was too good to be
missed, and almost before I realised his intention, he had stripped, and
was in the water. Being a good swimmer, he soon left the shallows, swam
across the stream, and then back again into the deep water near the bank
on which I was sitting. My own mood was a strange one. Grasshoppers
danced round about me, ants crawled to and fro, many-coloured beetles
hung from the twigs, and brilliant dragon flies hovered in the air; my
companion caught sight of a great crayfish, flashing merrily out from
its hole beneath the roots overhanging the water, and cleverly eluding
an attempt to seize it by darting back into its lair. The air was so
warm and moist; in the sunshine one longed for the shade, and even in
the coolness of the shade one longed for the still greater coolness of
the water. Thus it was easy for him to entice me into the stream; his
invitation, once or twice repeated, proved irresistible, notwithstanding
my fear of a scolding from my parents, mingled with some dread of the
unknown element. Soon I undressed upon the gravelly bank, and ventured
gently into the water, not too far down the gradually shelving bank;
here he let me wait awhile, swimming out himself across the stream; then
he returned to my side, and as he left the water, standing upright, to
dry himself in the bright sunshine, it seemed to me that my eyes must be
dazzled by the power of the sun, so blindingly beautiful was the human
form--far more beautiful than I had ever before imagined. He seemed to
look at me with equal attention. Dressing quickly, we stood beside each
other with all barriers broken down, our spirits were drawn closely
together, and with ardent kisses we swore eternal friendship."
Groos rightly sees in this passage a delicate intimation of sexual
sensibility. A little later we read how Wilhelm, having made an
appointment with this boy to meet him one evening in the forest,
encounters a young girl, a little younger than himself. "Spring flowers
of all kinds were growing in the beautifully adorned fields, among the
grass, and along the hedges. My companion was beautiful, blond, gentle;
we walked trustingly side by side, each holding the other by the hand,
and seeming to wish for nothing better in the world.... When, after the
lapse of so many years, I look back upon my former state, it seems to me
to have been a truly enviable one. Unexpectedly, in the same instant, I
experienced the sentiments of friendship and of love; for as I
unwillingly took leave of the beautiful child, I was consoled by the
thought of explaining these ideas to my young boy-friend, by the
prospect of confiding in him, and of rejoicing in his participation in
these newly discovered sentiments."
The following description of the period of the undifferentiated sexual
impulse has been placed at my disposal:--
CASE 1.--X. is now thirty-four years of age, happily married, with
several healthy children. He is himself a thoroughly healthy man, with
normal impulses, and free from all bodily and mental abnormality. His
description of the period of the undifferentiated sexual impulse may
best be given in his own words. "At the age of nine, when I was still
living in the country, and was being educated by a private tutor, a
passionate affection for him took possession of me. Generally speaking,
he was good-natured and indulgent, but was at times strict, I used my
utmost endeavours to be near him as much as possible. I was happy when
he touched me. Gradually this inclination increased; everything that he
had touched, everything that he had warmed with his body, I also wished
to touch. If he had drunk from a glass, I secretly drank from it myself,
so that my lips might touch the very spot where his had rested. At the
age of ten I began to attend the public school in the town, I sat beside
a fellow-pupil who, like myself, came from the country. Soon I conceived
a fondness for him. He was not only my playmate, I wished always that we
should do our work together; whenever he had any other companion than
myself, I was profoundly unhappy. Was this jealousy? I believe it was.
When he left the school--it must have been about a year after I had
entered--I was at first very unhappy, but my fondness for him was soon
replaced by a passion for his sister, a girl about twelve years of age.
I had made her acquaintance through so often working with her brother,
and through visiting his parents' house. She was a pretty girl. At
first, after my friend had departed, I went to the house occasionally,
in order to hear some news of him, and of his doings in the school
abroad to which he had been sent. In the house that had been his home I
had also an indefinite feeling that I was near him once again. But
gradually my liking for his sister grew, and I was glad that her parents
gave me renewed invitations to the house, especially for the Sundays. To
be with this girl, to play with her, were to me an enduring source of
delight; and I remember that at this time I even developed a taste for
girlish amusements, which had hitherto been very disagreeable to me, and
for which later also my antipathy returned. Simultaneously with this
fondness for the girl, when I myself was about twelve years old I was
attracted by one of the schoolmasters, a man who ruled his classes very
strictly. My sentiments for this master were of exactly the same
character as those with which my tutor had formerly inspired me, but the
conditions of our intercourse were different, for I could see him only
in school, and on very rare occasions out of school hours, whereas in
the case of my tutor, who lived with us when I was at home, I could be
with him as much as I desired. This fondness for my schoolmaster
persisted simultaneously with the passion for the girl. When her brother
came home for the holidays, I saw him for a few days only, for I also
returned home for the holidays. Although I was by no means indifferent
to him, my former passionate affection for him had entirely disappeared.
My passion for his sister and for the schoolmaster lasted for a long
time. I also fell in love with a somewhat elderly female cousin who
chanced to visit our house. Growing older, I at length attained the age
of puberty, and experienced definite erections; these occurred
especially when I thought of my friend's sister; or when she touched me,
as occasionally happened, without, I believe, any sexual feeling on her
part. At this time also when erections had already begun, I still felt
definitely attracted by my schoolmaster, and under the influence of this
attraction erections occasionally occurred. Somewhat later came the time
when I began to masturbate. I can no longer remember with certainty
whether I was seduced to this practice by any of my school-fellows. We
sometimes talked to one another about the matter. I continued at times
to be influenced by the inclinations previously mentioned, viz., that
for my schoolmaster, and that for my friend's sister. I experienced also
transient passion for one of my school-fellows, who was remarkable for
his pleasing and delicately girlish exterior. It was not until several
years had elapsed, and the occurrence of seminal emissions had shown
that I had attained some degree of sexual maturity, that all inclination
towards the male sex disappeared, and the inclination towards the female
sex persisted in isolation. When I left the town, in order to attend a
different school, my fondness for my friend's sister passed away. I was
then sixteen years of age; from this time onwards my sexual passion was
exhibited exclusively towards members of the female sex."
CASE 2.--This case provides us with another description of the
undifferentiated sexual impulse. X. is thirty years of age. No morbid
condition is demonstrable in him. He remembers that the first sentiments
which he regards as sexual were experienced by him in the country. His
home was in a town, but during the holidays he was sent to board in the
country, in the house of a clergyman. He played much in the open air,
and he still recalls quite distinctly the passion with which, first of
all, he approached animals. "As if by an irresistible impulse I was
attracted, now by a goat, now by a dog, sometimes even by a horse. No
excitement of the genital organs was noticeable at this time, but I have
no doubt whatever now that these inclinations were sexual in their
nature. Not only did I touch the animals, but I embraced them and kissed
them. The warmth and the odour proceeding from such an animal, which is
now as a rule distasteful to me, was then a source of pleasure. When I
left the country, I took these memories away with me, but gradually they
faded and became faint. Next a fondness for one of my school-fellows
became most marked, and this lasted for a long time. I know not how to
describe the feeling I had for him otherwise than as an immeasurable,
passionate love. I was unhappy when I sat above him in the class.
Occasionally we sat side by side, but not always, since our places were
determined by our performances in class. If I was sitting next above
him, it was a joy to me to fail deliberately to answer a question,
simply in order to enable him to take my place, and thus to give him
pleasure. This relationship continued undisturbed for several years; we
rose together from class to class and remained friends. Not until the
beginning of the true puberal development did this fondness begin to
wane. I began to learn dancing rather early, and in the dancing-class
was a girl by whom I was now greatly attracted. She was of the same age
as myself--fourteen years. As far as I can remember, my inclinations
were now confined for a time to my boy companion and to this girl. At
first my affection for the boy was the greater, but gradually my
affection for the girl, who was healthy and vivacious in appearance,
became stronger. Still, this passion was a fire of straw, for though, in
the course of the next few years, my fondness for the boy gradually
declined, whilst my affection for the girl grew stronger, yet later this
girl was expelled from my circle of interests by others, my inclinations
changing rapidly from one girl to another. Homosexual sentiments hardly
existed any more. Very occasionally, indeed, even up to my twentieth
year, a certain interest was aroused in me by any youth with a truly
girlish, milk-white countenance. But subsequently this homosexual
inclination disappeared entirely, and my heterosexual development was
completed, so that I am now, I believe, in every respect a healthy
male."
CASE 3.--Next we have the case of a woman, now married and twenty-six
years of age, in whom also the undifferentiated sexual impulse was
clearly manifested. From the age of eight to the age of fifteen years
she attended a day-school for girls, and subsequently, after receiving
private tuition for a time, went to a boarding-school. "In my earlier
years I can recall no feelings for my school-fellows beyond those of
simple friendship. We kissed one another, but no more intimate contact
took place. In these kisses, I was not aware of any sentiment exceeding
pure friendship; and to-day when I thoroughly understand the nature of
the kiss of erotic love, I do not believe that there was any erotic
element intermingled with these first kisses. Such simple friendliness
towards my fellow-schoolgirls persisted unaltered even after in my tenth
year I first experienced a sentiment of enthusiastic devotion. This
latter was inspired by an actress, a remarkably beautiful woman visiting
our town--I lived then in a town of medium size--whose pictures were
displayed in all the shop windows. Although I realised later that her
talents were by no means of a high order, and notwithstanding the fact
that I never saw her on the stage, I conceived for her an enthusiastic
admiration. I tried from time to time, when I could do so without being
observed, to catch a glimpse of her in the street; almost the only
possible opportunity was when she was on her way to rehearsals. When the
actress went away, her place in my heart was occupied by a schoolmaster
of typically masculine appearance, with a full, fair beard. He gave us
lessons in history, literature, and German. Nearly all the class were
fascinated by him, and I by no means less than the others. This
admiration lasted almost the whole of the remaining time during which I
attended the school. When I went to the boarding-school, being now
somewhat older, and regarded as almost a young woman, I was allowed to
witness a representation of Faust. The part of Gretchen was played by an
actress who is still of note to-day, and she made a most enduring
impression on me. To my great delight I was unexpectedly presented to
her, and she wrote a line or two in my album. Unfortunately, the
headmistress would not allow us to go often to the theatre, a
prohibition doubtless in part dependent on the high prices of the seats.
But I still remember quite distinctly how I trembled with joy whenever I
was allowed to go. I remember, too, that on one occasion, in which it
had been arranged that I was to go to see a play in which this actress
did not appear, I shammed illness in order to save up the price of the
seat, go that I might use it on another occasion, on which I should be
able to see her. This particular enthusiasm lasted as long as I
remained at the boarding-school. When later I grew old enough to marry,
and when with the approval of my parents a gentleman who appeared to
love me (though, in fact, I think he was influenced rather by prudential
motives) began to pay me his addresses, my fondness for the actress soon
began to fade away. Even at the present day, however, I esteem this
artiste very highly indeed, and the impression which she made on my
imagination will never be entirely expunged from my memory. If I were to
see her to-day, I should willingly kiss her hands, in thankfulness for
the happy hours she has given me; but I do not believe that any erotic
element now remains in my feeling for her. I may add that I do not love
my husband passionately, although I love him well enough. Physical
contact with the actress of whom I have spoken would not be positively
repulsive to me, but such contact would, as far as I am concerned, be
entirely devoid of sexual feeling, and the idea of sexual contact with a
person of my own sex is very unpleasant to me; whereas in sexual
intercourse with my husband I am perfectly normal." This patient does
not belong to the class of sexually anæsthetic women; she feels the
impulse towards sexual intercourse, and in intercourse she experiences
normal enjoyment.
I shall now discuss some of the general phenomena of the contrectation
impulse in the child. Sanford Bell has published cases in which as early
as the age of two years psychosexual phenomena have been observed. But
in many of Bell's cases a sexual basis for the feelings of attraction
does not appear to have been adequately proved to exist. Unquestionably,
however, sexual phenomena are more frequently observed in proportion as
the child's age increases. Although in the case of children it is very
difficult for others to arrive at certainty regarding the sexual or
non-sexual character of certain manifestations, still, in the eighth
year of life, the phenomena of the contrectation impulse become so
frequent--I am referring here to personal observations--that at this
time of life these phenomena must be regarded, not merely as not
pathological, but further, as not even abnormal. The older the child
becomes, the more are the phenomena of the contrectation impulse
complicated by those of detumescence. The processes of contrectation,
however, may continue to manifest themselves during the first years of
the period of youth in complete isolation from any apparent changes in
the genital organs. The manifestations of what is known as "calf-love"
commonly occur quite independently of any thought of sexual contact.
Very various are the objects of this early attraction. Often a boy is
attracted by a girl of about his own age; often, again, by a girl
considerably older than himself. On the other hand, as has been
previously shown, when the sexual attraction felt by the boy is
exhibited towards one of his own sex, it may sometimes happen that the
object of attraction is a boy of his own age, sometimes a man
considerably older than himself. By no means rare are sexual
inclinations on the part of boys towards their masters--in some cases a
private tutor; in others, a schoolmaster. With girls similar variations
are observed. A girl may love another girl of her own age, and this is
extremely common in the case of girls at boarding-schools. But a boy, a
friend of her brother's, may be the object of a girl's affection.
Frequently, again, a girl may become attached to some one considerably
older than herself, commonly a master or a governess. Persons playing
some conspicuous part in life very readily inspire love: an artist, for
instance; or an actress, about whom all the papers are writing, and of
whom everyone is talking. In many cases, the personal appearance plays a
considerable part in originating the attraction. At times, indeed,
affection is inspired by individuals devoid of all personal charm. But,
speaking generally, we shall find that to the child, no less than to the
adult, in sexual relationships beauty is by no means indifferent. A
pretty girl is more attractive to a boy than an ugly one. A handsome
master will charm a girl much more than one who is ill-favoured or
deformed. Other qualities besides beauty affect the issue. Effeminate
boys or tomboyish girls are apt to be repulsive to other children; they
are exposed to mockery and teasing of all kinds, and are very unlikely
to give rise to erotic sentiments in their companions. It is by no means
rare for the inclinations of children to be directed towards their own
parents. In the case of many children who are fond of "getting into
mother's bed," sexual sentiments lie at the root of the desire.
Moreover, it is occasionally asserted that sexual differentiation
manifests itself in this connexion in very early childhood, the little
boy preferring to cuddle his mother; the little girl, on the other hand,
to be caressed by her father. In the chapter on diagnosis, I shall
consider the distinction of such sexual inclinations from other
sympathetic feelings manifested in childhood. It is a remarkable fact
that the first sexual inclinations are very rarely directed towards a
child's own brother or sister. I have, indeed, been able to observe a
considerable number of such exceptional instances, both homosexual and
heterosexual in character. But, I repeat, such cases are comparatively
rare. We must not, of course, confuse with genuine sexual inclinations
and acts, cases in which from curiosity alone brothers and sisters
indulge together in obscene conversation and even improper practices.
Unquestionably, the lack of sexual sympathy between brothers and sisters
depends upon a deeply rooted psychological causation. Above all, in this
connexion, we have to bear in mind the slight degree of influence each
exercises on the senses of the other, precisely in consequence of the
long-continued, comparatively unrestrained intercourse between them.
Further, the conventional factors implanted in mankind from earliest
childhood play their part. Many, perhaps, will see an additional cause
in teleological considerations, aiming at the avoidance of in-and-in
breeding.
Many lovers incline to the romantic transfiguration of the object of
their affection, a process in which the imagination plays an important
part; but for this to be possible, it is, of course, necessary that an
age should have been attained at which the imagination is sufficiently
active. The age at which the child has learned to delight in fairy-tales
is here of importance; from the contents of such fairy-tales all kinds
of ideas are transferred to the sexual sphere. Romantic embellishment
plays a great part not merely in childhood, but also later in life; but
in childhood, this tendency often exists to an extraordinary degree. The
person whom a boy loves must be very highly placed; for example, during
the period of the undifferentiated sexual impulse, he prefers a boy of
the highest possible birth. Similarly, a young girl who loves a boy will
invest him in imagination with every possible attribute of distinction
and high rank. Often the love is directed towards a person of no
concrete existence, or towards one who is unattainable.[35] We may
sometimes be in doubt whether we have to do with sexual love, or whether
some other sentiment may not be in operation. For example, the devotion
to some saint of either sex may overpower all other feelings. Where a
child is enamoured of some definite individual, self-deception occurs
just as it does in adults similarly situated. The faults of the beloved
one are imaginatively transmuted into virtues, or any possible excuse is
found for them. Is a boy attracted by a girl known to be habitually
untruthful? Especially when himself unaware that his interest is sexual,
he looks out for every merit she may possibly possess, in order that his
fondness may be justified. Her untruthfulness is transfigured as caution
and cleverness; her vanity becomes neatness; idleness is excused on the
ground that she has to attend to more important duties; and the boy
regards his interest in the girl as exclusively friendly in character,
and as justified by her superlative excellences. Sometimes, in children
no less than in adults, a sexual inclination masquerades as an
educational interest. Thus, under the influence of sexual attraction, a
girl becomes intimate with a boy endowed with various bad qualities and
impulses, and endeavours to utilise this intimacy for the boy's
advantage, in order that he may free himself of his faults as he grows
to manhood. Such a girl may succeed in persuading herself that this
motive is the exclusive cause of her interest in the boy. A similar
combination of educational and sexual motives is, moreover, often
encountered in the case of homosexual sentiments.
The child's sexual inclination may manifest itself in many different
ways. It seeks every opportunity of seeing, of being in close proximity
to, of touching, and of kissing the beloved person. Thus, many a boy
takes part in the common sports, solely because the girl whom he loves
is one of the players. Sanford Bell mentions numerous games in which
children find pleasure chiefly for the reason that kissing plays a
principal part in them. For kissing is one of the leading manifestations
of sexual desire; and another is the wish for close proximity to and for
embracing the beloved person. A mother who kept a close watch on her
eight-year-old daughter told me that when in play a boy of ten pressed
close up against the girl; they kissed one another somewhat
passionately, and the boy broke out in the naïve utterance, "You don't
know how fond I am of you; I do love you so." Not infrequently, indeed,
children are really troublesome to adults in their desire for close
physical contact. I have known instances in which young women or girls
have been intolerably annoyed by boys eight or nine years of age, who
have continually followed them about and pressed up against them; this
has gone on for a long time without those concerned recognising the
sexual foundation of such conduct. Love on the part of children almost
invariably gives rise to the desire for physical contact of some kind.
Of course, other manifestations also occur. Besides the contemplation of
the beloved person, contemplation of his or her picture plays a notable
part. A sexual motive occasionally underlies the wrestling so common
among boys--in such cases it is the manifestation of a desire for
intimate physical contact with the beloved boy. According to Sanford
Bell, a boy and a girl may also wrestle with one another with the same
end in view of attaining intimate contact; and he states that children
lift one another with the same object. Moreover, children are induced to
wrestle by sexual motives of a somewhat different character; the wish is
operative to be overcome by, or, it may be, to overcome, the beloved
boy. Herein we see displayed very clearly those sexual feelings known to
us in adults under the names of masochism and sadism; the same feelings
are occasionally observed also in childhood; in some cases as
manifestations of the undifferentiated sexual impulse, in others as
manifestations of developing sexual perversions.
The more intensely passionate the love of the child, the more
fantastical is its conduct. The child sometimes endeavours to imitate
the beloved person in every detail, often with the most ridiculous
results. A boy's mode of dress, even, may be influenced by his love for
a girl, and still more by his love for another boy. The child tries also
to imitate the movements of the beloved person, and in walking to tread
in the same footsteps. The youthful knight seeks in every possible way
to become pleasing to the girl of his choice, and to exhibit to her
every attention in his power. He does all this, not merely in imitation
of the conduct of grown-up persons, but for the gratification of his own
impulses. Sometimes we are able to observe the changes of mood that
occur in the child when the loved one is present or absent. The boy
bubbles over with joy when the girl he loves draws near; sorrow and
depression overwhelm him when the hour of parting is at hand. All kinds
of fetichistic sentiments are also met with even in childhood. Every
object belonging to the loved one is covered with passionate kisses; and
everything which has been touched by the beloved, has been endowed for
the child-lover with a quite exceptional value. "Those lovely girls whom
kindly or cruel Nature has predestined to awaken desire and to call
forth sighs at every footstep they take, are often unaware that among
the crowd of their admirers are numbered boys also, who have hardly
outgrown the age of childhood, who kiss in secret every flower which
their beloved has let fall, who are happy if they have been able to
steal like thieves into the room in which the fair one has slept, who
kiss the carpet where her foot has pressed, to whom she is the most
wonderful creature in the universe. And when a young woman allows a boy
to sit on the ground beside her, resting his head on her knee, when her
fingers play lightly among his curls, how rarely does she know that his
heart is beating furiously under her caressing touch; when he throws
back his curly head, and she sees that his face is reddened, she does
not know that this is not simply on account of the heat of the fire, but
that he is glowing from the effect of an internal fire whose nature is a
mystery even to himself--the fire of Love."[36]
Children have also ample experience of jealousy. A boy is tortured by
its pangs when he sees his much-loved friend conversing with another. A
girl of ten may suffer from sleepless nights when the governess she
loves has spoken affectionately to another girl. A child may wait for
hours before the door or in the neighbourhood of the beloved person,
simply to snatch a glance in passing. Speaking generally, it appears to
me that children are jealous of adults to a less extent than they are
jealous of children of their own age.
Very frequently even in childhood sexuality gives rise to enduring
imaginative sexual activity. There results that which Hufeland in his
_Makrobiotik_ terms psychical onanism, viz., the imaginative
contemplation of a train of lascivious and voluptuous ideas. In many
instances there even results a poetical treatment of the sexual topic.
Among children, love-letters also play their part. Sometimes, indeed,
their contents is so harmless that the sexual motive remains
unsuspected; but in other cases, the child's sentiments are clearly
displayed, even when the whole character of the letter is extremely
naïve. Sometimes the letter appears out of harmony with the child's
conduct in other respects. For example, I have seen cases in which,
though in conversation children spoke to one another in an impassioned
manner as "darling" and "my dear love," no such expressions were used
by them in their letters. Verses are also composed by comparatively
youthful lovers. As we should expect, such verses are commonly deficient
in the matter of artistic technique. A lady who, when twelve years of
age, had been enamoured of her governess, copied for me from her album
the following verses:--
"Es gibt nichts schöneres auf der Welt,
Als wenn einem ein Wesen besonders gefällt;
Und fühlt man sich gezogen hin
Zu einer süssen Lehrerin,
Das ist ein Glück.
Und liebt man sie so inniglich,
Dann fürchtet wohl gar sehr man sich
Vorm Abschiedtag..."
"Of all things sweet beneath the sun,
The sweetest is to love but one;
And when the object of one's fondness
Is one's darling governess,
Supreme the joy.
And if one love her so intensely,
Then, of course, one dreads immensely
The day of parting...."
In this style the poem continues for some time, and occasionally we come
to verses showing that jealousy was felt:--
"O! Du Pauline sei kein Dieb,
Raub' mir nicht Fräulein ----'s Lieb'.
Die Eifersucht, die quält mich sehr
Und noch mit jedem Tage mehr.
Sie sucht mich heim selbst in der Nacht.
O Liebe, Du hast dies vollbracht."
"Pauline, you my anger move,
Stealing my Miss ----'s love.
From jealousy I've no release;
Day by day my pangs increase;
I've jealous thoughts too in the night.
Love, I suffer from thy might."
Many of the accompaniments of love may make their appearance the very
first time the passion awakens, such as the desire to please and to
astonish the object of affection, whether by mental or by bodily
excellence, A schoolmaster, of whom a child is enamoured, will
frequently find that this child is more obedient and more diligent than
all the others, the child endeavouring in every possible way to inspire
a reciprocal admiration. I remember a girl who during her first years at
school was extremely idle. Although by no means lacking in intelligence,
all the efforts spent on her failed to bring about a proper advance. All
at once she became most industrious; no task was too hard for her, and
everyone wondered at the sudden change, until after a time the enigma
was explained. The child, having conceived a great fondness for her
schoolmistress, wished to please the latter by attention to her lessons.
In addition, she was jealous; afraid lest the mistress should prefer
some other girl. In many instances, where a child's behaviour is
puzzling, such a solution of the riddle will become apparent when it is
looked for. Boys, again, endeavour by feats of strength to make the
greatest possible impression upon the girls of their choice, in
gymnastic exercises, for example, in athletic sports, and games.
Coquetry also occasionally manifests itself very early in life. Girls
try to please boys by their dress, and in similar ways. In boys also
similar phenomena may often be observed.
Vanity, too, plays an important part, and this all the more because a
child often wishes to appear older than his years, and despises childish
ways. If a boy loves a girl several years older than himself, his
sensitive pride will suffer if, as usually happens in such cases, the
girl treats him as a child. Goethe, who at the age of ten was inspired
by such a passion, describes it in _Wahrheit und Dichtung_. "Young
Derones introduced me to his sister, who was a few years older than
myself, a very agreeable girl, well-grown, regularly formed, a brunette,
with black hair and eyes. Her whole expression was quiet, and even sad.
I tried to please her in every possible way, but could not succeed in
attracting her attention. Young girls are apt to regard themselves as
greatly in advance of boys a little younger than themselves, and whilst
they look up to young men, they assume the manners of an aunt towards
any boy who makes them the object of his first love."
The sense of shame makes its appearance in childhood. Havelock Ellis
and others indeed deny this, pointing out how readily shyness is
mistaken for the sense of shame. The error is common enough, but it
certainly does not apply to all cases, for even in childhood we often
enough encounter distinct manifestations of the sexual sense of shame. I
shall not here discuss the question to what extent this sense is innate
and to what extent acquired, since the matter will come up for
consideration in later part of this book. Unquestionably, during
childhood, the sense of shame in respect of certain processes may be
awakened by means of imitation and education. Thus we may observe that
many children, boys as well as girls, are greatly distressed, at any
rate during the second period of childhood, at having to undress in the
presence of others, and especially in the presence of persons of the
opposite sex. It is interesting to learn that many homosexuals declare
that even during childhood they felt ashamed when they were compelled to
undress before someone of their own sex, whereas in the presence of a
person of the opposite sex they were comparatively unashamed.
Sanford Bell is of opinion that girl-children, although in them as in
boys the sense of shame awakens comparatively early, are yet more
aggressive than boys. I have not myself been able to observe any such
difference. In the earlier years of childhood I have been unable to
detect any notable difference in this respect between the sexes; but
during the latter part of the second period of childhood, boys are
unquestionably more active. In general, the girl-child, when in love,
displays far less coyness and reserve than the young woman. In this
respect the difference between children and adults is most marked. A
girl of eleven, for example, will not make any difficulties about the
exchange of love-letters with the boy she loves, or about appointments
for secret meetings; whereas the young woman, at any rate when
well-behaved and well brought up, is cautious in such matters. But none
the less, I cannot admit that girls are more free in their behaviour in
these respects than boys. We must not forget that many typical sexual
differences do not develop until later in life; for this reason, if we
observe in respect of the sense of shame that girls seem somewhat
defective, we must contrast their condition with that which will
subsequently develop as age advances, and not expect to find prematurely
in the girl a keener sense of shame than is exhibited by the boy.
Sanford Bell believes that at a certain period during childhood, namely,
between eight and twelve years of age, manifestations of love are less
noticeable than either earlier or later. He alleges as the reason of
this that at this particular age the child tends to conceal its fondness
from others, and perhaps even from the person beloved; hence it is
difficult during these years to observe the phenomena. According to this
view, the difference is apparent merely, and depends only upon greater
secretiveness. It may, indeed, be regarded as proved that in the course
of development, especially in the case of boys, there are certain years
during which children are less inclined to seek the company of those of
the opposite sex than either before or afterwards. This occurs
especially during the period of hobbledehoyhood, during which boys take
pleasure above all in rough sports. It has, indeed, been suggested that
this phenomenon has a teleological significance, that nature is here
pursuing a quite definite aim, to minimise by means of sexual antipathy
the danger attendant on the awakening of the sexual impulse. We must
not, however, over-value this self-help of the part of nature [if it
exists], since, if boys and girls avoid one another, the perverse
activities of the undifferentiated sexual impulse may very readily
appear in place of the suppressed heterosexual manifestations.
In the child, the moods of the amatory sentiment are exceedingly
variable. To-day, the love may be romantic in character; to-morrow, on
the other hand, rather sensual. To-day, a girl is enamoured of some
friend of her father's; to-morrow, she is in love with some little
friend of her brother's, or with one of her schoolmasters. A little
later, a member of her own sex becomes the object of passion, a
girl-friend of her own, or some actress of note. In general, especially,
too, when the stage of the undifferentiated impulse has not been
well-marked, we notice that as the years pass the inclination gradually
comes to relate to older persons. Since the period of childhood embraces
a comparatively small number of years, it is naturally not easy to
establish this point with mathematical precision; but I have been led to
form such an opinion by questioning a large number of persons of either
sex. In this respect we sometimes observe that which, in the _Satyricon_
of Petronius, Quartilla said long ago, when young Giton is united to the
seven-year-old Pannychis. In free phraseology, Quartilla assures us that
she has no remembrance of ever having been a virgin. "When I was a
child, I made use of children for this purpose; as I became older,
bigger boys served my turn; and thus, from stage to stage, I attained my
present age."
Thus we can explain how it sometimes happens that a fondness conceived
in childhood may endure on into adult life, and may even culminate in
marriage. In large towns, indeed, such an occurrence is comparatively
rare, but in small towns and in the country, quite a number of instances
have been brought to my notice. As children, the two have grown up
together. Their reciprocal fondness originated long prior to the
formation of any conscious sexual sentiments; subsequently, when such
sentiments have arisen, and the sexual impulse has awakened, it is
natural that sexual relations should often ensue. Since in the country
(in contrast with large towns, in which prostitution is commonly
rampant) premarital sexual intercourse is comparatively frequent, we can
readily understand that such a relationship as has been described will
often culminate in marriage, for in the country marriage is far less
often prevented by the occurrence of pre-marital intercourse than it is
in large towns.
On the whole, however, the amatory manifestations of childhood are of
brief duration. Separation at first gives rise to spiritual pain, but
this is as a rule soon forgotten; similarly when the beloved one is
snatched away by death, the child's grief is not enduring. Commonly such
painful emotions speedily pass away; and whether the parting is due to
death or to other causes, a new passion is apt shortly to replace the
old. In exceptional cases, however, the death of the beloved one, or
separation otherwise effected, may, even in the child lead to suicide or
to severe nervous disturbances.
Hitherto I have spoken of the processes of detumescence and
contrectation as isolated manifestations. As regards the relationships
between these respective processes, there are various possibilities. In
the first place, one may exist when the other is absent, that is to say,
the phenomena of detumescence or the phenomena of contrectation may
appear in isolation. Secondly, the two processes may be in complete
association each with the other. A boy of thirteen years feels the
impulse to draw near to a girl, and to kiss her; when this close contact
takes place, erection ensues. Of all the cases known to me, the earliest
age at which such a phenomenon occurred is given in a case published by
Féré.[37]
Two cousins, boy and girl, were playmates from the time they were both
about three years old. They played at being man and wife; and when they
were not actually together, the boy's imagination was occupied with the
subject. He thought continually about it, and when he was in bed at
night erection occurred, accompanied by an agreeable sensation. He went
to sleep, and dreamed that other persons got into bed with him and
touched him. Among these persons was the little girl, his cousin. Such
dreams recurred very frequently; the girl, moreover, was constantly in
his waking thoughts. As he grew older, his fondness persisted; but when
at the age of seventeen he made up his mind to tell his cousin of his
love for her, she became engaged to someone else. Consequently he
suffered from severe nervous shock.
In the third place, the two processes, contrectation and detumescence,
may occur simultaneously, without the detumescence being associated with
the object of the contrectation impulse. Thus cases occur in which boys
experience organic sensations in the genital organs leading them to
masturbate, and at the same time love someone; and yet when in the
company of, and even when embracing the beloved, such a boy will not
experience any specific sensations in the genital organs, nor will any
impulse arise towards sexual contact with the beloved person.
When the two processes are associated in such a manner that proximity
to the object of the contrectation impulse arouses the phenomena of
detumescence, sexual acts between the two persons are very likely to
result--provided, of course, that the affection is reciprocal. In this
way many of the sexual acts effected between children originate; and the
same is true of those in which children at times very readily lend
themselves to the gratification of the sexual passion of adults. We
learn from experience that in such cases attempts at actual intercourse
may be made by children, usually accompanied by erection, but in most
cases without ejaculation. I append a brief report of one case which
came under my own observation.
CASE 4.--X., twenty-one years of age, apparently sprung from a healthy
family, and at least free from hereditary taint, declares that his first
experience of sexual sensations occurred at the early age of five or six
years; at this age he became enamoured of a servant girl, who caressed
him very frequently, and pressed her genital organs against his body.
Later, when eight or nine years old, he fell in love with a girl of
about the same age, and made attempts at coitus. He remembers quite
distinctly that he then had erections, and also a kind of voluptuous
sensation, but no ejaculation. After continuing this practice for a
considerable time, he became aware, being very religiously brought up,
that he was behaving very wrongly. He therefore gave up all attempts at
sexual congress, and lived quite chastely until he attained the age of
nineteen. Throughout this time he neither masturbated, nor endeavoured
to effect coitus, nor practised any kind of sexual act. At the age of
nineteen, however, the sexual impulse becoming very powerful, he began
to masturbate, and has continued to do so up to the present time---
once, twice, thrice, or even four times weekly. Once he did not
masturbate for as long as three months, but this was the only prolonged
continent interval. He experiences a normal impulse towards members of
the other sex. Prostitutes are repulsive to him; he is attracted chiefly
by girls of exceptional intelligence. He feels quite certain that to
kiss and embrace such a girl would be very pleasurable to him, although
he is not aware of any definite impulse towards coitus. Masturbation
has always been practised by him as a purely physical act,
unaccompanied, that is to say, by any imaginative ideas.
In most cases, the complete association of the processes of detumescence
and contrectation, such as occurs in the impulse towards coitus, first
takes place at a somewhat later age. This is so even when the sensory
element, which constitutes a part also of the contrectation impulse, has
been already clearly manifested. The contrectation impulse does not
consist solely in this, that the boy experiences a purely spiritual love
for the girl; it may rather happen that certain definite sexual bodily
peculiarities in a woman attract him. When such a boy one day
unexpectedly sees a girl's breasts, this may exercise on him a powerful
stimulus. Similarly, I have known instances in which, in the absence of
any evidence of definite seduction, a woman's genital organs have
excited a very young boy, without arousing any idea in his mind of
contact between _his own_ genitals and those of the woman. Conversely,
on many girls, masculine attributes, and especially the male genital
organs, sometimes exert a stimulating influence. But in these cases
also, the complete fusion of the processes of detumescence and
contrectation occurs very gradually. Sometimes the boy himself is
greatly astonished to discover that close contact with a person whom he
loves leads to erection and even ejaculation. At the outset the impulse
is much less definite than it is in adults. It is by gradual stages only
that the sense of indefinite longing develops into the impulse towards
sexual union in coitus; at first the imagination contemplates pictures
of a quite indefinite character.
Although, as we have seen, the processes both of detumescence and of
contrectation may manifest themselves primarily in childhood as
associated conscious sensations, by far the most common event is for the
processes of contrectation to appear separately, before those of
detumescence. From an inquiry relating to eighty-six heterosexual men,
who to the best of my belief were sexually normal, I ascertained that in
more than 75 per cent., the feelings of contrectation appeared first,
and not until after this had happened was the boy's consciousness
attracted by sensations in the genital organs. This appears rather
remarkable, inasmuch as we must assume that in the phylogeny of our
species the processes of detumescence appeared earlier. Originally, in
the earlier ancestral types, reproduction was effected by fission or
gemmation (simple division or budding), without any necessity for
conjugation with another individual of the species; and reproduction by
gemmation corresponds to the processes of detumescence, t
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