Page:Psychopathia Sexualis (tr. Chaddock, 1892).djvu/198

180 (c) The Fetich is Some Special Material.—There is a third principal group of fetichists who have as a fetich neither a portion of the female body nor a part of female attire, but some particular material which is so used, not because it is a material for female garments, but because in itself it can arouse or increase sexual feelings. In many cases of this kind, the act of feeling of such material during the sexual act seems indispensable, in order to make the latter possible, or at least satisfactory. Such materials are furs, velvet, and silk.

These cases differ from the foregoing instances of erotic dress-fetichism, in that these materials, unlike female linen, do not have any close relation to the female body; and, unlike shoes and gloves, they are not related to certain parts of the person which have peculiar symbolic significance. Moreover, this fetichism cannot be due to an accidental association, like that in the cases of the night-caps and the arrangement of the sleeping-room; for these cases form an entire group having the same object. It must be presumed that certain tactile sensations (a kind of tickling which stands in some distant relation to lustful sensations?), in hyperæsthetic individuals, furnish the occasion for the origin of this fetichism.

The following is a personal observation of a man affected with this peculiar fetichism:—

Case 90. N. N., aged 37; of a neuropathic family; neuropathic constitution. He makes the following statement: “From my earliest youth I have always had a deeply-rooted partiality for furs and velvet, in that these materials cause me sexual excitement, and the sight and touch of them give me lustful pleasure. I can recall no event that caused this peculiarity (such as the simultaneous occurrence of the first sexual excitation and an impression of these materials,—i.e., first excitation by a woman dressed in them); in fact, I cannot remember when this enthusiasm began. However, by this I would not exclude the possibility of such an event,—of an accidental connection in a first impression and consequent association; but I think it very improbable that such a thing took place, because I believe such an occurrence would have deeply impressed me. All I know is, that even when a small child I had a lively desire to see and stroke furs, and thus had an obscure sensual pleasure. With the first occurrence of definite sexual ideas,—i.e., the direction of sexual thoughts to woman,—the peculiar preference for women dressed in such materials was