Page:Psychopathia Sexualis (tr. Chaddock, 1892).djvu/383

 Some years ago I became acquainted with a young peasant, who, during epileptic attacks, masturbated shamelessly, but during the intervals was above reproach.

Simon ("Crimes et délits," p. 220) mentions an epileptic girl of twenty-three, well educated, and of the best morals, who, in attacks of vertigo, would shout out obscene words, then raise her dress, make lascivious movements, and try to tear open her under-garments.

Kiernan (Alienist and Neurologist, January, 1884) reports the case of an epileptic who always had, as an aura, the vision of a beautiful woman in lascivious attitudes, which induced ejaculation. After some years, with treatment with potassium bromide, the vision was changed to that of a devil attacking him with a pitchfork. The instant this reached him, he became unconscious.

The same author speaks of a very respectable man who had, two or three times a year, epileptic attacks of furor and dysthymia, with impulses to pederasty, which lasted a week or two; and of a lady who, with epilepsy that came on during the climacterium, had sexual desire for boys.

Case 152. W., of good heredity, previously healthy; before and after, sound mentally, quiet, kind, temperate. On April 13, 1877, he had no appetite. On the 14th, in the presence of his wife and children, he demanded coitus, first of his wife's friend, who was present, then of his wife. Taken away, he had an epileptoid attack; after this he became wildly maniacal and destructive, threw hot water on those that tried to approach him, and threw a child in the stove. Then he soon became quiet, but for some days remained confused, and finally came to himself with no memory of the events of his attack. (Kowalewsky, Jahrbücher f. Psych., 1879.)

Another case, examined by Casper (Klin. Novellen, p. 267), may be attributed to epilepsy (larvated). A respectable man attacked four women, one after another, in the open street (once before two witnesses), and violated one of them, "notwithstanding that his young, pretty, and healthy wife" lived hard by.

The epileptic significance of the sexual acts in the following cases is unequivocal:—

Case 153. L., official, aged 40; a kind husband and father. During four years he has offended public morals twenty-five times, for which he has had to endure long imprisonment.

In the first seven complaints he was accused of exposing his genitals to girls from eleven to thirteen years old, while riding by them, and calling their attention by obscene words. While in confinement, he had exposed his genitals at a window which opened on a popular street.