Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 1.djvu/32

 24 S. FERENCZI

of the subconscious" and are on their guard against entering this much feared domain.

We cannot, however, reproach them for this, as at that time the doctrine of unconscious mental functions was yet in its infancy. Besides, even to-day after nearly three decades of psycho-analytical work, the scientists of their country lack the courage to tread the path which makes discovery in this "dangerous territory" possible. Meige and Feindel have the merit which is not to be undervalued, of being the first to attempt a psycho-genetic theory of traumatic tic, even if it be incomplete.

As these authors relied upon the conscious expressions and accounts of their patients and had no method at their disposal to arrive at the meaning of what the patients said, sexuality finds no place in their explanations. What a wealth of erotic material — concealed it is true — the histories of the patients contained extracts from the detailed anamnesia of a tic patient of Meige and Feindel will illustrate.

The same tic patient who was mentioned before as having nearly all his teeth removed, also suffered from an "attitude tic": he was obliged to hold his chin high. The idea occurred to him to press his chin on to the head of his walking stick; he then varied it so that he "stuck the stick between his suit and his buttoned-up overcoat, in such a way that the head of the stick appeared in the opening of his collar, and on this his chin found its support. Later, without the stick, his head always needed a support or else it oscillated to and fro without it. At last he was obliged to rest his nose on the back of the chair if he wished to read quietly. His own account will illustrate the further cere- monials he was obliged to carry out.

"To start with I wore a collar of medium height but too tight to get my chin into it. Then I unbuttoned my shirt and let my |

chin slide into the open collar, strongly bending my head at the 1^

same time. For several days the effect of this was satisfying, but I

the unbuttoned collar did not offer enough resistance. So I bought |

much higher collars, real cravats into which I forced my chin till *

I could turn it neither to the right nor to the left. This was ?

perfect, — but only for a short time. However stiff the collars might ;

be they always gave way at last and after a few hours presented ^

a miserable appearance. i

"I had to discover something else and the following absurd