Document Detail


The relevance of castration and circumcision to the origins of psychoanalysis: 1. The medical context.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19580597     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In this paper the author outlines and discusses the origins and the decline of castration and circumcision as a cure for the nervous and psychic disturbances in women and little girls between 1875 and 1905. The author argues that the opposition to this medical practice affected the conception of hysteria, promoting a distinction between sexuality and the genital organs, and the emergence of an enlarged notion of sexuality, during the period from Freud's medical education to the publication of the Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. The hypothesis is put forward that Freud came directly in contact with the genital theory of the neurosis at the time of his training on the nervous disturbances in children with the paediatrician, Adolf Baginsky, in Berlin, in March 1886. It is hypothesized that this experience provoked in Freud an abhorrence of circumcision 'as a cure or punishment for masturbation', prompting an inner confrontation which resulted in a radical reorganization of the way of thinking about sexuality. It is also suggested that this contributed to Freud developing a capacity to stay with contradictions, something which would become a central quality of the psychoanalytic attitude.
Authors:
Carlo Bonomi
Related Documents :
14728337 - Physicians' attitudes regarding patient access to electronic medical records.
19630627 - Knowledge, expectations, and attitudes of hospitalized children and adolescents in psyc...
9020707 - Influence of craniofacial surgery on the social attitudes toward the malformed and thei...
11619497 - The rise and fall of pink disease.
22362127 - Concurrent validity of single-item measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalizati...
2469077 - Treatment of hay fever. allergen avoidance and medication to control symptoms.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Historical Article; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The International journal of psycho-analysis     Volume:  90     ISSN:  0020-7578     ISO Abbreviation:  Int J Psychoanal     Publication Date:  2009 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-07-07     Completed Date:  2009-08-03     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  2985179R     Medline TA:  Int J Psychoanal     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  551-80     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
mail@carlobonomi.it
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Castration / history*
Child
Circumcision, Female / history*
Female
Freudian Theory*
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
Humans
Hysteria / history*
Male
Masturbation / history*
Psychoanalysis / history*
Psychoanalytic Theory*
Sexuality / psychology*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Symmetric frenzy and catastrophic change: A consideration of primitive mental states in the wake of ...
Next Document:  The ironic detachment of Edward Gibbon.