to speak about her affairs people do not understand her, and say they don’t know what it means; hence she is the Lorelei.
“I am Switzerland.” Analysis: Switzerland is free, no one can rob Switzerland of her freedom. The patient does not belong to the asylum, she would be free like Switzerland, hence she is Switzerland.
“I am a crane.” Analysis: In the “Cranes of Ibykus” it is said: “Whosoever is free of sin and fault shall preserve the pure soul of a child.” She has been brought innocent to the asylum and has never committed a crime—hence she is a crane.
“I am Schiller’s Bell.” Analysis: Schiller’s Bell is the greatest work of the great master. She is the best and most industrious dressmaker, and has achieved the highest rung in the art of dressmaking—hence she is Schiller’s Bell.
“I am Hufeland.” Analysis: Hufeland was the best doctor. She suffers intolerably in the asylum and is moreover treated by the worst doctors. She is, however, so prominent a personality that she had a claim to the best doctors, that is to a doctor like Hufeland—hence she is Hufeland.
The patient used the expression “I am” in a very arbitrary way. Sometimes it meant “it belongs to me” or “it is proper for me”; sometimes it means “I should have.” This is seen from the following analysis:
“I am the master-key.” Analysis: The master-key is the key that opens all the doors of the asylum. Properly, according to all rights, the patient should long since have obtained this key for she has been for many years “the proprietress of the Burghölzli Asylum.” She expresses this reflection very much simplified in the sentence, “I am the master-key.”
The chief content of her delusions is concentrated in the following words:—
“I am the monopoly.” Analysis: The patient means the bank-note monoply, which has belonged to her for some time. She believes that she possesses the monopoly of the entire bank notes of the world, thus creating enormous riches for herself, in compensation for the poverty and lowliness of her
