fetich, and the love fetichism. Such cases certainly represent transitions to pathological fetichism. This assumption is even more justified when, as a further criterion of real love, mental[1] satisfaction must be given by the sexual act.
There remains to be mentioned, within the physiological phenomena of fetichism, the fact that among the many things that may become fetiches there are certain ones that gain such significance for a majority of persons.
As such for a man may be mentioned the hair, the hand, the foot of a woman, the expression of her eyes. Certain ones of these gain a remarkable significance in the pathology of fetichism. These facts clearly play a rôle in the feminine mind, either consciously or unconsciously.
One of the greatest cares of women is the cultivation of the hair, to which often an unreasonable amount of time and money is devoted. How a mother cares for her little daughter’s hair! What a part the hair-dresser plays! Falling of the hair would cause despair in a young lady. I recall a proud lady who became insane over it, and died by suicide. Young ladies like to talk of coiffures, and are envious of beautiful hair.[2]
- ↑ Magnan’s “spinal cérébral postérieur,” who finds pleasure in every woman, and on whom every woman looks with favor, has only desire to satisfy his lust. Purchased or forced love is not real love (Mantegazza). The one who originated the saying, “Sublata lucerna nullum discrimen inter feminas,” must have been a cynic indeed. Power in a man to perform love’s act is no proof that this makes possible the greatest pleasure of love. There are, indeed, urnings who are potent for women,—men who do not love their wives, but who are still able to perform the marital “duty.” In most cases of this kind, indeed, there is no lustful pleasure; it is essentially a kind of onanistic act, for the most part made possible by means of help of imagination that calls up another beloved person. By this deception sensual pleasure can be induced, but this rudimentary psychical satisfaction is the result of a mental trick, just as in solitary onanism, where fancy has to assist in order to induce sensual pleasure. As a rule, the degree of orgasm necessary as a means to the attainment of lustful pleasure seems attainable only when the imagination intervenes. Where mental impediments exist (indifference, repugnance, disgust, fear of infection or pregnancy, etc.), sensual pleasure seems usually wanting.
- ↑ “The important part played by the hair of the head as a stimulant of sexual passion appears in a curious way from Mr. Sibree’s account of King Radàma’s attempt to introduce European customs among the Hovas of Madagascar. As soon as he had adopted the military tactics of the English, he ordered that all his officers and soldiers should have their hair cut, but this command produced so great a disturbance among the women of the capital that they assembled in great numbers to protest against the king’s order, and could not be quieted until they were surrounded by troops, and their leaders cruelly speared.”—Westermarck, op. cit.
Here male hair was a physiological fetich of females. It represents a relation of the sexes that civilization has gradually reversed. While in civilized society woman exer-
