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The Interpretation of Dreams - Sigmund Freud (continue)

created Oct 21st 2020, 16:21 by bnhphm


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Yes, it must be the case that with the consoling prognosis, 'Dysentery will develop, etc.', I am making fun of Dr M., for I recollect that years ago he once jestingly told a very similar story of a colleague, He had been called in to consult with him in the case of a woman who was very seriously ill, and he felt obliged to confront his catalogue, who seemed very hopeful, with the fact that he found albumen in the patient's urine. His colleague, however, did not allow this to worry him, but answered calmly: 'That does not matter, my dear sir; the albumen will soon be excreted!' Thus I can no longer doubt that this part of the dream expresses derision for those of my colleagues who are ignorant of hysteria. And, as though in confirmation, the thought enters my mind: 'Does Dr M. know that the appearances in Irma's friend, his patient, which gave him reason to fear tuberculosis, are likewise due to hysteria? Has he recognised this hysteria, or has he allowed himself to be fooled?'
 
But what can be my motive in treating this friend so badly? That is simple enough: Dr M. agrees with my solution as little as does Irma herself. Thus, in this dream I have already revenged myself on two persons: on Irma in the words, 'If you still have pains, it is your own fault,' and on Dr M. in the wording of the nonsensical consolation which has been put into his mouth.  
 
We know precisely how the infection originated. This precise knowledge in the dream is remarkable. Only a moment before this we did not yet know of the infection, since it was first demonstrated by Leopold.
 
My friend Otto gave her an infection not long ago, when she was feeling unwell. Otto had actually related during his short visit to Irma's family that he had been called in to a neighbouring hotel in order to give an infection to someone who had been suddenly taken ill. Infections remind me once more of the unfortunate friend who poisoned himself with cocaine. I had recommended the reedy for internal use only during the withdrawal of morphia; but he immediately gave himself injections of cocaine.  
 
With a preparation of propyl ... propyls ... propionic acid. How on earth did this occur to me? On the evening of the day after I had written the clinical history and dreamed about the case, my wife opened a bottle of liqueur labelled 'Ananas', which was a present from our friend, Otto. He had, as a matter of fact, a habit of making presents on every possible occasion; I hope he will some day be cured of this by a wife. This liqueur smelt so strongly of fusel oil that I refused to drink it. My wife suggested: 'We will give the bottle to the servants.' and I, more prudent, objected, with the philanthropic remark: 'They shan't be poisoned either.' The smell of fusel oil (amyl...) has now apparently awakened my memory of the whole series: propyl, methyl, etc., which furnished the preparation of propyl mentioned in the dream. Here, indeed, I have effected a substitution: I dreamt of propyl after smelling amyl; but substitutions of this kind are perhaps permissible, especially in organic chemistry.
 
To be continued...

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