Abstract of Doctoral dissertation completed Summer term, 1966
FILICIDE AS RELATED TO FEMALE OEDIPAL PROBLEMS
Roger 0. Olive

The case history method was applied to three groups of women
residing in a state hospital for the criminally insane for acts of
filicide (murder of their own child or children), homicide, and
antisocial'but non-person oriented crimes; Identification of the
critical life experiences underlying filicide was the principal goal.
The other two groups were employed to facilitate interpretation of the
findings; From the Freudian viewpoint, it was hypothesized that
filicide represents an expression of fused sexual and aggressive impulses
resulting from unresolved Oedipal ambivalences heightened by incestual
components, and occurring under a decompensated regression associated
with serious marital tensionsa~

Forty-five psychiatric patients committed to the Ionia (Michigan)
State Hospital and selected for having IQ's at least within the dull
normal range were divided into groups according to their offense:
filicide (F), Homicide (H), and Antisocial (A). Five cases from each
group were studied intensively by individual clinical interviews. At
least 20 interview hours, focused upon the individualS' psychosexual
development and patterns of sexual and aggressive behavior, were
spent with each patient; An additional 10 cases of each type were
studied by abstracting all relevant materials from extensive case file
records. Both the individual and case file materials were presented

in chronological sequence;

On the assumption that filicide stems, in part, from
confounded sexual and aggressive needs which were historically
associated with severe Oedipal conflicts, it was hypothesized that
the F Group would differ from the others in terms of a higher incidence
of incestual relationships during their childhood and also in terms
of a higher incidence of self-destructive acts, such as suicidal
attempts and abortions than had occurred in the lives of the H and A
group women. .All three groups were also compared on the variables of.
socio-economic status (SES), educational attainment, age at admission,
reported abusive physical assaults by males, usually spouses, and the
excessive use of alcohol or drugs; The F Group differed significantly
from the other groups in that the F women averaged higher in SE8, higher
in educational attainment (11;2 years vs; 8.7 years), younger at
admission (27.7 years vs; 36;0 years), and had fewer experiences of
excessive use of alcohol or drugs and reported less physical abuse
from males than did the H or‘A groups;

Despite their generally higher cultural attainment, (SES &
education), the F women acknowledged a markedly higher proportion
(h0$ vs; 3%) of incestual experiences, largely with their fathers,
and a higher incidence of suicidal attempts (93% vs; 37%) than the
other women; Abortion incidence failed to differentiate the groups
and a ;02 tetrachoric correlation between suicidal attempts and
abortions in this sample does not support the assumption that
abortion and suicidal attempts may be appropriately classified as
equivalent destructive acts; Further review of the case history
and interview materials suggested that the actual, rather than

reported, incidence of incest experiences among the F women may be

even higher than the 40% figure. There was also much evidence of

firesolved erotic involvements with their fathers among the F women
and frequent indicatiOhs that they had erotieized relationships with
their murdered children. They commenly viewed their killing of
their children as an attempt to protect their offSprixg from a
frightening future by "sending them to heaven". It seems likely that
the child-xilling also represented an effort to forestall anticipated
but terrifying sexual relationships with these children.

In contrast with the women in the H and A groups, the F

women rarely depicted their Spouses as sexually demanding. Interestingly,
the H women reported a much higher incidence of physical mistreatment
by spouses (60% vs. 7%) than the F or A women. The women also
frequently sought "father figures" for Spouses. It appears that
assaultive behavior by the spouse commonly precedes female homicides

since these reports were frequently confirmed by court records.

flaw/owl, Z49 u. 24 17M
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FILICIDE AS lEMTED TO FEE-Mala?) OEDIPAL PR Bung

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Roger_u; alive

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Psychology

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\i‘COPYRIGHTED av
ROGER OSHOLD OLIVE

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Scientific tasks are impossible unless one pays due head to the
knowledge accumulated and systematized by researchers throughout the years.
The author is aware that he is indebted to many more peeple than he can
possibly name in this brief passage.

Dr. John Hurley, my committee chairman, at first was dubious
about the aetualization of our study but extended much appreciated support.
He made me work harder and eXperienee more resentment and defensiveness
than I thought was possible. HOpefully, in working with Dr. Hurley I became
more sensitive to the merits of constructive criticism and gained a little
more confidence in peOple.

I want to thank Drs. Bertram Karon, Joseph Rayher, and Denald Johnson.
Dr. Karon kindles hepe in students' hearts that what might at first appear
as an outlandish preposition may really be very worthwhile. Dr. Johnson's
shrewd and benevolent perception, taking the form of wide eclecticism, enabled
me give a long hard look at my theoretical formulations. Dr. Reyher was
on sabbatical leave at the time of the completion of our study but he is

in part reSponsible for the adopted method of study and procedure.

Thanks are also due to one of my typists, Gary, who made a valiant
effort, but was unable to survive till the end.
Sincere appreciation for her tolerance, usually taken for granted, is

tendered to my wife, Charlotte who bore up with my vagaries throughout.the

course of the progect.

11~

TABLE OF COIITI‘I‘T‘I‘S

‘fi

ACnJOHLEDGEHEHTS......................................................

IIST OF TABLES........................................................

APPEIDIX..............................................................
Chapter

I INTRODUCTION................................................

II Theoretical Considerations..................................

Cultural Facilitation of Incest Behavior................

Incest Behavior from the Standpoint of the Child........

The Linking of Sex and Aggression ......................

III Filicide, A Review of the Literature........................

Introductory Remarks....................................

Clarification of Terms..................................

Specific Studies........................................

Summary of the Studies on Filicide......................

IV Incest, A Review of the Literature..........................

General Considerations..................................

Social Attitudes concerning Incest......................

Incidence of Incest.....................................

Review of Relevant Studies..............................

Summary of Studies on Incest............................

Abortion................................................

V Statement of the Problem....................................

Description of the study................................

The Pepulation and Method of Study......................

The Intensive Case Studies..............................

111

Page
11

v1

12
12
12
1s
16
1a
1a
20
21
22
26
27
29
29

29

 

Chapter Page
The Abstracts of Case File Records........................ 31

The Examiner.............................................. 32

VI Procedure..................................................... 33
Description of the PepulatiOn............................. 33

Selection of Subjects..................................... 33

COlleCtion and IanalySiS Of Data........................... 35

E1’1v1r011melltal COA'iSideratiO.-Soooooooo.nono...coco-00.00.... 37
R8ti01l81€ for the Three Grou'pSoooooooooooooooo0.00.0000... 37
The IndiVidual IllteWiGW-Soooooooo000000000000000000000000. 39

The Stl'uC-ture Of the Personal. Illtemriews o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 41

VII Filldithooooooooo60.00.00.000...00000000000090.000000000oooooo 43

81

VIII DiSCUSiOHooooooooooooo00.000000000000000.00.000000000000000...
The Dyllanlics Of FiliCidGOOQOOQOOOOOOOQo00000000000000.0000 54

DeveIOpment of Trauma and Ambivalence Subsequent to

incest.................................................. 54
Incest in Relation to Husband and Child................... 56
Reconstruction of the Sex Aggression Linkage.............. 57
The Filicidal Act in Relation to Incest................... 58
The Incest Variable....................................... 58
The Non-Incest Cases...................................... 59
Comparison of the Three Groups on Sexual Behavior......... 61
The Filicidal Act in Relation to Aggression............... 62
Inferiority Feelings and Aggression....................... 62
Comparison of the Three Groups on the Expression of

AggrESSionooo0.000000000000000000000ooooooooooooooooooo 63

1v

Chapter Page

The FiliCidal ObJGCtooo-oooooooooooooocoo-0.000..oooooooooo 64

The Suicidal A tempts...................................... 55
The Abortion Dimension..................................... 65
Characteristic Defenses.................................... 55
Limitations of the Study................................... 67

In licatiOflS for Further Research.......................... 68
p

pAPPZEDI:(.‘.................................0.0...............0......C... 70
BBLImImPEHCOCOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... m5

Table

12.
72'
4.).

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Summary of Findings for Each Individual in the Filicidal

Group...COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.000000000000000000000000

Summary of Findings for Each Individual in the Homicidal

Groupooooooooooooooooooocoooooooooooooo0000000000000coo

Summary of Findings for Each Individual in the Antisocial

GrouPOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.00...00.......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Summary of Fi;dings for the EXploratory Variables Shown
Separately for the Intensive and Abstract of Case Files.

Reported Incest Participation Frequencies.................
Reported Suicide Attempt Frequencies......................
Reported Abortion Frequencies.............................
Mean Admission Age Comparison.............................
Mean School Achievement Comparisons.......................
Reported Spouse Abuse Frequencies.5.......................

Reported Incidence of the Excessive Use of Alcohol and
HarCOtiCS among the Three GroupSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00.00..

Incidence of Socio-Bconomic Status amorg the Three Groups.

Between Group DifferCHCESooooooo00000000000000...ooooooooo

'1

44

45

46

47

Filicide as Related to Oedipus Problems in Females
Introduction

The title of this paper was suggested by certain observations
made by the author over a period of years in individual interviews
and group therapy sessions with female psychiatric patients. These persons
were committed to a mental hospital subsequent to an offense involving
filicide, i.e., the killing of a child by his mother. .An apparent
relationship between filicide and Oedipus prOblems, particularLy
incest, emerged from these experiences.

The study of these infrequent and dramatic forms of behavior
is important for several reasons. From a social standpoint acting
out destructively requires institutionalization and therefore
monetary expenditures. .Academically, the heuristic value of
psychoanalytic theory may be enhanced by incorporating within its
framework another explained segement of behavior. As regards
therapeutics, the specification of relevant psychodynamic, sociocultural
and situational variables interacting with temporal and intensity
dimensions may indicate areas to which therapy should directly or
indirectly be addressed.

Initially, there was no readily available information regarding
the relationship between incestuous experiences and the filicidal
act. It appeared reasonable to assume that extreme behavior is
motivated by proportionately intense conflict. There was hardly
any doubt that part of the explanation was related to immoderate
aggression. In what manner problems in sexual adjustment were or

were not implicated was not immediately clear.

____.~

 

 

The central issue of this investigation is the establishment
of dynamics underlying the commission of filicide. The speculated
sequence of events began with the observation that incestuous
behavior encountered relatively rarely in a group therapy setting
was encountered much beyond usual expectancy in filicidal cases. The
theoretical explanation adopted to account for this observation was
that the consummation of Oedipus wishes and subsequent frustration
of love-sex needs mobilizes anxiety and ambivalence toward the incest
object.

Once established, the ambivalent relationship to father is
assumed to persist and resist extinction because of the fused
pleasure and anxiety associated with it. In later life, the
significance of unresolved ambivalence toward the incestual Object
in post-hate feelings are transferred onto the husband. In most cases
the individual has learned to act out or unsuccessfully repress sexual
and aggressive urges. In situations of unusual stress or frustration
ineffectual defenses are weakened. Destructive wishes initially
aimed at the incest object are reactivated and vented on the
substitute object, the child.

In this study there is most concern with recurrent patterns
of behavior of a sexual or aggressive nature. The case history
method was selected because of being uniquely suited to this type of
inquiry. It lends itself to the elicitation and recording of verbal
response in chronological sequence of experiences readily identifiable

as sexual or aggressive.

Theoretical Considerations
The Development of Sex and Aggression

Psychologists in clinical settings frequently observe the
occurrence of aggressive behavior. In a hospital for the "criminally
insane" there is an almost grotesque exaggeration of this theme. In
these circumstances it is difficult to remain objective concerning the
drive status of aggression. One is almost prompted to accept without
question Freud's theorizing concerning the existence of an independent
aggressive drive, in contradistinction to the other equally attractive
view that aggression is one consequence of the frustration of
sexual need.

Fenichel (lth) surveys considerable theoretical and clinical
material concerning the sequential development of sexual and aggressive
drives. He indicates that the several stages of psychosexual
development have both phases. In each stage the sexually pleasurable
aspect antedates the aggressive.

The receptive phase of the oral state is characterized by
gratification of hunger needs producing a satisfying state. In the
oral sadistic phase aggression is expressed in the biting of the
mother's breasts. In addition, the aim of the act of oral incorporation
often assumes a Sadistic character probably as a reaction to
frustration. A study by Levy (19h9) suggests that frustration of the
sucking response results in the aggressive biting of siblings.

Theoretically, in the expulsive phase of the anal stage,
pleasure and the alleviation of physical tension are derived from

elimination. In the sadistic phase elimination is posited to appear

to the child as destructive as incorporation. The pinching off of
feces is evaluated as the first anal-sadistic action. Later on,
individuals are treated as the feces were previously treated. Through
toilet training procedures the child finds opportunity to express
Opposition against grownups.

Alexander and Menninger (lg36) investigated the relationship
between psychogenic factors and gastrointestinal disturbances. They
observed that certain patients suffering from constipation exhibited
marked paranoid tendencies. In their dreams and fantasy life the
idea of soiling or attacking people with filthy epithets or even
excrement was frequently frankly expressed. They selected two samples,
100 each, one of paranoid individuals and the other a control group.

It was found that 76% in the paranoid group were constipated in contrast
to only 26% in the control group. The tentative explanation arrived

at was that the excremental act was unconsciously connected with

hostile attacking tendencies. The latter caused fear of retaliation,
denial, and finally projection of these hostile ideas at the same time
inhibiting the excremental function.

The phallic stage and the Oedipus complex develop concurrently
in females. At first, the daughter turns from the mother to the father
since she becomes aware that her mother has no penis and he has.

In the girl penis envy is reaponsible for the introduction of the
Oedipus complex. The Oedipus complex is defined as love, inclusive of
sexual desires, for the parent of the opposite sex and death wishes
against the parent of the same sex. The female's Oedipus complex is
not as likely to disappear as is the male's. It may become weaker

as she matures and realixes the impossibility of possession of the

father. Identification with the mother takes the place of object
cathexis. Fenichel (l9h8) states that individual experience modifies
and elaborates the expression and intensity of the Oedipus relationship.

As viewed from analytic theory, in the cases under consideration,
the Oedipus wish either finds consummation or the strength of
incestuous wishes continues unabated.‘ Either of these instances may
become a uniquely traumatic experience or may assume traumatic
proportions as a result of being a chronic influence. Either situation,
i.e., unique or chronic, may frequently become the decisive factor
if the Oedipus complex is not surmounted in the usual time.

Seduction by a parent or parent surrogate, even if social
attitudes have not been accepted by the child, prematurely arouses
genitality. The intensity of excitement evoked by external sources
may be byond the child's power to control. Undue turbulence creates
traumatic states which connect the areas of "genitality and threat"
with each other. Anything that increases fear increases sexual
repressions and causes disturbances in the subsequent resolution of
the Oedipus complex.

Fenichel (l9h8, P.93) states further that "Neurotic parents
bring up neurotic children. The child's Oedipus complex reflects
the parents unresolved Oedipus wishes. Very often the mother loves
the son and the father the daughter. The parents unconscious sexual
love for their children is greater when their real sexual satisfaction
is insufficient due to external circumstances or to their own
neurosis. This Oedipus love is unconsciously sensed by the children
as a sexual temptation making the solution of their Oedipus complex

more difficult. Sometimes it is even unconsciously felt by the

~5-

parent who then attempts to atone for the induced guilt by sudden
threats and frustration so that frequently the children are alternately
excited and frustrated by the parents". One of Weinberg's conclusions,
(1,63, p.251) is that the father, "often may see a resemblance in the
female participant to some other sexually inaccessible family member
such as his mother or sister".

In our culture the Oedipus wish is alleged to be rarely gratified.
As socialization develOps there is increased awareness of reality
considerations as they pertain to cultural sanctions. For most
'ndividuals sexual object choice is determined in accordance with
social sexual values, i.e., peers, attraction, prOpinquity. It is
Speculated that when there is gratification of the Oedipus wish,
conditions are reproduced that were characteristic in the deprivation
of needs in the oral or anal stages. The thwarting of incest wishes
after gratification sets up a frustration state more intense than in
the other two stages. Thus, the intensity of the evoked aggressive
drive will be roughly proportional to the degree of frustration.

Barclay and Haber (l;65) found a strong linkage between
aggressive and sexual motivation. In many aSpects of the study they
were parallel in effect. Women reaponded to aggressive arousal by
a male with an increase in sexual imagery, not an inhibition of it.
Further, there seemed to be little defensiveness attached to this
arousal, at least as compared to men.

The overt eXpression of aggression may vary among individuals
with identical motivation. However, as hypothesized by Freud, in
these cases it will manifest itself as a conscious demonstration of

destructive impulses, i.e., homicidal or suicidal dimensions. In

either case, as Fenichel (19h8) states, "No body kills himself who
has not intended to kill somebody else".

Cultural Facilitation of Incest Behavior

 

In our culture the structure of the family circle, particularly
the close spatial arrangements within the home, lends itself to
unavoidably intimate contacts. Consequently rivalries, jealousies,
and hostilities about all sorts of matters develop with relative
ease. However, without parental reinforcement, it is difficult to
posit that sex, as sex, would become a focal point of conflict.

The increasing participation of women in industrial, recreational,
religious, political, educational areas are taking them more and more
out of the home. Very frequently, the father or an elder sibling is
left to care for the children. Thus, sexually naive individuals
are placed in circumstances where they (without conscious awareness
of what is transpiring) may strengthen or exploit the sexual urges
of the children.

It is Obvious that individuals do not come into parenthood
as "clean slates". Parents transfer to their children feelings and
goals previously learned within their own families. Some, because
of parataxic experiences with their own parents, and despite
conscious overt verbal disapproval, obtain unconscious and vicarious
satisfaction from the child's search for erotic gratification.

It is by now a commonplace observation that when a child
shows more than a passing interest in erotic relations with the parent
its source is generally the sexual predisposition of the parent
toward the child. When a parent shows an especially strong sexual

interest in the child the prObability is greatly increased that the

’3

sexuality of the child will be affixed to that parent. Complications
may ensue, perhaps even to the point of becoming a psychosis

inducing prOblem. When sexual arousals toward the preferred parent
are frustrated they may be deflected to the other parent or another
sibling. Arieti (1955, p.1+7) states that "Parental affection may
also become a cause of anxiety because it may stimulate incestuous
sexual feelings which are disapproved of in the environment. In
families or cultural environments where sex is strongly expressed and
repressed, the Oedipus situation may in certain cases increase the
already existing anxiety and make the occurence of schizophrenia much
more probable. The child attributes his sexual desires to being
bad".

Actual incest increases guilt because the child feels "more
bad" than just entertaining Oedipus wishes. A study by Johnson (1956)
attempts to identify various early familial influences in the genesis
of schizophrenia. Two major findings are: (l) The occurence of
traumatic sexual assults, in many of these cases, by parents or
parent surrogates, and (2) the way the schizophrenic patient deals
with the assualts by introjection of the hostile aggressor.

In many family groups sexual education is intentionally
avoided. Many parents are not sufficiently well-informed to impart
the necessary physiological facts, let alone the psychological
orientation. ‘Most of them are largely unaware of the affective
components of sexuality.

Incest Behavior from the Standpoint of the Child
The child is vaguely aware that cultural imperatives demand

tender love for family members. On the other hand they loosely sense

.8_

that an open expression of sexual love is prohibited with even

greater intensity. The divided model concerning love set by society
is sensed but not understood, since, for the child, emotional logic
fuses the two elements. The touches and caresses of the family members
stimulate erotic needs. Inchoate wishes for genital pleasure are

also produced but are generally frustrated. In instances of unusual:
close;ess, as the child develops a family member may persist as a
sexual object on an u.conscious or conscious level. These
circumstances futction to maintain frustration and ambivalent feelings
toward family members uiless they are resolved either through
psychotherapeutic insights, successful defenses, or a successful
marriage. If there is an inability to cope with the problem, marital
relationships may be regarded as incestuous.

. V

-ne Linking of Sex and Aggression

-J

 

When sexual drives are frustrated they sometimes precipitate
aggression. Continuous repetitions of these sequences bring about
linkage. Parents reinforce the linkage by conscious and unconscious
attitudes and influences. They sometimes simultaneously encourage
and discourage tendencies to genital gratification and are regarded by
the child as sources of both sexual gratification or frustration.

In other words genital sexuality is unconsciously sanctioned but
at the same time consciously prohibited.

The child is faced with the task of ceping with a pair of
related but incongruous messages. He is dependent for affection and
survival on the parent giving the contradictory messages so that
escape is unavailable as a solution. Two coitradictory, significant

messages mean two inconsistent behavioral demands. Each communication

and distortion of ideas and effects. These readily result in
ambivalence toward the source of the message.

In times of sexual excitement the defences of the individual
are weakened. At such ulguarded moments, incestuous acts may be
consummated. The perpetuation of these acts is doomed to failure.
Discovery is often imminent because of the ubiquitous presence of the
rest of the family. Detection of the act is fraught with serious
intrafamilial disruption and potential legal consequences. However,
once initiated, the sex acts may be rewarding to the child. Affection
for the ncest object is, at least temporarily, increased.
Discontinuance of the act may then be regarded as rejection and
deprivation. Ultimately, the incest object becomes the target of
intense ambivalent feelings and sexual union a questionable goal.

Initially, at least, guilt is relatively absent since the act
has parental sanction. Sachs (in Fenichel, lyho) states that the
frustration of Oedipus wishes in girls brings about partial regression
to orality and an attempt to remain attached to the parent through
oral incorporation. According to this view, true superego formation
can occur only if this oral incorporation loses its libi‘inal meaning
and becomes "desexualised". Incest makes the sexual component of the
Oedipus wish a reality and prevents or retards the development of
restraints as regards sex and aggression.

The questions of paramount importance to the present inquiry
are twofold. In view of the preceding data it is apparent that
aggressive acts may originate in infantile sexuality. How far
reaching are the effects of the sex-aggression linkage? Under

what conditions does sex-aggression find expression in a culture

10

that highly disapproves of incestual or aggressive diSplayT It is
speculated that hostility is less acceptable in females than males.
Incest seems equally unacceptable. The infantile as well as the
adult aim of aggression is destruction of the offending object.

In the filicidal act the child is the immediate object of aggression.
However, it is difficult to believe that the real goal of the act

is to destroy the child. It is inferred that the real object of the
destructive urge is the original source of frustration, the incest
object. The husband is an integral part of the complex of conditions
since it is through his person that fluctuations in sexual
gratification, frustration, and aggression are given continuity.
Symbolically, the child substitutes for both individuals. The
filicidal act is precipitated within a generally frustrating or stressful
state of affairs. In almost all cases filicide only temporarily

dissipates aggression.

11

Filicide

A Review of the Literature

Introductory_Remarks

Socially, filicidal behavior is associated with notoriety,
pathos, and intense emotional impact. Many pe0ple still retain the
currently untenable belief in the maternal instinct; Because of
this firmly established notion it seems inconceivable that mothers
can intend harm to their children. Therefore, the explanation
that these actions are either senseless or impulsive is readily
acceptable to the layman.

Clarification of Terms

Originally it was intended to use the concept of "infanticide"
to designate the behavioral t0pic with which this paper is concerned.
Legally, however, the term applies to the killing of children
within the first year of life. Secondly, a paper reviewed in this
series indicates that infanticides are characteristically committed
by mothers as a rule unmarried and not psychotic. The child is
ordinarily abandoned in garbage receptacles or out of the way places.
This latter circumstance is only rarely, if ever, encountered in
the cases under consideration.

Another term found in the literature to describe this
phenomenon is "child murder". The latter term could depict these
acts but it differs somewhat from the concept of the behavior as
used herein. The idea of murder usually implies conscious intent.
The concept of filicide is presumed to be more generic than the

other two. In connotes the following points: (1) Inclusion of

siblings up to and beyond the age of adolescence; (2) Unconscious
motivation; (3) A psychotic state on the part of the mother. The
model case described in this paper would be that of a woman having
one or more children. In the course of everyday life she becomes
unable to c0pe with certain frustrations and stresses. These

forces precipitate psychosis. During the acute stage of the illness,
the life of one or more of her children is taken.

Specific‘Studies

 

In a paper on child murder, Bender (lg3h) discusses a Series
of studies related to this tOpic. She reports that Sullivan described
a number of murders of older children committed by individuals
suffering from various psychoses, especially manic-depressive
psychosis and schizophrenia. Sullivan noted that Kraepelin had
pointed out that in the schiZOphrenic individual the tendency to
impulsive , senseless, and violent murderous acts was usually associated
with amnesia. The acts were inexplicable to the individuals except
that they felt some force compelled them to act. Bender does not
indicate whether Sullivan adhered to this interpretation or not. If
so, this would imply acceptance of the controversial notion of the
irrestible impulse.

In her article, Bender (ly3h) cites three cases. She concludes
that child murder by parents is the equivalent of a suicidal act
brought about by the process of identification. In the cases she
studied, it was not primarily an expression of conscious or
unconscious hatred against the child. In both schiZOphrenic and
manic-depressive psychoses there is a tendency for mothers especially

project their symptoms onto their children so that the child may

13

become the hypochondriacal organ. Bender (193%) does not elaborate
more specifically what was meant by "hypochondriacal organ" nor why
the child, specifically, is invested with these properties. Her
description of how some patients verbalize their perception of the
child has parallels in the experience of the author of this study,
but the etiological referents, or Just why the child is perceived
in this way, is not inherent in her description. The child is
destroyed because he becomes the symbol of the reason the mother
became ill.

The three case histories written by Bender will be briefLy
summarized since she made no effort to relate her interpretation to
the childhood experiences of the individual. In fact, hardly any
material on childhood is presented. For example, in case one, the
following quote encompasses all of her comments regarding childhood:
"The patient was more quiet and withdrawn than her siblings. She
never confided in her mother". Case two contains nothing about
childhood. Case three mentions that "Our knowledge of her past
history is scant".

If one accepts the general principle that one of the most
significant developments during the past 25 years has been the
steady growth of evidence that parental care is a crucial dimension
in personality growth and development, then Bender’s report must be
looked on as lacking a most important element, i.e., the relationship
between childhood and adulthood. On the basis of her data, Bender
explains child murder as equivalent to suicide. However, she only
partially comes to grips with the explanation of the genesis of

suicide or its relationship to the filicidal act.

’ 14

Zilboorg (1932) presents a psychoanalytic viewpoint. He
analyzed the determinants of psychoses, eSpecially depressive
reactions, in parents who expressed death wishes against their children.
He claimed that basic to this reaction was an unconscious sense of
guilt concerning unconscious incestuous drives. He also summarizes
findings from severe cases of depression in fathers associated with
death wishes directed against their children and suicidal urges
due to strong unresolved incestuous drives.

In a paper, "On Parent-Child Antagonisms", Zilboorg (1)32
identifies an important factor in unconscious parental aggression
against offspring, i.e., that parents by a process of identification
with the child live out vicariously the still living remnants of
their own infantilism. In more specific terms he asserts that to
the unconscious mind of the parents the child plays the role of the
id. The parents, for a time, obtain vicarious gratification from
his behavior and then hurl upon him all the forces of the superego.
They project onto the child their own Id and then punish him to
gratify the demands of their uncompromising superego. Zilboorg's
interpretive hypothesis that the parents death wishes for the child
arose from conflict associated with guilt stemming from unconscious
incestuous wishes for their own parents coincides with the first
step of our interpretation. He comments that this model has
heuristic value and cites excerpts of cases in support of his
construction. Some of these illustrations are relevant to the
concept develOped herein of the behaviors attendant on filicide.

A mother who had never overcome her Oedipus attachment to her

father married an older man. Her child became a living testimony of

15

her unconscious incestuous attitude towards her father. Unconsciously
she wished to destroy the living sign of fantasied incest and
therefore wanted nothing but evil for the child. The mother

finally developed a severe neurotic depression. The main unconscious
thought elicited was to destroy her child.

In another case, the eldest son of a mother of five children
became the Object of an intense incestuous attitude transferred onto
him by his mother from.her father. The youngest became the Object
of overcompensatory hatred, which she transferred onto him from
her brother. It was striking how in the course of the analysis the
mother betrayed her seductive attitude toward the one son and her
castrative predisposition toward the other.

In the analysis of a boy fetishist whose pathological theft
of certain objects and episodical exhibitionism were combined, a
definite impression was gained that the boy's mother was not only
fixated on her son, as she had been on her father, but that
identifying herself with her son she gradually began to treat him
as if he were a girl. The woman was intensely Jealous of the boy
when he and his father happened to agree on some circumstance, no
matter how minor. She first monopolized-the boy's affection, then
tormented him, and gradually threw him into feminine submissiveness
towards his father.

SummaILOf the Studies on Filicide

Adequately elaborated cases of filicide were not found in the
available literature. Zilboorg's efforts to encompass and relate the
total life cycle of personality deveIOpment posits relationships that

arelmnmmde and genetic. Interpretations are dynamic in the sense that

the sexual frustration is defended against by aggressive behavior.
Explanations are genetic since continuity is established between
infantile and adult patterns of behavior. Zilboorg regards incestuous
wishes or relationships as important sources of conflict for psychotic
breakdown and death wishes against children. Oedipus wishes initiate
a pattern of sexual maladjustment associated with frustration, guilt,
and ambivalence. If in adult experience earlier sexual patterns are
approximated, repressed anxiety attendant on unresolved Oedipus
behavior is reactivated. One solution to the frustrating state

of affairs is to bring them to an end by the wished for removal of

the frustrating agent represented symbolically by the child.

17

Incest

A Review of the Literature

General Considerations

 

For the purposes of this study incest is defined as overt
sexual acts between parent-child or sibling-sibling. The two
transactions are considered to have similar consequences. Sibling-
sibling incest is assumed to arise out of sexual desires toward the
parents. When the parents are nonreceptive there is a deflection of
sexual urges onto the sibling. Fenichel (l,h5, p.,3) states, ”But
siblings may also serve as objects of the transference love, eSpecially
older ones or those who are only a little bit younger. If there are
several older brothers and sisters we may see 'doubles of the
Oedipus complex'; what is experienced with the parent is experienced
with the older brother and sister a second time. This may have a
relieving effect, but may also create new conflicts. Younger
siblings who usually are felt as competition may also be looked
upon as ones own children, especially if the age difference is great,
and thus either stimulate the Oedipus complex (for example, in girls
they may not only create the Jealous idea ‘Father or mother will
love the baby instead of me' but also the idea'Father gave mother
the baby instead of me') or decrease the Oedipus wishes by a
substitute fulfillment."

Few phenomena have meaning for humans apart from their social
centext. ncest behavior acquires its potential for disruptive
influence, to a great extent, because of the social value system of

which it is a part. Wienberg reexamines the Oedipus complex from a

18

sociological standpoint. He states that in the original Oedipus
myth, on a social level, the son and mother were strangers. He
views Freud as erring in prefering bilogical over social determinants.
Freud considered their marriage as incestuous and as the basis for
Judging incestuous fantasy. But the mother-son relationship is mainly
a social relationship on both parts. Without the socializing process
the intense emotional revulsion does not appear.

Scientific inquiry into the extent and nature of the subject
has been retarded by forces described by writers as "Incest Cread” or
"Incest Barriers." Open discussions about incest in almost all
social institutions would be about as difficult to initiate as the
sexual topic in the Victorian era. Professionals in the social sciences,1
empathetic with our project, have confided to the author that it is a
”sticky" subject. Under current conditions valid or reliable
information n the tOpic is limited. Iasters (1,63, p.h) states that
?Sexologists have neglected or avoided, or at any rate failed to
discuss, ’consummated' incest. Compared to the great masses of
material available on so many other varietites of sexual experience,
the writings on incestare slight. Much of the material is historical,
anthrOpological and woefully superficial. Novelists, playwrights, and
literary critic essayists have made a greater contribution to the
understanding of incest than have scientists and scholars."

Thus far, the most encouraging trend in removing taboos has
been elicited from patients. They have had to bear the Onus of
working through prOblems that involvement in incest behavior has
entailed. When they are informed that there is only slight standard

data available on this tOpic, they remark that those behaviors that

19

have had the most significant impact on their lives are seldom those
that are investigated in settings where research can most effectively
be done.

Social Attitudes Concerning Incest

 

According to Kroeber (19h2), if 10 anthrOpologists were asked
to designate one near universal social institution nine would most
likely name the incest prohibition. In our culture incest behavior is
regarded with grave concern and is considered by many an extreme
form of deviant behavior. Incest is generally not a learned
pattern of behavior nor is it regularly discussed with others. The
usual leanred norm is to deflect sexual urges away from family members.
When conscious incestuous urges exist, particularly in the earlier
years, they are most always in the form of inhibited fantasies and
dreams and not in terms of overt behavior. Kinsey (l9h8) finds that
many males during their younger years "thought about the possibility
of sexual relationships with their sisters and mothers but these
fantasies were clearly rejected as modes of behavior. The cultural
stereotype of the incest participant derived by Weinberg (1963) from
interview materidal is found to consist of four components, i.e., emotional
abnormality, wickedness and disorganization, disgust, and revulsion.

Another view regarding incest is presented by Masters (1963),
"Each mature and responsible human is entitled to behave sexually
as he or she wishes to behave, the only condition being that no one
is victimized by the relationship, and the behavior in question
is not a real and potent threat to the social order. This is an
essential premise of any rational sex ethic.

”It would seem that what is now legally defined as incest

20

presents us with an unusually clear-cut case of a practice that

may be shown, under certain conditions, to threaten society (by
disrupting the family). It also presents us with many examples of
behavior in which there is victimization of one individual by
another-usually, an adolescent or younger child by an adult. Thus

the incest prohibition, under certain conditions, has an exceptionally
clear and valid basis (such as most other sexual prohibitions do

not possess).

"When, however, the incest occurs outside the home, and when
the participants are mature and responsible persons, the above,
mentioned valid objections no longer appertain, First of all, no one
is victimized or eXploited. Each individual, free of coercion, merely
affirms the basic right to the sexual use of his or her own body.
Secondly, the family is no longer threatened (no more, necessarily,
than by any other sexual transgression or deviation from the monogamic
ideal). Thus the claim that incest uniquely imperils the social
structure no longer is valid on the basis previously advanced.

The incest moves into an area in which the inherent rights of the
individual transcend the values certain members of society wish to
impose upon the whole society. If incestuous unions of reSponsible,
consenting adults are to be prohibited, some new grounds for the
prohibition must be advanced."

Incidence of Incest

 

Masters (1963) and Weinberg (1963) are both of the Opinion
that the incidence of incest is difficult to determine and is
generally underestimated. In a review of state and federal sources

the detected frequency of incest varies annually but it is estimated

21

to be one per 500,000 persons. There are indications from various
sources that Master's (1963) and Weinberg's (1963) incidence
estimates are based on an incomplete sampling of the field, at
least, as they pertain to the state of Michigan. Hurley, J. (verbal
communication, 5-2h-66) estimates that one out of 10 children seen
at community child care facilities has been involved in incestuous
behavior. About the same ratio of sexual offenders at the Ionia
State Hospital have had incestuous contacts. Inmates committed to the
Department of Corrections with crimes such as indecent liberties,
gross indencency, statutory rape, and rape have frequently committed
incest with their children. It is the writer's opinion that if a
more careful and extensive scrutiny of the offenses of individuals
who are residents of correctional and mental health agencies were
instituted, a much higher incidence, perhaps more than one per

1000 might be established.

Every state and territory legally prohibits incest and marriage
at least within the immediate family, i.e., parent-sibling or sibling-
sibling relationships. Brown (1961) states that most incest that
comes to light is between father and daughter. In New York state
almost 10% of all statutory rape cases involve this relationship.
Weinberg (1963) reports that out of 200 cases studied in Illinois,

159 instances involved father and daughter. Hirning (l9h5) is of

the same opinion. Karpman (l9h0) is in agreement with this general
finding'but estimates that undetected sexual relations between brother
and sister are even more frequent.

Review of Relevant Studies

Bender and Blau (1937) in a study of the reactions of children

-22.-

to sex al relations with adults investigated 16 cases, 11 girls and

5 boys, ranging in age from 5 to 12 years. All of the adult
participants were males. The main question explored in the study is
the possible traumatic effect of the incestuous act. Trauma is

from within. English and English (lyéfi) define trauma as psychological
or physical experience that inflicts serious damage on the individual.
The authors regard it as an internal experience rather than an

external event which requires repression because it is considered
repulsive.

Bender does not explicitly dichotomine the group but there
appear to be two distinct effects, depending on the initiating
source of the sexual relationship. That is, ir one of the subgroups
the children were considered wi_ling participants. For these
children the sexual relationship did not appear to rest solely
with the adult. The child was either a passive or active partner.
These children rarely acted as injured parties and often did not
show any evidence of guilt, anxiety or shame.

A conclusion arrived at in this study is that adult-child
sexual relationships do not always have a traumatic effect. An
important observation from the standpoint of our paper is Bender's
unelaborated comment that a remote social danger of adult-child sexual
relationships (but directly attributable to them) is child murder.

Bender and Blau (1;37 abstrsct a study by Rasmussen that
largely coincide with their conclusion concerning the traumatic effects
of adult-child relationships. That is, in a German culture, #6
of the 5H cases ostensibly suffered no severly disrupting effects.

However in eight of the St cases investigated by Rasmussen three

23

became psychotic, one was considered a hysteric, three became
prostitutes, and one died of dementia paralytica. At this Juncture
it should be borne in mind that Bender studied preadolescents.
Incidentally, the question of long range effects was not taken up in
the paper. The latter consideration would require a followup study
but could have an important bearing on the (stipulated) conclusion.

Sloane and Karpinski (l9h2) report on five cases of incest in
postadolescence. Three were father-daughter and two were brother-
sister sexual relationships. In general they note and agree with
Bender's findings in preadolescence. However, they speculate that the
consequences of incest may be more critical in postadolescence. They
reaffirm that the traumatic aspect may lose some of its significance when
the child itself often unconsciously desires sexual union and becomes
a more or less willing partner in the act.

In the Sloane and Karpinski (l9h2) study the outstanding finding
is the degree of guilt feeling experienced by the girls. Guilt is
considered to come from within the self rather than from society. In
this group hostile designs and death wishes were directed against the
mother. Generally the girls became promiscuous. A conclusion
issuing from this investigation was that in postadolescence incest
leads to serious repercussions in the girl. Only one of the five made
a questionable adjustment, and the rest manifested various degrees of
distortion of personality.

ZKawman, Peck and Tagiuri (195%), in a study on the family
constellation and overt incestuous relations between father and daugher,
make the following observations. They state, much like Fenichel, that

incest occurs in families of similar psychopathological makeup which

”24‘

is particularly conducive to the acting out of the Oedipus wish.
Promiscuity is interpreted as an attempt to bring'back the lost

father through the repetition compulsion. Marital sexual relationships
may'be regarded in much the same way because of an inability to
sublimate. Depression and guilt were universal clinical findings.
Guilt in general was verbalized. Depression was shown in many forms,
e.g., suicide threats, mood swings. Almost all had somatic complaints
characteristic of depression in the form of fatigue, loss of

appetite, generalized aches and pains, inability to concentrate, and
sleep disturbances.

The girls dealt with depression and guilt by searching for
punishment, seeking forgiveness, and turning to religion and delinquency.
The purpose of sexual promiscuity seemed to be (1) to relive the
experience with father, (2) to work through the anxiety through the
repetition compulsion and (3) to achieve restitution of the lost
parent. These girls tended to act out rather than repress. Their
parents had not taught them how to cope with instinctual impulses by
inhibition. The lesson had been well learned.

When many of these patients were placed in foster homes, the
resultant dependant position caused them to regress and reveal their
hostile demanding orality in a most primative form. The regression
that occured in many of these girls approached psychiatric states, i.e.,
prolonged confusional and stuporous periods or rage reactions. These
reactions were interpreted to come about because of an inability to
sublimate and a sexualization of object relationships. They received
little help from the parents in reality testing or superego development.

Rascovsky and Rascovsky (1950), in the psychoanalysis of a

”25 .

patient who had consummated incest with her father, elicited the
following relationships. After sexual relations she became depressed
and frustrated, and, along with the intimacy, develOped an intense
hatred for her father. After marriage and pregnancy she had an
abortion. It was speculated that marriage was an escape from her
destructive impulses toward her father. Free association material
revealed that the destructive wish to kill her father stemmed from
the feeling that he was harming her.

Weinberg (1,63) reviews a series of studies in relation to overt
behavior subsequent to incest experiences. He stated that studies of
prostitution and sex delinquents revealed incestuous experiences in the
personal histories of the subjects. Breckenridge and Abbot (1,12)
interviewed 157 girls in a state training school in Geneva and found
#7 girls who alleged that they had been violated by some family
member, in 1) instances by the father, 5 by an uncle, 8 by brothers
or older cousins. In a report by a vice commission in Chicago on
The Social Evil in Chicago (1 11), out of 72 delinquent girls, 32
had had incestuous relations with their father. Miner (1,10) reports
that 5 out of 25 girls incarcerated in a prison in Paris had sex
relations with their fathers.

Summary of Studies on Incest

 

The main thesis developed in all of the papers is the question
of psychological trauma to the female participant. Variability of
traumatic effect for incest participants was cross sectionally
demonstrated by this evidence. More Specifically, preadolescent
incestuous relationships with active or passive consent on the part

of the girl were not conceived as traumatic at the time of the

26

Observations. Incest in postadolescence and most prObably adulthood
was regarded as almost invariably noxious. Followup or longitudinal
studies concerned with long range effects were not considered or
found.

Psychological processes, in pathological degree, associated
with incest include anxiety or guilt, ambivalence, and destructive
(suicidal or homicidal) wishes. Overt behavior related to incest is
promiscuity, prostitution, delinquency, psychosis and, in one
instance, murder. An important point is that marital relationships
may subsequently be regarded as incestuous because participants often
seem unable to sublimate their aggressive drives.

Abortion

It is unsystematically Observed that there appears to be a
higher incidence of abortion among the filicidal cases than is
present in the general population. An explanation entertained to
account for this phenomenon is that intense turmoil concerning
significant males brings about "accidents" physical manipulations or
physiological dysfunctions culminating in abortion.

Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy before
the fetus is capable of sustaining life. Legal or therapeutic
abortions are difficult to Obtain and are usually allowed when: (1)
pregnancy would seriously endanger the physical or mental health of
the mother, (2) there is a realistic probability that the child may
be born with a serious mental or physical defect, (3) conception
results from rape, incest or illicit intercourse with someone under
the age of 16. I

There are also illegal self-induced or Spontaneous abortions.

.. 27 .-

 

 

 

_‘ .,

The latter are described in Lader, L. (1966) as follows, "Women

seek out illegal abortionists many of whom are quacks, virtual butcher'.
0r, frantic, women attempt self abortion using knitting needles, wire
coat hangers, crude catheters-risking a perforated uterus-or fatal
injection of soap or detergent solutions;

"Into the emergency rooms of our hospitals flows the grim
product of these mangled operations; One Boston hospital admits an
average of 600 such cases annually. A voluntary hospital in Harlem
admits about 300. One recent study by a professor at the School of
Medicine, university of California Los Angeles, puts the abortion death
rate at more than 5000 a year";

Lader, L, (1966) reports that there are 8000 legal hospital-
performed Operations in this countryt However, one clinical study
revealed a ratio of one abortion to each 3&6 live births in the U.S.
urban populations Other expert estimates bear out this figure-which
would mean as many as 1,200,000 abortions annually in this country;

This investigation is concerned only with self-induced or
spontaneous abortions; The behavior is selected for comparative
purposes because it is considered to be a manifestation of ambivalent
relatedness to crucial experiences with men; The message conveyed to
the author by the abortions is that for psychogenic influences the
child is unwanted; It is speculated that in filicidal cases self-

induced abortion is the equivalent of a destructive act.

Statement of the Problem

The central theme of this paper is that, given certain
conditions, eventually, when the child (incest participant) becomes
an adult she acts out the death wishes symbolically. The concept that
death wishes against siblings stem from unconscious parental incestuous
wishes is given expression in the literature by Zilboorg (1932).
Essentially the same idea in reciprocal order is elicited from the
research on incest, i.e., children who engage in sex with parents,
tend to harbor death wishes against them.

These inferences led to two hypotheses: If a group of
filicidal persons were compared to two other groups, each characterized
by a different aggressive behavior, there would be: ‘A significantly
higher incidence of (l) incest; and (2) destructive behaviors
(suicidal attempts and abortions) in the filicidal group.

Description of the Study

The introduction has reviewed the clinical antecedents of the
study. The theoretical section posits a link between two drive
states assumed essential to the explanation of the filicidal act.

Sex and aggression are inferred to parallel each other in intensity.
The reviews of the literature present relevant data and provide for
the speculations concerning suggested dynamics. The latter appear to
t>e reasonable extensions of the reviewed research.

The Population and Method of Study

This study investigates three groups of female psychiatric
patients. Each group is composed of 15 females. The groups are
differentiated on the basis of a particular type of criminal act.

The names of the groups are roughly descriptive of the acts committed

,29r

and are entitled: (l) Filicidal (F), (e) Homicidal (H), and (3)
Antisocial (A). The central concern of the study is F group.

The behaviors distinguishing the F group and supporting the
posited dynamics are investigated by two variations of the case
history method. Included are 15 intensive case histories a-d 30
abstracts of individual case records. Both types of protocols contain
information directly pertinent to the stated hypotheses and control
variables, i.e., incest, suicide, abortion, admission age, intelligence,
race, education, socio-economic status, abuse, and excessive use
of alcohol or narcotice.

The Intensive Case Studies

There are five extended histories from each group, in greatest part
elicited from the patients directly. Information from the case
records is incorporated into the histories when necessary.

There was no actual selection of cases for the intensive
studies except for expediency, based on therapeutic considerations.
That is, it had been agreed prior to the initiation of the individual
interviews that patients in therapy groups other than the examiner's
would not be used as intensive case studies. This measure was
adopted on the assumption that two therapists for the same patient
might introduce antitherapeutic forces or conflicts, either in
terms of intrastaff turbulence or by confronting the patient with
incongruent therapeutic interpretations.

I; Group F, cases F6, F10, F12, and F13 were in groups
conducted by other therapists. When the individual interviews were
in progress F7, F), F11 and Flu were no longer in residence at the

hOSpital. F8 and F15 were severely disoriented or resistive and would

30

not consent to be seen individually. The remaining five cases
(F1, F2, F3, FM, and F5) are the ones used for intensive case studies.
The ten identified above serve as the abstracts of cases.

Also in established therapy groups were cases H6, H7, Hy, H12,
H13, and H15. H8 and H10 had been in the examiner's group previously
but had voluntarily discontinued, because, stating essentially,
"There was too much discussion about sexual matters". Both of them
were contacted for individual interviews. H10 outrightly refused.

H3 consented but after the second session sent word that she was
indiSposed. H11 died at the time of the investigation. th was

a resident of 20 years duration and it was thought that it would be
futile to even broach the subject to her. Fortunately, another
homicidal case was admitted during the course of the investigation and
agreed to participate in the individual sessions. Cases Hl

through H5 were studied intensively.

In Group A, cases A6, A7, A9, A10, All, A12, Al3, and A114
belonged to other therapy groups. A8 was severely disoriented and
was inaccessible for reliable communication. A15 was in process of
placement on convalescent status prior to the inception of the
interviews. The remainder (Al through A5) are used as intensive
study cases.

The Abstracts of Case File Records

 

Ten abstracts from each group are presented. The selection
procedure is previously outlined. The information for these profiles
is almost exclusively drawn from the case records. In these
transcripts only material directly relevant to the hypotheses and

control dimensions is included.

31

The Sexual Variable

There is one comparison of the three groups regarding the
incidence of incest.
The Aggressive Variable

The three groups are compared concerning the incidence of
suicide and abortion.
Other Comparisons

Comparisons of the three groups are computed on the following
behaviors: Admission age, education, socio—economic status, abuse and
excessive use of alchol and narcotics.

The Examiner

 

The examiner is a crucial control as an elicitor and recorder
of verbal reSponse. The hypothetical model adOpted, and in all
proability only partially realized, is that of a neutral, directive
listener catalyzing the significant eXperiences of the patients.
The fact that this examiner was known to all the patients as having
been an important professional person in the hospital for 15

years also is relevant to the consideration of his role.

32

Procedure

Description of the Population

The subjects of this investigation are female psychiatric
patients committed through the courts or transferred from a correctional
institution as insane or psychotic after the commission of some crime.
At any one time there are 105, plus or minus 10 female patients in
residence at the Ionia State Hospital. Of the 10h cases, currently
present, 55 are not usable because of: (1) Thirty one were eliminated
because of intellectual considerations. All of the latter had
both verbal and performance IQs of less than 80 on the Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale (WAIS). (2) Seven were transfers from other
state hospitals and had committed no crime. .(3) Eight were charged
with felonious assault. They were regarded as borderline cases
belonging to either Group H or A. (4) In six cases hospital
records were inadequate and the patients were too old or too
Imychotic for interview. (5) Three had been committed under.Act
165, which established legal procedures for individuals designated
as criminal sexual psychopaths and had never been Judged as insane.
Of those cases meeting the criteria for inclusion there were:
Filicides (l6), Honficides (15), Offenses against property but not
against person (18). The latter cases include: arson, forgery,
larceny, uttering and publishing, etc.
Selection of Subjgcts

The first step in the formation of the three groups was to
review superficially all of the records of the female patients for

PrOper placement. subsequently, those cases selected for investigation

.— 33..

were perused throughly for information relating to the aggressive
and sexual behaviors under consideration

A total of #5 subjects were finally selected for study. The
subjects were categorized on the basis of offense committed, i.e.,
filicide (consummated or attempted), homicide (consummated or attempted)
and an arbitrarily named "antisocial" group whose main distinghishing
feature is that the offense is not ostensible aggressive acting
out against persons. There are 15 subjects in each group.

Because approximately half of the total female pOpulation is being
used in this study it is difficult to control for two variables which
are related to incest behavior, i.e., race and socio-economic status.
Weinberg (1563) states that Negroes had a larger ratio of incest
participants when their number was compared with the total
proportional pOpulation in New York State. Socio-economic status is
determined in 80% of the subjects investigated and of this number
55% of the incest participants are in the lower socio-economic
strata, 15.2% in the middle and 5./% in the comfortable (Weinberg's
category) group. Studies in Weinberg (1563), by Sonden, Hentig,
Riemer and Ebner found that incest was most frequently detected in
the lower rather than in the middle socio-eCOnomic group. This
could mean either that it is more frequently detected or that it is
more prevalent.

Markedly intellectually retarded individuals are excluded from
the groups. No individual with both a WAIS verbal and performance
subscale score below 60 is included in the sample unless there is
clinical evidence that the patient is more highly endowed. The

reasons for using IQ 80 as the lower limit of inclusion is based on

34

several reasons. In the first place, if individuals with IQs

between 80-50 were excluded, it would not be possible to obtain a
sample of the desired size. Furthermore, Wechsler (1,58, p.15;) states
that emotional disturbance reduces the efficiency of intellectual
functioning. A more important consideration is that rejection of
defective individuals in related to the observation that their
personality develOpment is arrested. Therefore the emotional
conflicts concerning sex and aggression thought to underlie filicidal
behavior may be much different from those of individuals of estimated,
or psychometrically measured, average or above average intelligence.
The reported full scale IQ is in almost all cases based on at

least 10 subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. subscale
scores are based on at least four subtests. ‘

Collection and Analysis of Data

 

Case records are kept on all patients from the inception of
hospitalization. The records which vary in completeness from patient
to patient contain information from many sources; i.e., psychiatric
reports; material from parents, relatives, or nearest of kin;
newSpaper accounts of the offense; investigation statements from
police departments; verbatim transcripts of trials; FBI and State Police
transcripts; statements of previous hospitalization for physical or
mental illness; summaries of private psychiatric treatment;
military service accounts; and school reports where applicable.

Data contributed by the Ionia State HOSpital and common to
all patients are the following: the social history-an abstract of
information from all outside sources and the patient; the mental

status-a summary of all diagnostic psychiatric interviews; and the

35

abstract mental tests-a summary of interpretations of psychological
testing. ,After this material is evaluated in a diagnostic staff
conference, summaries of all individual interviews, accident
reports, evaluation of work assignments, and progress reports of
treatment are included in the records.

The specific data to be extracted from the records will fall
into three categories, i.e., control, exploratory, and that directly
pertinent to the hypotheses. The control data are intelligence,
socio-economic status, and race. The exploratory variable is age
at the time of commitment. Behavior specifically relevant to the
hypotheses is suicidal attempts, abortions, incestuous acts, abuse
and excessive use of alcohol and drugs.

In order to follow more systematically the develOpment of the
dynamics and to provide more extensive data for the hypothesized
differences among groups, 5 cases from each category, 15 in all, are
traced in historical sequence from childhood to the present. At
least 20 individual interview hours have been Spent on each case.

It is admitted at the outset that all of the material elicited in the
outline may not be verifiable. However, in view of the nature of the
experiences set down the events are psychologically factual or
significant. The latter consideration, in the final analysis, is

the most important concern of this paper.

In some cases the amount of extra case record information
available to the investigator varies. Some of the subjects of the
study are more fully known than others on account of contacts through
testing procedures, group therapy participation, or individual

interviews. Others became known for the first time. In all cases

“56..

recorded data are used as fully as possible. Acceptable evidence
that the patients have been involved in the behavior named is either
case record information or self admission in group or individual
interviews.

Environmental Considerations

 

All of the female patients at the Ionia State Hospital live in
the same 115 capacity building throughout their residence. All
patients are admitted on the same ward. subsequent placement on
the two other wards is a function of behavioral adjustment and,
to some extent, degree of psychosis.

Rationale for Three Groups

 

A necessary step to the credibility of the hypothesis that
incest serves the specific function alleged is to support the
anticipated outcomes through control groups. Significant demonstrations
that in aggressive acts, such as homicide and other antisocial offenses,
the relationship posited between sex and aggression is not Operating,
lends support to our suggested dynamics. Therefore, two control
groups are used. One, the homicidal group, is composed of
individuals who have committed an act of adult homicide. The other,
the antisocial group, is comprised of those who have perpetrated
one or more antisocial offences.

Certain Observations about individuals who act out psychological
conflicts guided us in the establishment of the three groups. They
are as follows: First, in these patients all of the offenses are
regarded as symptomatic of underlying psychopathology. Like
most symptoms, they are gratifications and defenses against

anxiety, sex, aggression, and other psychological conflicts. In

-37 ..

 

the case of filicides, a value judgment may be implied, that it is
better to destroy aggressively than sexually.

The three types of acts are assumed to be mediated by different
antecedent patterns of behavior as well as intensities of inner drives.
It is believed that the acting out in the three categories of
offenses represents a continuum of aggressive display as well as
social unacceptability. A close relationship is posited between the
extremes of the antisocial act and the severity of psychOpathology. The
intensity of aggression is estimated to be highest in the filicidal
act, intermediate in the homicides, and lowest in the antisoical
incidents. The graded assignment of scale values is based on the
conception that the most intense drive would be necessary to break
down the very strong cultural restraints usually preventing the
expression of destructive urges toward off-spring.

A similar method is adOpted for extimating the degree of
unacceptability of social attitude regarding the three offenses.

The legal code is adOpted as the standard for social desirability.
Filicide is considered the most objectiOnable. Legally, individuals
committing this act are almost always hospitalized as criminally
insane. There is a wider range of permissiveness toward adult
homicide. Depending on circumstances in the latter instance,
sentences are set aside. Antisocial acts, such as theft, arson,
uttering and publishing, etc., since they do not, usually, involve
physical harm to persons, are regarded as least noxious and carry
the lightest sentences.

The relationship inferred between incest and filicide is that

both are extreme modes of behavior on the grounds of both aggression

38

and social unacceptability. The trauma sustained as a result of
participation in incest facilitates acting out in the most undesirable
and hostile manner. The actieus of the incest participant may be
interpreted to mean that her psychOlogical trauma has been brought

a out by the exploitation of someOne very dear, therefore it is fiting
to act out in a similar manner toward a person who stands in an

effectively equivalent relationship.

The Individual Interview

 

The interviews are designed to elicit a representative sample
of meaningful psych-social experience so that the outlines of the total
life sweep of personality development are encompassed. Hepefully, the
more significant similarities and differences among the groups as
regards dynamics are expected to emerge. Those behavioral acts
expressive of the emotional and ideatiolal determinants necessary for
the clarification of the issues raised ii this paper are as fully
detailed as possible. From our perSpeetive this means those i.cidents
indicative of problems in adjustment. They imply idiosyncratically
experienced heavy stress, frustration, conflict and trauma. The
behaviors most specifically relevant to this inquiry are the personalised
acti g-out of motivations signaling the discordant develOpment of
sex and aggressive urges with the related effects on self-esteem
and social interactions.

The chronological areas of inquiry are childhood, adolescence,
and adulthood. In childhood the emphasis is on the nature of the
affective relationships within the family, especially the associations

to father, mother, and siblings or their surrogates. Relationships of

family members to each other, exclusive of the patient, are also

39

 

 

considered important; Relatedness to peer and adult relatives outside
the immediate family and nonconsanguineous individuals is also
explored;

In adolescence, the focus of investigation shifts to
extrafamilial situations; The adjustment of the patient to adults
and peers in academic, religious and law enforcement institutions
is prObably’largeky determined by attitudes and beliefs learned within
the family» The extent to which familial relationships are
transferred onto individuals met in social institutions constitutes
a rough index of the strength of their beliefs and attitudes; In
school intellectual unfolding may be hindered by emotional
intrusions directly attributable to affective conflicts; Conscience
behavior usually reinforced in religious settings may or may not
have any noticeable effect on ethical development. Official
contacts with legal authorities almost always leave a deep
impression; The negative aspect of ambivalence already established
toward parental authority figures may be increased;

In adulthood the type of established habit patterns an
individual brings into marriage are a measure of the degree of
attained maturity; Marriage involves the assumption and discharge of
responsibility; Economic expectations and their fulfillment
sometimes become thorny controversies precipitating irrational'be-
havior; A critical dimension in the confirmation of dynamics is the
enactment of the roles of wife and mother; The character of the
mother-child relationship is essential to the final clarification
of the dynamics;

To recapitulate, the examination of the intensive case histories

.40

is expected to elicite repetitive patterns of behavior that could

be conceptualized as a style of life adapted by the patient; In most
cases there is unawareness of the underlying motivation of behavior;
It is this style of life carried to its effectively logical
conclusion that determines the degree of destructive or reparative
behavior acted out by the individual.

The Structure of the Personal Interview

 

The interviews were scheduled on a weekly basis; The
temporal length of the sessions was indeterminate, i;e;, dependent
in largest part on the patient's need to ventilate with an upper
limit of three hours; If the patient was unable to meet with the
examiner on account of a disturbed emotional state, no effort was
made to pressure participation; Adherence to rigid rules to keep
appointments could have evoked a high level of resistance, thereby
functioning to prevent patients from Observing appointments;
Resistance results in the inhibition of meaningful material;

The nature of the incidents to be extracted was expected to
be painful and most apt to be revealed in individual interviews where
pain and shame are mitigated, rather than through any other media
of communication; It is believed that if rapport and the confidence
of the patients are gained the goals of the interviews are achieved.
It was intended to engage the patient's therapeutic accessability
to such an extent that the original incestuous circumstances and
their feelings toward the filicidal Object would be Verbalized; If
significant incidents had been intentionally withheld or repressed
they would more readily be expressed in privacy than through

any other method;

“41.-

Information necessary for the clarification of the final phase
of the dynamics is rarely found in the reports submitted by agencies
or in the usual case history; If, as is suspected, incestuous
wishes persist up to the time of the filicide, it would be
reasonable to expect that they would be held in relation to the
filicidal object; Direct report from the patient serves to clarify
whether the sex-aggression linkage includes the incest object, the
spouse and the child; It was anticipated that the Specific patterns
of behavior breaching the gap between incest and filicide would
support the inference that guilt and ambivalence underlie filicidal
behavior;

The patients were not informed that the data obtained from
the interviews was to be used for research purposes; There were several
reasons for this decision; It was feared that if the patients became
aware of the research aspects some of them would refuse to participate;
For the participants it would be difficult to estimate to what
extent knowledge, actual or inferred, of the investigation would
have affected the quality of their reSponse, i;e., the significance
of the material elicited; Some of the patients might withhold important
events because of fear of legal consequences; Those suspecting the
nature of the inquiry might biasatheir communications along either
positive or negative lines;

Patients expect, with some validity, that the primary purpose
of interaction with them should be wholly therapeutic in nature;
Previously, when research projects have been in process, they have
expressed the attitude that they were being used as "guinea pigs".

They imply that the primary focus of interest becomes the success of

the project and that the welfare of the patient becomes relegated
to the background; Guided by these considerations the interviews
were designed to contain sufficient working through and interpretation

of personal problems to foster insight;
Findings

The findings for all of the investigated variables for each
of the #5 cases in their respective groups are offered in tables
1, 2 and 3 on pages 44, 45 and 45. They provide a comprehensive
overview of each of the three groups for all of the ten variables;
Reference to table h, on page 47 shows the frequencies for the
intensive study (IS) groups are generally higher than the comparable
frequencies in the case file groups; However, only very limited
new information was obtained from the intensive interviews beyond
what already existed in the case records, thus the IS procedures
resulted in adding only the following instances to the case file
information; incest one additional case in the F group, abortion one

new case in the F group;

-43-

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The Incest Variable

Table 5

Report Incest Participation Frequencies

 

 

F Group H Group A Group Totals

 

Incest 6 0 l 7
Non-incest 9 15 1h 38
Totals 15 15 15 1+5

 

Reference to table 5 indicates that six of the 15 cases
of group F participated in incest; Only one of the remaining 30
cases in groups B and A were incest participants; Comparison for
significance between groups F and H by Fisher's Exact Test
yields significance at P'<;Ol level; The comparison between
groups F and A, by the same test shows significance at P‘<;Ol;
The results are in accord with the hypothesis concerning incest;

The difference between the H and A groups is not significant;

.‘48..

The Suicide Variable
Table 6

' Reported suicide Attempt Frequencies

 

 

F Group H Group A Group Totals

 

Suicide 1h h 7 2S
Non-suicide 1 ll” 8 20
Totals 15 15 15 AS

 

Inspection of table 6 shows that in the F group only one
of the 15 cases did not attempt suicide. Four of the H group

and seven of the A group tried to destroy themselves. X2 analysis

 

 

 

of the frequencies yields X2 of lh.22 P 4.01.
Abortion
Table 7
Reported Abortion frequencies
F Group H Group A Group Totals

Abortion 6 7 8 21
Non-abortion 9 8 7 2h
Totals 15 15 15 1+5

 

A survey of the data in table 7 indicates that none of

the differences among the three groups achieved significance.

._ 49.

Admission Age

 

Table 0

Mean admission age comparison

 

 

 

Mean
N A89 SD t Value
F Group 15 27.73 5.34
H Group 15 3:030 v.11L F VS. H )1 a 3.65 P <00].
A GI'OUP 15 31227 ,.£3 F vs. A 1 - 22.60 134.05

 

The mean age of 27.73 for the F group is strikiggly different
from the 37.8 for the H group or the 3b.27 for the A group. It is
apparent that the t value of 3.05 P <.01 for the F X H interaction
is statistically significant. The F VS A comparison is isgnificant

at the 5% level of confidence.

 

 

 

Education
Table 9
Mean school achievement comparisons
F Group 15 11.20 2.65
H Group 15 8.51 2.78 F vs. H t - 2.70 P <.01
A Group 15 8.53 2.30 F vs. A t I 2.52 P <.03

The mean educational attainment of 11.2 grades for the F group
is significantly different from the mean grade achievement of 8.51 for
the H group at the 1% level of c0nfidence and for the A group at

‘ ad
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Abuse by Husband

 

Table 10

Reported spouse abuse frequencies

 

 

F Group H Group A Group Totals

 

Abuse 0 9 2 11
Non-abuse 15 6 13 3h
Totals 15 15 15 55

Table 10 shows that the incidence of abuse for the H group is
impressively high. Analysis of the differences among the three groups
by means of Fisher's Exact test show a significant difference between
the F and H groups P .01. The difference between the H and A groups
yields x2 of 5.18 and is significant at the 2% level of COnfidence.

The abuse variable is the only one on which the H group is significantly
different from the other two.
Excessive Use of Alchol or Narcotics

Table 11

Reported incidence of the excessive use of alcohol and narcotics

 

 

F Group H Group A Group Totals

 

Excessive Users 1 5 5 15
Non-excessive Users - 14 10 6 30
Totals 15 15 15 A5

 

X2 analysis of the frequencies in table 11 results in

51

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and A groups. The latter figure is significant P <.01 beyond the
1% level of confidence. The A group is not significantly different
from the H group on this dimensiOn.

Table 12

Incidence of socio-economic status among the three groups

 

 

F Group H Group A Group Totals

 

Upper and Middle Class 8 2 3 13
Lower Class 7 13 12 32
Totals 15 15 15 A5

 

The upper and middle class catagories were combined in table
12 because there was Only one instance of upper class belongingness.
The latter occured in the F Group. When the frequencies between
Group F and Group H are analyzed by Chi Square they yield a X2

of 3.75 (P <.O5). The difference between Group F and Group A

is not significant.

52

 

 

 

 

ggmpagisons among the three Groups
Table 13

Between Group Differences
Variables F vs; H Groups F vs; A.Groups H vs. A Groups
Incest P4 .01 P 4 .05 NS
Suicide P2 .01 P 2- .01 NS
Abortion NS NS NS
Admission Age P4 .01 P4 .05 NS
Education p4 .01 .P< .03 NS
Abuse p.: .01 NS p 4.01
Excessive Users NS P4 .01 NS
Socio-economic Status P<=.05 NS NS

 

NS : Not Significant

Discussion

The Dynamics of Filicide

From the standpoint of the proposed dynamics this study
yields two very important findings. That is, the F Group, as
hypothesized, differs significantly from the other two groups on the
incest and suicidal variables; The abortion dimension does not
discriminate the three groups; Another significant finding was the
high incidence of spouse abuse in the homicidal group. In several
of the cases the clinical findings strongly support the general
interpretation linking sex and aggression. In the others there is
need for further investigation.
Development of Trauma and Ambivalence Subsequent to Incest

It is hypothesized that the incestuous relationship initially
regarded as satisfying eventually becomes traumatic. ‘With developing
awareness of the social significance of incest, the incest Object
becomes regarded as a frustrating and ambivalent. The anxiety and/or
guilt stemming from the incestuous act may increase with acculturation
(the F Group was significantly higher in education and socio-
economic status); Because guilt is unresolved, it is transferred
onto other love-sex Objects, subsequently focused on the spouse,
and ultimately on the child; In situations of stress psychotic
breakdown is precipatated; In the psychotic state, because of the
intimate relationship between sex and aggression, both drives are
vented on the child;

Trauma and ambivalence are very closely associated by the
patients. They are almost always expressed simultaneously; To

cite some examples: F3 believed that what her father did to her

”a-

8i

was wrong and knew that he had gone to prison because of it. Yet,
he was the closest person to her in childhood; She felt mistreated
and anticipated more harm from him after she became an adult. F4
initally regarded her father as a "god in whose favor she wanted to
bask". Afterwards she projected blame for her psychosis on her father,
especially to the effects of the incestuous experience. When she is
in remission, she is aware that because of her attitude toward the
incestuous act (the father is still a sexual stimulus) she could not
adjust to life in the community with him. When she becomes
psychotic she is eager to return to him and denies the sexual
attraction. Her closing remarks in a letter to the examiner were
"In the kitchen the sun went down (for a while). The sun is out now!
It will get wanner yet and I know that the sun rises and sets with
the affairs of states in my heart, and my heart still belongs to
Daddy (on Pedistal)".

As a child Flh was terrified of her father. After hospitalization,
on being asked if she wanted to die she said, "Oh, last night I
felt like that; I was very lonely and I thought if I could die I
would get together with my daddy who died when I was five and
everything would be alright". F5 denies sexual attraction to her
father. However, she was fearful of the parental bedroom and joined
the Army to get away from him; In acute psychotic states "the devil in
the walls" of her room calls her and will not let her leave. F9
complained to her mother about her father's behavior, and, as a
result, he was sent to prison. In a semi-comatose state the only
person she called on for aid was her father. F2 at the time of

the interviews was depressed and intrOpunitive. She was unable to

- 55—.

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F‘J’

articulate any negative feeling toward anyone. However, she
expressed physical pain and frigidity at the time of the intercourse
with her brother.

The stress situation precipitating psychosis is clearly related
to the husband's behavior. In all of the comprehensive cases, the
spouse or Spouse surrogate had either left or was spending a
great deal of time outside the home. In the case of F1, F2, F3
and F5 the spouse had deserted. In the case of FA, concurrent
academic and vocational activities took the husband out of the
home a great deal of the time. Frustration of love needs is
apparent. At the time of the filicide all of the F Group were psychotic.

Incest in Relation to Husband and Child

 

It is speculated that the sexual relationship to the spouse
was not consciously regarded as incestuous. If it had been, it is
presumed that an attempt would have been made on his life rather
than the child; Additionally, allegations of physical abuse and
indidelity were not made as often as in the other two groups; On the
other hand, there are indicaions that on some level of awareness the
child may have been regarded as an incestuous Object; Because of
the difficulty in lifting the incest taboo the relationship to the
child can only be roughly approximated. Only one of the incest
participants admitted direct sexual stimulation by her child. F3
experienced sexual feeling akin to climax when she suckled the baby at
her'breast; The latter circumstance was confided only after she had
received encouragement and reassurance by several individuals. In
three other cases sexual attraction can be inferred. FA was very

concerned about the fiery red condition of her child's genital area.

1. m...

It was after this perception that she choked or shook him. In
psychotic states she believes she was the cause of his death. More
recently, she believes that he had grown to manhood and was
socializing with her at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. F2 had a
dream that her child who looked like a replica of his father had
grown physically and was lying in a coffin. .After F2 killed her sister-
in-law's children, she seared the bodies with a hot irOn and placed
a nude doll near each body. F5 acted out very regressively when she
was asked about possible sexual attraction to her child. There
were many dreams about the deplorable psycho-social and physical
conditiOns surrounding the child. Again, there was a very close
likeness to his father. Continued involvement with their children
long after their death suggests that the patients' unresolved
Oedipat relationship had been transferred to the children.
Reconstruction of the Sex-Aggression Linkage

The following eXplanation is offered of the sex-aggression
linkage binding the father, spouse and child. Conflicting marital
relationships precipitate psychosis because of severe childhood traumas
and weakened defenses. In the regressed state, sexual and
aggressive impulses originally associated with father figures are
reactivated. The reawakened ambivalence felt toward the father
intensifies the fused sexual and aggressive feelings toward the
hquand and child. In the absence of the husband sexual urges are
deSplaced onto the child. With the continuance of the frustrating
state of affairs aggressive and sexual urges mount. In the regressed
state a peer relationship with the child may be assumed to facilitate

the derivation of sexual gratification, actually or in fantasy, from

57

the child.

The following behavioral referrents were reported: After
emerging from an acute psychotic episode Fh believed that her father
had died. F8 discovered that her husband was not dead as had been
reported by the war department and began starving herself to death.
FlO attempted to kill her husband with a metal object. F13 stated
that "My mind told me to kill my stepfather".

The Filicidal Act in Relation to Incest

From the foregoing it appears that the same set of circumstances
obtaining in the patient's childhood were in process of recon-
struction within their own family context. In spite of the psychotic
condition, there are moments of lucidity when the patient is
cognizant that if incestuous union with the child is achieved, or
has been achieved, the child is destined (like she was) to a
succession of conflicts throughout his life. Guilt about her treatment
of the child deepens depression. In the process she reaches the
point where the death of her child becomes preferable to his life.
Filicide becomes a solutiOn through which this vicious Oedipal
circle can be terminated. The solution is satisfactory because
the patient can in this way put an end to the victimization and
exploitation of her child or children.

The Incest Variable

 

As anticipated, the patients eXperienced considerable
difficulty in discussing Oedipal behavior. Only one new case of
incest was uncovered by the investigator. Of the six incest cases
five were father-daughter and one sibling-sibling. In three of the

five father-daughter cases sibling-sibling incest was also present.

58

In this sample, incest appears to be related to socio-economic status
in an inverse relationship to that found in the survey of the
literature, i.e., that incest occurs usually in individuals of lower
socio-economic status. None of the incest participants was able
to accept the interpretation that incest is related to filicide in
the Specific manner advanced herein.
The Non-Incest Cases

Incest was detected in the F Group in only hofi of the cases.
In the other nine cases there are provocative but insufficiently
explored relationships. In the cases of F6 and F10, there is indication
of an intense and unresolved Oedipal relationship. F6 was her
fathers constant companion and "princes” through adolescence, although
she viewed him as a "SOB" after he remarried. F10 appropriated and
wore her mother's clothing and jewelry but afterwards destroyed
them. Fl3's father was never married to her mother or lived with
the family. However, the patient's therapist (Luehrig R., personal
communication, June 3, 1966) was of the opinion that the patient had
sex relations with her stepfather. She recalled that her stepfather
"asked me to go with him and I turned him down. I couldn't do a
thing like that". She hated him and felt he was responsible for
her trouble. Flh's father died when she was five. At the age 11,
the patient had sexual relations with a man 50 years of age. In the
case of F7 the mother died when the patient was 15 months of age
and she lived in another household until she was four. More
recently F7 has become aware that her husband is very similar to her
father. The father of F12 was hospitalized for mental illness. In

this instance the patient is reported to have been jealous of any

“59..

attention he paid her sister. Her father deserted the family after
his release from the state hospital. FlS's father committed suicide
when the patient was nine. F15 admitted being sexually assaulted
several times but, "I did not give in". She steadfastly refused

to identify this aggressor.

There are several reasons why the incest relationship, if it
was present, might not have come to light. In the first place, the
incestuous incident could have been repressed. Secondly, the acts
could have been inhibited due to resistance associated with shame,
loss of self-esteem and cultural prohibitions. A contextual reason
arising within the hospital setting is that there may have been
fear that avowal of the act may have been used to retain them longer.
It is believed that F6 was advised by one of the hospital personnel
not to confide in the investigator. In seven of the nine cases
where the probability that the incest existed, there was insufficient
inquiry. In cases F13 and Flh there was no father either
through death or illegitimacy.

Filicide may occur among females who definitely are not incest
participants. In this eventuality the significant behavior related
to the destructive act may differ in important respects from that
demonstrated or suspected in most of the present cases. For
example in Bender's study (l93h) the children were killed because blame
for an actual or fantasied illness was projected onto their
children. A psychotic woman may destroy her child in response to
hallucinatory command. Filicide may also come about simply as a
consequence of severe conflict with the spouse. The child then

becomes an Object of displaced aggression.

-60 -.

Comparison of the Three Groups 01 Sexual Behavior

A closer look at the marital sexual behavior of the three
groups uncovers some tantalizing relatiOnships. There are strong
indications of sexual deprivation in the F Group. For one reason or
another in almost every instance the time spent with the husband is
much less than in the other two groups. In no case in the F Group was
the husband reported as"oversexed”. On the contrary, several husbands
were described by these women as undersexed. The allegation of
"hypersexuality" was made several times in the H and A Groups. There
was relatively little promiscuity or prostitution in the F Group.

In the H Group five of the patients married or lived common-law
with men 15-30 years older than they. In one case the man was
25 years younger. The H Group more than the other two appears to
be driven to find a father substitute. In this matter our data
suggests that absence or reJection by the father is Just as potent
a force as Oedipal involvements in compelling females to search for
a father substitute in a husband. More members of this group
affirmed that they were unable to meet the sexual needs of their
husbands.

Sexually, the A Group is characteriued by more prostitution
and promiscuity than Groups F and H. Four members of the latter group
were prostitutes and six were promiscuous. In Group A, ll of the
fathers were not living or had deserted the family when the patient
was very young. For the most part Group A used sex in an essentially
nonaffectionate and somewhat depersonalized manner. It served

mainly as a means of gaining security goals or for economic purposes.

61

The Filicidal Act in Relation to Aggression
If the filicidal act is examined closely, it differs in

several respects from the conditions usually associated ith a

,4
<.

homicidal act. In the first place, the object of aggression is a
defenseless and ostensibly loved individual. The verbalized
motivations and circumstances accompanying the f'licide differ markedly
from those attendant On the homicides. The most usual explanation
given by F Group members rationalized the filicide as equivalent to
euthanasia. That is, the family situation because of marital

discord and neglect by the husband is regarded as irreparable. The
death of the children and self-deatruction are evaluated as welcome
relief from unbearable pain. The patient portrays herself as a

heroic martyr. She expresses a longing to ascend to heaven where

she will enjoy eternal bliss with her children. Inferentially, on
earth, the spouse prevents her from attaining the yearned for happiness.

Inferioritpreelings and Aggression

 

The F Group was excessively preoccupied with the care of their
children. Several of them considered themselves inadequate mothers.
There was a heightened anxiety about their assumed inadequacies.

In contrast, the members of the H and A Groups readily accepted their
relatives' assumption of the duties of rearing their children. F3
says, "My biggest problem was how I was going to take care of mv
children. I didn't think I was the type of mother who could take
care of them the way they should be. I wasn't a very good mother”.
F2 states, "I thought I would never be able to take care of him
because I was sick". FS‘s dreams are characterized by ideas of

neglect of her children.

62

The intense concern regarding the rearing of their children
by the F Group is considered an instance of reaction formation
designed to c0pe with guilt stemming from sexual attraction and
death wishes toward their children. Even now, years after the tragedy,
several of the F Group become acutely disturbed on the anniversary
of the filicide.

Comparison of the Three Groups on the Expression of Aggression

In contrast to the F Group most of the H Group extend physical
or psychological abuse or infidelity as the main reason for the homicide.
In most cases where physical abuse was alleged there was public
verification that it was happening, i.e., police investigation
reports support their allegations. The H Group differed significantly
from the other groups in the incidence of abuse. The outcome of the
abuse dimension serves as a basis for the eXplanation that fear of
the husband, a realistic threat to the drive for self-preservation,
in most instances precipitated the homicides. The H Group perceived
the husband as a destructive aggressor.

In the H Group, another behavior Operating to justify and
promote destructive urges was that in several cases the patient was
being rejected in favor of another female. Therefore, jealousy,
sometimes a motive for murder, was a relevant issue in the H Group.

H6 felt she was in competition with her husband for the love of her
children and ultimately destroyed him. In the F Group, in no case
was the husband observed to show marked affection for the children.

The A group appeared to displace their aggression onto
inanimate objects. Usually, the acting out of hostility was

facilitated by the use of alcohol or drugs, i.e., (1) When A9 became

63

angry because of an ec0nomic difference with a phone company she
attempted to shoot down the electrical power lines with a rifle,

(2) others set fires, (3) as expressed by All "When I am by myself,
anger can make me use narcotics quicker than anything else". The
examiner speculates that in certain cases a drinking or narcotic spree
may be a homicidal equivalent.

The Filicidal Object

 

Altogether 21 children (20 dead, two nonsiblings) were included
in the filicidal transactions. One of the males was beaten severely
but was treated in a hospital and survived. Ten of the 20 deaths
involved one child. F2 and F5 accounted for six mortalities, three
each, four male and two female. F11 and Flu were responsible for
four, two each, three male and one female. Collectively, there were
lb males and seven females.

In ll of the 15 cases, in conformance with the sex-aggression
linkage, the gender of the filicidal object would support the prediction
that it should be a male. In four instances the filicide victim was
not a male. Three of the four female filicides were "only" children.
However, as FlO said, "When I killed my baby (a female) I tried to
kill my husband". F3 had received sexual gratification from the
female child she destroyed. She made the very meaningful statement,
"I killed the girl twin but it was the boy twin I did not like".

FM had engaged in homosexual incestuous relations with her sister.
She also believed (in a psychotic state) that she had killed her son.
In the case of F15 there is insufficient information to understand
the underlying motivations. However, the patient informed her

husband about the act immediately after its consummation. Fl) had

64

placed a flashlight in such a position that it lit up the face of
the child. After F8 choked her female child she gave her artificial
respiration to save her life. F6 attacked all three of her children,
but only the male died.

When the filicidal object is compared to the homicidal, under
hardly any circumstances can the child be considered an objective
threat. If the husbands of the F Group were the direct Object of
hostile intent, there is no valid reason why a younger, better educated,
equally aggressive group of individuals could not kill an adult in a
similar manner or with more finesse than a less adequate group. Higher
socio-economic status and education should function to prevent
filicide and to deflect hostility onto the husband rather than the
child. For example, F2's sister-in-law was killed with apparent
ease.

The Suicidal Attempts

 

The usual motives extended for suicide, depression due to
guilt, played an important part in the suicidal attempts. However,
the guilt is speculated to derive not only from unconscious death
wishes toward the father, an ambivalent object, but also from similar
affect toward the husband and the child. A salient point is that in
our sample all of the suicides were unsuccessful. It seems unlikely
that this failure was entirely due to chance. There is hardly any
doubt the suicide is largely an internalization of the death wishes
felt toward the three significant males (father, husband and son).
The suicidal failure may be attributed to an alleviation of
tension and a reduction in aggression after the acting out of the

destructive urges on the child. FM expressed the opinion that the

‘65“

killing of her child brought about temporary remission. The
filicide dissipates the strength of the pent-up drives. It is also
speculated that because of the close identification with the child
there is a very close relationship between filicide and suicide.
Symbolically, the filicide may substitute for suicide.

Thevaortion Dimension

 

The findings as regards abortion were not expected. The
abortion outcome is interpreted_to mean that quantitatively the
groups were equally aggressive but that situational and psycho-social
components altered the intensity of expression. In their study,
Rascovsky and Rascovsky (1950) interpreted abortion as motivated by
destructive wishes toward the father. It is interesting to note
that the mean abortion rate of h6.7% for the AS cases, the total
sample, differed widely from an estimated national average of
27.7%. Our ratio was not computed on the same base as that reported
in Lader (1966), i.e., number of abortions per live births.

Because of the illegality of abortion Lader's percentage may be
underestimated. Our figure was based on each individual aborting
irregardless of the number of abortions by that person. One of

the patients had six and another nine abortions. A tetrachoric
correlation of .02 between abortion and suicidal attempts does not
indicate that the two dimensions are related to the extent posited.
Characteristic Defenses

The matter of defenses used by the members of the three groups
is a complex one. It is apparent that the main defenses used by all of
the patients are regression and acting out. ‘Most of the patients

used many of the classical defense mechanisms at one time or another.

_ 66-

Notwithstanding, it appears that each group may be said to have used
one of the defenses more rigidly than the others. In the three groups
acting out to relieve tension and anxiety is facilitated by the
specific environmental context. In the case of the F Group it is
precipitated by the desertion of the Spouse, bringing about even more
severe regression. In the H Group abuse by the husband increased the
projection of aggressive urges. In the A.Group acting out was more
easily evoked by the use of alcohol and narcotics with the subsequent
diaplacement of hostility.

A general finding is that the F Group differed significantly
from Groups H and A on six of the eight variables, i.e., (table 13)
incest, suicide, admission age, education, abuse, socio-economic status.
Groups H and A differed significantly on only one variable, i.e., abuse.
There is hardly any doubt that the initial Observations that the F
Group had several unique characteristics is borne out by this
investigation.

Limitations of the Study

 

The most Obvious limitation of the study is that the data was
elicited, recorded and selectively abstracted by one individual. The
questionable assumption was made that the patients, with his
intervention, were able to produce most of the crucial experiences
necessary to investigate and interpret the stated hypothese. Thus
the danger of bias of Observation becomes a relevant one.

It is acknowledged that the theoretical prediSpositions and
experiential background of the examiner, acquired over a period of
years, influenced the elicitation and evaluation of case material.

However, the frequencies of incest, suicide and abortion are for the

-67

most part publically verifiable. The interpretation of the outcomes
may be questioned. Validity of interpretation is related to the
comprehensiveness of the sample of behavior. The life data extracted
by the case history method is affected by the range of inquiry posed
by the examiner, accessibility of the patients and Objectivity of

the interpretation of the findings may not have become known due

to limitations in any one of the three sources of information.

The sample of investigated filicidal cases accrued over a
period of 15 years or more. In approximately a year the hOSpital will
cease to accomodate only the criminally insane. Whether in the
future a similar sample could be assembled to replicate this study is
highly imprObable.

Control or utilization of environmental forces was not possible
or even attempted. That is, there was no use of ward personnel to
produce a climate more suitable for the exchange of therapeutic
communication. Two of the five filicidal cases studied intensely
were not satisfactory. Greater uniformity of information acquisition
may have been gained if a check list type series of questions had
been outlined prior to the inception of the study.

Implications for Further Research

 

The 20 hours of individual interview time alloted to each of
the filicidal cases was woefully inadequate to accomplish the goals
set for the project. The most sensitive aspect of the study, the
exact nature and behavioral type of love-sex relationship between mother
and child dwas only superficially explored. More specific and
adequate information could clarify the depth and character of

regression, i.e., its predominately oral or anal quality.

~68- -

Further study of the filicidal cases through the use of induced
hypnotic regression may permit the evocation of additional experiences
necessary for the support of the last phase of the dynamics or the
establishment of a modified or new interpretation. In either event
more information would enrich and eXpand the range of knowledge of
psychopathology.

Another avenue of research suggested by the findings is the
existance of a comparable syndrome in males. That is, does incestuous
Oedipal involvement in males culminate in aggressive acts. Currently
the question of "snipers" or rape is in the public limelight. Would
a group of rapists differ significantly from groups similar to
those used in this study in the incidence of incest or unresolved
Oedipal'behavior? What is the course of aggression and sex urges
after acts of forceful sex? In view of the growing incidence
of rape, a study of this tOpic would appear to be indicated. An
FBI report quoted in the Grand Rapids Press of September 1M, 1966,
page 35, notes that "Figures comparing the six months with the
similar period of 1965 showed that rape, up 12%, made the sharpest

increase among violent crimes".

.. 69

APPEI ID IX

The Filicidal Group

The first 15 cases, Fl through.FlS, are designated the
filicidal group. The patients in this category either attempted

or killed one or more children.

21
The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 31.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average level
(IQ 105). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis was schizoPhrenic
reaction, catatonic type.

The examining psychiatrist and social worker who first
interviewed the patient were in agreement that up to the time of the
diagnostic staff hardly any information of a pertinent social or
psychologically meaningful nature had been obtained from the patient
or her family. She had remained very guarded and resistive. The
social history begins in the following manner: "The patient is
inaccessible and refuses to give any information regarding her past.
She states that ’it is all over and decided now'". MOre recently
she was asked to participate in group therapy and an extended series
of individual interviews. {Most of the material submitted in the
body of this case history was Obtained from these two sources.

The patient's earliest recollections are fragmentary and poorly
systematized. In her childhood the grandmother stands out more
distinctly than her parents. Her grandmother gave her more attention
and there were physical demonstrations of affection. Within the family
an older sister took more interest in her general develOpment than

anyone else. Her parents confirmed that the patient and her sister

-70 -.

were very close. The sister taught the patient the alphabet and how
to read and write. There were no playmates outside of the immediate
family. The patient spent most of her recreational time with her
next younger brother in the woods.

She is very explicit in asserting that the happiest days of
her childhood were Spent in the company of the brother and at
times with the older brothers. They sometimes went swimming in a
creek that ran through their farm. There is very little doubt that
her most emotionally satisfying relationships in childhood were
with her younger brother.

Throughout her school years she spent most of her nonworking
time studying. She started kindergarten at the usual age. Midway
through this school year her studies were interrupted by the parents
who took her with them on a vacation trip to Florida. She recalls
driving by this hospital on the way out. One of her parents remarked
that if she did not behave herself she would be sent there some day.
It is probably that this experience is a factual one. Later on,
her husband who knew relatively little about her family background
became aware that there was a long history of mertal illness in the
family. He was struck by the fact that her parents led a very narrow
life devoid of involvement in the finer things. They were preoccupied
with needs for exaggerated thriftiness and appeared to be detached
from reality. She regards her parents as very reserved and almost
stoic in their reactions. But she was impressed that when relatives
came to visit they would change suddenly into active and communicative
individuals. When asked how she interpreted the parents' silence

she was unable to verbalize whether it had any significance for her

or not. When asked if this mode of adjustment could be learned she was
equally noncomitial.

When the sexual tOpic is discussed either in individual
interviews or in group therapy she becomes Obserably uneasy. On
two occasions during discussions of sexual behavior she has left
the room without any apparent reason. When questioned about it in
individual interviews she will remark that she would like to
discontinue coming to the group because she has so little in common
with the rest of the members. She rationalizes her underlying reasons
for leaving by implying that there is an unequal ratio of colored
and white members, "We are out-numbered".

Her first sexual experience occured at about the age of 5
or b when relatives came to visit. Some cousins started urinating
through knotholes in a board fence. She explains that she did not
see their penises because they were on the opposite side of the
fence. But she was aware of the difference in structure and that
sne was not equipped to perform in a masculine manner. She explains
that they had no time to exPlore further because her parents had
been keeping a very close watch and immediately called them into
the house. They made no comment or asked questions about the event.
She never received sexual instruction and was relatively unprepared
to understand menstrual phenomena.

After returning from.Florida she remained in a country school
about which she recalls hardly anything until the third grade. Her
parents then moved to another farm and she transferred to another
school in a larger community. Home and school activities up to the

eighth grade were relatively uneventful. There were, however, two

.72..

touching experiences. Most of the time was spent either in the
school or on the farm. In addition to her usual household chores
during spring and the harvest season she was made to pick potatoes,
hoe weeds in the garden. The parents pushed them considerably. She
says, "They tried to get me to do more than I was capable of doing".
She was expected to keep her oldest brother's room clean and she
questions the adequacy of her efforts since, "my brother did not
like me very well. At times I didn't think I fit into the family
very well". Within the home, she, with the aid of her sisters

spent most of her evenings studying her lessons. There was only
slight interaction with the parents.

In the seventh grade a community organization requested that
some of the members of her class and a selected group of girls
perform a dance for a public function. The girls were requested to
wear costume materials made out of "cheese cloth" in various colors.
When she informed her parents about the details they raised
Objections on the grounds that this type of costume was not practical.
The apparel would not be a supplement to her wardrobe. They
substituted a more "practical" dress and she felt out of place
during the performance. She, aparently, had very few changes of
attire. Once, after wearing a dress for a particularly long period
of time her brother on the instigation of her mother tore it off
of her to force her to wear something different.

A memorable experience at the age of 13 involved the cutting
of her father’s hair. The task was usually undertaken by her mother.
For some reason or other, on this occasion, her mother was unable

to do it. The patient estimates that it took her almost all day

- 73...

to finish it. She enjoyed taking her mother's place and believes
she did an excellent piece of work, "When I was done every hair was
in place". And more emphatically, ”I was always used to living on
my merits. I was proud to give my dad a haircut". Interestingly
enough, her father never permitted her to do it again.

Another incident vividly etched in her mind but detached from
almost all emotional involvement came about in the following
manner. In the eighth grade she elected to take a course in public
speaking. Like the other members of the class she was required to
deliver an oration as part of her final grade. She selected one in
the dramatic tradition of the publically avowed atheist Ingersol. She
becomes very circumstantial about the reaction of the audience to her
talk and implies that on this occasion some of the parents of
the pupils were present. However, almost immediately afterwards,
there was an impromptu move by the parents away from the vicinity.

She was immediately transferred to another school but there are
feelings of apprehension associated with their departure. She drOpped
Speech at the nest school.

There are conflicting statements about her activities and
relationships in the new school. In two successive interviews she
first stated that she did not become involved in any more activities
than in the previous one. Afterwards she remarked that she like
the students better. She became a participant in athletics and
received a "medal" in basketball. She became a member of the glee
club but had to discontinue because she could not practice in the
evening. Her father would not drive her into town for extracurricular

activities, in spite of the fact that they lived only a mile from

74

school. She wanted to belong to the AH club but was not permitted
to do so. She comments that "My parents were very strict with me".
About this time too she made her first C in an arithmetic course.
Prior to this time she had only had A's and B's.

She reached the age of puberty at about the age of 15. As
mentioned previously, she had had no sexual instruction. She became
very anxious when she first started her menstrual flow. There was
no understanding about what was happening. She became acutely
disturbed and was rushed to a hospital. In her Opinion it was such an
exhausting experience that she slept most of the time that she
remained there. Even now, she believes that she lost so much blood
that she will never be able to replace it again. In a serious tone,
she asked the examiner, "What happens if you lose a lot of blood and
it isn't restored?"

In the tenth grade, shortly after she received the C in
arithmetic, she changed over from a college preparatory course to a
commercial one. From that time until she graduated there were no
severely disrupting incidents. She graduated at the age of 18 and felt
hurt because she had not been selected to be either valedictorian or
salutatorian. She believes that she was disqualified because of her
lack of participation in extracurricular activities. In any event
she was very much disappointed.

Shortly after she finished school she left the farm and
went to live in town with her grandparents. Several weeks later
she began work as a clerk inra variety store, "a 5 & 10 cent store".
She intended to work in this capacity until she saved enough

money to move to a large city. While there she became friendly with

-75-

another girl working there with similar aspirations. In a short
time she moved out of the grandparent's home to share an apartment
with this girl.

Up to this time the patient had never dated. The girl with
whom she roomed was doing so and made arrangements with a male
acquaintance so that they could go out as a foursome. The patient
dated him on only two occasions and quickly lost interest. She
subsequently dreamed that he had been shot in the back after being
inducted in service.

The manager of the variety store where she worked was
attentive and kindly toward her. The manager's wife also worked
there parttime. The patient had an uncomfortable feeling that this
woman watched her very closely. At first she thought that it was
because she sometimes sampled the goods from the candy counter. One
day she went into the back room where the manager was shelving some
paint. She does not quite know how it happened but he put his arms
around her. The act was observed by his wife. After this, the patient
became even more acutely aware that her every move was being more
oritically scrutinized. Not long afterwards she was dismissed by the
manager. She attributes his act to his wife's influence and stoutly
maintains that nothing of a sexual nature transpired between herself and
the manager.

Two or three months after this she became severely depressed.
She thinks her melancholic state was brought about by two conditions:
First, she missed her menstrual schedule, and, secondly, she was very

worried aboutlnot being able to secure employment. She became severely

disoriented and was committed to the psychiatric division of a university.

There she was diagnosed as a case of schizophrenia, catatonic type,
with hallucinations, withdrawal and depression. While in the hospital
she received 12 electro-convulsive treatments. She improved to the
extent that visual hallucinations ceased and "the voices" (auditory
hallucinations) no longer gave her instructions. It was felt that she
could make a borderline adjustment socially but her prognosis was guarded.
She does not remember being visited by her parents. Her feelings that
she was not considered a member of her family were reinforced.

After her release from the hospital she went to live with a
brother and sister-in-law in a large city. Within a month she started
working as a stenographer for a law firm. She held this position for
about three years. As before, as soon as she became financially able
she moved to an apartment and shared expenses with several girl
companions. There was a succession of these females up until the time
of her marriage in l9h9.

She enjoyed working for the law firm and made some advancement
over the three year period. On the surface she appeared to be a
capable worker and was charged with increasing responsibility until
the following event took place. She was charged with making the
necessary arrangements in a case that was being processed in another
state. Somewhere during the course of the trip she became disoriented.
She has a muddled recollection of train schedules, hotel reservations
and appointments which became a confused mass of unreconcilable
details. She never arrived at her destination or discharged her
duties. She did not return to work for the firm.

In the next three or four years she worked in a variety of

occupations but the length of time of employment and the caliber of

- 77.

the positions deteriorated. For example, she secured another job as

a stenographer but lost it within a short time. She claims that the
company became bankrupt. Next she became a switchboard Operator and
clerk. She attempts to rationalize this dismissal by extending that
she was a victim of discrimination, "I was fired because they wanted to
hire a Jew in my place".

All the time she lived in the large city she led a very restricted
social existence. Much of her spare time was spent with female
companions in outings or short trips to surrounding areas. The last
girl with whom she stayed was a member of the YWCA and took the patient
with her to the dances and activities. They also went on hikes
sponsored by a local news paper.

Her first extended series of dates was with a young man she met
at one of the YWCA dances. She enjoyed his company and was attracted
to him. He reciprocated her feeling and asked her to marry him.

She seriously considered his proposal until she met his mother. After
conversing with her for a short time she became convinced that the
woman was mentally ill. She says, "She was just a 'kooky' as I was
afterwards she met an Englishman and dated him until he returned to
England. He wrote to her from there but she never answered.

She met her future husband while sitting in a restaurant on
a "dutch treat" with a fellow worker. She was introduced to him by
a Catholic church. She admits some necking but denies premarital
intercourse. He was taking an extension course from an Institute of

Technology. The patient takes pride in saying that she pushed and

78

partially supported him through his last year in school. About a
year after their marriage he received a BS degree in accounting.

For four years,during which she worked, they lived in an
apartment. She extends this as the reason they did not have a child.
During this period she was fired successively from a factory office,
Wards and a large department store. She describes their marriage as
restricted in social relationships except for his family and a few
of his friends. In the fifth year of their marriage they built a
home but lost it because they could not keep up the payments.

When asked about marital adjustment, at first she denied
quarrels or conflict. Subsequently she related that they had bitter
arguments because he wanted to move to another city and she wanted to
move out of the home and take up residence on a farm. In his report
concerning the adjustment of the patient, the husband does not
indicate any severe difficulties in marital relationships. He
describes the patient as being sociable and sweet and having many
friends. She was not particularly religious; quite stubborn, never
admitted when she was wrong. Consistent affection was not demonstrated
and was never passionate. He regarded her as successful at work but
felt she took it too seriously. He indicated that she was nervous,
slightly withdrawn and distrustful of many people, particularly males.

At first the patient denied having seen her parents throughout
the whole period of her marriage. Then she admits that they came to
her husband's graduation and had visited just before Christmas.

They Spent pleasant times with his parents. When there were
disagreements however, they Spoke only in Polish so that she could not

understand them. Soon after the pre-Christmas visit of her parents

._79._

in 1,52 her husband noted that she became reserved and suspicious.

She refused to discuss what was bothering her and was unwilliig to tell
her doctor anything. She wrote letters to her father about needing
money to buy a washing machine and seemed to become more distant after
he refused to send it.

The patient disclaims becoming pregnant by the husband. She
considers that conception took place in the following manner. She
claims that an unknown man Opened the locked door of the house and
raped her. She cannot elaborate with any more details because she
"blacked out or was hypnotised: She believes that the rapist had
been given the keys to the house by her father-in-law. She implies
collusion between the father-in-law and the rapist. When her husband
came home she told him what had happened and he left her. She says
that she saw her husband on only two occasions during the time of her
pregnancy. On the first occasion he took her to a doctor for a
physical examination. The second time he took her out to dinner.

ter her husband's desertion she continued working longer than she
felt she should have in order to save enough money to weather the
ordeal she anticipated.

Now she regards herself as having been mentally disturbed
throughout the whole period of her pregnancy. She gave birth
to a boy in nine months. She named the baby Randall after her doctor.
She did not think that the baby looked either like her or her husband.
She bluntly makes the statement that she felt no love for the baby
whatsoever. She has never claimed the baby as her own. To date there
is manifest cenfusion about her feelings toward the child, "It wasn't

my idea. I had made no plans for it. When something unplanned happens

80

I just can't compensate for it. Later someone came to the house and
said I was keeping the baby home too long. I thought they were
connected with the hospital. They took him away and when they brought
him back he was all beat up. I got running around on a current;
dashing around like a streetcar. The volume of the TV program was too
loud".

Several days before she took the life or her child she wanted to
call a psychiatric unit to inform them that she was breaking down again
and in need or treatment but she could not summon the necessary
resolve. She started to feel "driven" to destroy the infant several
days before the act occurred. The day before the tragedy she took a
butcher knife in her hand; walked to the baby's crib but finally
turned around and walked away. The next day a driving electrical
force of greater intensity associated with a feeling of numbness
coursed through her body. There was no respite on this occasion and
she severed the baby's throat.

Almost immediately after the act, the patient called the
police and reported a disturbance at her home. When the patrolmen
arrived they were admitted by the patient. The following quote
outlines the findings of the police department. "0n arriving at the
home the officers were admitted by a woman fully dressed. They
asked her what the trouble was and she stated "my baby" and pointed
to the bedroom. In the bedroom they found a baby lying in a crib
and saw its throat had been slashed. On investigation, it was
learned from the occupant (patient) that she had slashed the
baby's throat with a butcher knife and could give no reason for doing

H

SO.

After being charged with first degree murder she was seen at
a psychiatric Hospital where she was examined by a psychiatric
commission; There she was negativistic and evasive; She countered
questions with questions; When she was asked the reasons for her
examination she said the following: "I killed somebody, period, period,
period. I killed a boy, period, period, period; I killed my boy,
period, period, period; Something just happened, period, period,
period. All of a sudden, period, period, period; It was an
impulse"; At times she would smile for no apparent reason.

When interviewed at this hospital she was seen as an attractive
female, giving the impression of poise and refinement and was
meticulous about her personal attire. Her face, however, was almost
always set in a masklike apathetic expression; During her first
interview she cried profusely but was prOperly oriented; Very little
information was elicited; The patient seemed very reluctant to
answer even the most simple questions. Her responses to items were
very slow; There was a marked paucity of idention. She was not
hallucinated or delusional; Her mood was very melancholic and she
seemed preoccupied; Conversation with the examiner, other patients
or attendants was not initiated; She impressed hospital personnel as
shy and retiring; Psychological testing was refused until more
recently. The EEG was abnormal; The diagnosis was schiz0phrenic
reaction, catatonic type;

The following material is a chronological summary of 13
interviews duringnhospitalization; It is intended to give some idea
of the patient's progress during 12 years of institutionalization;

The admission note emphasized that she was to be watched day and night

because of manifest suicidal tendencies. Shortly afterwards she

was regarded as better adjusted, but evasive. Within three months

she appeared silly and confused, and believed that she had had a

staff conference when she actually had not been scheduled. Concerning
suicidal tendencies she was noncommittal and said, "Perhaps I have

had some". After receiving ECT she became verbally aggressive through
sarcasm. As time wore on she became indifferent and her speech

became disconnected.

Two years after committment she became very delusional and
believed that she had a 16% year old son and a twin sister aged us.
This was followed by a period of relative remission characterized by
a revived interest in social activities. About 6 months after this
seeming improvement she unexpectedly asked one of the attendants if
she knew anything about mountain goats because, "I tied my clothes to
one and I haven't seen him since. The prettiest clothing you ever
saw". Further remarks indicated that the goat had put her clothes
on. In a different vein she added that there were electrons in her
sheets.

In the following years she was observed to be quarrelsome and
distrubed. On one occasion after visiting with her parents for
only five minutes she left them angrily. In June, 1358 the patient
in a smiling and almost exuberent tone walked into the supervisor's
office and declared, "Guess what happened to me last night? You will
never believe it. I was talking to the fellow I used to be married to.
I have been talking to him in my room and he's coming over today
to Spend an hour with me".

She has become increasingly more reluctant to enguage in

83

work activities. About her occupational therapy she says, "I think
my days here are up; The last time I worked in the kitchen it was
an effort; I worked there so long it was no longer a pleasure. I
couldn't think of any reason to be down there; Besides, most of
the girls are new down there; The dishes and dishwashing are too
heavy for me".

‘More recently she has been permitted to go on six visits to
either her parents or her sister. The examiner has attempted to
discuss her plans for the future. Feelings of inadequacy and doubt
about her ability to stand the pace of community living are
pronounced. She feels that she would be unable to do either stenographic
or clerical wOrk. She says, "If I were out I wouldn't be able to hold
my stability. Not that I wouldn't like to but I wouldn't be meeting
the requirements. I'm not qualified to clerk; I can't do that kind of
work anymore. I'm not accustomed to it now; I would be afraid to become
involved in a work {situation. I don't like that part. I'm #3, I
don't see much of a future for me". In another interview she appeared
visibly disturbed at the examiner and accused him, without any
foundation, of having called her senile. She considered herself as
having "depreciated", she meant deteriorated, since her arrival. She
questions her capacity to establish herself in the community, "If
I were to settle anywhere they'd ask me where I come from and then
I wouldn't get anywhere because they'd associate me with the type of
people that are here; I don't want to live in a colored neighborhood.
I can't live with colored peOple; I'd fight with them";

In her two most recent interviews she gave vent to autistic

phantasies of an oral aggressive almost canabalistic in nature; She

-84..

went on to describe an eXperience which she considered, "A prettier
story than I could express. I saw it. I still have a war going
through my mind; I can see to the other side of the Altantic and
the Pacific. Passenger ships are being torpedoed for protection of
the coast line against the other hemispheres. It's not that we just
don't want our population to be increased. I don't think we can care
for that many people. I'd rather feed my own than somebody elses, unless
they'd be from Siberia or Japan. If war is going on through my mind
I can't forget it in two or three weeks. Planes are bombing and being
shot down. A large ship was coming into Seattle and some planes
came stOping down and sank it; And then a whale eats up all the
peOple who have been shot up and sunk to the bottom of the sea. Then
the whale goes into the Atlantic and somebody takes a harpoon and
kills the whale so some people on the other side of the Atlantic can
have some meat to eat. I would have enjoyed whale meat. Maybe I can
live a little longer than what was planned for me. Yesterday I was
going to eat a pork ch0p and it had a bone going through and I
thought it was somebody's human leg". When asked if she ate it she
replied, "No, I'm not a cannibal".
{g

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 26.
She attained a seventh grade education. Intelligence is at the
average level (IQ 93); She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was schizophrenic reaction;

The patient, an illegitimate child, was the youngest in a
sibship of five. Since her parents were never married the patient does

not quite know how she became aware of the real identity of her father.

.. 85...

She recalls that her father visited and talked to them from the streets
of the neighborhood. After the birth of the patient, her mother
married a blind minister. However, (her mother) never lived in the
home with him and her family. Her mother took up residence in the home
again after his death in an auto accident. Up to the age of lO, the
family lived on welfare and her foster father sold peanuts and
pencils for a living but his income was insufficient to maintain them.
The patient remembers her foster father as kindly. She believes
that he favored her over the rest of the children. She slept in the
same bed with him up to the time of his death. She does not recall
ny sexual overtures or behavior on his part. However, when she was
eight she remembers being examined by a public health nurse because of
some type of vaginal discharge. She does not remember actual sexual
relations with her foster father but is very much perplexed concerning
the origin of the disease. She adds that once in a while she and
her mother visited her real father on weekends. At such times she
slept with him. She does not recall where her mother slept.
The patient began masturbating at a very early age. Sometimes she
crawled under the bed during the daytime to obtain satisfactiOn.
During her first ten years, the patient has only a very
limited knowledge of her mother's activities. She believes that
for the most part her mother lived alOne in a rented apartment.
As a child, the patient had very few contacts outside the family.
She was bashful; experienced nightmares and was afraid of the dark.
She was enuretic until the age of twenty and even now occasionally wets
the bed. There have been periods when she would have only partial

visiOn. On two occasions she saw a clock clearly but could not

86

distinguish the hands; She attended the Baptist church irregularily.
Religious practices as such have had relatively slight impact on her
ethical development;

Somewhere in her eighth year, while playing with some
neighborhood children, she recalls that an old man enticed them to
his apartment with a promise of money and candy. Once there, he
persuaded them to submit to manual manipulations of their genitalia.
After the death of her foster father she began sleeping with an
older brother; He almost immediately initiated sexual relations with
her; She remembers coitus with him on several occasions; She
denies reaching a climax; Instead, she avers some fear and
resistance to the experience.

There was relatively little conflict with her sisters. In
fact, she eXpresses fondness for her older one who took her mother's
place during the 10 years she lived with her foster father. As an
adolescent she was afraid of her older brother who involved her in
intercourse; For some reason she still cannot understand, the
younger brother would often become angry at her and struck her
painful blows in the stomach; There has been a strained relationship
between them throughout the years; It was his family with which she
became aggressively involved in her present circumstances.

The patient began school at the age of six and dropped out at
the age of 16 after completing the seventh grade. She had considerable
difficulty with her subjects and failed at least one grade; At first,
she rationalized her failures by remarking that she quit school
because her family moved to a different town and that there they

did not teach school as effectively as in her original residence; She

.- 87-.

states that afterwards she used to hide from the children who were

on their way to school because, ”I didn't feel right when I wasn't

in school”. Interests were channeled toward activities that reinforced
certain fantasies, i.e., movies, school plays and programs in

which she did not participate.

Her inability to cOpe with the academic situatiOn is not too
difficult to understand if her home life at that time is taken into
consideration. After her mother resumed her maternal role in her
family she began Operating an unlicensed liquor establishment within
the home. From about the age of ll she was required to help in
the upkeep and the serving of drinks. She says that on many occasions
her mother would go to bed in the early part of the evening and the patient
would COntinue working until three or four o'clock in the morning.
Irregardless of these c0nditions, school attendance was demanded of
her in the same way as the rest of the children.

She started menstruating at the age of 12. No Special
difficu ties were associated with it. At this point she had for some
time been experiencing climax from masturbatiOn. One evening, during
this age, the mother asked her to go to a neighborhood store for
some groceries. One of the male customers offered to drive her there,
ostensibly because he was driving in that general direction. However,
instead of taking her to the store he drove to a graveyard, drew a
knife and threatened to kill her unless she engaged in sexual relations
with him. The patient says that she experienced intense fear, was
unable to make any outcry and felt immobilized. During the performance
of the sexual act there were no physical senations of pain or pleasure.

She is even uncertain whether or not there was penetration.

88

When she returned to her home she related the experience to
her mother but was told that under the circumstances nothing could be
done about it. Throughout the time that she worked for her mother
many men tried to make dates with her. There were many sexual
propositions. The patient is aware that her mother exploited her
sexual attractiveness for economic reasons. She relates that once
when linoleum was needed for their home it was acquired by offering
the salesman the sexual services of the patient in exchange. Men
sometimes thrust themselves upon her. One went to the extent of
trying to follow her into the other rooms of the home. At other
times, she was aware that he would peep at her through the windows.
Those experiences frightened her considerably.

At about the age of 1h, the patient went to visit relatives
in another city. There she met a boy with whom she fell in love.
They engaged in coitus shortly after their first meeting. Over a
period of a year or two, she saw him on several occasions and
corresponded with him regularly. At about the age of 16 they made
arrangements to be married without the consent or knowledge of her mother
in the hometown of the boy. Immediately after the consummation of the
marriage ceremony, they went to the home where they had planned to take
up residence. On arrival, they found her mother and one of her brothers
waiting for them. Her mother announced that they had come to take her
home and that the marriage would be annulled. In an abject manner, the
patient describes how neither she nor her husband protested or resisted
the pronouncement of her mother. Her husband left the premises in
a subdued manner. In parting, he declared, with a semblance of

bravado, that he would make efforts to c0ntact her again. The marriage

.. 89-

was subsequently annulled. She has seen her former husband only
once in the ensuing years. She states that on this occassion he again
asked her to marry him.

Shortly after her marital experience, the patient became
sexually involved with a very energetic contractor and brick layer.
They decided to live common-law. In 1951 she went along with him
to Philadelphia. She relates that from the beginning of their
associations she had suspected that he either was or had been married.
Her suSpicions were confirmed when she found a letter to this effect
accidently left behind in his car. She conironted him with the
evidence but even under these conditions he denied that he was legally
married. For a long time their living conditions were deplorable.

She lived under the same roof with eight more of his relatives. She
was expected to do all of the essential housework. If she neglected
to do it it was left undone.

In about a year the attention he had been paying her diminished.
He started staying away evenings a great deal. In response to her
queries about his whereabouts he gave the excuse that his absences
were due to business engagements. Through contacts with acquaintences
she found out that he was involved with other women. By 1953 she was
discouraged and disillusioned with the relationship and left him.

She returned to a city in another state and resided with a sister
for a while. Next, at her mother's insistence, she moved to
another city, and lived with her for a short period. It was at this
time that she encountered the man she had married as a girl with
the previously mentioned outcomes. Her common-law husband contacted

her again. He expressed regret for his previous neglect and a desire

.90..

for reconciliation. She returned to Philadelphia but matters did
not substantially improve.

During this period she became involved in a very distressing
experience. A sister-in-law had been living with them while her
husband was overseas. Being in somewhat psychosocially similar
circumstances they became very close. Ultimately, they shared very
intimate personal experiences. In time her sister-in-law confided
that she had urges to kill her child. One evening the patient
heard someone crying at the foot of the stairs. Looking down she
saw her niece bleeding from the nose. She picked her up hurriedly,
put her in the car and started it. In the meantime her sister-in-law
had also gotten into the car. On the way to the hospital, the
patient noticed that her sister-in-law was trying to smother the child
with a pillow. At the hospital the patient had to interfere several
times to prevent her sister-in-law from taking the life of the child.
She also learned that it was her sister-in-law who threw the child
down the stairs.

Prior to this event the patient had liked and reSpected her
sister-inelaw. From this time on her presence made her uncomfortable
and anxious. They discussed the incident on one subsequent
occassion. Her sister-in-law tried to rationalize her destructive
behavior with the declaration that her intentions were "good". Her
verbalized motive for her hostile act was that if something serious
were to happen, her husband who was in service would be permitted
to come home on leave. The patient was unable to accept this
explanation and regards it as superficial. She thought about the

matter and formulated the following eXplanation. She thinks that the

-91..

real reason was that the child was illegitimate and unwanted. It is
possible that in the patient's mind illegitimacy and death are
related. The patient was born under similar conditiOns.

This episode was not related in chronological sequence. The
patient admits having omitted it consciously. Her reason for the
omission is that every time she recalls it it makes her cry. She regards
it as poor taste to break down in the presence of the examiner. After
the death attempt failed her affection for the child increased. After
she returned to the mother she told her about the happening and
cryed profusely at the time.

After the second unsuccessful attempt to establish a satisfying
conjugal relationship the patient became discontented, unhappy and
depressed. In l§53 she went to see a psychiatrist. In their
intervi ws they discussed mainly matters pertaining to sex. She says,
"I talked about my nature. I had never had a sexual climax”. She admitted
that she had been able to achieve orgasm by masturbation or
cunnilingus with a man but not through regular intercourse. She
thought that her inability to achieve orgasm was causing her headaches.
Frigidity was not altered by the interviews.

After she left her common-law-husband in 1956 she returned
to her mother and started working at a bar. For a two year period
she associated with two men. Both of them engaged her in intercourse.
One of them was a "pimp" or panderer. The other, according to
verified information, had a long history of arrests, incarceration and
imprisonment. She became pregnant but was not quite sure by which
One. Her pregnancy was a tended by anxiety and social withdrawal.

After the birth of her son he looked so much like One of them that she

92

had no doubts about the identity of the father. However, she did not
confront her boyfriend with the information. The latter continued
visiting; expressed deep affection and proposed marriage. The
patient reciprocated his needs and wishes.

Before the marriage could be COnsummated he was arrested
as a participant in the "numbers racked" and was sentenced to
prison. She made many trips to the prison to see him. She was
convinced that she had finall" found an ideal mate. She relates that
he talked with her at great length and with complete trust about the
many problem areas in his life. She believed that together they
had made a thorough analysis of his difficulties and that he was
rehabilitated. She promised to wait until he was discharged from
prison so that they could be married.

In ly53, shortly after her baby was born, she resumed living
with her mother. She continued tending bar where she had worked prior
to the baby's arrival. Up to this time her mother had almost
always gotten along very well with her. When she became aware that
the patient eXpeeted her to care for the baby she balked.

At unexpected times, her mother would bring it to the bar without
giving her a chance to prepare for its care. The patient was conscious
that inadequate child care could have traumatic consequences and she
began to worry.

During the time her boy friend was in prison she did not date
anyone steadily. There were many offers by men at the bar and the
former suitor, the panderer, continued to solicit her attention. One
night he forced her into his car at the point of a knife but she

managed to excape when he stOpped at an intersection. The give and

93

take of everyday living with her mother was becoming more stressful.
A brother who had been in prison on a narcotics charge came home to
live. The latter circumstance increased their need for money to
meet household expenses. At times there were insufficient funds to
heat the apartment adequately.

Her boyfriend was released from prison but die not fulfill
the promises he had made. Instead he began associating with another
girl. On one occassion he drOpped in with his girl friend, ostensibly
to see her mother and her child and ignored her. This eXperience
infuriated the patient. She hesitantly admits that her anger had
destructive undertones.

By 1959, tensions stemming from her many problems began having
very serious repercussions. She was aware that she was mentally 111.
She was acutely sensitive about the fact that she could not work and
care adequately for the baby at the same time. She applied for ADC
compensation but was told that she was not eligible for it as long as
she was receiving support from her mother. Finally, she decided to
rent an apartment and live by herself.

After she lived alone for a while she recognized that she
was becoming more disturbed and wanted to return to her mother. On
her part, her mother was sensitive to the patient's condition and
refused to take her in. The patient began projecting her illness on
the child. And says, "I thought he was mentally 111. He used to cry
a lot. I thought maybe from being around me. I thought I would never
be able to take care of him because I was sick". In spite of her felt
inadequacy, she was compulsively clean and overly solicitous about

him. She repeats that she loved him very much. She could not

—% .—

tolerate his becoming "dirty"like other children. There was

obsessive preoccupation with the state of his health although there

was hardly any reason for it; Information obtained from her mother
reveals that, at this time, when she visited the patient, she found

her lying in bed with the baby crying most of the day; The patient

tried to persuade her mother to have the child ad0pted by someone outside
the family but her mother would not permit it;

Feelings of incompetency became progressively worse; She
arrived at a point where she could initiate no action on her own
volition; Everything that she did had to be corrOborated by her
mother; The belief that she could not care prOperLy for her child
continued to plague her; She questioned the appr0priateness of all of
her actions; The thought persisted that the only solution to her
endless dilemmas was to return to mother who would make all her
decisions for her; The mother continued to put her off;

The patient began searching for reasons to eXplain the
mother's behavior; She knew that her brother and sister-in-law
visited with the mother often; The belief began developing that
they were turning the mother against her with references to her
abnormal mental condition; Additionally, they were Spreading stories
around the neighborhood and all of her acquaintances were avoiding
her and talking about her; Her problems continued to increase and
she could see no way out; When the brother and sister-in-law stOpped to
visit they commented on the restlessness of the baby and questioned
the need for discipline; They maintained that physical punishment had
been successful with their children; The patient inferred that they

were attempting to influence her to mistreat her child; The

.- 95...

implication that she could abuse him evoked considerable resentment
toward them.

She began having destructive feelings and ideas toward her
brother, sister-in-law and her child. In the acute phase of her
illness she attempted suicide by drinking lye four or five times.
Paradoxically, she hid knives around the room with the intention of
killing herself. Once she attempted to hand herself but started
vomiting, rendering the attempt unsuccessful.

Within the year her paranoid delusiOnal system became more
extensive, fixed and disruptive. The frustrated need for mother was
more acute. She developed the peculiar notion that if she killed
herself and not her son it would be tantamount to deserting him. She
had planned the death of her sister-in-law over a period of time.
Serve times she went to the home armed with a knife intending to do
it. Then either the Opportunity did not present itself or she could
not summon the courage necessary to bring it about. Just prior to
committing the filicide, she could not hold food in her stomach. She
describes this period as a kaleidoscope of confusion. There were
intense fears of people, ideas of reference and asthma. Everywhere
people were saying that she was ”crazy". She appeared for treatment
at a municipal mental hospital on two occasions. Commitment was
recommended in July, ly60, but she was signed out by her mother
against medical advice.

In December, lj60 she became deeply depressed. She believes that
the mental condition of her son way beyond question. Her child was
suffering intensely. She rationalized her destructive urges toward

him with the idea that if he were dead he would go to heaven where

96

he would be happy. Supported by these delusions she smothered her
child to death with a pillow. Then she hid his body in a cedar
chest. After this she walked to the home of her brother. He was
not there but her sister-in-law and children asked her to come in.
After a short conversation, she obtained a knife and stabbed her sister-
in-law numerous times. The children started to cry and she vented
her destructive urges on them too. Then she seared the bodies with
a hot iron and placed an undressed doll near each body.

After the multiple murder she sought refuge in the home of
a previous boy friend. The latter had no knowledge of the events
that had tranSpired. When the police arrived to take her in
custody, she immediately ingested a large quantity of lye diluted with
water. She ran into a closet saturated her clothing and some wadded
up newspapers with lighter fluid with the intent of setting herself
on fire. In court it was Obvious that she was insane and she was
committed to this hospital.

The patient appeared in the hospital as an attractive 26 year
old colored female who was tense, anxious, depressed. She kept
her eyes downcast during the interview. She spoke in a low, soft,
almost inaudible voice, with long pauses between questions and
answers and appeared to be mentally blocked. All thought processes
were considerably slowed and there was perplexity and confusion in
her thinking. She could not explain the reason for committment but
burst into tears when asked why she had been arrested. Later she said
"I guess it was murder". She knew she was accused of murdering her
three year old son but did not remember it. She did recall being

in the hOSpital and the police questioning. She said "They sent me

97

away. I remember I was running in the street, cars were blowing
horns at me, I don't know”.

Concerning her mental condition she said, ”I feel it, I don't
remember things. My head feels funny, like waves going through it.
peOple can be talking but I don't hear them”. About hallucinations
she said it seemed like she had heard voices but she was not too sure.
at first, she had difficulty sleeping at night because of obsessive
thoughts running through her head about her son and the crime. In the
acute stage of her illness she thought she saw her son and brother.
After being placed on medication she showed some improvement and was
able to sleep normally. On neutral subjects she displayed satisfactory
affect. But it was apparent that she was cOping with her problems by
severe repression. When persistently questioned about the crime
she broke into tears. She agonizingly says that "I am trying to
put it out of my mind".

In the next two or three years there were recurrent periods
of depression interspersed with periods of psychic agitation and
delusional and hallucinatory experiences. She claimed amnesia for
the tragedy until about a year ago. An interview at the time of
severe agitation elicited the following verbalization, ”I seem so
afraid of peOple. I'm completely lost. I feel so strange. My body is
burning all the time. I don't know why. Burning on tOp of my head.
I'm worried about everything. When I put on my clothes it feels that
it just burns".

She requested and attended group therapy sessions for a
relatively short period of time. In three months she lost about 35

pounds. She contributed absolutely nothing to discussions. Afterwards

98

she explained that the group discussions were almost unbearable
because much of the material was directly relevant to her own
experiences; She has made an adjustment of sorts to her psychosis
but has continued to need tranquilizing medication;

When she was first seen by the writer in individual interviews
she missed several sessions because of a "headache". Subsequently
she confided that for a long time every time she saw the writer she
developed one; Ventilation of the filicide was extremely difficult.
When that period or her life was discussed much time was spent in
silence; In one or the last interviews she related the following
dream: Her dead child was lying in a coffin but he had gotten older
and grown larger physically; Discussion or the dream again brought
out the strong resemblance between the son and his father. The
person lying in the coffin could Just as well have been the boy
friend. She says, "He (the child) was Just like him. I wrote a
letter to him and told him that no matter what happened I would
always have a part of him";

3;

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 19.
She attained a tenth grade education; Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 93)é She is of lower class parentage; The diagnosis was
personality trait disturbance, emotionaly unstable personality,
history of psychotic episodes;

The patient was born while her father was in service. The
patient and her mother lived with her grandmother until the patient
was about six years old; Her mother contracted poliomyelitis

shortly after the patient was born; She remained an invalid until

she died; The demise of her mother resulted directly from a stroke
and nephritis, when the patient was nine. Since the mother could
not walk, she remained in a wheelchair in her bedroom a great deal
of the time.

Her father visited in her grandmother’s home daily; He did
not live with them because as long as he was not considered to be
contributing to the support of the family, they could receive ADC
compensation. The patient recalls that her father was abusive to her
mother, especially when he was drunk. Her grandmother, too, was
often drunk and under these conditions punitive; ‘When she was sober
she was loving and used to "hug and kiss me"; The patient considers
herself her grandmother's favorite;

Because of her physical condition her mother was unable to
discipline the children. Consequently, her grandmother assumed this
function; Most of her punishment stemmed from disobeying prohibitions,
an inability to accept denial of her demands and "talking'back"; She
still remembers that as a child her most ardent wishes were to be
allowed to walk around the block, cross the streets and play outside
after school; The latter activities were very important to her
because she eventually sought out a 12 year old boy with whom she
played; When she was denied these outside activities or pressured
into doing undesireable ones she would become intensely frustrated,
scream at her grandmother or throw temper tantrums. She often got
her way through her uninhibited actions; From a relatively early
age the patient was afraid of shadows; She was reluctant to walk
up steps because her shadow accompanied her; She despised doing

dishes; On one occassion she stole five dollars from her mother. She

“100‘

gave the 12 year old playmate two of them. With the rest she bought
cosmetics; When the theft was discovered she was given a "buck
naked whipping";

Her father showered her with more affection than anyone else.
He bought her gifts and at first she considered him "pretty nice";
The father worked in a coal yard. Somehow in this Operation he lost
three fingers; The patient was very sensitive to his loss and
often asked how it came about but was never told. Later on she
became conscious that she was receiving more attention than the
rest of the children and wondered why; In this connection, she
says, "I looked a whole lot like my mother". At about the age of
five she recalls going to a beer garden with the father and being
introduced to a female as his girl friend.

In spite of the fact that her parents gave her no sexual
information, "NObody told me nothing about nothing", she had witnessed
intercourse and knew about reproduction by the age of six. In
support of her latter statement, she remarks that she lived in
"Blackbottom". Apparently "Blackbottom" was a section of a large city
where all manners of sexual practices were openly expressed. During
this period too, she witnessed her parents in the coital act. She
is not quite sure how the sight of it affected her.

Up to this time the patient had maintained a very warm
relationship with her father. But one night the father came into the
bedroom, lay down beside her, took her pants Off and "messed with me”,
i.e., manipulated her genitals with his hands. At the same time
she thought she heard her grandmother coming up the stairs and

he left immediately. When she was eight he came into her bedroom

”101"

again. He gave her and her brother some money and manipulated her
genitals. Her grandmother Observed him leaving the bedroom and
demanded to know what had happened while he was there. "Actually",
she says, "I felt I never would have mentioned it, only my grandmother
asked. I also told her because I thought my brother would tell
her and she'd whip me; My brother saw it happen but father gave
him money so he wouldn't tell"; Her grandmother immediately made
a complaint and her father was taken into custody.
The patient has a vivid recollection of the trial. She was
very hurt that her younger brother denied witnessing the second
sexual act. She attributes her brother's falsification of events to
his being bribed and forestalling anticipated physical abuse on the part
of her father. After the trial her father was sent to prison and
she was placed under foster home care as a ward of the juvenile court.
Concerning the incestual acts and their consequences she
initially is very articulate about the hate she felt for the father.
She believes that it was on this account that she was taken away
from her mother; Later she modifies her statement with the qualification
that her father must have been mentally disturbed to have engaged in
incestuous behavior with her. She adds that he was a heavy user of
alcoholic beverages; She says, "I don't hate him now but I don't
like him either. I think about what he did to me often and I can
never forget it: I feel different from other peOple. I feel kinda
low, dirty and unclean. I've felt as though I was nothing. I
sometimes feel that I've been mistreated by men and I could find
contentment with women".

The patient started school in kindergarten at the usual age.

' 102

She liked kindergarten but cannot remember a single experience
connected with school activities at that time. In the first grade
she was more interested in reciting poems, singing or assuming

roles in recreational programs than in academic tOpics. She

failed the fourth grade. (The same year that her mother died) she
says, "I couldn't keep my mind on my work”. It was in this year too
that she was placed in a boarding home. In conjuction with foster
home placement she received a series of psychiatric interviews.

The death of her mother had a profound effect on her religious
beliefs. She says, "I was hurt because my mother died. I loved my
mother. God shouldn't have taken her away from me; God is cruel.
God did it because she was suffering". Her foster parents
pressured her into going to church. In her Opinion she derived no
benefit from attendance;

Almost from the start, the patient did not like living in the
foster home and wanted to leave. She could see, that while there,
she had as many advantages as any other girl she knew. The pleasant
aspects of her life were that she went to summer camp with the
members of the Urban League. She was a girl scout and participated
in almost all of the activities undertaken by the group; Her
grandparents came to see her on Sundays and took her on extensive
outings.

Some of the drawbacks were that in the face of her protests
she was expected to care for her boarding house parent's niece.
Occasionally, she was physically disciplined when she played ball in
the alley with the neighborhood boys and girls. There was one

very serious dissapointment. On one of her birthdays she was given

--103—

a bicycle. It was subsequently taken away because she would not
remain within the geographical limits set by the foster parents.
The latter increased the doubts she already harbored concerning their
love. Once she made a date with a girl friend to engage in sexual
play with some boys in their garage. She recalls that they went
through the motions of intercourse with their clothes on.

There were other foster children in the home. They assumed
relatively little importance until the following event was brought
to her attention; She came home from school one day to find that
one of her foster sisters was very upset. She was informed that
her foster father had sexually exhibited himself to one of the
girls. Then, he chased her about the house. The implication was
that he wanted sexual relations with her. At first, she found
the news difficult to believe. A short time later, the children
were removed so that she could no longer doubt the validity of the
information she had recieved.

The unpleasant situation reactivated another experience
whose reality she had suspected. It involved one of her foster
father's friends who had rented a room in the home. One night she
awoke from a sound sleep to find him lying on t0p of her. In
surprise she asked him what he was doing there and he left without
saying a word. Afterwards she recalls feeling terrified because
the first thought that flashed through her mind was that he would
engage in a sexual act with her as her father had done.

She told the foster parents about the experience but they persuaded
her that it had been a nightmare;

At the next boarding home she felt out of place from the

.104i

begining. Besides the parents, there were 2 children, a boy and a
girl. She calls them "light skinned peOple". "They thought they
were better than anyone else". They used to associate with white
people. She inferred that their friends did not like her. When

the children brought home companions about their own age the patient
would remain in her room until they left. She explains her retreats
to her room with the statement that she preferred the company Of
adults. In spite of her professed antipathy to "light skinned people"
she considered her foster brother her first real boy friend; He was
three years older than she. She thought she was in love with him

and wanted to marry him. They became involved with each other
sexually and were very Jealous of each other. She says, "He'd be
ready to fight if I even noticed anyone else"; There are contradictory
statements about the manner in which the relationship with this
youngster ended; He had started associating with a light skinned
girl who lived in the same block.

One day while they were talking about his relationship to this
girl she became irritated. She does not know exactly how it happened,
but she whacked him across the hand with a butter knife. His
fingers were out and bled; The outburst brought their romantic
attachment to an end; She expresses two views about the reasons
for its ending; She says, "I was jealous of her and wanted him
back but he never came back"; And in a different vein, "I broke it
up because I couldn't think about him and my school at the same time.
Besides, he was going to a different school and I thought he would
find someone else anyway".

The patient did not get along with her foster sister; They

105

bickered and disagreed over inconsequential matters. Finally, their
deep dislike came to the surface over the possession of a girdle and
the patient ran away; She was brought back by one of the court
officials within a short time but conciliation was out of the
question; She again requested a transfer to a different home and
her petition was granted.

At the age of 13 she moved to the third boarding home. There
she acquired 3 foster brothers. Soon after her arrival she became
attracted tb the eldest who was 1h years older than she. Coitus
followed soon afterwards; She remarks, "I liked him but I was not
in love with him"; She had begun menstruating about this time,
and even though they did not use contraceptives she did not become
pregnant; Neither of them considered the possibility of marriage.

The third set of foster parents attempted to excercise severe
controls over her activities outside the home; They were in part
successful; She comments, "I couldn't do nothing, go nowhere. I
wanted to get out with the girls. I had a real nice girl friend
down the street but I couldn't go anywhere unless I was with them.
And besides, the places I wanted to go they didn't. I wanted to go
to the recreation center and dance balls. I liked to go to dances
and parties; My girl friend's mother didn't allow her to go to
those places; I even made other friends but I still wasn't allowed
to go; I had a boy friend and he was allowed to visit with me in
the house".

When her foster parents were not at home the two younger
brothers had parties. The latter were accompanied by considerable

drinking and smoking; She was allowed to attend but was not permitted

~106‘

These early homosexual activities were pleasurable but the patient
did not achieve climax.

During this period she was introduced to a male singer who
lived in an apartment across the street. They frequently talked
to each other over the phone. Almost every day, and especialky
on Sundays when she was alone, he would sit on the porch and keep
hiseyes glued to the house to catch glimpses of her. She considered
him an "ugly boy"; He did not stimulate her sexually but she
enjoyed kissing him. Once he invited her to meet him in a barn
nearby; Although she could have slipped out to meet him she
pretended differently;

After about a year she changed homes again; The explanation
given for the move was that she wanted to remove herself from
the temptation represented by the girl to whom she was homosexually
drawn; She states, "She was still coming over and I did not want
to be caught between her and my boarding house mother". The latter,
unwarrantly, accused her of having gotten one of the other girls
in trouble. She believed that her departure would ease the situation
for the girl; She was hesitant to request another transfer,
consequently, she eleped; was apprehended and returned to the home
by the juvenile court;

Two weeks later, she and a girl friend ran away for the second
time. Along the way they picked up 2 fellows who took them to
the house of a man she calls "uncle"; He was not a real uncle and
she describes him as old enough to be her grandfather. While there

she met a man in his sixties who became attracted to her. He began

buying her personal effects and all the alcoholic beverages she

-—108~

could imbibe. About alcohol she says, "It made me feel good and

I like sex when I drink". While she was under the influence the man
would attempt to engage in sex with her but he was impotent and

unable to achieve erection. She is unable to accept that the
relationship between them had father-daughter elements. Her explanation
is that, "I needed money so I did it. He was buying me everything he
could and giving me money besides". During this period too she

met a male homosexual, "a light skinned fellow" who took her to his
apartment and initiated her into the use of marijuana. The drug

had stimulating effects. She recalls walking down the streets

smoking it and "hitchhiking". Not long afterwards she was again taken
into custody by the court. She was given the OptiOn of returning to
the same boarding home or being committed to a training school for
Girls. She chose the latter alternative inasmuch as she was very
closely attached to a girl who was slated to go there.

At the training school she was able to contact the girl who had
been instrumental in her making the decision to go there. However,
she soon became acquainted with another girl. The patient describes
her as "a real pretty white girl" who was economically well situated.
She treated the patient with a great deal of COnsideration and
shared her financial resources with her. When she confided secrets
about her boy friend, the patient felt jealous. Not long after this
she felt "infatuated" with her and they began exchanging carresses
whenever they had the Opportunity.

Within 5 months they became bored with the training school
and made an unauthorized visit to her home. They were returned almost

immediately. Because of the undesirable influence they exerted on each

109

other they were separated. Within a short time they managed to be
placed on the same floor and paired up again. By this time the
patient considered herself in love with her but they did not become
involved in Specifically sexual manipulations of each other's genitalia.
She eXplains that genital homosexual acts were not experienced, not
so much because she would not have welcomed them but because neighrt
of them "knew what to do". At this Quncture she related that she
had been homosexually attracted to another girl at the age of 13 and
in this instance too did not engage in sexual acts for the same
reasons. She tried masturbation to alleviate sexual tension but was
unable to derive satisfaction from it. There were no sex dreams to
the point of orgasm.

They had several fallings out but eventually resumed their
relationship. The other girl reacted quite ambivalently to the
patient and often did "certain things" to hurt her. In part the girl
needed continual reassurance of the patient's affection and would
from time to time exhibit behaviors designed to elicit the patient's
concern. At times she would 'tear up', i.e., exhibit severely disruptive
behavior. She would then be transferred to a maximum security
cottage where the girls were subjected to severe deprivation of
priviledges. As soon as reasonably discreet the patient would "tear
up" too in order to be with her.

While at the training school she had no visits from any of
her relatives. She ran away a second time and attempted to take
up residence with the "uncle". He refused to become implicated inasmuch
as he had been looked upon with suspicion by the police on the first

occasiOn. She was returned to the maximum security cottage and

110

became severely depressed. She wanted to run away again but her
efforts were frustrated. It was at this point that she made a
suicide attempt. She severed an artery on her wrist with a bobby
pin. She says, "I think I did it for attention". She subsequently
made a good adjustment for a sufficiently long enough period of
time to warrant being reassigned to an Open cottage and immediately
made another escape. At this point she received a dishonorable
discharge from the institution. Altogether she was at that institution
for 2 years.

After her dismisal from the training school she returned to
the home of her grandmother. By this time her father had completed
his sentence at the prison and was living with her too. Almost
immediately she began dating several men. ’Within the first few days
she met and shared a bottle of wine with a pOpular young boxer
who lived in the downstairs apartment. She liked him considerably but
they quit seeing each other by mutual consent after she began going
out with another man. The latter turned out to be a panderer. He
asked her to be his woman, i.e., to engage in the practice of
prostitution. The first night that she went out with him for this
purpose she wore her dead mother's clothing. On that occasion she
engaged in two acts. She says, "I caught two tricks and made ten
dollars". Prostitution turned out to be more complex and less profitable
than she had anticipated, and therefore she also began working in the
numbers racket.

In this context a girl friend introduced her to her brother.
She instantly felt an overwhelming attraction to him. The same day

they had their first date. He took her to a house party and they

~- 111—

finished the evening by staying overnight at a hotel room. From
that day on they saw each other every day for about a year. At

the same time she was involved with a married man, and in spite of
his objections, she continued her association with the pimp. At
this time, bisexual interests became clearly apparent. She made it
a point to meet a wellknown lesbian. The patient was drawn to her
and she engineered the meeting to establish a sexual relationship.
The latter affair lasted for six months.

Late one night, she arrived at home and found her father,
clad only in shorts, waiting for her. He attempted to pull her into
the house. She became frightened; ran down the stairs without
listening to what he had to say and did not return to the house for
a long time. For some time prior to this she had been intentionally
avoiding her father's presence. She was aware that her father knew
the character of her male and female associates and was attempting
to steer her away from them. She remarks, "I didn't want to be
around my father. I wasn’t getting along with him. We argued a lot
about the company I was keeping. I was going out with different
fellows and he didn't like some of the girls. I was drinking and
smoking marijuana. I didn't believe there was nothing he could tell
me because of what he did to me".

The alleged fear of her father served as a means of inducing
the married man to rent an apartment for her, although he proved unable
to continue contributing to her support. Consequently, she maintained
the practice of prostitution._ The paramour frowned upon her
activities but was in no position to advise her against them. ESpecially

since she became self-supporting. Up to this time she had had

-- 1 12w

hopes of marrying the pimp but he showed progressively less interest
as he became better acquainted with her. At the age of 18 she
became pregnant and attributed it to the married man.

When she told her paramour about her pregnancy he took the
matter very casually. He reacted as though it were a trivial and
insignificant situation. Up to his time she had believed that he
cared for her, but his almost total lack of concern regarding her
pregnancy evoked doubt and almost conviction that he felt no real
affection for her. Now, she questions whether she ever seriously
considered marriage to him. She says, "I didn't want him to divorce
his wife for me because if he did, he would leave me for somebody
else".

After her pregnancy was confirmed she moved out of her apartment
Ito live with a girl friend who welcomed her company. The patient
previously had taken care of her girl friend's children while she
worked, and in the present situation contributed this service in
return for room and board. For awhile her paramour continued to
visit her every day. She delivered a set of twins 7 months after
conception. She was alarmed by the double birth and remarks, "I
didn't like the idea too much. I didn't know how I was going to take
care of two children. I still wanted to have fun and not be tied
down". Her family was not critical about the conditions under which
her twins were born but they were concerned about the fact that she
was not married. Her twins were kept at the hospital 2 months
subsequent to her release. At the hospital she had been advised to
place the infants out for adeption. On her part she was very indecisive

as to what action she should take. She says, "I did and didn't want to

~113"

give them up". She was interviewed by a social worker who wanted

to make arrangements to place them in a boarding home. She had
h0ped to be eligible for ADC support but did not qualify because

she had a father and would not divulge the name of the twin's father.
In spite of these drawbacks she decided to keep them.

On her return to the girl friends home the twins' father came
to see her every day. However they started having bitter arguments
mostly about her activities with other men. He objected to them. She
says, "I thought a lot of him but he had no right to tell me what
to do. I still wanted to go out and have fun". He began bringing
his wife with him. On these occasions, even if she had no commitments,
she would leave the house. During this period there were apparently
times when he failed to show up. Later, he left the state to go south
and she is unable to estimate the length of time that he was gone.

She began drinking excessively and says, "I got to the place where
I didn't care about nothing. I couldn't accept the fact that I had
had children without being married. I knew I had did wrong. I
felt it was a mistake. I wanted them to have a father. My biggest
prOblem was how I was going to take care of my children. I didn't
think I was the type of mother who could take care of them the way
they should be.‘ I wasn't a very good mother".

While the twins' father was away she met a #9 year old man
at a bar. In the course of the evening's drinking she confided
her predicament as it related to her children. They were drawn to
each other, in part, perhaps, by the similarity of their love lives.
He was separated but not divorced from his wife. They became constant

companions and he began buying her clothing, paid for her liquor,

“114

afforded her sexual satisfaction and took her and her twins out for
long car rides. Her intentions were to live with him if he asked her
to do so. Eventually she became pregnant by him and had been pregnant
for a month at the time of her child's death.

As her twins develOped their demands on her increased. Quite
frequently, at night she was awakened by their crying. Waking up
abruptly irritated her, interfered with her sleep and evoked
considerable resentment toward them. She attempted to cope with
their weeping by shaking them roughly. On the day of the tragedy,
in the morning, she had made arrangements through her church to place
them in a boarding home. In the afternoon she changed her mind and
decided to keep them. That night she was awakened by the crying of
her female twin. She says, "I took her in my arms and laid her down
to change her. She still kept crying. Alter that I had built up
quite a temper. I don't know what happened. I was doing the besn I
could. What more could I do?" She became furious and dropped or
threw her, "I don't know which". She continues, "Afterwards, I
was frightened. I knew something was wrong, just by looking at her.
She wasn't breathing. She was turning color. The inside of her
lips and mouth were white". She tried to pick her up to administer
first aid but there was no sign of life. She called the girl friend
who in turn called the police. The patient was unable to cry. She
says, "I knew I had did something wrong. I was afraid because I had
killed her; that they would find out what happened. That I would
go to jail". She adds, "I killed the girl twin but it was the boy
twin I did not like".

The week after the filicide was discussed, the patient did not

*115

appear for the next scheduled interview. When she was casually

seen in the kitchen several days later, she was noncommittal about

the need for further sessions. Several weeks elapsed without any
communication on her part. AAfter about six weeks she requested to see
the examiner again. Her Opening remarks were that she had some
unexplored material she wanted to ventilate. Prior to re-establishing
her interviews with the examiner she had asked the Opinion of one of
the ward personnel and had been advised to search herself to whatever
extent possible. Interestingly enough, the sitting terminated

without any new material coming to the surface.

The next week, after a brief warm-up, she related the following
occurrence. She said, "I was fond of my girl. One night she awoke
and wanted a bottle but I did not have one ready so I let her suck
on my breast. I felt funny when she did it. I had a feeling or
something. Just as if it were part of love making. Just the idea of
the way it felt. As soon as I realized what was happening I took and
stOpped it". She did not perceive any similarities between this
experience and the one with her own father.

:3
The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 27.
She left school after her freshman year in college. Intelligence is
at the average level (IQ 99). She is of middle class parentage. There
have been two diagnoses: schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type.

The patient was told, and it has been substantiated through
reports, that her birth was natural. She was "colicy" for the first
five or six months. There was a mastoidectomy of the left ear.

From the very earliest years she has had a severe asthmatic condition.

"116

In the course of a psychotic episode she still becomes asthmatic.
Within the first six years, she broke her left arm twice in falls.
As long as she can remember she has been allergic to many things.

Until the age of eight, the patient's memories are happy ones.
She experienced an unusually vigorous and gregarious childhood.

She started taking dancing and singing lessons at the age of three or
four. Subsequently she performed in radio programs aid for certain
social organizations. She was the only child for eight years. Both her
father and mother made her the center of attention. She does not
believe that up to this age she loved one any more than the other.
The whole family on the side of both parents was a closely knit
group. There were frequent get-togethers of uncles, aunts and
cousins. She remembers this period as characterized by a great deal
of fellowship aid happiness. Within all this warmth, there was

one discordant incident. She used to play with a neighbor boy in
their back yard. On one occasion they e gaged in sexual exploratory
behavior. He penetrated her hymen with his finger. She recalls

the experience as painful.

At the age Of eight a sister was born. The warm family
atmosphere in which she felt secure and loved changed suddenly. The
changes in the mother were more keenly felt than in her father. For the
first time in her life she felt that her mother was not concerned
about her problems or activities. She says, "I felt insecure because
of lack of attention and jealousy of an intruder". Her mother
became engrossed with the new arrival. When the patient attempted to
break into the affectional circle her mother reacted with obvious

irritation. The patient became furious the first time she was slapped

117

‘ 1

by her mother. Shortly afterwards, sne smashed a doll to pieces in
a destructive fit of anger. Her mother had given her the doll as
a gift.

The patient's mother is described by her former husband as a
very quiet persog who never diaplayed any visible emotion toward either
of her children. Her mother was a "suppressive” individual. The
'patie t regards her mother as hypocritical concerning religien. She
tried to give the impression of a devout conservative Jew but used
to send her to the store to buy boiled ham.

Her father, a pharmacist who owns a dru store, has a BS degree

'n Chemistry. The patielt's husband states that as a businessman her
father acted intelligently. He Considered matters thoroughly before
jumping to conclusions. Socially he was an extroversive individual.
As a father, he was impulsive. The relationship to the patient was
seductive in nature. Within the limits Of his knowledge she had
always been strongly attached to him. Her husband was informed that
the patient had received sexual instructiOn from her father. Her
father tried to compensate for their mother's lack of attention to
the girls, especial y the patielt, by extending himself to them.

The patient relates that her father played checkers with her a great
deal. He allowed her to win to increase her self co fidence._ Also,
he taught her to pray.

The real or inferred rejection by her mother after her sister's
birth increased the patient's dependence on her father for affection.
According to the patient her father also felt neglected by her
mother. Their love needs dovetailed and they found mutual support

and gratification. In her father she found a ready ear for her troubles.

118

He became an ally in what soon became Open conflict with her mother.
The supportive aSpect of their relationship became so intense that
she could hardly wait for him to come home in order to acquaint him
with the day's happenings. When her mother punished her, she
telephoned her father at the business establishment. In turn her
father would call her mother, reprimand her and order her to desist.
This state of affairs, with minor modifications, persisted until
her mother was hospitalized for the first time in 195h and a

second time in 1955. She is still a hospitalized mental patient.

After her sister was born, the parents hired a baby sitter to
care for their children while they were away. The baby sitter
turned out to be a homosexual. She told the patient lurid stories
about sex and on several occasions manipulated her genitalia.

The patient in turn became very curious about the sister's reproductive
organs. She enjoyed looking at them and rubbed them with vaseline.

The baby sitter was apparently sexually promiscuous. One night

several boys tried to enter the house to "rape" the sitter. Her
father'became aware of her sexual behavior toward her sister. In

an interview at the hospital he called the patient a lesbian and
confirmed the homosexual acts involving her sister.

The patient's relationship with her father was associated
with considerable physical demonstrations of affection. Their
closeness became progressively more intense. From a relatively youthful
period she had become accustomed to joining him in the bedroom
where she rubbed his bare back with alcohol. Sometimes, he would
be clad only in shorts. There was little doubt in her mind that she

was his favorite child. At this time, she regarded him as a "god in

-‘119

whose favor she wanted to bask”. She was jealous of any attention
he offered her mother. During one of these back rubbing periods
he fondled her genitals and engaged her in intercourse. The patient's
concept of the experience implies frustration and ambivalence. On
the one hand she was aware of the ethical aspects of the act but on
the other she enjoyed it and "I wanted him to go deeper".

The patient started school at the usual time. Reflections about
her school days elicit the conviction that she never achieved at
the level of her potential. During her years in high school she
was aware of feelings of inadequacy and admits she felt inferior to
others. Interactions with boys were stressful. Most of her dates
ended in "wrestling matches”. That is, the boys attempted to
pressure her into a sex act. She says, "I got a bad reputation
because I would not permit desecration of my body". Her father
objected to visits in the home by her school mates, especially boys.
He was more lenient if the youngsters were Jewish. There was one
very close friendship with a girl of dubious reputation. This girl
was her confidant through many ordeals. Their relationship persisted
until the time of committment.

The patient's first adolescent romantic attachment occurred
at the age of 13. A young man, an assistant manager of a neighborhood
bowling alley, struck her fancy. At first it was merely sporadic
flirtation but it became more serious as she grew older. She knew
that her father objected to her seeing him. Nonetheless, she managed
to meet him at her girl friend's home. They became sexually involved
and she became pregnant. She states that she induced abortion with

ergotamine tartrate procured by her girl friend. Her boy friend asked

~-120~

her to marry him. She informed her father about their intention but
he became furious. He phoned an uncle to accompany him and armed
himself with a gun. Together they confronted her boy friend and
threatened to kill him unless he left her alone. When she called
her boy friend to make amends he informed her that it would be

wiser if they ended their relationship.

When she finished high school, academic standing was of a
marginal nature. She was not accepted at a state university on
an accredited basis but was allowed to attend classes. She had
always been very dissatisfied with her scholastic status. Had it
not been for the encouragement she received from her girl friend
she would not have applied to the university at all. She was
interested in medical technology but never started the course.

About six months after she started attending classes she met
her future husband at the union building. At first, she was
attracted to him because of his sense of humor. He had no car. It
was safer to walk down the street than to ride in a car where she
eXpected to have to ward off amorous advances. Additionalky, her
father approved of him: ostensibly because he was of the
conservative Jewish faith. Intuitively, the patient sensed that her
father's approval stemmed not so much from the religious consideration
but because he could be readily manipulated and controlled. Thereby,
the patient says, "he could control me". Now, the patient believes
that she married him because her father desired it and not because
she loved him.

After the marriage they went on their honeymoon with money

provided by her father. They had traveled not too far from the city

”121

when they had a serious accident. The car overturned and she received
several severe bruises and lacerations. Her husband called her father
and they returned to the city. The honeymoon plans were drOpped.

Her father had given them many expensive gifts to set up
housekeeping. The patient sensed that her father was trying to place
her husband in a disadvantageous position. She felt that he was
attempting to compete with her husband for her favor. In spite
of her sensitivity to matters she was unable to stop it.

After their marriage, her husband continued working toward his
academic degree. He worked part time at her father's business
establishment. Sexual adjustment was poor. She characterizes her
feelings about it as mixed. That is, she desired the sexual embrace
but was fearful and frigid. The husband never pressed the issue.
Sometimes a month or two would elapse without coitus. From the time
her husband started working for her father until her commitment to
this hospital there was constant friction among them. Her husband

and father acted like little boys running home to mother bearing tales
. on each other. Her husband informed her about the irregular behavior
of her father. Her father made very critical statements about her
husband. She learned from her husband that her father was sexually
promiscuous. He had a cot in the back room of the drug store where he
would entice willing participants. Her husband considered him
a harsh taskmaster. Her husband felt that her father's so-called
help was an attempt to break up their marriage.

On the other hand her father viewed her husband as lazy
and dishonest. Somewhat realistically, her husband was accused of

pilfering change and appropriating pharmaceuticals. The latter item

.. 122.

was true since the patient knew that he was bringing home drugs for
her and there had been no money to pay for them. The seaflict
Letwcen her father and husba-d became so intense that they were no
longer able to tolerate each other. He was dismissed from his job.
There may have been considerable validity to her father's allegatiohs
since in the ensuing year he worked and was discharged from seven
different drug stores. He finally returned to work for her father.
At the time of the dismissal of her husband, her father, in a
very angry mood, called the patient and informed her that he wanted

to sever relatiOns entirely with her husband. After several days

U

y...

of silence the patient called her father in hOpes of effecti g
rapprochement between them, but her father refused to talk to her.
Her first child, a male, was born in August, 1350, at about
the same time as the rift between the two families. Shortly afterwards
arrangements were made to have him circumcised in accord with
the traditional Jewish religious rites. The patient invited all of
the usual guests except her father. On the night of the ceremony her
father appeared at the home and sat through the ritual. After the
event was over, while the guests were mingling and conversing, her
father-in-law offered her father a cigar. Her father expressed
indignation and in a surely tone told him "to stick it up his ass".
The patient was nearby and heard her father's comment. The negative
turn of events alarmed her severely. She was overwhelmed with
distressing deSpair. She wondered if her life would always be
characterized by hopelessness. She accounts for its effects with the

eXplanation that her father's presence had both irritated and

pleased her. Then, almost mechanically, she walked into the bathroom

123

and cut her wrists and throat with a razor blade. She was almost
immediately discovered rushed to a hospital sutured and released
two days later.

Almost immediately afterwards, she became acutely disturbed.
Her husband returned her to the same hOSpital where a diagnosis of
schizophrenic reaction, post partum psychosis, was made, within a
month she made a superficial recovery. Against her wishes, arrangements
were made to discharge her to her father's home. On arrival there,
she found the situation essentially unchanged. A few days later,
she made a second suicidal attempt by taking an excessive amount of
sleeping tablets. Two days afterwards, again in the face of her
objections, she was returned to her father's home. About her
predicament she says, "I didn't see any way out of the woods. My
husband had no say in the matter". She attempted suicide a third
time by taking a pharmaceutical called clinitest. Her father
found her almost immediately after she ingested it. As an afterthought,
she states that she was still wretching. He made her eat an orange
which counteracted the corrosive action of the alkali. In spite
of the quick action of her father the chemical did severe damage to
her esophagus and respiratory system. Sequelae attendant on the
suicide attempt were that she developed empyema of the lungs and
two quarts of pus were drained from her thoracic cavity. Surgery
was performed and she was told by one of the doctors that she had
been in danger of dying. On her part she feels that this was
her least serious attempt. She knew beforehand that her father was
in the house and that he knew the antidote for the poison. Another

complication derived from this "play acting" was that even to this

“'124-

‘ou

 

 

 

date she continues to need es0phogeal dilatations.

A month later, she was admitted to another hOSpital with
a mental condition diagnosed as manic depressive psychosis, manic
type. She received HOT and in a period of five months she was in
that hospital twice.

A son was born in August, 1950, after a labor of l? hours. Prior
to that delivery she states that she had had seven involuntary
abortions. Her son had a congenital nephritic condition. Up till
1953 he was hospitalized several times for this illness. Her child
died in 1953. From March, 1951, until April, 1955, she made a
borderline adjustment in her home, but with a great deal of support
from her family and husband. She was encouraged to participate in
community activities. Several times she attended Recovery, Inc. A
daughter was born in June, l952. Her mother was committed to
two different mental hospitals in 195A and 1955. During this period
she was considerably saddened by the deaths of her mother-in-law,
her grandmother and her son.

There was intense conflict attendant on the death of her
son. During psychotic episodes she has claimed that she was
responsible for his death. At other times she projects blame for his
death on substandard care received at the hospital. She visited
him in the early hours of the night he died. The patient observed
that he was edematous; his scrotum was dirty with dried up feces
and of a fiery red color. Her son was irritable and asked her to
push him in a cart around the corridor. He was restless and she was
unable to gratify his need for this type of motion. After she stopped

for the last time he continued asking to be strolled. When she refused

125

he threw a temper tantrum. His behavior prompted her to lose her
composure and she shook him roughly. That night he died. In
psychotic states she eXpressed the idea that she choked him and that
the child died because of her attack.

In April, 1555, she again became obviously psychotic and was
returned to a hOSpital for ECT. During this period she experienced
delusions and hallucinations. One day she went to the cementery to visit
her son's grave and saw a rabbit under a pine tree. The idea
occured to her that the rabbit was the reincarnation of her son. At
times she was mistrustful of everyone, particularly of her family and
husband, because she felt persecuted by them. She interpreted radio
programs and newspaper items as having been written and containing items
about her. She is aware that she would twist and distort reports
to coincide with her own thoughts. She also heard voices talking
about her. On one occasion they said: "Kill her, she's unclean".

In acutely disturbed phases she had difficulty hearing what is

said to her directly because of her intense preoccupation with her

own prOblems. In 1950 she was convinced that an entire Arthur Godfrey
program was about her. When peOple laughed; they were laughing

at her.

On a Sunday in the last few days of May, 1955, she was induced
by her hquand to go out for a ride. While riding about the city
she suddenly started thinking about the accident they had had on
their honeymoon. She became very frightened about the possibility of
having another one and opened the door of the car and jumped out.
Fortunately she was relatively unhurt but was found to be behaving

in a psychotic manner and was again hospitalined for about a month.

126

Ten days after she returned home the tragedy occured. She
recalls quite vividly the events leading to the death of her child.
On this evening she was getting ready to attend a meeting of
Recovery Inc. The child sensed that she was preparing to leave and
started screaming, "Mommie no go, Mommie no go”. The screams were
very similar to those made by her son. She began thinking that
she had to protect her from mental illness and nephrosis. Whereupon
she began choking the child. She stOpped for awhile; reasoned that
she would be arrested and electrocuted in any event and completed
the process.

The patient was seen at this hospital as an attractive female.
She was oriented for time, place and person. She offered no
Spontaneous conversation and most of her responses were guarded
and delayed. She exhibited no affect whatsoever; stared blankly into
Space and did not appear to be willing to discuss anything. She
was aware that she was accused of killing her three year old child.
She remembered taking some sleeping pills obtained on a physician's
prescription. There was no change in facial eXpressiOns or in
intonation of her voice. She appeared to be preoccupied with her
own thoughts and frequently asked that a question be repeated. She
was given EST and after the second treatment lost her delusional
material and showed sufficient insight to discuss background facts
leading to her delusional develOpment. Thoranine medication was
started about two menths after her commitment and she has been on some
type of tranquiliaer since that time.

In the approximately ten years she has resided at the hospital

she has had a stormy and fluctuating progress. Relevant material from

127

ten years of adjustment will be included in the following particulars.
At the time of her first staff interview she believed that her
father had been severely ill and had died. She explained that her
hopes for his recovery had been high and that his death had shocked
her. Within the year hallucinatiOns and delusions had dissappeared. Her
mental condition was such that she was able to work in the record office
(a position reserved for highly trusted and efficient patients) sorting
mail.

About a year later, in lj57, she was served with a divorce
summons, and almost immediately became acutely psychotic and was
given ECT. During her psychotic state she exhibited delusiOns of
persecution: "everyone was talking about her, laughing at her, plotting
against her". She was depressed. Negative feelings toward her
father were expressed for the first time. Attitudes toward
him were described as alternating between extreme belligerence or
overdependance. In the next two years there were minor mood swings
but in general she made a passing adjustment.

In August, 1959, her period of remission vanished and she
confided that she had started hearing the voice of God. She felt she
was the Messiah and could hear other's thoughts and they could hear
hers. She had been rehearsing for the women's show and fell in love
with a patient much younger than herself. During psychotic episodes
she goes on eating Sprees and was on one at this time. At this time
she analysed the death of her daughter in the following manner. Her
reasoning was that her son died of nephrosis; her mother was
mentally ill therefore her daughter would necessarily be afflicted

with both illnesses. In order to prevent her daughter from acquiring

128

 

 

these diseases she killed her.

In April, 1960, she again became acutely disturbed and was
again administered a series of ECT. It is interesting to note that
at the time of all three psychotic breaks she was being considered
for release from the hospital. She eXpressed the idea that having
to return to the father's home was intolerable but preferable to
staying at the hospital. While waiting to go on a visit she
became confused, manic, delusional and hallucinated.

In an interview in September, 1961, she appeared smiling broadly
and seemed very pleased with herself. Whereupon, she states "Ideas,
pests, misconceation, According to Della, you were prince of the
airwaves. It goes back to the snake. She believed that you were
trying to seduce her. I'll have to weigh things for myself. I'll
have to use the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of JOb, and above
all the Star of David". She believes that she is the true Messiah,
come from God, to educate and save the world. She was surprised to
see the examiner since she had expected to meet her cousin. The belief
was expressed that she was to be married today to a former patient.
She avers that she is madly in love with him. There have been
several love affairs with several patients to date. She wishes to
buy some records so that she can learn to Speak Hebrew. Throughout
the interview she maintained a pseudorelaxed posture and assumed an
inapporOpriate smile.

Following a staff conference in January, 1963, when she was
told that she was going to go on visit, she again underwent a manic
stage. She began talking incoherently and ramblingly. There was a

disorganization of ideas and thought content. She had been ventilating

"129"

her pent-up feelings in group therapy. At this time she claimed
that she was to blame for the death of her first child. She imagines
that she could still hear his screaming. When she strangled her
daughter she screamed too. She adds "You see, you see, I was
afraid because I had a mental condition in the family". In this
state she wanted to go home to see her father in contrast to her
wishes in non-psychotic states.

In accord with the wishes of the patient, attempts were made
to find placement with someone other than her father. The father
made inquiries but no one was found who would assume responsibility
for her. She was, therefore, placed on a successful two day visit with
him. Three months later she was placed on a second visit with him
but returned in an upset conditon. The patient informed that she
inferred that her father either intentionalky or unintentionally made
the suggestion that they sleep in the same room in different beds.
On the next visit she went to an uncle and was very happy with the
outcome. The next visit she spent with her father and became psychotic.
She became very hostile at him and attempted to visit her mother at
a state hospital. Her father became alarmed at her irrational behavior
and reported her to the hospital.‘ She was found by the police at
the state hospital and returned to this hospital on the next day.
On admission she was elated but expressed no forthright psychotic
symptoms. There was an attempt to rationalize all of her anxiety
provoking behavior. She maintained a tenuous adjustment for about 6
months and at the time of this writing is emerging from another relapse.
She presented the writer with the following material: consisting

of a letter and two separate transcripts of her ideas: "Dear Rog

. 1w-

(if I may be so bold haha), First of all I want to eXpress my

fervant and humble thanks for all the compassionate attention you
have extended, not only extended to me but to each and every patient
(or co) in your‘Therapy Class. All fooling aside, when Dad said that
I thought you were the salt of the earth, it was a gross understatement
that I do, indeed, think the World of you. As you know and so does
everyone on these grounds, (pOpulous also, of course) I am an
expectant Mother, and also, I know as well as you, Dear, I have a
dire need for a heven for the babe (5?) that is in my womb at this
time. Honestly from the bottom of my heart, I have to get out of this
convent, or I'll really flip-but soon. In reality, I'd rather die
than to have a child born here, in this den of iniquity: In trugh
life is too precious to me to even think of suicide, due to the
injustices I have seen in this hell hole. Last night I thought my
heart would break. RealLy, dear one, the flood gates of Heaven were
broken and the dyke fell through. or course, you and I both know of
the severe and the disgusting frustrations in here. Oh, I know that
Dr. Bauman has been unaware of, that cause frustration here: Please,
please, please, lot me out of here as soon as possible. With love
and sincerity. P.S. With a strong shoulder like yours to lean on,

how Could I help but WANT TO LIVE LIFE TO it's fullest".

A week later the following material was received: "Woke up
this morning with the cheerful tone of Maury's voice. Jim was a public
leaning psot for a few minutes. 6:52 AM Harold's sexy voice came
to me on the transistor. Juan is pacifying Mavis (or Ganavis).

Lunch, recollection of the good life after Corrieno almost past

out. Happy days are here again. Skies are bluer and cumulus clouds

'131'

are like lambs after the slaughter---(The lack of depression) rather
love of God and Nature delivered by bird's (2 legged and 23 the wingil)
The outdoors would be nice, if we can use the yard today: It would

be appreciation personified (not depreciated) smile:

"April 30th 9:46 AM In the OT. Saw a review through "Beatle's
and 'telepathy'. Before I forget, had to pack 'My troubles in my
old (?) kit; the Bag. (It helps to have a woman's viewpoint.) The
marines (Ancient Mariners) brought Harold R. to the OT} It helps to
follew Saints & oven 'black Angels'. Apprex. 11:10 AM. In the
kitchen was My Love for whom I spent a lifetime pining For was at
the Kitchen table and John was fullfilled by His Ever Present Love;
in 'many' forms (Boy has the Form, plus a gallant Brain to use and
think for himselfé. Hey, Lover, How Bout some Freedom??. On Ward
5:54 PM. The natives are restless and they're scared to death of
Me because I Am.God and they know I hold the Keys to the past
present and future: Suolem Alccham.

"8:00 PM Smoke, The cowards were scared to death by My anger
at evilill Only Ernestine & Milli were brave enough to sit down
with Mel“ I Am THE THE LORD and a jealous God. They'd better learn
it now once and for all: (God Damn their asses they stink- all of
them) Betty gave me all the coffee she apared. Went on the porch
and Juan deliberately called Me a liar: (over a blue skirt) how
MANYpieces of clothing were stolen from Me: Who the Hell did that
schmuck think he was playing games with: Demotion IS in order:

May Arletta & Juan be shown by bedbugs or even Leprosy: That goeafor
any other scatterbrained ACTS. Oscars and Eamys are not in orderld

I AM.THE LORD":

--13%

"The year of our Our Lord, My Beleved Zaydeelé College for
The "Mentally Sick” & TIR . Chapter 1, As I sit (Sittitis) in the
pseudo-Cafeteria I die inside an insidious DEATH, due to frustrations,
Fear, Sacrilidge Quilt (of which I have NONE! The drapes in this
poor excuse for a Kitchen (ie, Where HELL Cook's: Domination,
subjugation & sex are the Initial CAUSE or the Cross I HAVE BORNE for
the ingrates of this sardonic ROOM. Sex, the Original determination
(in infancy) (ie. Sigmund Freud without WHICH I Edore (adere) the Basic
Psychiatry. 'Begging In The WOMB WITH the Suckling of a BABE in
the breasts before (even thatrecourse in NOT PRIMARYӣ) An
infant in the Mother's amniotic fluid and through the sucking
instinct while not yet born (e), an angel (God) while still in the
womb, blesses the infant with EITHER LIFE or (saddly) DEATH"""£.£
(and no questions, Markus Aurelious).£££ Babies are all beauatiful,
in the image of God Almightéil The reason babies are ALL Loveable is
'Because' God NOT satan MY ADVERSARY WANTED LOVE from the beauty
of Parental 'togetherness' through Coitus (intercourse): The
GIFT. of birth plus the bringing of the PARENTS conception of Freedom
of LOVE through "MAN & WIFE beauty of creation due to the unity of
the sexes communion through the careful and beauty of the Parent's
unity of the flesh£1£ THEIR Primary LOVE is the Exquiaite Bbaby who is
BORN, AND A GIFT OF GOD the ALMIGHTY, to further UNITE, with the Beauty
of their creation, through God, Jesus & Mary the Holy THRINTY22311£L
Shabbos via Pesach her in the den of Iniqnity: Only Terry & I i
went to Bible Classes WHY- Do the 'Sheep' hearken? In he kitchen
nowéFel depressed- Heard about Bob White committed to death in

this hell hole: Previous to our 'eloquent supper' I saw and Heard &

~13:

felt the presence of God 'elequent supper' I saw and Heard Bill, Reverend,
He clarified the position of He-Irv Roth in relationship to MY
identification as the Holy Trinity. Paul (or Irb, or even Uncle
Bill) gave a beautiful Serman... 3rd Pesach Sedar.. The frustration
I've willingly (sometimes angily) suffered are in this room at
present. How many still doubt the I am their Messiah, and a jealous
one at that. Jealousy that may save 1 (one) or all who have obeyed
ME willinglylil How many respected God Me. The angel of Death is
in each & EVERY LIVING CREATURE..' Only birds are exhoneratcd, as
well as all creeping things, fish, fowl, or have you all been four?::
You all have conscience, Mourish yours. Only I am PERFECT and no
more disgusting negativism. God Be With You. Lee.

"Woke up this morning” (Lillibut) to the Messiah. the
birds songs then I saw the Seen. In the kitchen the sun went down
(for awhile). The Sun is out new. It will get warmer yet and I
know that the sun rises and 'sets' with the 'affairs of State', in
my heart, a My Heart E’Eli belongs to Daddy. (on Pedestal)."
F:

The patient was committed to the hOSpital at the age of 31.
She is a college graduate, a registered nurse, with a BS degree.
Intelligence is estimated to be above the average although to date she
has not been spychometrically tested. Socio-economic status is
upper class. Diagnosis was schizophrenic reaction.

Initially, the patient emphatically pointed out that she has
great difficulty in remembering events. Therefore, up to this time
there has been relatively little information other than that obtained

from other agencies. The patient has received several courses of

154

felt the presence of God 'elequent supper' I saw and Heard Bill, Reverend,
He clarified the position of He-Irv Roth in relationship to MY
identification as the Holy Trinity. Paul (or Irb, or even Uncle
Bill) gave a beautiful Serman... 3rd Pesach Sedar.. The frustration
I've willingly (sometimes angily) suffered are in this room at
present. How many still doubt the I am their Messiah, and a Jealous
one at that. Jealousy that may save 1 (one) or all who have obeyed
ME willingly2I? How many reSpected God Me. The angel of Death is
in each & EVERY LIVING CREATURE... Only birds are exhonerated, as
well as all creeping things, fish, fowl, or have you all been fourf.;
You all have conscience, Mourish yours. Only I am PERFECT and no
more disgusting negativism. God Be With You. Lee.

"Woke up this morning” (Lillibut) to the Messiah. the
birds songs then I saw the Seen. In the kitchen the sun went down
(for awhile). The Sun is out new. It will get warmer yet and I
know that the sun rises and 'sets' with the 'affairs of State', in
my heart, & My Heart still'belongs to Daddy. (0n Pedestal)."
F2

The patient was committed to the hOSpital at the age of 31.
She is a college graduate, a registered nurse, with a BS degree.
Intelligence is estimated to be above the average although to date she
has not been Spychometrically tested. Socio-economic status is
upper class. Diagnosis was schiiophrenic reactiOn.

Initially, the patient emphatically pointed out that she has
great difficulty in remembering events. Therefore, up to this time
there has been relatively ittle informatiOn other than that obtained

from other agencies. The patient has received several courses of

134

ECT so that there may be some real basis for her impairment of

recall. On the other hand, in one of the first interview she told
the examiner an incident that happened SO years age, i.e., the

father had had a difficult time getting the car stared in a snow
storm. Several similar examples of recall of relatively 1eutral
tOpics and alleged total amnesia for clinically relevant themes calls
into question the depth of repression. In addition, as rapport
between the patient and the examiner increased so did the significance
of the verbalizatiOns.

She appeared sincere in the desire to establish meaningful
events contributing in the develOpment of psychosis. She says, "I
want to understand it (psychosis) and sometimes I feel I‘ll explode
if I don‘t. Questions build up and I want an answer but I don't
have one. When things build up again I have so much wondering in
my mind. I've always kept things pent up and now I want to let them
out".

Her parents married relatively late in their lives. Both were
in their thirties. The patient adds that she Knows that SOme
peOple have difficulties in aduusting when children are born late in
life but that her parents had no trouble. She was the first born
in a sibship of three. Her sister is a year younger and her brother
three years younger. When she compares her childhood to that of
the other patients in her therapy group she says, "Mine was less
prominent. It was gust a normal routine childhood”. If it had been
otherwise she would remember "scary” or "bad” events. The disciplinary
function was assumed by her mother. Her father was too busy with his

practice to perform in this capacity. The patient recalls no physical

135

discipline. However, her mother has assured her that she "spanked"
her on several occasions.

As a child the patient considered herself the "stay at home
type". At times she played with other children in her sandbox and
swimming pool. Mainly she played with her sister, except when the
latter threw temper tantrums. Her sister also engaged in tomboy
actiVities which the patient could not tolerate. When disagreements
arose with other children she became very fearful and would
immediately run to the safest place she knew, home.

Her father was a physican. She remembers that during the
day he made a great many house calls. Office hours were held during
the evening. Because of his schedule the children saw very little
of him except on Sundays. In spite of this she does not believe that
it would be fair to say that he neglected them. She insists that
he was attentive and concerned about their academic develOpment. He
decided that all of them were to take a college preparatory curiculum.
Then if they chose to continue their education, the door was open.
She prefers to call her father's behavior, "guidance", than by any
other name. However, she was subtly given to understand that her
father wanted them to enter the medical profession. He did not
overtly try to pressure them into it. She traces her wish to be
a nurse to grade school. She did not consciously entertain negative
feelings toward him. At least, she would not admit them at this
point in the interviews.

Prior to marriage her mother had worked as a registered nurse.
Because of her father’s activities, her mother functioned as

plumber, electrician and handy man. As the children grew up they

~136-

helped with the housework and snow shoveling. Up to the time of
adulthood she was closer to her mother than to any other person. Most
of her free time was spent within the home, in the proximity of her
mother. Her mother always appeared to have time to devote to her.

Her mother was very exacting as regards household
cleanliness. She encouraged the patient to keep her room scrupulously
neat. The patient has always aimed at perfection in her role as
housekeeper or as a professional nurse. She attributes these
behavior patterns to the influence her mother exerted on her. Her
mother frequently showed appreciation for her efforts with remarks
expressive of gratitude. There were many "thank you's". Her mother
meted out most of the discipline. The patient's reactions have already
been noted. When reprimanded, her sister threw temper tantrums. She
was allowed to have them but her demands were never granted.

Her mother was interested in music and encouraged the children
to take lessons. Her brother and sister rejected it. The patient
says, "I love music". She persisted in practicing her piano
lessons. However, she admits that she did not follow instructions.
Instead of scheduling her lessons systematically, as indicated,
she would put them off as long as possible, and finish them all
in one session. Afterwards, when she recorded them in her notebook,
she distributed them throughout the week. Her mother was obviously
pleased with her spurious records. In Spite of her practice
inhibitions, of all her teachers the only one she remembers to any
extent was the one who taught music.

Her mother was a Catholic and her father a Protestant. Her

father was never converted to Catholicism but agreed to have their

137

children baptized and reared in the Catholic faith. He always saw
to it that they were taken to church and catechism. He neither
interfered in their church activities or attended with them. The
patient did not enroll in a church school until after she graduated
from high school.

Religious and musical activities were very closely associated
with her mother. It was her mother who shared these experiences
with her. The music teacher was a man. She took music lessons for
four or five years and learned mainly classical compositions. She
generally took music lessons and catechism on the same day. Her mother
was very rigid about catechism participation. There was absolutely no
excuse for absences. The patient does not remember ever consciously
questioning the doctrines of the Catholic chruch.

In time she began to think that she had to be morally perfect.
She even considered it "sinful” to skip classes. Her attitudes were
in sharp contrast to those of her sister. She thought nothing of it
and "got away" with truanting. Her sister's half of their room would
frequently be in a disordered state. This lack of neatness was very
irritating to her mother. The patient does not recall reacting with
similar feelings. She considered herself "mother's little helper" but
was not aware that she felt resentment at having to perform the major
part of the household chores. Her sister Openly rebelled when asked
to do the cleaning or dishes. Her sister never took her into her
confidence. In time the patient became aware that everyone in the
family was dissociated from the others. Each of them was concerned
only about his or her personal needs, "everyone was for their own self

sorta".

’138“

From a relatively early age she became accustomed to waking
up at an early hour. She frequently awoke her father and mother.
From time to time she awoke her father when he was upstairs alone.

In time she became fearful about the parental bedroom. However, she
cannot explain why. She rejects the idea that she may have witnessed
a conjugal act. She denies sexual attraction to her father.

To her knowledge their family went on only one vacation. Only
her mother accompanied them. Her father either did not have time or
did not take it. Their parents almost always took them to the parades
in the downtown area. On one occasion, when her mother could not go,
her father took them. It was an inclement day and he caught a
severe cold. She became extremely disturbed about his illness. She
became hysterical, blamed herself, exaggerated the nature and extent
of the illness and even expected him to die. She says, "I was really
broken up and upset by it".

The patient does not recall entertaining sexual curiosity about
the genitals of male children. Her mother explained the menstrual
cycle but did not elaborate on the sexual topic. Early in life
she availed herself of her father's and mother's medical books. She
persued the written material thoroughly and scrutinized the pictorial
illustrations avidly. She remarks that she has not been "shocked" by
sexual discussions in the group.

She describes herself as a quiet, shy, clean type of girl.
Emotional expression was inhibited. There was an extensive phantasy
life, mostly about transformation themes. For example, she daydreamed
that she was a queen, cinderella or the most beautiful girl in the

world. Actually, she states that she felt like she would be an "old

'139“

maid" but in imagination she could be "queen of the world".

Unlike her brother and sister, she dreaded radio programs like
" nner Sanctum” or horror movies. She was afraid of the dark but
not when she was in her own bedroom. She attributes her lack of
apprehension to the fact that she shared the bedroom with her sister.
She never went to the basement or attic alone. She was constantly on
guard against prowlers. There were no reports of them in the
neighborhood.

The patient never saw her father and mother exchange affection.
She became aware that her father was "high strung" and drove himself
in his work. Every so often he would become very tense and then
exploded. The eruptiOns were characterized by "yelling and screaming"
at her mother. The first time she witnessed his tirades she was
shocked. Her mother's adjustment to his raging states, perplexed her.
She would just stand calmly. There were no outward demonstrations of
any kind. Once her sister attempted to take her mother's side. Her
mother ordered her into her bedroom with the injuction not to come
out. In these angry states her father did not use profane language.
He was not "filthy mouthed", but his outbursts were terrifying when
they occurred. She was surpirsed that her mother did not leave him.
They were told that under no circumstances were they to talk about
these happenings outside the family.

The patient is not quite sure about the underlying reasons for
the heated arguments. Religious difference was One of the issues.
At other times it involved her mother's relatives. The central
conflict appeared to concern her grandmother. It had become apparent

that her grandmother had not wanted her father to marry her mother.

140

Her mother would point out that her father was overindulged and
protected, and had not successfully weaned himself. Her father

would retort that she was against his mother and that religious
differences were at the root of their unhappy marriage. It was no

secret that the mother disliked her grandmother. While her father

was in these states her mother would advise the children not to go

near him because she was afraid that he might hurt them. Her grandmother
died two weeks after her father passed away.

The patient recalls hardly any specific experiences throughout
her school years. Academic subjects were not easily mastered. Sne
had to study a great deal. No particular teacher or student stands
out for special comment. She was very quiet in the classroom. Her
sister was the figure in the family field while she stood unassumingly
in the background. She did not participate in extracurricular
activities. For the most part, hardly anyone paid any attention to her,
and she buried herself in her books. The patient especially liked
Latin and took two years of it instead of Spanish or French. The
popularity of her sister did not evoke any negative feeling toward her.
For recreation, during her high school and college years, she
attended Operas at a Masonic Temple.

During all of her school years, the patient had only one
date. She was taken to the junior prom by a neighborhood boy.

She had known and played with him since childhood. In her Opinion the
boy escorted her to the dance, not so much because he was romantically
interested in her, but because he wanted the attention of her sister.

There had been two "crushes" on boys who were unaware of her feelings.

She "worshiped from afar". The patient is uncertain about the extent

*141'

of her feelings for her prom date but subsequent developments suggest
that she retained an active interest in him for about seven years.

After enrollment in college and during nurses training her
Catholic faith received strong reinforcement. She graduated from
a Catholic college and served her internship in a Catholic hospital.
She had looked forward to becoming a nurse all of her life. These
years are regarded as the happiest ones in her life. She was
interested in and enjoyed all matters pertaining to medical practices.

Throughout the four years she was in college she roomed
with the same classmates. A very strong tie developed among them.
She says that it was apparent to all who knew them, because where
you found one you found the other two. She tended to mother her
roommates and assumed the responsibility of waking them at a prOper
hour every morning. Soon afterwards she made it a practice to go
into some of the other girls' rooms for the same purpose. During
the years devoted to becoming a nurse she saw relatively little of her
brother or sister. She went home infrequently.

She graduated with a BS degree in June, l9h9. She continued
working at the hospital where she served her internship. Through
choice, she worked in the obstetrics department all of the time she
remained at the hOSpital. Several times she helped her father in
delivering babies. She had no doubts about the quality of her work.
There was every indication that she was efficient and aloof. She was
a "stickler" for details and meticulous about procedure. When
the chief of staff visited their department she was anxious to please.
All of the questions of the doctors were answered with a brief

decorous "yes doctor" or "no doctor". During this period she did not

”142'

become romantically involved with any male.

Although she was satisfied with her work at the hospital, her
conflict about her home persisted. She says, "I couldn't take dad's
yelling any more". Consequently, she joined the Army Nurses Corps
in July, 1950. The opinion is expressed that joining the service was a
way of escaping problems at home. She received basic training at a
military base in another state. Photographs taken while there
indicate that she took care of Korean War casualties.

While in service she bagan exploring the world in ways that
would have been prohibited by her parents. For instance, she spent
a vacation on a dude ranch where she attended a dance hall and indulged
in alcoholic beverages for the first time in her life. She journeyed
into Mexico on a sight-seeing tour. There, she was enthralled by
the Sierra Madre and witnessed her first bull fight.

Sometime in 1951 she volunteered to go overseas. The transfer
was effected in March, 1951, and she was stationed in EurOpe. On
the voyage she became seasick and her sinusitis was reactivated. For
some reason she cannot explain, at this time she was writing to the
acquaintance that had taken her to the junior prom. Her sister
told her that the content of the letters was mainly about the war.

The probability that a love relationship existed is rejected. This
man married her sister in August, 1952.

Several months after she arrived in EurOpe, she met a private
first class from a nearby installation. He was a patient at the
base hospital. Although she was not supposed to associate with
him she became romantically attached to him. Physically, he was short

and stocky and markedly different from her father, brother or prom date.

’143~

The latter individuals were tall and thin. The private was a
year older than she.

Most of their dates were Spent in nearby bars. They would both
drink to the point of drunkeness and spend the night together in some
hotel. He had been born in a southern state and they would sit
and listen for long periods of time to "hilbilly music". This type
of music is still associated with him. During the period of amnesia
she would catch herself humming these tunes and wondered why. She
became pregnant in February, 1952. They were married by a Catholic
Chaplin in April, 1952. The husband was a Protestant. When the
pregnancy became Openly apparent, she was advised to request and
received a discharge from the armed forces in May, 1952.

She returned to her parents' home and worked at a hospital for
three months. She was very much in love with her husband and is
convinced that he had a lot of affection for her. Prior to the birth
of her child, she went to visit her husband's sister who was living
in a city in a midwestern state. At that time she also met his
parents. The purpose of the visit was, "I went to present myself as
his wife". She has no definite impressiOn of the 'n-laws except that
she is certain that her husband was her academic and social inferior.

They continued to write each other until her son was born in
November, 1952. At that time he wrote requesting a divorce. The
patient assumes that his action stemmed from the fact that he was

hilandering with several other women. She regarded him as immature

'd

‘

and unstable and unwilling to assume reaponsioility. He started
divorce procedings when he returned to this country but did not

complete them. For at least a year afterwards there was no communication

144

between them and she lost complete track of his whereabouts. She
then took the initiative in the divorce proceedings and it became final
in July, 1956.

After the birth of her son whom she regarded as a splitting
image of her husband, she began working in an automobile factory, as
an industrial nurse. Her father was also working there although on a
different shift. The work consisted of assisting at a general factory
hospital and several first aid statiOns.

During this period she develOped severe anxiety and compulsive
behavior. When her parents left her alone in warm weather, she would
check the screen doors and windows to make sure they were fastened.
Next, she would go to the bedrooms and look under the beds. She was
aware that she was "petrified" with fear. Everything had to be in its
exact place. Clothing stored in a drawer or hung in a closet would
be examined three or four times to determine whether it was in the
exact order in which it had been left. She scrubbed the rugs in the room
frequently. Every item in the house had to be Spotlessly clean. She
used to get down on her hands and knees to clean away the dirt. Insightfully,
she says, "I was trying to scrub away my guilt".

At a first aid station located in one of the foundrys she met a
crane Operator. He came in for emergency treatment. The man was
of short stocky build but 10 to 15 years Older than she. After they
were well acquainted she used to watch with fascination as he Operated
the crane and manipulated the molton metal. At times she was fearful
that it would Spill and injure someone.

She began dating him sometime in l95h. Even though her divorce

was not final she became pregnant in February, 1955. She left home

i45 ‘

and started to live with him prior to the delivery of their child

in November, 1955. She did not stOp working until October. Another
child was born in December, 1956. The latter was delivered by her
father at home.

The clandestine relationship with this man was a source of
considerable emotional gratification on the one hand and conflict
on the other. The patient has never been frigid. She affirms that
she enjoyed intercourse but the paramour introduced her to sexual
practices that were both pleasurable and disturbing. Somewhere during
this interval they began engaging in cunnilingus and fellatio. She
reluctantly recognizes that it must have been enjoyable inasmuch as
it persisted throughout their cohabitation, but she always felt
very guilty about it.

Prior to the admission of the nature Of their sexual
relationship, the patient experienced an intense cathartic reaction
accompainied by unihibited crying, mucus flow, recrimination and
disconnected ideas. She introduced doubts about the efficacy Of
treatment. She stated that there was something "deep" bothering her
but that if she brought it to the surface, "It would hurt me more
than I've ever been hurt".

She feared that the recall of the content would provoke a
more severe relapse than she had had in the past two years.
Furthermore she did not want to risk losing everything she had gained.
Next, she definitely indicated that the "deep issue" was related to
sexual behavior transpiring between herself and the paramour. The topic
of sexual perversion was suggested and she confirmed that they had

engaged in sexually deviated acts. She would not designate the specific

~146~

UneXpectedly, the subject changed to a dream of her dead child.
In the dream she perceived her son amid filth, poverty, loneliness,
etc. At this juncture she was asked whether there had ever been
sexual attraction to the child. The question brought forth another
intense state of disorganization characterized by anger, lacrimation
and defensive behavior. She chided the examiner for asking such a
"horrible" question. She says, "I keep punishing myself because of
the murder. He looked just like his father. You know me better
than that. Those men over there may engage in sex with their children
but not me, no, no, no. You know me better than that”. As the
intensity of the reaction subsided she was able to recognize the
legitimacy of the questiOn.

She had always regarded the relationship to the paramour as
perverse and adulterous. She says, "We were both committing
adultery. It was horrible. I thought my husband was a sexual pervert.
It was disgusting, nauseating and repulsive". She was ashamed Of‘
her pregnancies. She describes herself as dirty, trashy and immoral.
She looked upon her life as degrading nd herself as a "tramp". She
believed that she had hurt her parents and entire family. rom the
time she became aware that sexual offenders were in residence at the
hospital she detested every one that walked the grounds. Until the
present time she had been unable to understand her negative attitude
toward them. Particularly, since she had always prided herself as
being "broadminded" concerning sexual matters. She had been taught
and accepted sexual offenders as suffering from a mental affliction.

Now, she understood that her attitude stemmed from her feelings that

147

she and her lover were sexual perverts too.

In the winter of 1,60 she began breaxing out with shin rashes.
Her shin became exceedingly dry and itehed considerably. Scratching
only served to aggravate the co dition. Treatment of the dermatitis
with antihistamines and ultraviolet provided only symptomatic relief.
It was finally pointed out that the shin irritations appeared to be
related to attendance at mixed activities (male-female). She
discontinued her participatiOn and the condition dissapeared
temporarily. A week go she experienced the worse episode of all.

The latter followed an interview where her disturbing sexual situatiOn
with the paramour was discussed.

Life with her lover was interupted by a series of brief but
continuous absences. She remarks, "I used to make excuses to the
neighbors about why he was away from home so much. All the time I
was living with him I was trying to pressure him into marrying me.

I finally got him to do it. I somehow know that I must have suspected
he was married". Not leng afterwards she discovered that he was

using an assumed name. SuSpicions about his marital status became
even more pronounced. She looked up his address in a phone book and
learned the approximate location of his home. About the next point
she is somewhat skeptical but she thinks that she rode out in a bus

to that vicinity hOping to verify her information. Next she
ascertained that he was married, "He told me he was married". In
discussing what course of action they were to take her husband informed
her that even though he had no children his real wife would not
consider a divorce and that he would have to leave the patient.

Emotional awareness of her predicament did not take place until

148

her father confirmed that the man was a bigamist. She says, "That's
when I knew I had married a bigamist and that's when I got the
intention to take my life because of what happened. That's when I
wanted to destroy and I didn't want to leave the children behind. I
wanted to protect and take them with me".

The police report states that they were called to the patient's
residence where they were met at the door by the subject who
immediately collapsed, suffering from gas inhalation. The police
found the gas stove and water heater turned on. They also found
two children lying face down in water in the bathtub. The other baby
was on the bed with her face covered with a blanket. She admitted that
she had smothered all three children and then placed the oldest
two in the water, to make sure they were dead.

During her stay at that institution she had periods of severe
depression and at other times appeared happy and cheerful. She was
considered suicidal and was placed in the institutional hospital so
that she could be watched more closely. As expected she out both
wrists, inner arms and back of her left hand with a razor blade. She
was transferred to a municipal hOSpital. It took two officers and
a matron to prepare her for the trip to the hospital. She fought the
restraints all the way. At the hOSpital she refused to engage in
interviews with staff members. After the acute symptoms abated she
was returned to the correctional institution. Tue nurses reported that
she Spoke of her children as though they were alive, at home and that
she expected to return to them soon. Sne knitted several children's
garments. Concerning a pair of socks that were complete except for

the feet she remarked, "But then they won't need feet in them where

they are now".

Her father told her on one of his visits at the jail that
from the time she had returned from service he had been aware that
she was emotionally disturbed and that her condition had become
progressively worse. At one time he approached her about consulting
a psychiatrist but she refused to go. She does not remember the event.

A year after her confinement it was recommended that she
be transferred to the Ionia State HOSpital because of a severe
depression culminating in a suicide attempt. For about u months she
had been seen psychiatrically because of confusion of thought
processes, feelings of depersonalization, ideas of reference and
insomnia. .A recurrent Observation was that she was depressed and
struggling with unresolvable guilt. Sne could not accept the fact
that she had killed her children. At times, she pleaded for
punishment and said, "I wish someone would kill me". On occasion,
she would scream and beat her head against the wall.

On arrival at the hospital she was mute. Subsequently, she
appeared partially disoriented and remarked, "I Just know that people
are against me, thats all. They try to tear me apart behind my
back". Tue latter comments were accompanied by much crying. Sne told
an examinor that she would try to commit suicide by any means at her
disposal at the first Opportunity. It was impossible to discuss any
significant material. In interviews she would break down almost
immediately into tearful sobbing and wailing accompanied by wringing of
the hands. She did not seem to notice the tears or mucus running
down into her lap. She maintained amnesia for almost all of her life.

She was recommended for a series of 30 ECTs.

"150“

Psychological testing was attempted on two occasions without
success. On the seCOnd occasion she was literally carried into
the psychologist's office. Prior to reaching the chair she collapsed
onto the floor. In a disconnected way she explained that she had
been having blackout spells and difficulties in locomotor functioning.
She was reluctant to answer items on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence
Scale and refused to look at the Rorschach cards.

In 1962 she was granted another trial and declared legally
insane. Shortly before the decree was received she was noted to
have become visibly distrubed. In an interview she said, "I'm about
to explode. I've got to have something to help me. Things keep
piling up on me and when I'm down I con't get up to fight any more.
PeOple want to knock me down and run me down. PeOple Just want to
take advantage of me. I Just don't care any more. I'd like to go to my
room and bash my head into a bloody mess".

Although the patient made several suicidal threats she believes
that she was serious on only one occasion. She says, "The first time
I actually came close to doing it I saw no reason to keep on going.

I thought about it all day long. I was going to hand myself. I
would tie the sheets together, throw them over the sprinkler system
and Jump off the table. I was brying to hurt my mother and father by
what I was doing. Being sick was a way of hurting them and trying to
get back at them. I got back at my mother the most. I was getting
back at both my parents for their rejection and neglect. All this
time I've felt sorry for myself over the loss of my children".

Throughout her residence at this hospital, the patient has

had recurrent terrifying nightmares about her son. In every instance

151

 

they are related to either neglect or death. In one dream she

leaves him in a foster home where he was not fed and his clothing

was dirty and ragged. In another one she loses him or he was
kidnaped. He was kept hidden from her and he would never be found.
Again, her son is asleep or dreaming and he keeps calling to her. Calling
for his mother and "can't get to him because I am here". In another
one he calls out to her but she cannot reach him'because he is already
dead. He is calling out from the grave because he is lonely and
afraid and "I can't go to him because he isn't there". Another
variation is that the child is living in filth and dirt and is unfed
and neglected.

In real life she never left her children alone. The children
were reared under very hygienic conditions. They were well fed,
adequateky clothed and (one might suspect) scrupulously clean. A
maid who took care of her children while she worked, and her parents,
testified in court that she was a "wonderful" mother. She interprets
the nightmares as reflecting the "mess" she had made of her life, i.e.,
bigamy, divorce, adultery and sex perversion. In addition she
believes that through the nightmares she was gratifying masochistic
needs. The psychological atmosphere of turmoil and conflict
continued to preoccupy her awake or asleep.

Currently the nightmares have ceased. In the last interview
the contant was the following: "I awoke in my mother's home. I
didn't see my son in the bedroom. I was wondering where he was and
I went into the kitchen. He was sitting on a high chair slumped over,
stunted in growth to what he should be, undernourished, not peppy

at all. Then I woke up".

”152

The patient has eXperienced nyctOphobia, acrOphobia and
claustrophobia. inch pathologic behavior is associated with her
bedroom at the hospital. She estimates that she reached the peak of
her disturbed condition about the time of the Christmas season in
1962. She had to be prodded to leave her bed. Her mother came to
see her but the patient refused to visit with her. ”Mother was
heartbroken”. She began having delusions and hallucinations about the
walls of her room. She says, "The room seemed to hold me there. I
felt like climbing the walls. The walls were after me. The walls
got my thoughts twisted up. They didn't want me to leave the room.
The walls interrupted my thoughts. They seemed to be able to c0ntrol
my thoughts. They twisted them around to the way they wanted them. It
was a living hell”.

In her confused state she believed that the walls were the devil,
her husband and sex. The devil interpreted her thoughts and drew
her back like a magnet. She continues, "Whatever I thought, they
would turn it into the contrary". In severe depressed or manic
states the ”devil" could not control her. It was in the "in between
states" that she was most susceptible to those disrupting forces. The
day after Christmas she felt that the walls crumbled, she was reborn
and wanted to go home.
pp

The patient was admitted to the hOSpital at the age of 30.

She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the bright normal
level (IQ llh). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, schino-affeetive type.

Sexual Behavior The patient was considered her father's favorite child.

 

153

Her father was reported to be strongly attracted to the patient. He
predicted that she would one day become a movie star. She felt
singled out for more favor by her father and more punishment by her
mother. She says that at times she felt in competition with her
mother for the love of her father. When pointedly asked if she had
ever felt sexually attracted to her father she remarks that she may
have been but has no manifest awareness of it. She relates very
happy moments in childhood when she would romp with her father in the
parental bed. Currently she becomes very verbally aggressive to her
father. After she was notified that he had remarried she refered
to him as a son of a bitch. To date there has been no direct
avowal of overt incestuous relationships.
Aggressive Behavior She was enuretic until the age of 16. At the
age of 28 she manifested psychotic symptoms in the form of persecutory
delusions, auditory hallucinations of a derogatory nature, and
suicidal ideas. These symptoms persisted until her entry into the
hospital. Just prior to committment she tried to kill her children
by placing their heads under water. Next, she turned on the jets
in the gas stove and was again unsuccessful. On the third attempt
she stabbed all of her children and herself with a kitchen knife.
Her son aged two, died of the assault. Her two daughters were
seriously injured.
21

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 22.
She attained an llth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 89). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis

was psychotic depressive reaction.

“154

Evidence Concerning Incest When the patient was 15 months of age her
mother died. Her father did not remarry until the patient was about
age A. During this interim period they were cared for by a relative
who was remiss in her child care so that her father had to substitute
a housekeeper. He subsequently married her. She was given sexual
instruction by her stepmother but could not confide in others about
sexual matters because she thought it was "dirty". She recalls

that during preschool years her father was attentive and gave overt
expression of affection. After this period she was largely neglected
by both of her parents. About the oedipus relationship she relates
that she had never given it serious consideration. More recently,
she has become aware that her husband is very similar to her father.
She does not recall incestuous involvement.

EVidence Concerning Aggression In Spite of her protests, at the

 

age of 9, she and her sister were left alone at home by her parents.
She began playing with matches and set some curtains on fire. She
received third degree burns and was hospitalized for 2% weeks.

There was a year of absence from school. A year after marriage she
was left alone for long periods by her husband. She developed

severe headaches for which she received treatment to no avail. For
about a year prior to present hospitalization she experienced ideas of
inference. She thought peOple were talking about her in a derogatory
manner. She felt that her husband, mother, and father disliked her.
The act preceeding committment consisted of beating her children
severely. On the last occasion one of her children died and another
was seriously injured. It was reported that she whipped her baby

with a belt and her hand until she was exhausted. Her child did not

--155

cry. His body was covered with bruises and his intestines were
ruptured. Previously she had fractured her child's skull and
claimed it was an accident. After the beating of her child she
attempted suicide by taking barbiturates.
3s

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 29.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the bright normal
level (IQ 11h). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis is
schiZOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior The patient had an ambivalent attitude toward her

 

father. She and her sister practiced mutual masturbation between the
ages of 12-14 when they were discovered and severely punished. She
was promiscuous sexually before and after marriage. She continued

the practice of masturbation after marriage. Her daughter witnessed
an act of intercourse between herself (the patient) and a neighbor.
After her committment to the hospital, her first remark on coming to
after ECT was "I must remember something, why I'm here, what I've done
wrong, it has something to do with sex, I know".

Aggressive Behavior After her husband had been in service for some

 

time she was notified of his death by telegram. A short time

later she received another one informing her that a mistake had been
made and that he was alive. She immediately began to try to starve
herself to death. Before She could be induced to eat again she
became apathetic and withdrawn and lost 25 pounds. At the age of 29,
in the early morning hours, she choked her daughter with a lamp cord
but gave the child artificial respiration in time to save its life.

Afterwards she struck her son 3 or M times in the head with and axe,

._1 w ..

killing him instantly. During her residence at the hospital she has
verbalized her desire to die.
E2

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 25.
She is of lower class parentage. She attained a seventh grade
education. Intelligence is at the average level (IQ 93). Diagnosis
is schizophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sex Behavior Up to the age of 12 the patient was very close to her

 

father. At the age of 16 she engaged in several incestuous
relationships with him. She explains that the first incident was
accidental, i.e., while she was turned away doing kitchen work, her
father mistook her for her mother and approached her sexually from
behind. At about this time too, she was forced into sexual relationships
with a cousin. In addition to intercourse she performed acts of
fellatio on her father and her husband. Her father was imprisoned

when the patient was 17% on account of his relationship with her. After
the birth of her first child she developed a postpartum psychosis and
was totally inaccessible for about a month. In this state of

semi-coma, she called for her father continually and recognized him

immediately on his arrival.

 

Aggressive behavior On the surface the patient is an extremely passive
individual. ‘While carrying her second child, which she admits she

did not want, she fell down a flight of stairs. Due to disharmony and
disagreements her husband left her several times. She recalls

fearing that he would be killed and that she would not see him again.
Just prior to committment she became enraged and beat her 2 month

old child severely. As a result of the assault the baby's leg was

v157~

broken and he suffered brain injury. Before this time she had
refused to care for the baby.
£39

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 22.
She is a high school graduate. Intellectual functioning is at the
average level (IQ 93). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis
is schiZOphrenic reaction, schizo-affective type.

Sexual Behavior The mother committed suicide when the patient was 2.

 

She states that she worshiped her father. After her father married
a teacher, considerable friction developed between the patient and
her stepmother. At school, initially she was afraid of boys and ran
away several times. She took her stepmother's wearing apparel and
jewelry and destroyed it after wearing it. She became sexually
promiscuous. Her husband could not afford her sufficient sexual
satisfaction.

Aggressive Behavior ‘While in school she stole a pair of scissors. She

 

made two suicidal attempts, one by hanging, the other by the
ingestion of rat poison. She attempted to kill her husband with an
unrecognized metal Object but he awoke just as she was about to strike
him. She killed her daughter by striking her in the head with a
hammer. She was experiencing auditory hallucinations which told her
to kill her husband and everyone else. She explains that in killing
her child she really wanted to hurt and kill her husband. She says,
"When I killed my baby I tried to kill my husband".
Ell

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 28.

She is a college graduate. Intelligence is at the bright normal

“158

level (IQ llO). Diagnosis is schiZOphrenic reaction, chronic,
undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior Her mother's attitude toward the patient was one of

 

smothering love and excessive fondling. Her mother was likely to
place her hands anywhere on her, i.e., kiss her, rub her face or legs.
Her husband conceded that the patient was completely dominated by

her mother. Although the details are not available sex relations

with her brother are indicated. Her husband was asked if he suspected
that she had had intimate relations with her brother. He replied

that he had wondered about it once or twice. It had occured to him
because of her preoccupation with him since he had been dead for

such a long time. She dreamed about him and idolized him. Sne and
her mother would become emotionally upset if they were reminded

of him by seeing a boy scout or sea scout in uniform or on parade.

She practiced fellatio on her husband. In her present hospitalization
the patient admitted past and current incestuous relationships with her
father. When she tried to stop them he beat her severely.

Aggressive Behavior ,According to her husband she had an illegal

 

abortion in 1947 or l9h8. Sne cut the throats of her 2 boys,

ages bi and 11 months with a knife. Alter killing the children she
went into the bathroom and attempted to cut her own throat. Her
husband reported that he had to wrestle the knife out of her hands.
In an interview at a state hospital she stated that she had died
three times. At this hospital she was considered suicidal and
admitted suicidal thoughts.

{$2

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 38.

~159

She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the bright normal
level (IQ 116). Diagnosis is SChiLOphreniC reaction, paranoid type.
She is of lower class parentage.

Sexual Behavior Her father was reported to have been good to the

 

children. The relatiOnship between her father and mother was one of
extreme conflict. Her father was committed to a state hospital when
the patient was 11. On his release he deserted his family and
returned to his home state. Her mother did not remarry. The
patient learned about sex from peers and rejects the idea that she
has been involved in any abnormal sexual relationships. She was
jealous of the attention paid to the baby by her father. She
treated her son more like a playmate than in a mother-son relationship.
She did not allow her son to visit her in-laws because he would

be infected with germs from the farm animals. Divorce with her
hquand had been discussed prior to her psychotic break.

Aggressive Behavior The patient expressed considerable hostility

 

toward her own and her husband's family. She was especially angry

at an older sister who always interfered in her life. She was fearful
that what was recommended for her baby might hurt him. She had
contemplated taking her son's life on several occasions but arrived

at a final decision after a bitter quarrel with her in-laws of such
magnitude that her husband had to be called home to arbitrate. She
killed her two year old son by drowning him in a bathtub. Afterwards
she wrapped him in a blanket so that "he wouldn't be hurt". Then she
attempted to hang herself, but the rOpe broke. Next she tried
aSphyxiation by car exhaust fumes but that also failed. After the

latter, she again hanged herself with the same results as the first

160

time. She maintains that she even contemplated taking her life with
her husband's gun. In a fit of anger she slashed the walls of the
home with a sharp object, smashed the furniture and other belongings.
After she was imprisoned she disturbed an inmate's sleep with her
hyperactivity. Jhen she was advised to be quiet she engaged that
woman in an altercation. During her pregnancy she had fears of
dying. In a psychiatric interview she stated that she had wanted
to die for three years and was going to provoke someone to kill
her. On another occasion she set fire to her bedclothing to show
her doctor how "mad" she was at him. There have been no known
hallucinations.
E1;

The patient was 35 years of age at the time of committment.
She received a 10th grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (DQ 89). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis is
schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sex Behavior Her father and mother were not married at the time

 

the patient was born. After she was apprised of the identity of

her father she never liked him. There was one brother but they were
reared apart. Her mother eventually married but the patient disliked
her stepfather. She Obtained sexual information from magazines,
peers and school programs. Although she has not been married she

has given birth to three children. She was living with her mother
and stepfather at the time of her psychotic breakdwon.

Aggressive Behavior The patient shot her two year old child with a 22

 

calibre rifle. On that particular day her mind told her to shoot

her stepfather. She says, "I took the rifle from underneath my bed.

The baby was lying on my bed. I took the safety catch off. I was
sorta in a daze. I tried to put the safety catch on again and the
gun went off". The bullet struck the baby in the head. On seeing'
it, she screamed, rushed to the child but found it fatally wounded.
There were delusions of persecution prior to the homicidal act. She
believed that peOple were cursing her all of the time. Also there
were auditory hallucinations. She heard a voice saying, "If you
leave the house you're going to get your brains blown out". There
have been no suicidal tendencies.
all

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 21.
She attained an 11th grade education. Intelligence is at the
average level (IQ 99). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was schizophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior Her father was a lumberjack and farm worker. There

 

were six siblings. The parents had frequent altercations. She was
terrified of her father. He died when she was five. Her mother
did not remarry. The patient states that her mother became a
prostitute. There was a constant stream of men in and out of the
house. The patient recalls that they (her mother and the men) lay
naked in the living room much of the time. Her mother was not
concerned that her children were present. The patient felt that
her mother did not care for her or her siblings.

The patient learned about sexual matters from her sister. At
the age of 11 she began having intercourse with a 50 year old man.
This practice continued with him until she was 1h. After her

relationship with him terminated she persisted in having sexual affairs

' 162

with older men. At the age of 16 she was sent to a girl's training
school. Fourteen months later she was placed in a foster home.
There were premarital sex relations with her future husband.
He told his parents and a minister about it and at the minister's
insistence they were married. She lived with her husband for a
period of 1% years up until the time of her arrest. About her
marriage she says, "I hated every minute of it". He forced her
to have sex relations ten days after the birth of her second child.
It hurt her more than a similar experience after the birth of her
first child. She avers that she hated sex relations. Throughout her
life she had not known what it was to eXperience love or affection
in or out of marriage.

Aggressive Behavior The patient and her siblings fought continually.

 

They often hit each other with a hammer. The patient has a large
scar on her forehead inflicted by her older sister. After her
marriage the patient killed her two children, a girl and a boy, by
smothering them with a pillow. At the time she committed the murders
she felt like she was some one else. During the commission of the
crime she changed into a vicious animal. She says, "The only way I
can describe it is as if I were a werewolf. I had to kill".

Prior to her arrest she felt that people were against her.
They were saying that she had killed her baby. When she became very
angry she thought about killing herself. On one occasion she became
despondent and "I took a bunch of sleeping pills". When her husband
bought cigarettes with some money she had saved she took a razor
blade and attempted to cut her wrists. Her hausband took the razor

blade away from her.

163

At the time of psychiatric examination, when asked if she
had ever wanted to die she said, "Oh, last night I felt like that.
I was very lonely. I thought if I could die, I would get together
with my daddy who died when I was five and everything would be alright".
In the course of hospitalization the patient became more
upset than upon admission. Several months ago, she became assaultive.
She broke her room windows with her shoe and used the broken glass
to inflict several superficial wounds on her arms. When queried about
her behavior, she said, "The voices were against me and they told
me to kill myself".
£12
The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 32.
She received an eighth grade education. Intelligence is at the
average level (IQ 103). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis

was schiz0phrenic reaction, catatonic type.

Sexual Behavior When the patient was 9 years of age her father committed

 

suicide by hanging. There is no information on early sexual develOpment
except that she once stated that she had been sexually assaulted

several times but never "gave in". iasturbation was denied. Her

first husband deserted her after a marriage that lasted eight years.
There apparently was infidelity on both their parts. There was a

second marriage. Sex relations are reported as normal by her husband.
She was pregnant at the time of committment and delivered her

child during the first several months of hospitalization.

Aggressive Behavior The patient was chronically constipated from a

 

relatively early age. She was easily irritated, jealous, suspicious

and there were frequent temper outbursts. There is a history of

'164

several induced abortiOns during her first marriage and 2 others
after the birth of her child subsequent to her sec01d marriage. She
worried about the abortions because they were her own idea. Prior
to her psychotic break she c0nsu1ted a doctor about her constipation
but afterwards burned up the liquid medicine and pills given her for
its treatment.

She describes the death of her child in the following manner: "I
loaded the gun. Went into the front room and came out 2 or 3 times. I
filoaded it. The second time I went in there the baby was awake. She

called me "momma" and I went back into the dining room, then into
the kitchen. I walked around awhile out there. Then I went into
the living room again with a flashlight and the gun and I shot her.
She was asleep when I shOp her”. Immediately afterwards she walked
upstairs and told the husband about the deed.

When her husband saw their child the patient had placed the
flashlight so that it shown directly into her baby's face. She
made a suicide attempt the first night of confinement in jail.

She admitted auditory hallucinatiOns and religious delusions of

grandeur. There was very strong resistance to treatment.

165

The Homicidal Group

The second group of 15 cases, Hl through HlS, are characterized

by either actual or intended homicide of a person.

‘El

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of #7.

She attained a third grade education. Intelligence is at the dull

normal level (PIQ 83). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was personality trait disturbance, passive aggressive personality,

history of psychotic episodes.

When the patient was an infant her father was inducted into
military service. After his release he did not return to the household.
Her mother told the patient that her father never contributed to
the support of their family. In fact, while in service, he did not
list himself as a married man with children. Her mother believed
that his purpose in not naming his dependants was to keep his
allotment for himself. 'When her father returned from the service
he assumed residence in town, but lived with another woman. The
patient visited at his home occasionally but she says, "I was never
around him enough to learn to love him". There were two half brothers
by a previous marriage and three from extramarital relationships of
her mother. She was told that one died of a fever when he was a
baby. When she was ten another one died of unknown causes. There are
memories about one of her half brothers. She states that she loved
him and can still see him as he worked on the cotton press. The

patient did not know until she had grown up that that brother was

only a half sibling.

’166 ‘

When her mother was home she interacted a great deal with her
children. They engaged in considerable conversation about many
topics. Her mother read the Bible aloud considerably. On
occasion she would become elated, start singing and even shouting.

At those times the children would become alarmed and fearful. Sometimes
her mother would cry apparently spontaneously. When the children

asked her why she was crying she would reply that they were tears of
thanksgiving for the bountifulness of the Lord.

During the economic depression that started in 1929 the hotel
where her mother was employed closed down. No other jobs were available
and there were hardly enough funds for the bare necessities of life.

The patient says, "There was hardly anything to eat". The landlady

of the home where they lived brought them food and clothing. An uncle
provided them with firewood. Eventually, her mother secured employment
in a laundry. Sometimes when she arrived at the house she would

appear exhausted and would start crying. The children would massage
her arms and shoulders so that she could cook the evening meal

and complete the house cleaning.

The patient was the eldest child in the family and apparently
was expected to assume some responsibility for the care of the two
children. She says, "Mother told me to whip the children if they
misbehaved, but I wound up being the one who got whipped". She was
expected to do the washing but did it so poorly she frequently was
forced to do it over again. The patient is reluctant to discuss the
disciplinary measures to which she was subjected. Initially she
implies that there were frequent beatings because of her "hardheadness".

When she disdbeyed her mother's orders she anticipated physical

‘167'

punishment so she would absent herself from home until bedtime. Her
mother would wait until she got in bed and then would whip her
while she was lying down. She remembers the following incident. On
that particular day her mother had made some ice cream. The patient
tipped it over and made a hasty exit. Her brother caught her and
took her to her mother. The latter whipped her severely and raised
welts all over her body. The patient ran to the neighbors for help.
Subsequently, they discussed the matter with her mother and warned
her that unless she reduced the severity of her punishment they would
make a complaint to the police. Afterwards, the beatings were
milder and less frequent, but continued. In spite of this the patient
says,"She was a very sweet mother. I never saw her with a man and
she never stayed out late at night. I never got angry at mother.
She whipped me because I done wrong and I appreciated the whippings."
The patient believes that she received satisfactory sexual
instruction from her mother: concerning reproduction the patient's
mother told her that she had faced death each time she delivered
a child. She recalls that she played with the boys in the neighborhood,
but there was no sex play. She dated infrequently and was chaperoned
each time. She states that she was not concerned whether boys dated
her. Many times boys asked her mother for permission to take her
out, but when they arrived she would hide until they left. Her first
contact with menstruation occurred when the lady for whom she worked
started to flow. The patient says, "I thought the woman's husband
had jumped on her and cut her". The woman proceeded to inform her
how she was to care for herself when her menses arrived. The

patient was aware that at certain times her mother had headaches and

~168'

"cramps”. Prior to menstruation the patient had "blind staggers”

and diczy spells periodically. When her mother noticed her confused
state she would order her to lie down until they passed away. After
she started menustratiag there were no further periodic difficulties.

The patient started school in a nursery while her mother worked
as a cook in a boarding house. Her mother reports that even at
the age of 9 she truanted frequently. In additiOn she missed a
great deal of school through various illnesses. In the ghird grade
she simultaneously acquired pneumonia, typhoid fever, and influenza.
On this occasion she was in bed for a long time. When she recovered
it seemed to her that she had to learn to walk all over again. She
returned to the hth grade, but had retained hardly any of her previous
achievements and was demoted to the "primer”. Her younger siblings
overtook and surpassed her.

After she left school, at the age of nine, she began working
for a ”white" family for pl.SO a week and she says, "That was big
money". The peOple for whom she worked took an interest in her but
took issue with some of her religious beliefs. The head of the
household taught his grand-daughter that there was no heaven or
hell. The man's ideas were disrupting to her. There were frequent
disagreements on religious beliefs between them. After the man
died she became preoccupied with his demise to the extent that she became
visually hallucinated. She describes one of these experiences in
the following manner. "I saw him after he was dead. I saw him
just a plain as I'm looking at you. I was shaking and shivering
and they calmed me down. Everybody has a good spirit and a bad

spirit. The bad Spirit keeps on wandering about after you're dead”.

169

The woman attempted to reduce her fears, but she finally quit working
for the family.

The patient states that the women in their neighborhood advised
her to marry an older man, "because they're nicer to you". Men were
scarce in her home town. Females competed fiercely with each other
for their favors. The rate of females to males was 3:1. Her personal
experience was that older men were more considerate and stable than
younger ones. She says, "Younger men jump (mistreat) on their women".

The patient was married at the age of 18. Her future husband
first saw her when she walked past him on the street. Shortly afterwards,
he asked her mother for permission to marry her. His request was
granted and that night she met him and played cards with him. At
the time of the marriage she was still playing with paper dolls. Her
husband was old enough to be her father. In fact, he may have been
slightly older than her father. Her mother told him, within her
hearing, that when be tired of her he should return her unharmed.

The patient was pleased with her marriage because she was begining
to feel rebellious against the many restrictions imposed by her
mother. For example, her mother would not allow her to attend
dances. She liked entertainment of this type. Her marriage was,

in large part, acceptable because she was certain that afterwards she
could go to dances. She ”loves" to dance and her husband permitted
her to go to dances unescorted.

Her husband was a cook in 8 CCC camp. He came home mainly
on weekends. Sexual relationships with him were satisfactory.

They engaged in intercourse every other night. The patient desired

contact every night, but was satisfied with the frequency adopted.

'170

There was no conflict concerning sexual adjustment. Shomehow, she
acquired syphilis but was not particularly upset by these circumstances.
Her husband liked to cook and prepared all of the meals when he
was home. On occasion, when he was drunk, he struck her. One time
she screamed, ran out of the room and hid behind the chimney. A man
who liced in a nearby room subdued her husband and put him in bed.
Before he awoke the next day she went to see her mother-in-law and
told her what happened. Her mother-in-law took her son aside and
reprimanded him. He came to the patient and expressed a contrite
attitude and the desire to resume their conjugal relatiOnship. His
c0ncern appeared genuine and they were reunited.

He enjoyed traveling around the country. There were many
times when he told her that he could not tolerate the c0mpany of
females and would leave her. Several times she received letters and
money from him asking her to meet him at such and such a city. For a
time she complied with his requests, "but finally", she says, "I
got tired of running around the country". When he wrote her from
another state and requested that she meet him, she refused to go.
At this time they had bought furniture in a large midwestern city and
she had anticipated that they were about to settle down. At this
point she sold the furniture and returned to her mother. Prior to
her marriage she had been told by her mother-in-law that he had
had a girl friend who accompanied him on his journeys. After
his mother died she began using alcohol excessively. Throughout the
course of their marriage her husband attempted "to teach" her how to
drink. She became "high” on several occasions. She says, "I quit because

it done me so bad. The next day my hands shook, my head hurt and I'd

171

x

, /

‘~J

be sick for two or three days”. They remained harmoniously mated in
relation to the frequency with which they engaged in coitus. There
were no instances of physical abuse.

After the last misadventure the patient left her husband and
took up residence with her mother. She claimed that she went to a
Justice of the Peace to discuss her predicament and was advised not
to initiate divorce proceedings.

Two years later, while setting on the porch, she began talking
to a man she had known only slightly. Before their conversation ended
he informed her that he was looking for a wife. The patient accepted
his prOposal and they were married. Her second husband had a daughter
a year older than the patient. He was a very industrous man. A short
time after marriage they bought two mules. He acquired and cleared
some land of timber and successfully harvested some crOps. They
began to prosper. After they were fairly well established he started
having affairs with other women. She found amorous letters written
to him by other women. He refused to go to church with her. She
describes her husband's actions in a droll manner. "He started
throwing his behind to me. He could't run after me because he was
running after other women”. They separated after "He jumped on me in
front of his girl". She immediately filed a suit for divorce and
payed the initial fee of $50.00. An agreement had been made with her
husband that he would process it from that point, but it did not
materialize. To her knowledge she is still legally married to the
second husband. .

After the separation she returned to her mother. Not long

afterward she obtained employment with a man who made and sold hot

“172”

 

it

tamales. He periodically used alcohol excessively. On such
occasions he usually was incarcerated. He was #5 years older than
she, and even though she claims that she did not like men that much
older than she, she started living with him in connubial union. They
moved to a large midwestern city when she was 37. When they arrived
there he acquired pneumonia. She nursed him night and day until he
recovered.

Their relationship began to disintegrate when they started
attending social functions together. On several occasions, she was
mistakenly taken for his daughter and the person would ask her
consort if he could date her. He became very jealous and accused her
of flirting with other men. Ultimately, he watched her every move
and forbade her to leave the house unless he was with her. One day
on her return from a visit to her mother's home he assaulted her
and cut her back with a knife. The wound was severe enough to require
attention at the city hospital. Her relatives tried to persuade her
to make a complaint against him, but she could not bring herself to
do it. Afterwards he called her and tried to make amends. He
desired reconciliation, but she was afraid of him and suspected
his motives.

As on previous occasions, when she was alone, she lived with
her mother. One day as she was carrying a bag of groceries, an
unknown man asked her if he might help her carry it home. From that
day on he made himself indispensable. He took her to the doctor's
office; sat up with her so that she took her medicine at the proper
time and ran errands. At his urging, she moved to an apartment

and she rented him one of the bedrooms. Not long afterwards he asked

“173

her to marry him and they began living together. She says, "He

had already told peOple I was his wife”. The pattern of circumstances
characteristic of her three previous attachments repeated itself in
this instance with some slight variation. Her boy friend was two
years older than she. He used alcoholic beverages excessively and
"forced" her to do the same. They sometimes drank wine, beer, and
whiskey simultaneously. She started having ”blackouts". On

several occasions she could not remember the peOple or events that
transpired in the preceding evening. Under the influence of alcohol
her boy friend became abusive and hypersexual. He would sometimes
induce her to have intercourse twice in the same night. One night
when they were in bed he choked her until her throat bled. He became
very jealous. To check on her activities, he would call her on her
lunch hour at work or while she was sleeping at two or three in the
morning. He ordered her to quit her job and threatened to leave her
if she did not. When she refused to do his bidding he beat her.

She states that he slapped her with the back of his hand and "cussed”
her. He picked her up like they do in a wrestling match and slammed
her down on the floor. In her mother's house, he struck her on the
head with a beer bottle.

She lived with that boy friend for six years. In the last
two his abusive behavior‘bacame exaggerated. The patient became
progressively more ill as time passed by. She eXperienced tremendous
amounts of nervous tension. There were many sleepless nights. Her
boy friend did not permit her to drink wine, but she managed to
substitute beer. Sometimes they drank all night. In every case,

she drank "to keep him from jumping on me". After ingesting moderate

“174"

amounts of beverages she says, "I didn't know what I was doing".

Her boy friend took advantage of his boarding house privileges.
One day she came home and found several men lying haphazardly on
the living room floor and in the bedrooms, drunk. Vexed, she
order them to leave but they refused to go unless they were directed
to do so by her boy friend.

He owed her "a lot" of money and would not pay her. The man
she worked for gave her a suit for him. He pawned it to buy liquor.
She arrived at the point where she could no longer put up with his
antics. She left him several times, but on each occasion he
persuaded her to return to the apartment. He stayed with his sister
for awhile, but she was unable to tolerate his profanity and ordered
him out.

Off and on she lived with her boy friend for approximately
six years. After the last separation, while he was putting aluminum
siding on a house, the patient went to the place and began shouting
at him. At the time he was step a ladder. When the owner of the
house demanded that the patient leave him alone the patient warned
him that "If you don't leave me alone I'll shoot you". Her boy
friend came down from the ladder and pacified her with soothing
words. That night her boy friend took her belongings to her mother's
home and left them there. That evening the patient returned to
the apartment where her boy friend was living. There, she became
involved in an argument with her boy friend's'brother's girl friend.
The patient accused her of having sex relations with her (the patient's)
boy friend. The woman closed the door on the patient and retired

into the house. The patient removed a gun from her purse; fired

—175~

one shot into the air and left. She returned later and had

obviously been drinking heavily. By that time, her boy friend was

in the house. He met her at the door. She had the gun in her hand.
He said, "You've got your pistol. You won't shoot me," and advanced
toward her. The patient fired twice and killed him.

The patient says, "I didn't want to hurt him. I loved him".

At the time of the shooting she did not believe that he was actually
dead. At one point in the sequence of events she said to him, "get
up, your not hurt". He answered, "I'm not playing I'm shot". About
her severely disrupting emotional reactions she says, "I'm this way.

I get angry one minute and then I'm over it later". She has
consistently maintained that she was continuously abused by her
common-law husband. She says, "He was mean to me, fussed, nagged, hit
and twisted my arms, he aggravated me until I couldn't stand it any
longer". She insists that the abuse resulted in nervousness, insomnia,
and intense pain.

On admission to this hospital, the patient was poorly oriented
for time, place and person. There was no indication of hallucinations
or delusions. For some time she could not grasp the name of the
hospital. She expressed a need for treatment. She could only
partially recall the incident that made hospitalization necessary.

The first several interviews were marked by uninhibited crying. She
admitted using alcoholic beverages excessively for six years but
believed that she was forced to do it by her common-law husband.

One asPect of the homicide that she remembered distinctly
was that her common-law husband had forgiven her for her destructive

act. She says, "The day I shot him everything seemed foggy. I couldn't

*176'

 

 

\.

remember it. For the last two years my drinking got worser. I
couldn't work. My husband and I fought so much. He beat me up so
much I couldn't hold a job no more". No frank evidence of psychosis
was detectable.

With the passage of time reality contacts and emotional and
social relationships improved. For the most part she appeared
cheerful and enjoyed participation in group activities. Whe became
quite gregarious. When she was informed that she was scheduled for
a re-evaluation staff conference she became tense and moderately
depressed. Afterwards, when she was informed that she was to be
returned to court, she regained her composure and cheerfulness.

Hg

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 3;.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average level,
(IQ 105). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was schizophrenic
reaction, chronic undifferentiated type.

As a child the patient was affected with a severe case of
scarlet fever. One sequels of the disease was that to this day she
is hard of hearing. There are onLy a few preschool recollections
but they are very meaningful ones. For example, on one occasion,
she was gazing with her mouth wide Open at her brother who was
standing on tOp of a hayload on a wagon. He spit into her mouth.
She eXperienced a feeling of nausea and ran into the house to tell
her mother. The latter took no disciplinary action against her brother.
Instead, she seemed amused and laughted about the incident.

During that age period her brother exposed his penis to her.

He tried to impress her with the distance he could urinate. She was

~177-

remember it. For the last two years my drinking got worser. I
couldn't work. My husband and I fought so much. He beat me up so
much I couldn't hold a Job no more". No frank evidence of psychosis
was detectable.

With the passage of time reality contacts and emotional and
social relationships improved. For the most part she appeared
cheerful and enjoyed participation in group activities. Whe became
quite gregarious. When she was informed that she was scheduled for
a re-evaluation staff conference she became tense and moderately
depressed. Afterwards, when she was informed that she was to be
returned to court, she regained her composure and cheerfulness.

‘Hg

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 3;.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average level,
(IQ 105). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was schiZOphrenic
reaction, chronic undifferentiated type.

As a child the patient was affected with a severe case of
scarlet fever. One sequels of the disease was that to this day she
is hard of hearing. There are only a few preschool recollections
but they are very meaningful ones. For example, on one occasion,
she was gazing with her mouth wide Open at her brother who was
standing on top of a hayload on a wagon. He spit into her mouth.
She eXperienced a feeling of nausea and ran into the house to tell
her mother. The latter took no disciplinary action against her brother.
Instead, she seemed amused and laughted about the incident.

During that age period her brother exposed his penis to her.

He tried to impress her with the distance he could urinate. She was

~177-

intrigued by his phallic behavior and tried to urinate in an
upright position. She even measured the length of her flow but
recalls her disappointment at her inability to surpass his achievement.
These transactions influenced her to want to be a boy. Her brother
perceived her need to compete with him and duped her into thinking
that if she would drink his saliva through a straw she would become
a boy. He told her that if she did as he requested she would grow

a penis. She wanted in vain for the transformation to take place.
Feelings of envy were also aroused by her desires to possess her
brother's toys. She was particularly facinated by his train. An
experience, highly pleasurable to her was walking around the yard in
the early morning dew with her little red boots on her feet.

Direct interactions with her father were few in number. He
provides background accents in several anxiety provoking incidents.
For example, her father and mother had many quarrels about trivial
matters. A very vivid memory concerning the behavior of her father
is exemplified in the following event. She and her brother were
watching her father pitch hay when her brother, inadvertantly, in
an attempt to help him, got in the way. Her father became furious.
He picked her brother up bodily and threw him against the wall of
the barn. Accidentally, it happened that a nail was sticking up
where his head struck the wall and it bled profusely. She considered
her father's action a "brutal” act. She still thinks that her brother
might well have been killed. There were several other incidents of
this nature between her brother and father. Once her father tried to
strike her brother on the head with a metal savings bank. By

this time her brother was physically much larger and the episode

“178

ended by his turning on his father in Open rebellion and choking
him. She was never disciplined by her father but her mother spanked
her several times. Each time the patient remembered feeling "nervous”.
There was no systematic sexual instruction by her parents or
in school. She thinks that her mother wanted to discharge her
responsibility as regards sexual education but did not quite know
how. One morning her mother motioned her to come into the bedroom
while she and her father engaged in a sexual act. The patient did
not know how to interpret what she saw, particularly since her parents
were covered with a blanket. Witnessing her father on tOp Of the
mother gave her an uncomfortable feeling. She interpreted what was
happening as "dirty" or else that her mother was being harmed.
Up to the age of twelve her brother had inapected her and
her sisters genitalia on several occasions. Once he tried to insert
his penis into her vagina but she did not permit it. She explains
that it looked so much larger than her organ that she thought that
it would "cut" her Open. At the time of her first menstrual flow
she had no knowledge about the process and she attempted to step
the flow with an Old cleaning rag that was almost perceptible to the
naked eye. At school she felt "conspicuous". When asked what she
meant by this word, she says that the examiner would feel conspicuous
too if he had a wadded rag underneath his trousers. She also believed
that she exuded an unpleasant odor.
The patient started school at the age Of 6%. There were
no overt difficulties with the children or teachers. She is reported
to have been an honor student. She graduated from high school.

Throughout the 12 years she Spent in school she had only 2 or 3 close

‘179‘

friends. Now, she thinks that one of her main difficulties during
these years was her inability to communicate with the other children.
In the presence of others she felt blocked and conversational
topics would not come to mind.

Her anxiety regarding interpersonal relationships did not carry
over into her ability to study. She does not remember resorting
to phantasy activity. She was able to apply herself with vigor to her
studies and made good grades. Although she does not regard herself
as having much musical capacity she Obtained relief of tension by
playing the violin.

On the surface her relationships with most Of her teachers
was congenial. She was most impressed by a male teacher who was
especially liked by almost all of the students. She was most
impressed by the fact that he used to play or engaged in play
activities with them. She recalls that he used to allow them to lie
on his back while sliding down hills. She considered this alot of
fun. Another teacher who struck her fancy was an individual who
used to have asthmatic attacks, sometimes during class periods. She
thought he was especially effective in explaining class material and
She felt sympathetic toward his affliction.

The patient did not start to date until the age of 16. At
that time she went out with two boys simultaneously. With the Older
one she went more places, i.e., shows, car riding and recreational
activities. He only attempted to seduce her on one occasion. When
she protested that his efforts were unwelcome he was easily disuaded
to step. The younger suitor was nearer her age, more sexually aggressive

and blonde like her brother. On one occasion, they went for a ride.

..180-

During the course of the outing they got out of the car and engaged
in some heavy necking. He induced her to lay on tOp of him while

he lay prone. Afterwards they re-entered the car and he started
"getting fresh with me". They petted heavily for some time then,
abruptly, there is no recollection for the remainder of the ride.
She says that she had the feeling that someone in back of her struck
her in the head with a rock or brick or something. She did not

gain consciousness again until they arrived at her home. She
denies, even now, that a sexual act took place. However, even at
the present time this issue has remained a conflicting one. At the
time she discussed the event in group therapy she strongly resisted
the probability that sex took place. When she is psychotic he is
the center of intense sexual conflict. She graduated from high school
at the age of 18. For a year prior to her marriage she worked as a
clerk in a nearby city.

At the age of 17, while attending a movie with a girl friend,
she met and immediately liked her future husband. There were pre-
marital sexual relationships but she regards this as justifiable
because he had promised to marry her. Her husband eventually'became
a factory worker. There were no severe financial difficulties. They
lived in a small town for about 5 years. During this period she had
three abortions. Two of them were at a fetal stage. The third one
lived for about three quarters of an hour but was severly deformed
in the chest and the abdomen. She regards the last abortion as
stemming from having painted a room. As an afterthought, she recalls
that she fell down a flight of stairs.

In this period she became attracted to the Jehovah's Witnesses.

~131~

She claims that she never became a member of this cult but that she
enjoyed studying with them. It was her parents' Observation that she
was strongly influenced by them. They attempted to discourage her
participation in that group's activities. One of the tenets derived
from that group was that she should strive to practice the life and
works of Christ. The latter should be foremost in her thoughts,
conversation and interactions with peOple in everyday relationships.

The patient dates the onset of ideas of reference to the early
part of their residence in a large city. In a period of about
two years she was convinced that her neighbors did not like her.
However, she did not venture out of the house to make herself
accessible to them. Her husband, although not eSpecially outgoing,
talked freely with the neighbors. The patient was aware that they
responded to him with much more warmth than they did her. She
began wondering why she could not participate in neighborhood activities
and started thinking that perhaps she was different from others.
Several times she inspected her facial features painstakingly in the
mirror for telltale signs of the thing in her that was "different"
but she could find none.

Shortly after the successful delivery of her first child she
went to church. After they were ushered into one of the pews she
Observed that the peOple sitting in the other half of it arose and
moved to a different one. She infered that the peOple had changed
seats because of status considerations. Her feelings were so hurt
by the experience that she did not attend church again until her
commitment. She considered that she was in competition with her

husband for the love of their children. She was certain that their

’182'

children loved her husband better than they did her. She tried in
many ways to win their children over completely, especially by
helping them with their homework, but to no avail. She believed

that the children in the neighborhood disliked her and on one occasion
when rocks were thrown in their yard she thought that they had been
aimed at her.

The patient was admitted to a state hospital in Januray, l95h.
She had diSplayed mental symptoms since about 19h6. She had difficulty
sleeping at night, somatic complaints, and became delusional and
hallucinated. During this time she frequently accused her husband
of infidelity. There were several separations. Divorce was contemplated
several times. According to her husband he dated occasionally while
they were separated, but not otherwise. According to her mother the
patient's husband frequently had been unfaithful. Her mother reported
that he worked steadily but had not provided enough income for basic
necessities Of the children. They were frequently hungry. He left
her alone a great deal of the time. Her mother's impressions were
partially confirmed by a neighbor.

In relation to the patient's illness, however, her husband
seemed to have much more insight than her mother. Most of the time
the patient was extremely hostile to her mother and younger sister.
Prior to her admission she talked about suicide, killing her husband
and children, was mute and refused to eat. Her suicide attempt
consisted of placing a metal utensil in the potato salad so that it
would become toxic through the develOpment of ptomaine. She actually
ate a large quantity of the spoiled food. The patient became quite

ill; had a severe case of diarrhea but did not die. She was

”183'

 

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hallucinated and pregnant at the time she was committed to the
hospital. Auditory hallucinations insistently advised her to kill
her child. The "voices" explained that her mental condition would
cripple him and he would hear voices too. Prior to this time she
had fallen down the stairs. Her child was born three or four months
later. Her child had a severe stomach defect and it died shortly
afterward.

On admission to the hospital her physical and neurological
examinations were essentially negative but she continued to be
delusional, hallucinated and hostile. Her diagnosis was schiZOphrenic
reaction paranoid type. Within four months, in part, to avoid delivery
Of her child at the hospital, her husband requested her return home on
convalescent status. The request was denied but she received a
series of brief visits. After the birth of a baby girl convalescent
status was again requested and refused because the patient continued
to be psychotic. She was felt to be hazardous to the welfare of her
children. Superficial improvement brought about convalescent status
in July, 195h. She returned about a year later, having made a rather
poor adjustment. In the next several months several home visits
were permitted. These were superficially successful. Her husband,
however, indicated that she had again attempted suicide; continued
to be suspicious of the neighbors and had poor eating and sleeping
habits. She had become maniacal several times and broke windows,
dishes and furniture. Her husband continued to believe that for the
most part he could cOpe with her. She became psychotic again but
refused to return to the hospital. Her husband did not force the

issue until she made some more suicide attempts and an elOpement from

..184.

home. Even at that point he was hesitant to return her. He finally
did so with the help of the sheriff's department. About a month
prior to her return she had become hallucinated.

For several months she continued to make a poor adjustment. Among
her more striking delusions were the beliefs that she was a beast
and that she had more power than God. At the insistence of her
husband for leaves of absences, and some improvement associated with
medication, she was again placed on convalescent status in September
1955. She made a fair adjustment until she was taken Off of
medication by her family physician. By March Of 1956 many of her
former symptoms had returned and she was considered to harbor destructive
impulses to herself and to her children. She created Open disturbances
in the neighborhood. The people began to complain to her husband.

She was returned again in September, 1956.

In the next three years there were a series of visits,
convalescent leaves and identical symptom formation until July, 1959,
when she was granted her last convalescent leave from that hospital.
The last item of information received by the heapital was in December,
1959, when her husband wrote that the patient was having difficulties
with bizarre ideas but that it was not "serious". He wondered
about stronger medication. He was advised to consult with his family
physician concerning it.

After the latter events the patient became more acutely
disturbed. Delusions and hallucinations were expressive of deep
lying conflicts as regards sex and aggression. Early anxiety related
to childhood experiences about sex was reflected in statements that

when she was two years Of age her mother brought John Payne into her

"185'

n-‘

bedroom, propped her feet on a block of wood and encouraged him into
"whoreing her". She says her little body was split and the seraphs
took it to heaven where she stayed for a short time and then returned
to earth. She had been buried alive when she was a child and now
she was God. She accuses her father of "whoreing" with her when
she was two years old, and "my mother whored with my brother".

The idea Of killing her husband was closely related to the
boy friend who had attempted and perhaps engaged in sex with her in
the back seat of the car. She insisted that she killed her husband
because he did not believe veices had directed her to kill a former
boy friend whom she believed to be sexually involved with her mother.
A slightly different version was that her former boy friend was "going
to come into my house, unlock my door and take me out to where with
me". Again, that this man was trying to kill her, and that she wanted
to kill him but her husband would not let her.

When she was 39 she became obsessed with destructive thoughts.
One day she shot her husband with a deer rifle in the chest as he
walked from the kitchen into the living room. At the time of the
shooting the children were in the bedroom watching TV. Later they
told the officers that, initially, they thought the shots were on
TV. They asked, "Is dad dead?” Immediately after the shooting the
patient went to a neighbor woman. The lady eXplained that the
patient came to her and said "I have just shot my husband; call the
police". She claimed, at that time, that she shot him because he
wanted to send her back to the state hospital. She verbalized many
other delusions and hallucinations.

The patient was admitted to this hospital at the age Of 39.

“186-

She appeared as a small attractive, 39 Year old female. She looked
somewhat younger. When questioned, she invariable flew into a
temper tantrum and shouted a steady stream of psychotic material
at the examiner. Her tension and hostility seemed to build up during
the interview. She assumed aggressive bodily postures. She stated
that she knows that Robert Taylor and John Payne (movie actors) were
at the hospital because she could see them in the interview. She
could also hear their voices and all sorts of other peOple's voices
coming through the walls. She explained that she was being tortured in
this manner. She refered to herself as "God", the "Star of Bethlehem",
the "Beast", and the ”Holy Ghost". She says, "I don't suppose you
believe in it. Well, there is a beast and the beast is a woman and
the woman is me”. She vilified her mother and sister and stated
that both were at that time in California, "whoreing around with John
Payne and RObert Taylor". She kept up a continuous stream of abuse
toward almost everyone and everything. She believed that her mother
was at the time "whoreing” around in the capitol with the Governor. In
a pathetic tone she said, "My mother drains happiness from my stomach.
John Payne put me here with his films. Mother wants everyone to
worship her instead of me. I was buried alive with Valentino". She
continued to get all sorts of telepathic messages and impulses from
various celebrities. She believed that she had a perfect right to
kill her husband. She also verbalized wanting to kill her children
in order to prevent them from growing up in such an immoral world.

On the ward she was quiet and kept to herself unless approached
by the other patients. She refused to take medication. However,

she expressed ideas that attendants and physicians were persecuting

~18?»

her. They had attempted to chloroform her. Staff members were
carrying on with various members of her family.

At the time of psychological testing she confided to the
examiner that the hospital chaplain was making derogatory statements
about her. She pulled her dress above her knees and remarked that
the last time she had done that the nurses had threatened to cut
her legs Off. Attendants were plotting against her day and night.

A butcher from her home town wanted to cut her in pieces. Her
father had had sex relations with her since she was a child. In
addition, there were variations of the sexual and religious delusions
previously noted. She became progressively more disorganized and
maniacal and had to be led away by an attendant.

The patient remained hallucinated and delusional for about
a year. In the interim she was given a course of electroshock
treatments but the symptoms did not abate. She claims total amnesia
for the first two months of her commitment. Psychotic symtoms were
markedly reduced when she was placed on tranquilizers and group
psychotherapy. There is still undue dependence on religious
activities. That is, she believes that prayer brings about "cures
of physical illnesses". Several months ago she develOped difficulties
in swallowing. She was able to ingest liquids but not solids. She
was discussing her personal problems in the group and had talked
about frigidity and her occasional orgasm as a result of fellatio.
This matter was interpreted as being related to her symptom. She
subsequently reported that the problem had practically dissapeared

but attributed the success to prayer.

“188

The patient was 38 years of age at the time of commitment.
She is #5 years Old at the present time. She attained an eighth
grade education. Intelligence is at the dull normal level (IQ 86).
Diagnosis was sch:Ophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated type.
The patient was born in another state. Her mother died in
a state mental hospital when the patient was about two years of age.
She was hospitalized with dementia praecox. She is reported to
have been promiscuous and to have used alcoholic beverages excessively.
There is indication that the patient and her sister were placed
with an aunt prior to their mother's hospitalization. Her mother
did not want them. The patient and her sister lived with these
relatives up to the age of lh. Her first feelings about relationships
with her aunt and uncle were that she was taken care of very well and
that she felt loved. She recalls that her aunt and uncle helped
them with their homework and, on occasions, took them on picnics.
Her father, a cab driver, lived just around the corner at a YMCA.
He saw them every day, if only for a half hour. In her father's
case too, the patient felt loved. However,the time spent with her
father was extremely limited. The patient regards her father as "nice”
and calm and, as far as material goods are concerned, he gave her
everything she wanted. The patient speaks of her father in only
positive terms and relates that once he found a wallet containing
$500.00 in the cab. When he returned it to the owner the latter gave
him the whole sum as a reward for his honesty.
The patient was reared largely by her aunt. It was her aunt

who made arrangements for church attendance and provided the major

“189'

socializing influences. The principle tenents were the following:
not to use profane language, not to talk in a loud unladylike voice,
not to chew gum, not to go to dances or use lipstick. She was
given no information regarding sex. When she was first asked to
talk about her affectional relationship with her aunt, she reasoned
that if her aunt fed her three times a day, kept her clean, and
sent her to school, she must have loved her. The patient is bilingual.
Italian was used more extensively than English in her home.
Nostalgically, she expresses a desire to return to an Italian
community where she will feel welcome and at peace.

She entered a Catholic school at the age of 5. As long as
she went to the Catholic school she received average grades. She
was taught by nuns, liked them, and did everything in her power to
please them. For awhile she was a monitor. Later on, the reasons she
cannot recall, she went to two or three different schools and had to
repeat the 6th and 7th grades. She did not consider the academic
content intellectually difficult. She says, "NO, I repeated them
because I did not apply myself enough”.

She first became aware of the signifiance of the loss of
her mother on account of the critical innuendoes of the other pupils.
They often expressed in her hearing that they had "real" mothers.
She reacted to their remarks with feelings of loneliness. She says,
"I felt motherless. It's not a very good feeling. You feel different
than the other members Of a group”. She made active efforts to
substitute her aunt for her mother but was not successful. She
was preoccupied with these thoughts when she was supposedly studying.

She claims that she was never eXpelled from school but drOpped out

“190‘

,wOf"

after completing the 8th grade. She did not return because her father
agreed that she should go to work.

At the age of 1h, she took a temporary job baby sitting for
an aunt and uncle. Her uncle seduced her. They had sexual
relationships several times. The situation came to light when her
aunt became suSpicious about their relationship. She surprised them
in their bedroom when she was supposed to be at work. Her uncle
tried to restrain her from coming into the bedroom but she managed to
enter and shot him fatally. Just prior to her aunt's entry, her
uncle hurried her down the back stairs and she escaped. The patient
exclaims,"She was like a madman, and she was intenting to shoot me
too".

Her intense fear and nearness to death overwhelmed her. Shortly
afterwards she experienced a severe and acute psychotic breakdown.
She was taken to the city hospital where she received electroshock
therapy. Later, she was sent to juvenile court for a short period
Of time. While there, she discovered that she was pregnant and
subsequently aborted. After the miscarriage, she was committed
to a state hospital where she remained for approximately two years.

At about the age Of 16, she was placed on convalescent status
by the hospital and took up residence with her father. Her sister
introduced her to a young man and they went on dates as foursomes.
Within a year she fell in love with him; became involved sexually
and became pregnant again. She started to deliver her baby while
taking a bath at home. After the birth of her daughter, the father
attempted to force the young man to marry her at the point of a gun,

but the father of her child refused. Afterwards, he refused to talk

"191‘

 

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with her face to face. In time, she managed to converse with him
over the phone, but he explained that he did not have any money and
could not maintain a marriage. He went into the service almost
immediately afterwards. Her daughter was placed out for adoption.
The patient knew the peOple who took her daughter. She visited her
when she was two, four and eight years of age. On these occasions
she brought her clothes and money.

Her father remarried about the time the patient was 18. The
patient disliked her stepmother and attributes her sterilization to
her stepmother's influence. A reliable report indicates that her
father was in substantial agreement with the sterilization procedure.
He told the patient that her stepmother had suggested it. She says,
"I'll never forgive dad for letting her talk him into it". The
patient is very sensitive about her sterility. In a quavering
voice she remarks, "You're just a half woman if you can't have
children. Men don't want to marry you if they know you're sterile".

After the foregoing experience she again became severely
disturbed and was committed to a state hospital. For several years
she was constantly preoccupied with her father's adjustment. Sne
would leave the hospital under unauthorized conditions to see her
father. At the hospital she was working at the staff house waiting
at tables. The latter placement afforded her a fairly good income.
Sne had as much money as she needed to live comfortably and was as
well dressed as anyone at the hospital. In addition, her income was
supplemented by her father so that she always had 50 or 60 dollars
spending money at her diaposal. Her father continually made efforts

to have her returned to the community, but the doctors would not permit

.. 192.

her to return to court for a sanity readjudication.

Throughout her stay at the hospital she was very lonesome
for her father. She says, ”I just adored my dad. He gave me
everything I wanted. I couldn't stay away from him. I just had to
see what he was doing". Until about the age of 21 she eloped many
times from the hospital ostensibly to see her father, but was always
returned.

During this period she recalls that she was becoming bored.
She longed to see the world and have a good time. One day she
decided to leave the state. The hospital is situated on a busy highway.
The latter circumstance facilitated her securing an automObile ride
to another state.

As soon as she arrived at her destination there she went to a
tavern. She had lots of change that she had received in tips at the
hospital. A man sitting on the stool next to her began talking to
her and changed it into bills. Before the evening ended she went
to bed with him at his hotel. The man turned out to be a salesman
about 23 years older than she. He and his brother worked as a
team in the field Of novelties. She describes him as an alcoholic
who drank from the time he got up in the morning till he went to
sleep at night. The salesman's brother disapproved of her and she
thinks that he continually tried to separate them. She says, "He
thought I was after him for his money".

They lived together somewhat compatibly for about 11 years.
They shared similar attitudes about living in general. They both
worked during the day and spent almost every evening in some tavern.

They had a mutual understanding that their lives were their own. If

“193”

another man attracted her he would not make an issue if she chose
to engage in intercourse with him. She acquired gonorrhea twice
while living with him. On her part, as long as he returned to her,
she was not concerned if he dated other woman.

At this juncture the patient is somewhat confused about the
prOper sequence of events. It appears that her consort's father died.
He was called home to be present at the settlement Of the estate.

She did not want him to leave. They became involved in an altercation
that ended when she stabbed him with a knife. She states that it
happened so long ago that she cannot remember the details. But

at the time, she felt he was against her. She believed that he
threatened her day and night and that she had a right to protect
herself. She became acutely disturbed and was committed to a state
hOSpital. She later learned that his brother killed him as an
aftermath of the settlement Of the father's will.

A year later, she was deported to the state hospital in her
home state. She escaped within a year and returned to another state.
A year later she was arrested for illegal cohabitation and placed
on a year's prObation. In the next several years she lived with
several men, at least five, for varying periods of time. She was
very promiscuous sexually in this period and there is some indication
that she engaged in prostitution. She was arrested a second time,
approximately 10 years ago, for aggravated assault. She was arrested
while fighting with another woman in a bar. The patient cut the other
woman with a knife. The fight stemmed from a flirtation between the
patient and the woman’s husband. On investigation it was found

that the patient was not the aggressor so the case was dismissed.

~194'

About four years before her present commitment, she began
living with a man who Operated a truck stOp. He was 21 years her
senior. Her relationship with this man underwent many vissicitudes.
From her standpoint their relationship was far from perfect but she
had companionship and a place to live. This state Of affairs was
placed in jeopardy when he threatened to leave her. She describes
the four year relationship in the following manner: There had been
much disharmony and disagreement between them. He would frequently go
out with other women and drank excessively. While under the influence
of alcohol he was physically abusive and would make derogatory remarks
against her family and religion.

One day, after he struck her numerous blows, she escaped
from him; took a steak knife and hid in a clothes closet. He
continued looking all over the house for her, but could not find her.
Then, she thought she heard him go out of the house with a colored man.
At this point she came out of the closet but he was still there. He
informed her that he was going to leave her until she became calmer.
At his last remark she became infuriated and called him a ”nigger
lover". She was full of feelings of hate because of the way he
belittled her family and religion. She stabbed him one time in the
upper chest. After this, she felt a wave of panic and ran out
of the apartment. She was apprehended within a short time. After
court and psychiatric procedures she was committed to the hospital
as insane.

In the hospital, the patient appeared as a short, rather dumpy
female whose voice was harsh and hostile. When asked about the
circumstances surrounding her commitment, she said contemptuously,

"Hell yes, I stabbed the son-of-bitch". Then , she questioned whether

‘195‘

she had killed him. She believed that he had just pretended to be
dead. She expressed the opinion that the police were trying to
"frame me". In a very defensive way, she said, "He stuck the knife
in deeper to make the police think I did it all myself".

She tended to ramble and was easily distracted. In the earlier
interviews her verbalizations were loaded with Obscenities. Although
she had never seen any girls there she believed that the dead man
had turned the bus stOp into a whorehouse. She found women's panties
in the basement where he had undoubtedly hidden them. She thought
that he surreptitiously removed them when he heard her coming. She
became extremely angry and shouted when she told about his having
had relations with other women and adds vehemently. "He was kissing
their pussies too. I know it because I have an acute sense of smell".
She admitted belligerently that she prostituted herself on the Suggestion
of her consort.

She gave several different versions of her motives for the
killing. Her first rationalization was that he was going to kill her
so that she would not be able to report his "whorehouse activities".
Later, she indicated that the set had originated because of her
jealousy of his attention to other women. She finally was able to
admit that he had threatened to leave her and she was going to be
left without a place to stay.

After being placed on medication, the patient became
therapeutically approachable. She consented to attend group therapy.
For several sessions she appeared merely to vegetate and made
minimal contributions to group discussions. Psychomotor behavior

was extremely sterotyped and rigid. Emotional expression was almost

”196“

entirely absent. In the next few weeks there was even more severe
decompensation and she discontinued group activity for several

months. Hindsight suggested that she had been undergoing a catatonic
state from which she made a dramatic recovery. When she returned to
the group she had lost approximately 30 pounds, was obviously reacting
with apprOpriate affect, and verbalized, even if only on a superficial
level, before and after group sessions. She also asked to be allowed
to join Alcoholics Anonymous.

As part of democratic group procedures, when she was requested
to discuss her personal problems in the group, she consented. She
strongly resisted discussing ego involving material. Most Of the
traumatic experiences incorporated into the body of the report were
not related in the group, but came to light in individual interviews.
After being granted outside privileges, she broke away from the
group for other more satisfying inducements.

The patient's therapeutic activities are grossly contaminated
by transference needs. That is, at least in part she came to group
therapy to gratify sexual needs evoked by the therapist on account
of his likeness to the man she killed, and probably her father. She
says, "You look a lot like Johnson, with your black wavy hair and
dark eyes”. She has become homosexually involved with a colored
girl in the group and told her that she loved her because, in some
ways, she reminded her of her daughter.

As a by-product Of her AA participation, she became amorously
entangled with a male patient at least 25 years older then herself.
Interestingly enough, that patient was committed subsequent to killing

his wife.

— 197~

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age Of 57.
She drOpped out of school after completing the 8th grade. Intelligence
is at the average level (IQ 107). She is of lower class parentage.
Diagnosis is schiZOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

The patients father apparently died before her birth. The
patient's earliest memory dates to the time when she had just
started to walk. Her family was in the process of moving. When
they reached their destination, she wondered why the gates of the
fence surrounding the house were not Opened. She asked her mother
where they were going. She has been informed that at the age of nine
months, while living on a farm in Florida, her mother met her
stepfather and married him. At the age Of four, she recalls that
she was more interested in her stepfather than her mother. She loved
him very much. They got along better than most children with their
real.fathers. The harmonious relationship with her stepfather lasted
until he died, when she was 30 years of age. She says, "I guess I
needed a father. He was very nice. He seemed to think I was more
his child than his own child. He spoiled me. Anything I wanted,
I had to have. I was his favorite". Her stepfather played with
her and her toys a great deal. On a great many occasions, her
stepfather rocked her to sleep; dressed and undressed her, and cooked
for her. He maintained an affectionate relationship with all of
the family members.

Up to the time that her first stepsister was born, the patient
slept with her mother. After that, the infant took her place. She

says, "I had a fit because she was going to sleep where I'd been

'198

sleeping". Adjustment to the new arrival was rapid. Within a
short time she thought Of her half sister as "my baby". When her
mother left the home to work in the fields, she took her Older
sister along. Consequently, the patient was required to take care
of the child.

The patient remembers that, prior to starting school one night,
their home burned almost completely. The fire took place after her
stepsister was born. She believes that the fire was started by
someone outside the immediate family. The patient does not recall
that any difficulties existed between their family and any of the
neighbors.

After the patient moved from her mother's bedroom, she slept
with her sister. She had been constipated from a relatively early
age and was aware that her sister felt sorry for her. When her
mother gave her cathartics to promote defecation, her sister ingested
them in her place. Her sister's act reacted on the patient in much
the same way as if she had taken the tablet. To emphasize the
closeness of her relationship to her sister, the patient states that
in l9h0 she had a tumor in her uterus removed by x-ray. At the
same time and although she did not have a tumor, her sister develOped
pain in her stomach. In the meantime, the patient's sister has
develOped a tumor and she (the patient) has had stomach-aches.
Although the sister has not had her tumor removed, they both have
a dark spot in the same place. The dark pigmentation appeared on
the patient after the x-ray removal of the tumor. Her sister became
mentally ill at about the same time that she did. There were six

other sisters, but the patient does not remember anything significant

“199‘

about her relationship with them.

The patient does not recall starting school formally but
had attended with her sister since about the age of three. Concerning
these early years, she says, "I learned to count on my fingers and
the ABCs". Her sister resented her presence and would oftentimes
pinch her. At such times the patient would, for no apparent reason,
start crying. ‘When their teacher heard the noise she asked the
patient to explain, but she did not dare to reveal the real reason
for her tears. The patient is unwilling to admit that her interpersonal
relations with the other children in school were unsatisfactory. She
relates the following incident which illustrates her tendency to
rationalize her conflicts. "I used to fight with kids bigger than
me. It happened when we were out in the woods gathering lilies for
Easter. A girl larger than I would snatch my flowers and call me
'names. I told her to stop and when she didn't, I beat her up".
The girl told the teacher about it. The teacher told the girl that
if she allowed herself to be beaten up by someone smaller than
herself it was allright. The patient liked history the best of
all her academic subjects.

Her mother died when the patient was eight. A maternal
aunt claimed all Of her mother's children. Her stepfather kept
his own child. The patient was adopted by an aunt and uncle and
lived with them for three years. An older sister went to live with
her eldest sister. She did not see her stepfather again until
the age of 20. The patient considers the time she stayed with her
aunt, uncle and their two children as pleasant. She remarks,

"They were very nice peOple". Her cousins were quite a bit Older

’200“

 

 

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than she; the younger one was fourteen and the other one almost

a young man. She did not associate with them to any great extent.
She was given her own bedroom. Her uncle did not take the place

of her stepfather, but she liked him. She says, "NO one could

take his place except my own father". In the three years that she
lived with this aunt, she only went to school two or three weeks.
She had been in the second grade prior to moving to her aunt's,

but was demoted to the first after the transfer. While living with
her aunt, she worked in the fields; i.e., she picked cotton,

heed corn, dug potatoes, cut cane, etc. This type of work appealed
to her. For recreation, she played with children from a neighboring
farm. The game she most remembers is "hide and go seek".

There was very little discipline in that home. She recalls
being "Spanked" once by her aunt because she did not inform her
about an act of theft she witnessed by one of the farm hands. Once,
her uncle threatened to discipline her too. As regards her feelings
about the actual discipline, she says, "I didn't resent it or

appreciate it".

At the age of 11, she went to live with another aunt. The

latter was to be Operated upon and the patient was needed to do

the housework. Both her aunt and uncle worked all of the time.
While the patient remained there, she performed most of the domestic
chores. Life with her second aunt was more pleasant and they owned
a comfortable home. She was expected to attend school and
eventually attained an eighth grade education. The patient received
no sexual information and was not involved in 8 Specifically sexual

experience up to the age of 12. She states that she may have been

~201—

aware of male-female sex differences, but did not actually see
the genitals of a male until that time.

From a relatively early age, the patient recalls attending
Methodist church services and going to sleep on her mother's lap. She
enjoys and has participated consistently in church activities. She
relates an experience associated with religious circumstances of a
most peculiar nature. She says, "My sister, aunt and I were riding
through a woody section on our way to church, when I saw the
superintendent of the Sunday School on horseback on his way home. We
would get a whipping if we were late. When we got there (at the church)
he was already there. (If she saw him on the way to his home, he could
not have been at the church at the time stipulated). We were going
by a place where a man's home, that had been killed, burned down".
Afterwards, it was pointed out that events in the order cited could
not have occurred. Her aunt and sister did not see anyone at the
time she did. The incident was explained with the statement that
she had seen a ghost. She says, "I don't believe in ghosts”.

The patient regarded herself as superior to her classmates
in most reapects. At the first school she attended she was held up
as an example because of the diligence she exhibited in carrying
wood and the cleanliness and neatness of her attire. In the second
school she excelled in Spelling matches. She considered herself the
”head of the class". In both schools, the other children resented
her. When she was in the fourth or fifth grade, her classmates
started expressing their animosity toward her by fabricating "false
stories" about her. "They invented lies”. They circulated sexual

anecdotes about her and some of the boys. They linked her romantically

to one of the boys and called him her boy friend. Her brother bought
her a bicycle but the pupils attributed it to a man with whom she
had been seen. They started rumors that the man was having sexual
relations with her. She denies that she was romantically involved
with the man and says, "I tried not to think or be associated with
him in any way". It was said that the only reason she was surpassing
the others in school marks was that a boy was coaching her with
her lessons. She adds that her teacher liked her very much. She
was the only child who could make a bed to her mother's satisfaction.
From this time on, school associations were regarded as unpleasant.
Concerning sexual instruction, she says that "families didn't
tell you about sex”. She received sexual information from her second
aunt. She explained the reproductive function of intercourse and
familiarized her with the nature of mensturation. Prior to the time she
menstruated, she knew it would happen every month and what measures
should be taken to manage it satisfactorily. There has been some
pain connected with menstruation on an infrequent number of
occasions.
Between the ages of lb and 15, she had three boy friends.
They ranged in age from 22 to 28. The patient was married at the age
of 15. The patient will not commit herself regarding the
undercurrents precipitating her marriage. There was an agreement that
she would pursue her academic develOpment. The school authorities
agreed to her return to school after marriage. She says, "I wouldn't
have married him otherwise. I didn't know whether I loved him or
not".

On the day Of the wedding, she tried to hide but her fiancee

'-203

found her and told her that if she married him she could go to school.
If she did not, she would never see him again. Afterwards, he

and his aunt discussed the matter and decided that she should not
attend classes. She was advised about their decision and expected

to Obey. His aunt did not believe that a married woman should go to
school and told the patient that the other pupils would tease her
about being married. She says, ”I was more angry at his aunt than
him". There were recurrent argumeits about the school issue. He
subsequently promised to allow her to secure training at an industrial
school, but subsequently reversed his commitment.

Her husband selected and bought her wearing apparel. He liked
"Old-fashioned clothes". To justify his purchases, he would say that
he could not afford the dresses she wanted. She used to cry because
she was forced to wear clothing she disliked. She says, "He made
me feel like a child and I had nothing to say about it". She
was told by a man that a coat she were made her look like a bear and
that in a particular hat she looked twice her age. The patient believed
that her husband was obsessed with the idea that she wanted to
enhance her sex appeal. She denies harboring such motives. She did
not want to dress fashionably to heighten her sex appeal. She says,
"Other peOple do, but not me".

Several years after her marriage, for three or four years,
she experienced digestive difficulties. There were other ”Spells
of illness". At times she felt that she would not live. Milk and
water were the only substances she could retain in her stomach. After
she finished household chores and sat down quietly, she would lose

consciousness. "Therefore”, she says, "I kept moving all the time to

-204-

stay awake . Finally, she went to stay with a sister for two or
three months and the symptoms disappeared. She is able to pinpoint
her first fainting spell. It occurred at the time of a visit to her
sister, when one Of her sister's children awoke and ate soil out

of a flower pot.

While discussing her illness with her sister, she expressed
the Opinion that the patient had been poisoned by an "admirer" of
her husband. The patient suSpected her husband of infidelity but then
"most men are unfaithful. I was sure he loved me. But there are
a lot of things that can happen to disrupt any marriage". About a
year before his death, he went to a southern state to work for several
months. After his return, he remained ill until his death. Several
times throughout their marriage and for no apparent reason, her
husband would leave her for periods of time ranging from two days
to three months.

When her husband was away, she dated and engaged in sex
relations with other men. She says, "This is just a natural occurrence.
It depends on the attitude of your marriage partner. I would not
argue with him about other women, but he would with me about other
men". When a woman persisted in sitting next to him in church,
she became resentful and assulted her verbally and physically.

Subsequent to her husband's death, she remained single for
twelve years. She tried various forms of employment. Economically,
she maintained herself satisfactorily. She attended night school
but did not graduate from high school. There were many boy friends,
and no sexual frustration. Concerning remarriage, she says, "I didn't

want to get married. I loved my first husband and I couldn't love

“ 205

another man”. Two of her boyfriends requested to live common-law
with her in her apartment, but she did not permit it. At about
the age of 30, her stepfather and his family lived with her for three
or four months until they found another dwelling place. Shortly
afterwards, she took in a female roommate. During this period, she
unexpectedly felt a pain in her groin. It started just as if someone
had stabbed her and lasted for two months. A doctor diagnosed her condition
as a fibroid tumor. A boy friend took her to a white fortune teller
who told her she had been poisoned. The woman told her boy friend
to give her a particular type of patent medicine and the pain left
immediately. In that two month period, she lost 20 pounds.

In 1939 she began dating the brother of her roommate. It
was this woman that her sister had suspected of poisoning the patient.
The man was aware that his sister had attempted to kill the patient.
While she was dating him the patient always asked to be informed
when he saw his sister so that she could be on guard. This man
finally married someone else. Later, his wife became ill, just like
the patient had previously, and died.

In 1937 she was living with another female roommate and they
began having difficulties over each other's boy friends. The
patient states the matter thus: "She (the roommate) started to take
up time with my boy friend. I told her about it. Her boy friend
started dating me and she hunted me up. When she found us together,
she raised Sam". One day the patient passed by a car in which her
former roommate and her brother were sitting. The roommate jumped
out and stabbed her in the side and shoulder. The patient lost so much

blood that she was unconscious for seven hours. She came to after the

-206

suturing was completed. The aggressor was jailed almost immediately
but she complained that the patient had attacked her too. The
patient eXplains further thay they had been friends for One and One-
half years before the stabbing took place. The patient says, ”She
just leeched on me". On the day in question they had planned to
go on a picnic.

While living in that neighborhood, she became suspicious
about both the men and women. The women were jealous of her because
of her attractive appearance. They attempted to justify their
hatred of her by alleging that she was trying to lure their husbands
away. She quotes one of the neighbors as saying, "I don't blame
men for looking at her legs because they look good to me too and
I'm a woman". When the woman's daughter heard her remark, she said,
"Mother, you make me Sick".

In 1939 she met her second husband at a friend's home. They
were married four years later. Their marriage ended in two and
One-half months. Her husband's sister interfered in their marriage
and brought about its dissolution. Her husband's sister had always
managed his social and economic affairs, i.e., planned his daily
activities, apprOpriated his war ratiOn-stamp book before and after
their marriage and selected their home furnishings. The event
precipitating their initial separation was that her husband was
invited to One of his sister's parties and she believes that she
was intentiOnally excluded. She was very much embarrassed by being
left at home. Afterwards he sought her out and pleaded for a recon-
ciliatiOn, but she was unable to accept the thought Of returning to

him. Her husband Obtained a divorce On the grounds of desertion.

207

The patient describes the chain of events in the following manner:
”He had gotten to where he hated me. Through voodoo, his sister
made him hate me. She had broken up all of his marriages. I couldn't
compete with his sister, whiskey, girl friends and the woman next
door”.

From 19h3 to 19h9 there were only a few noteworthy events. In
19h? she worked in a resturant with a man who gave indications of
being attracted to her. One night he did not come to work. Afterwards,
as she was entering the living room of her apartment, someone
attempted to attack her sexually. They struggled for about twenty
minutes and awoke everyone in the immediate neighborhood. After a
particularly effective kick, he departed hastily. She says, "I
thought he was trying to kill me". She tore a ligament in her left
knee that is a source of pain even to this day.

In 19h? she became acquainted with a man, a root doctor, who
was living common-law with another woman. They talked together a
great deal about their past lives. He told her about an experience
that impressed her tremendously. When he was a young boy he and
his gang met some "high class girls". At first they were unable to
have sex relations with them, but they "put a spell" on them and had
"fun” (sex) with them until they "took the spell off". The man came
to see her one day. While sitting one step above her on the porch,
he ”did something” to the top of her head or her hair. After
the latter event, she could not stop seeing him. She says, "He
hypnotized me". Sometimes, very late at night, she would feel
compelled to get out of bed and, even though she hated every step of

the way, she would go to his house. She could not sleep; she had

'208~

to see him; hear his voice, if only for just five minutes.

Afterwards, he started asking her for money and it dawned on
her that that was all he wanted. She started feeling as though she
were losing her mind. She went to a colored man who was supposed
to be able to remove "Spells" and bought some medicine but nothing
changed. Next, she went to a Syrian establishment for consultation.
One of the women "read” for her and told her that she did not love
him. The fortune teller gave her incense to burn and smell,
instructed her to hide a gun in the house and to concentrate on
not wanting to see him. Three days afterwards he came back. He
called her but she was in bed and did not answer. She says, ”I did
not care to see him again and I have never had that desire since".
Finally, he stOpped coming. That's the most gruesome thing I ever
had happen to me. But, he was a small guy and I don't like men to
be small. When we went out together we looked like two children.
I've had trouble with men as far back as I can remember. I once
met a man who told me I was the only woman in captivity that would
run away from men".

At the age of 30, she began working in a confectionery for
a 52 year old man. After working for him a week, he tried to
"isolate” her from other men. Several months later he moved to
another state but wrote to her continually. She was not interested
in him and for a long time did not answer him. After he preposed
marriage and sent her $100.00 to come to his home town, she answered
him but did not move. Gradually, her economic condition deteriorated.
Eventually, she became ill and was even unable to afford adequate

clothing. She took stock of her situation. She was getting older

"209‘

and needed a husband to love and care for her. She believes that
the marriage proposal was God's way of providing a husband. In
spite of these considerations, she did not join him for a year after
she received the money.
They were not married immediately, but lived together in a
one room apartment. She describes her husband as a "terror”, He
forced himself on her sexually. On the Sunday following their marriage,
he beat her. In addition, he informed her that their landlady
was his "sweetheart". Later, her husband told her that he suspected
their landlady was trying to promote an affair between the patient
and another roomer. Their landlady wanted that woman's husband for
herself. On one occasion, her husband saw all three of them together,
i.e., the other man, the patient and the landlady. He left her
and took another apartment. Although she really did not want to
join him, she went to see him in his new location and remained there.
In a weeks time he was threatening to kill her. He was
jealous and suspicious. Even if she only went to the bathroom, she
had to give an account of her whereabouts. He accused her of "night-
clubbing" while he was at work. On his part, he continued to visit
their former landlady on the pretext of procuring their mail. He
forbade the patient to call on her. Futhermore, he spent long hours
playing poker with their landlord. One morning he went to see their
former landlady, returned to the apartment and went to sleep. She
informed him that she was leaving him and returning to a southern
state. His comment was, "Good riddance of bad rubbish". Just prior
to this time, the idea occurred to her that if the appropriate

circumstances presented themselves he would kill her. Ten days

~210-‘

 

 

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after she left he came to see her to bring her back. During his
stay he assaulted her because she permitted a passerby into their
apartment for a drink of water. Her fears about his destructive
motives toward her prompted her to refuse his offer to return to
his home. After two years of communicating and sending her funds,
she rejoined him. At about this time she received x-ray treatments
for a tumor in her uterus. A few weeks after she joined him, she
learned from a friend of his that he wanted her back so that he
could kill her. One day he took her to a municipal park on the
pretext of showing her the factory where he worked. On their
arrival at the plant they were unable to pass through the gates.
The husband knew of a tunnel through which they could pass into the
other side. As they entered the tunnel, they saw a watchman
standing at the other Opening. At the moment she saw the watchman
she received a warning from within. A voice told her that she was
in danger of being murdered. It was the Lord's work that the
man was there. She says, "I don't know why he wanted to get rid
of me. He was already rid of me when we separated”.

In the next several months they changed residence four times.
At the first place, he and their landlady attacked her. At the
next abode he became jealous of their landlord because he was
single. The succeeding lodging was a single room and they slept in
a 3/h size bed. She kept expressing a desire for a home. He
ultimately rented a house. In the process of moving, they separated.
"For some time afterwards”, she says, "He made things hot for me
with everyone he knew". She moved several times in the next year.

She believes her husband kept looking for her. She conversed with

“211“

u...“ i“ -r-—

him once over the phone but they did not reach any agreement. The
latter contact was their last. She tried to get a divorce but
had not lived in the state long enough.

In her movements around the city, she met a very heterogeneous
group of people. She became acquainted with females who lived
together. Lesbians asked her to live with them. Close contacts with
prostitutes, homosexuals, bootleggers or narcotic pushers frightened
her. Consequently, she lived a solitary existence. During this
period, there were no sexual relationships.

In one of her several nomadic shifts of residence about the city,
she met and acquired the services of a couple who, out of kindness,
moved her possessions from one location to another. However, on
the last occasion, she met a stranger who offered to do it for her.
After the task was completed, he tried to make love to her. While
V he was "mauling and kissing me", she Opened the door to prevent
being forced into a sexual act. At this moment, the son of a sick
woman whom she had already met and lived in the building, came to the
door and the man left.

From the start, she and the young man enjoyed conversing with
each other. She began visiting his sick mother often. His mother
started playing cupid. More explicitly, she brought them together
at every available Opportunity. The patient began associating with
other peOple in the neighborhood. She was informed that the young
man, age 33 (the patient was 57),had spent some time in a mental
institution. Within a short time it was rumored that she was the
young man's old lady. The relationship with his mother became closer.

Soon, the patient was cooking, washing, and running errands for her.

“212

 

The patient says it was like she was ”my mother". They also talked
about the Bible. The young man's visits to her apartment became
more frequent. Although she discouraged him, he continually

tried to make love. He pressed the issue with her until she allowed
him to engage in intercourse.

The patient was sensitive to the difference in their ages.
She simulated romantic interest in another man to end the relationship.
The latter was involved in the numbers racket. Her scheme was
unsuccessful. One Saturday, the three of them shOpped together.
Late that same night, she and the young man went to a show. It was
early in the morning when they arrived at their abode and they slept
together. Later that day, his mother walked in on them and became
fully aware of the nature of their relationship. She did not wake
them up but the next time he saw her he told her that his mother had
"given him the devil". The young man's mother wrote her a letter
about the overnight situation and ”cussed me out". From this time
on, there was considerable friction and competition for the young
man’s favor between the patient and his mother.

One Sunday he asked the patient to go to churcl. When his
mother learned about it she ordered him to clean out the basement.
One night he came to discuss his mother's illness and asked her
what could be done about it. He demanded that the patient provide
more care for his mother. The patient noticed that his mother would
"pet" him more like a husband than a son. At times, the patient
suspected that he was not her son at all, but that they might be
living common-law. Once, when they were together, the patient was

seming. His mother accused her of wanting to kill her son with the

”213”

scissors she had in her hand. The patient became very upset and
attacked her. The young man also became involved in the fracas. He
cut his hand severely trying to wrest the scissors from her grasp.
The wrangling led to a plea on the part of his mother that he
discontinue his association with the patient. He told her that he
would rather leave her than the patient.

The young man appeared to be torn between the patient and
his mother. His mother was very ambivalent about the patient. The
patient says, "One week she could invite me to visit and the next
she would scream at me like a maniac”. Sometimes his mother would
ask her to pray for her and rub her hair. At others, the patient
thought she wanted her and him for sex. The patient says, "Some
women pretend younger men are their sons". One Sunday all three
had agreed to go to church together. At the last minute the patient
declined to go. Because of illness, the woman was unable to attend
too, and asked her minister to give her communion in her home. The
patient was invited to share the sacrament with her. Prior to her
minister's arrival, the lady told her that she reeked with perfume.
When the minister handed her the wine, she entertained a presentiment
not to drink it. Immediately after the services, she went to her
room, became acutely ill, and began vomiting. When the young
man came to see her she was still in the bathroom. She says, "All
my joints got weak like water and it wasn't from my own food". She
was asked by one of the roomers if the young man had poisoned her.
She never entered the woman's apartment again.

The patient questioned the young man's motives toward her

many times. Once when she ate an orange he gave her her tongue

~214‘

became a deep purple like an indelible pencil. She threw it
up. He was a large man. n occasions he would pick her up in his
arms. She was fearful that one day he would toss her out of a
window. Once he threatened to kill her if she left him. There
were times when he told her that the gas stove was turned Off
when it was not. He never made any effort to contribute toward her
support. When she brought this matter to his attention, he gave
her two dollars. A young woman lived in an apartment on the same
loor as he. The patient became very jealous of her because she
saw him in her apartment several times. One day the lady came into
the living room and asked him to zip up her dress. After this
incident she determined to ”quite him”.

A few days after that incident, she tried to terminate their
relationship. She informed him that his living with his mother
under such conflicting circumstances was very difficult for her.
She intended either to move to another apartment or to leave the
city. The next day, they went to church together and were invited
by the minister to return to another meetinc the next d y. In the
interim, she was told by his mother that he had become exgaged to
the girl across the hall and that he was ”going to cut her to bits”.
The patient asked the girl about the engagement. The girl denied
that it was true. Then she tried to see him but he was not there. She
was informed that he was at a tavern in the neighborhood. The
patient decided to confrOnt him about the several issues that were
bothering her. She took a gun she had had since ly54 because she
was afraid he would attack her in the street. After she found him,

he walked her a block or so from the house. He reassured her that

215

he was not engaged, did not want to kill her, but would be unable to
accompany her to church that evening. At this point in the

sequence of events, the young man's mother joined them. Across

the street a lady from the church was waiting to take them to the
meeting. The young man's mother admonished him about his drinking
and cautioned him not "to play with God”. The patient noticed

that both of their eyes were red and looked "awful". As the patient
was walking toward the house, the young man's mother called her a
”grey-headed so and so" and struck her. The patient struck back.
The young man joined the brawl and all three fell to the ground.

The patient recalls that he hit her too. The patients says, ”He
held me and she beat me with a stick". The fight broke up and she
started walking home. Then she felt the gun in her bosom. As they
walked along she told him that she had the gun and defied him to
take it away from her. He attempted to wrest it away, but she
pressed it to his side. She demanded that he free her. When he

did not, she shot him. As he fell to the street, she shot him a
second time.

The man's mother witnessed the shooting and taunted her to
shoot her too. The patient started running toward her and his
mother rushed off in the Opposite direction. The patient caught
up with her in a delicatessen and shot her. The patient screamed
at her to fight and hit her over the head with the gun until the
blood gushed out of her forehead. At this point she lost all desire
to fight. She felt like a drunk, hysterical person and began
walking toward her apartment. On the way she passed by the young

man who was still lying on the ground. He asked her to kiss him.

- 216

She replied that if she had another bullet she would shoot it at
him too.

On admission to this hospital, the patient was poorly
oriented for time. She was cognizant of the name and nature of the
hospital. She knew she had been sent for treatment but did not
believe she needed any. In individual interviews, she admitted
having shot at the woman but denied having hit her. She reasoned
that because of their difference in size the angle of the bullets'
penetration and passage would have had to be different from that
described in the police report. In her opinion the woman died of
a heart attack or shock. She explained that the shooting had been
done in self-defense. The woman and her son were abusing her
mentally and physically. They fed her food in the hOpe of forcing
her to prostitute. They intended to apprOpriate her insurance or
make her a Lesbian. At the time of the shooting her head felt like
it was blowing up like a balloon and she was floating on air.

Within the hospital, her social relationships have been marked
by conflict. She believes that the other patients talk about her
behind her back because of the foul odor she exudes. There have
been several altercations with other patients. The fights have
arisen in connection with meal time activities. She says, ”I get
punished for what others do to me". Currently her mental condition
is not essentially changed.

H

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 33.

She received an eleventh grade education. Intelligence is of the

dull normal level (IQ 86). She is of lower class parentage.

"217-

Diagnosis was schizoPhrenic reaction, paranoid type.

The patient was the eighth sibling in a family of nine
children. Her earliest recollection is that while she was in
kindergarten she was in bed for a whole month with scarlet fever.
She remained out of school for a long time. While she was a child,
her father ran over her tricycle w‘th his Model T Ford. She says,
”Dad said it was my fault because I left it in he driveway. I
was disappointed because he didn't see it but he repaired it".
Most of her brothers and sister married and left home while she
was cuite young. Once in awhile the patient visited a niece, the
daughter of her elder sister. While there her sister's husband's
brother took care of them, i.e., her niece and herself. One of
the visits was made during the Christmas holidays and she remembers
making excuses to go to the bathroom so that she could look for her
Christmas ”baskets”.

She and her younger sister (the patient was three years older
than her sister) were very close throughout their lives. They
slept together from a relatively early age. They were not allowed
to be out of the house after dark. If they “isobeyed this rule,
as they did on man occasiOns, her father beat them with a razor strap.
To this day, a capsule comment symboli;ing the whippines they shared
and evok’ng considerable amusement is, "Boy, did we dance that night”.
The patient estimates that they received physical discipline with
the ra or strap about once a week. Another circumstance that irritated
her father considerably and called for punishment was any noisy behavior
On their part while they were in their bedroom. She says, ”Dad was

a man of few words". If they misbehaved while their father was away,

218

her mother always succeeded in bringing them back in line by
threatening to tell their father about it. She rarely reported them
to him.

As indicated her father was a strict authoritarian and
punitive individual, but he was a very good provider. Her father
went to work every morning at four o'clock at a General Motors
foundry. She says, "He made the most of everything". For example,
he kept a garden and raised most of their vegetables and some of
their fruit; he made all household repairs and even soled and
heeled their shoes. He did all of the shopping. One very pleasurable
memory associated with him is that he always brought them candy.

The children were required to pay room and board as soon as they were
financially able.

As a child, the patient loved her mother more than her
father. Nonetheless, her mother demonstrated certain behaviors
which were questionable to the patient. Her mother was very strict
about their wearing apparel. If the clothing was sexually attractive
the mother would not permit its use. She was very particular about
their social relationships. The patient was not allowed to play
with a child who lived across the street. Subsequently, it was
disclosed that the youngster was illegitimate. They were not allowed
to date boys unless they were chaperoned.

The patient did not receive sexual instruction from her parents.
She Obtained most of her initial knowledge from the neighborhood
children. She recalls that a large number of youngsters from the
vicinity used to go to a nearby field to play. On occasion, they

played cards, "strip poker". After some of them were completely

’219"

unclothed the boys would lay on the girls. She says, "I was bashful
and didn't do it, but I learned how". At home, they were not allowed
to wear a slip in the presence of her father. Her oldest sister

was the first to eXplain sexual matters to her systematically. The
patient says, ”Peeple from the old country didn't understand talking
about sex. Many mothers don't sit and talk to their daughters

about it. It's like they're ashamed of it" Her sister prepared

her for menstruation. In the 10th grade, 8 boy in school asked

her what "the virgin" had for breadfast. She did not know what he
meant by "virgin". Afterwards she was told the meaning of the word
by her sister. She was very curious about bust lines. Her sexual
development was slow. She did not wear a brassiere until the others
had already used them. Once she thought she could get pregnant
spontaneously, i.e., without coitus. There was no intercourse until
after marriage. After One of her brothers returned home from the
service he gave her some facts about venereal disease.

The patient started school at the age of five in kindergarten
and left at the age of sixteen when she was in the llth grade. Her
school eXperiences are recalled as pleasant and supportive. All of
her marks were satisfactory in grade school. She liked school
because receiving good grades gave her a sense of accomplishment. One
of her teachers paid her compliments on her achievement. When
this teacher was ill she was allowed to teach in her place. She
says, "I got a lot of credit for doing it".

Their parents took them to a church every Sunday. As a
whole they took their religion very seriously as did she. They

were of the Lutheran faith.

220

At the age of sixteen she started dating. Initially, they
were always accompanied by another couple. The boys made insinuating
remarks about her dresses. She relayed the comments to her parents
but they could not afford to buy her the type of clothing she
fancied. After obtaining a job at Woolworth's, she discontinued
school and was able to secure what she considered appropriate
attire.

She terminated her relationship with her first boy friend
after six months. He was an intensely jealous boy. When they went
skating, if she was joined in a dance by some other boy, he became
furiously angry. One night, after he had brought her and another couple
home, they got out of the car and started walking down the street
toward their reSpective homes. On the way a lively conversation
developed between her and the other bo‘. Her boy friend Observed
the interplay and started driving recklessLy around the block.

He almost ran over the other couple. She finally induced him to
stOp his harrowing antics. The next day she refused to see him
thus terminating the relationship.

She became casually acquainted with her future husband in a
restaurant. She had become accustomed to stOpping there for a cup
of coffee and a cigarette. After she dropped her first boy friend,
she dated him several times. One evening while exchanging caresses,
he stroked and fondled her hair. At this point, she felt an "electric
shock" coursing through her body. She started crying; told him she
felt "funny" and asked him to cease ”fussing" with her hair. She
says, "He could have had sex with me then if he wanted to but he

didn't try.

.. 22}.

About this time, her mother became seriously ill and had to
be hOSpitalized. One evening she and her father were driving to
the hospital to visit her mother, when they had a head-on collision
with an intoxicated driver. She sustained a severe skull fracture,
a broken nose and deep lacerations about her face. She experienced
agonizing pain but received no analgesics at the hOSpital. Some
surgery had to be performed and her face and head remained in
bandages for two or three months. The news of the accident was
kept from her mother until after she was discharged from the hospital.

After the accident her relationship with her father underwent
a marked change. She characterizes it thus, "Father turned soft
on me. He couldn't do enough for me. I became his favorite. He
acted like he felt guilty. He paid my charge accounts, cooked
special food that I liked and bought me cigarettes even though he
did not approve of me smoking".

Her second boy friend continued seeing her throughout the
course of her convalescence. Four months after their first date,
he proposed marriage and it was consummated. She questions whether
she loved him, but admits that she develOped a great deal of admiration
for him. ESpecially in view of his loyalty toward her in her moment
of need. Her father developed a negative attitude toward him. He
remarked that the only reason she married him was because her face
was disfigured. Her father did not like him, in part because he
was Russian. Her father was of German extraction. He tried to
rationalize his negative attitude toward her husband with the
statement that he had never objected to any of her or her sister's

suitors. She was married at the aaC‘Of seventeen.

~4222

After her marriage she continued working. Her husband was
a gas station attendant. He did not approve of her occupational
activities. From the variety store she went to work in a restaurant
until she tired of working. At first her husband worked a split
shift at the gas station, i.e., three days and three nights. They
did not see too much of each other because of their occupational
pursuits. He sometimes worked on Sunday. For the most part she either
visited his or her parents. At other times, she went skating with
a group of married women during the summer months. Sexual adjustment
was satisfactory. Neither of them made undue demands on the other.
About a year after their marriage she became pregnant. Her child was
born in the usual time. The pregnancy was planned and they were
happier after their baby's arrival. She says, ”I always wanted a baby”.
In general, she regards the first five years of their marriage
as "wonderful”. There were differences, but at that time allowances
were easily made. There were divergences about rearing practices.
He did not approve of "potty training". He considered it cruel to
compel children to sit on a cold stool. He did not relate well to
her parents. He Observed that her parents always sided with her when
there were differences of Opinion between them. She attributes his
dislike of her parents to jealousy. She says, "He was jealous from
way back. He didn't like his stepfather after (his mother) married.
He was jealous because my parents came over to see me quite regularly.
When he was drinking, he especially resented my father. Father tried
to correct him about his drinking". ‘When her father became ill the
patient and her mother spent considerable time caring for him. When

her husband came to take her home, her brother ordered him out of the

r 223

house. He may also have resented their youngest daughter because
the child took all of the patient's time.

Five years after their marriage, with her encouragement, her
husband leased a gas station. She kept the accounts. Up to this
time her husband had used alcoholic beverages sparingly. Six
months after he assumed direction of the business he began associating.
with other businessmen. Presumably, they talked over business matters
at bars. She says, ”At first he went along with them, but after
awhile, he asked them to go with him". Eventually, he drank by
himself. The last two or three years of their marriage she drank too.

For the first five and one-half years of marriage there were
no physical or mental illnesses in the family. After they began
operating the gas station the pace of living accelerated. Her oldest
daughter started dancing school. The patient became pregnant for
a third time. Six weeks after her baby was born she "passed out" and
underwent a shock reaction. Her husband"s use of alcoholic
beverages increased. From this time until his death there was a'
recurrent cycle of drunken episodes and sobering up periods. There
was much controversy and many Objections on her part to his drinking.
She would begin discussing the problem by inquiring into his whereabouts.
She had noticed that he was frequently absent from the gas station.
He lost interest in their children and spent less and less time at
home. He had no time to associate with his former friends. When she
invited old friends for the evening, he would find some pretext to
leave.

She began having difficulties in making the books balance.

Funds were invariably missing; sometimes as much as $20.00 in one day.

‘224'

She would accuse him of apprOpriating it. At first he would "act"
guilty. Within a short time her accusations did not particularly
disturb him. She adds, "He knew that he was spending it". She was
informed that while drinking in a beer garden he became romantically
involved with a married woman who had five children. PeOple who
traded at the station "accidentally" told her that his car had been
parked in the vicinity of her house several times. They could

not imagine a certain party's car needing a mechanic so often. Her
husband had an answer for every one of her accusations. For example,
when she told him that he had been seen at such or such a tavern he
would counter that he had stopped to talk to this or that person at the
time she thought he was at the bar. The money missing from the day's
accounts had been used for automotive materials and he had not
received a receipt for the merchandise. She was placed in the
compromising position of having to balance the deficits. By
recording only half of the lubrications, tire changes, et cetera, she
always managed to even the accounts. At first she felt guilty about
her manipulations, but eventually the feeling disappeared.

At the time of her fourth pregnancy, her living circumstances
became hazy and confused. One day while her husband was drinking
they started arguing near the descent of the stairway. At first
she stated that he deliberately pushed her down the flight of steps.
Immediately afterwards she says, "He pushed out his hand and I don't
know whether I tripped or what. I don't know, but I went down the
flight of stairs". While she was lying on the floor her stomach
became as hard as a baseball. They called a doctor immediately

but she chose not to tell him how the fall occurred. She was told

* 225

that the lump in her stomach had "retracted”.

During her fourth pregnancy she became hyperactive. While
drunk, her husband started attacking her with his fists. The
assaults persisted until his death. Her reaction to his aggressive
behavior was to fight back. Once she stabbed him in the leg with
a knife. Her children witnessed the knifing, Her husband reminded
her of it from time to time and insisted that they would never forget
it. She says, "He was trying to defend himself for having beaten
me. When he was drunk he would ask me to kill him. He pounded
this into my head".

Her fourth child was born prematurely. When she started
swelling unduly, she discussed the matter with her doctor and informed
him that her pregnancy was not normal. When her labor pains began
a membrane protruded from her genitals. The delivery would not start
and her water would not break. In the delivery process her uterus
was badly torn and an incision was made to enlarge her passage to pass
the head and body of her child. The postOperative repair was
considered major surgery. She felt much pain could have been
Spared her if her doctor had taken heed of her earlier apprehensions.
The child was a hydrocephalic. Its head was disfigured and there
was considerable pain attendant on the delivery. He lived for three
days and died. She blamed her husband for her child's death and
was unable to cry. She was given "three hypos" but they did not
afford her any relief. She says, "I had an empty feeling in my
stomach and pain there. I had an x-ray for ulcers but there were
no ulcers. I think it was a nerve pressure and pain there, like you'd

like somebody to punch you there because it's empty. If you’ve lost

”226 -r

a child there's nothing there to replace it".

After the death of her child she could neither sleep nights
nor stay home. She lost weight rapidly. At the time of her first
breakdown she weighed 79 pounds. Her usual weight was approximately
135. She told her husband it was his fault that her child was
dead. She says, "I wanted to hurt back. I couldn't tolerate him
any more. He was a stinking mess. He would not bathe. There was
a lot of body odor. A lot of times I would stay away because he
would want sex".

She became obsessed with her husband's behavior and attributed
undue significance to his every movement. Her husband appeared
to her to be looking deliberately at certain spots on the wall.

She would infer that something was concealed in these places at
which he was looking. Then, he would "eye me". Afterwards she
would inspect that area minutely. Sometimes she took the woodwork
off the walls but could find nothing there. Then, her husband would
loosen it up again. He told her parents about her bizzare behavior.

The patient, even now, is unaware of the Object of her search.
She saved match covers, scraps of this and that, grass from the
lawn, and took them to a detective. She climbed on the roof and
tore up the shingles. She thoroughly inSpected the refuse in the
garbage cans. She crawled underneath the foundation of the house;
tore down the canning shelves and, in the process, cut herself. She
scraped the cocoons of insects and saved them in a paper bag. No
one could reason with her about the irrationality of her behavior.
She says, "I was right and everybody else was wrong".

She was induced to see a psychiatrist. The content of her

— 227*

discussions was mainly about her husband. She told the doctor

about her husband's excessive drinking; that she had tried to encourage
him to receive psychotherapy, but that he had refused. She believes
that at one time, her husband had had so much alcohol in his blood
that they could not get an accurate blood count. From the time her
husband began drinking excessively he had physically abused her. Every
time she threatened to take legal action, he would stop for awhile.
Within a short time it would start all over again. In his drunken
states her husband accused her of being unfaithful and not loving
him. He told her sister that he knew she could have her first boy
friend whenever she wanted him. He said a lot of "crazy" things
when he was drunk that did not mean anything; he was "out in

outer space", She says, "I hate peOple that fight and argue. I
wouldn't want to do that again for the rest of my life“. She states
that the day before she had an interview with a psychiatrist her
husband beat her until she lost consciousness. She showed him the
bruises on her body. He asked her why she did not take legal action
against her husband. Subsequently, she wondered if she was a
masochist but cannot accept the notion that she enjoyed the beatings.
She broke down completely before she could keep her second scheduled
psychiatric interview.

She was admitted to a city hospital and received ECT. She was
unable to sleep even with the aid of barbiturates. She was also
subjected to subcoma sleep therapy. Within the following two years
there were several periods of hospitalization. The main form of
treatment was ECT. Conditions within their home remained essentially

the same and took the form of a vicious circle, i.e., the husband

”228‘

would stop drinking for awhile; matters would improve. Next, the
drinking and abuse would resume and she would break down.

Finally, commitment to a state hospital became necessary.
The first time, she remained there for approximately five months.
Concerning her first commitment, she says, "I kept my mouth shut;
got well; went home. At home everything would start all over again
and I would return to the hospital". After her first release
from the state hospital (since about 1960) the patient used alcoholic
beverages excessively. Every time her husband brought alcoholic
beverages home, she partook of them. Alcohol had a somnolent effect
on her. Her drinking was motivated by anger at his continued
consumption of intoxicating beverages. While drinking, they argued and
fought incessantly about economic matters, i.e., using their money for
alcohol instead of paying household expenses. She says, "We argued
about impossible things". Once while they were at a bar he started
wrangling with a stranger. The man's wife told her she thought he was
"kooky". When drunk, her husband used "filthy" language. In front
of the children he would use words like ”fuck, son-or-a-bitch and
goddam". He pretended he was a "big wheel". One time he became
"insanely" jealous of a man who had come to the house without his
wife. The couple had been invited with some other parties. He called
her a "whore" in front of their children. Sometimes while driving
about the city in their car she would lose conscious contact with
reality and regain awareness in some unrecognizable, unfamiliar part
of the city. She would immediately call her husband. He found it
difficult to believe her predicaments and would hang up on her.

Then she would drive around until she got her bearings. On regaining

'229~

consciousness, she would sometimes wonder whether she had killed
someone.
Not long after her release from a state hospital, she took
an overdose of sleeping pills. After discovery she was taken to
a city hospital. Her stomach was pumped but she was in a coma for
three days. On the day of the suicidal attempt they had gone to a
ballgame. Her husband had promised not to drink. On their return he
managed to "sneak" several beers. After they arrived home he started
fighting with her. That night she took the overdose. Before she
could be released from the municipal hospital she was taken back to
the state hospital in an ambulance. There were eight readmissions to
that state hospital. The last time, she decided that her husband was
the cause of her breakdowns and discussed divorce proceedings with
her doctor. She says, "I just couldn't take it any more". She
was encouraged to obtain a divorce while she was in residence there.
However, it would have taken a year to complete the procedure and
she did not want to remain away from her children for that length of
time. Her doctor discussed the drinking issue with her husband,
informed him that he was an alcoholic and urged him to seek treatment.
Seven months after she left the state hospital she received
a sanity readjudication and immediately started divorce proceedings.
Her husband continued living with her until he lost his lease on their
gas station. He stayed away for three weeks. Then he returned to
see the children and took up abode with them again. The same stormy
pattern reinstated itself. One evening she tried to hang herself
with a rope on the stairway. She seemed to be doing it in a dream,

but she lost consciousness. Her youngest son cut the rope and

.4 2m-

restored her to life. There was amnesia for the incident for several
months.

Her husband obtained another job, reduced the frequency of his
drinking and they decided to attempt a reconciliation. He asked
her to call her lawyer and cancel the divorce procedure. At the time,
she did not want the divorce either, but it was serving to curb his
drunkenness, so she kept it in force. At this time her father had a
series of strokes. She moved in with her mother to help her care for
him. Her husband stayed with their children. Her father was
exhibiting behavior that was alarming to her mother. He cut up the
linoleum with a knife. For three days at a stretch, he was hyperactive.
They watched him continually so that he would not harm himself. Her
mother had fallen down the stairs in an effort to restrain him. They
were advised by a doctor to commit him to the same hospital where
she had been a patient. Her husband commented that if they sent him
there, it was tantamount to locking him up and throwing the key away.
The patient, too, was horrified about her father's admission to the
state hospital. At first, she had volunteered to work in the
geriatrics building. On subsequent readmissions she refused to work
there again. She says, "The wards smelled bad. There was a strong
smell of urine, and they didn't care for their bedsores. The way
the beds were lined up, row upon row, it was a horrible sight. I
thought to myself 'why do they let peOple like this go on living and

,1!

existing? The week after his commitment, her father died. He was
brought home, and for three days the patient was in constant attendance
at the funeral parlor. On the first night of her father's public

showing, her husband began behaving strangely. He could not endure

-.. 231..

being in the funeral home. On arrival at their home, he jumped out

of the car and started running down the street. On his return and while
still puffing, he said he was glad he had stOpped running because

he did not have the slightest idea where he was going.

On the day of the burial, her husband lost his job. He had been
drinking and had a verbal clash with her brother and Sister. He had
been ordered out of the parental home. When she arrived at their
house, he was sleeping, awoke and left their house to resume the
consumption of alcohol. She was left alone to care for her children.
She felt exhausted and nearing a state of shock. Her father's face
persisted in appearing over a bookcase. She was thinking, "It's better
that he died. It's better that way. I'm responsible for his death,
but all of us had to sign the commitment papers. I felt like I was
there, but I wasn't there. I was in a fog and couldn't make
sense out of anything. I had two beers but I wasn't intoxicated. I
tried to watch TV. Then I heard a smash on the door. He was drunk.

I didn't want to leave him in. I let him in because he was making
such a racket and using filthy language. After he came in, he cuffed
me". He walked into the kitchen where he went to the refrigerator for
a beer. Her next perception was that "The crazy fog was around me".
She went into the kitchen and procured a knife. There was a struggle.
Somehow one of the beer bottles was broken.

The next thing she remembers is that her daughter came down
the stairs. She asked whether "mommy" and "daddy" had been fighting
again and was persuaded to return to bed. The patient found a broom
and started sweeping up the broken bits of glass. She says, "After

I used the knife he left the house. While I was using it, all I could

‘232'

think was 'leave me alone, leave me aIOne, I've been hurt enough,
don't hurt me no more'. I don't know whether I meant to kill
him. It was like being automatic--like the act of someone who wasn't
there. He often asked me to knife him before”. When the police came
for her she was sitting on their davenport. They told her he had
been fou.d dead at the gas station. He had fallen to the ground and
told a passerby that his wife had stabbed him.

After the patient became aware that he was dead she became
confused. She says, ”I couldn't think and I'd question that 2 plus
2 make A. I couldn't coordinate my speech. I couldn't talk straight.
I couldn't read a pamphlet. It was like you're in a dream. Like
things weren't real”. In pail she wrote voluminously. She recorded
IOng detailed list of hundreds of household items. She jetted down
Specific instructions c0ncerning the disposition of them. She
would phone her sister and inform her that she had something of
great improtance to share with her. When her sister appeared she
would have nothing to impart. There was a great deal of confusion
about prOper names. She would address even close relatives imprOperly.
The patient cried immoderately. When she saw her mother-in-law
walking across from the funeral home, she became panicstricken. She
gripped the cell bars tightly and screamed loudly, "Ho, it's not true".
The matron could not pry her hands loose from the iron bars and her
legs were black and blue from the pressure exerted on them.

There were some dreadful nightmares from which she awoke
hot and drenched with perSpiratiOn. In her dreams she saw herself
all alOne on a hillside surrounded by coffins and skeleton bones.

Coffins were lying all around and it would be windy on the slepe. She

233

would be walking around the areas while the tall grass was blowing
and weaving. She says, "It gave me a funny feeling. It wasn't
scarry. It was a hollow, funny feeling. The same feeling I had
after I lost my baby, only this one was in the chest”. She cannot
remember distinguishing the days from the nights.

After her psychiatric examination she was committed to this
hospital. At the time of admission, she was oriented and therapeuticalLy
accessible. After several interviews in which much of the recorded
material was elicited, the incident about to be recounted occurred.
A group of female patients was scheduled to go to the County Fair,
but it was rained out. On the way back to the hospital, she started
thinking that two years previously she had taken her children to a
fair. She compared the enjoyable time they had had with her present
circumstances and she became "not real depressed, but I felt bad". She
had been told that lemon extract made a person feel "high" and
she needed something to elevate her mood. After swallowing an ounce
or two of the extract she felt herself becoming dizzy and as if she
were going into shock (ECT). She says, "Once I felt the shock, it
was like a bolt going off in your head. It felt real 'staticky'. I
felt I was going away and I wanted to come back". In describing the
experience more fully, she says, "I started hearing voices. I
thought I was a period, or a dot, or a question mark. I thought
I wanted to come back, but I was dead. I wanted to come back to the
question mark. The only existence was in this building. There
was no existence outside". Some of the patients who witnessed the
incident told her that she talked to Jesus and that she kept saying,

"I'm a period, or a dot, and that's all I am”. It was suspected that

~234

she harbored suicidal urges, but she asserted that she knew she
could not commit suicide with lemon extract. She says, "If I wanted
to die, I'd try something more drastic. Besides, suicide is an
unforgivable sin". She maintained that her last suicidal idea had
occurred in jail after the death of her husband. The rest of her
hospitalization was relatively uneventful and she was subsequently
released.
gé

The patient was 27 years of age at the time of admission. She
attained a ninth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 86). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was schizOphrenic reaction, paranoid and catatonic type.

Sexual Behavior The patient received sexual instruction from her

 

mother. She is reported to have had 2 incomplete sexual experiences
with boys prior to marriage. She denies any abnormal sexual acts.
There are no indications of an unusually close relatiOnship between
herself and any other family member. About her father she says, "He
has been a very nice father". She characterihes the first 5 years

f

of marriage as 'perfect". After her husband's death she maintained
that she loved him and God.

Aggressive Behavior There is indication of strong sibling rivalry.
At the age of 2A, following a miscarriage, her mental c0nditi0n
changed radically. She became suSpicious and isolated herself
socially. A week before her baby was born she slid her car into a
ditch and sustained a slight head concussion. In a very short period

after this, she develOped many delusions of persecution. The main

theme of the delusiOnal system was that her husband was trying to kill

235

her and her child. Visual hallucinations were also present. She saw
imaginary people who were threatening to shoot her. She believed
the barking of a dog had some form of control over her mind and
thoughts. She felt she was being Spied upon and tested by machines.
As her husband was entering the trailor in which they lived she shot
him to death with a shotgun. After she was jailed she saw a flaming
red light covering a wall as if it were on fire.
H1

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 36.
She attained a tenth grade education. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 10;). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior When the patient was an infant her mother died. Her

 

father remarried when she was A. She claims that she never received
any affection from her father. She admits that she was jealous of
her stepmother and believed that it was largely because of her that
her father withheld love. Her stepmother mistreated all of her
children. Her sister ran away and her brother left home at the age
of seventeen. She learned about sexual matters entirely from peers.
There were no heterosexual relations prior to marriage. She never
experienced abnormal sexual relations. She was married at the age
of 19. Orgasm was not eXperienced throughout her marriage. After
she divorced her husband she began an affair with a married man much
older than herself. About him, she says, "He is the only person
besides my father I ever loved". After the divorce she had a complete
hysterectomy. She dates the onset of her most serious emotional

problems to that event. She experienced her first orgasm with a boy

“236

 

I
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n .
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u .
. o
v .
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0 .
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friend.

Aggressive Behavior The patient freely verbalizes an intense

 

hatred for her stepmother. At the age of 13 she entertained the idea
of doing away with her. At the age of 35 she attempted suicide by
taking a whole bottle of aspirin. Immediately afterwards, she was
admitted to a state hospital for two months. While there, she
describes herself as unc00perative, belligerent and hostile. At the
time she was depressed and tried to starve herself. A short time
later she attacked the wife of the man she had been having an affair
with, for four years, with a knife and hammer. The assault occurred
while the woman was asleep. The woman awoke, fought back and
the patient left. The patient was preoccupied with the thought that
she was excessively hairy. She was concerned that this characteristic
induced a masculine orientation. Hallucinations and delusions were
not elicited.
Hg

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 37.
She attained a third grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 81). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior The patient describes a satisfactory relationship

 

with her father, mother and h siblings. Her mother did not believe

in discussing sex. A sister eXplained the facts of puberty to her.

The patient married and experienced her first heterosexual act at

the age of IA. She gave birth to a child at the age of 15. Additionally,
there were 3 pregnancies which resulted in abortion. Their marriage was

characterized by infidelity on the part of both individuals. They

237 -

 

 

O
, C
‘7 I
C .
O
u u
(I

 

were separated several times for substantial periods of time. From
the ages of 21-28 she dated often and was quite promiscuous. At the
age of 28 she lived for some time with a 55 year old man. She
remarked that the man was like her father because he ”looked after
me". She married a second time at the age of 35 although she was

not yet divorced from her first husband. The patient says, "Our
sexual adjustment was very good. I never had a sex problem”. After
marital adjustment became strained, she stated that they were happy as
long as she continued paying the debts attendant on his former wife's

death.

Aggressive Behavior There were many arguments between her and her

 

second husband. She maintains that she was the target of considerable
verbal and physical abuse. He had made threats that he would

someday kill her. The abuse increased progressively until she

could no longer tolerate it. One day her husband and 2 other men
started a barbecue on the lot next door. She got into her car and
drove midway up the lot. After she got out, she ran toward them
yelling that she was going to kill her husband. He began running

away and she fired at him. The bullet struck him and he fell to the
ground on his back. She approached, held the gun very near to his
chest and fired 3 more shots. This version of the act was verified

by several observers. She stated, that while she was shooting, she
saw green Spots in front of her eyes. She has had auditory hallucinations.
Voices have commanded her to pray and Obtain another doctor. There
have been persecutory delusions and beliefs that border on religious

grandiosity. She has not been suicidal.

'238

The patieit was admitted to the hOSpital at the age of A9.
She attained a 10th grade education. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 106). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
perosnality trait disturbance, emotionally unstable personality,
with psychotic episodes.

Sexual Behavior Her parents were separted when the patient was 2

 

years of age. She knows nothing about her mother. Her father died

in 1955. Up until the age of 9 she lived for brief periods of time
with her father, grandmother, aunt and friends. She has never been
able to form a close attachment to anyone outside of her foster father.
From age 9 she lived with foster parents. The patient fell in love
with her foster brother but her feeling was never reciprocated.

She resented her foster mother and says about her, ”She was charitable
and big-hearted. She helped everybody else but not at home”. Her foster
father, 25 years older than the patient, initiated her into fellatio,
cunnilingus and mutual masturbation. She remarks, ”He believed in

the french way with his mouth and fingers. It was more like father
and daughter". She was able to achieve orgasm. When she was 23 they
were caught in the act by her foster mother and a divorce ensued.

Her foster father then married the patie-t. She has never engaged in
intercourse in the true sense of the word. Her husband died of

throat cancer. After his death she began having sexual fantasies

about a man living in a building across the street. The latter was
accompanied by masturbation.

AggressivegBehavior After the death of her husband she was left alone

 

and from time to time thought about suicide. On one occasion she had

239

 

an argument with a woman in the neighborhood. Several months afterward
the woman's husband knocked on the window sill with his cane and
asked her to remove a mirror. She became frightened and shot him
to death. Immediately afterwards she considered using the gun on
herself but decided against it. There have been no delusions or
hallucinations.
Egg

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 35.
She received an eigth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 89). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior There is no information concerning parent-child

 

relationships. The patient's sister reports that she knows hardly
anything about the patient. She moved from Mississippi to Indiana

at the age of 27. After a residence of 1; years there she moved to a
northern city where she established a common-law relationship that
lasted 3; years. She contracted syphillis during this period. There
were no pregnancies. She denies intercourse with anyone except her
common-law husband. After their relationship terminated she said,

"I lived with that man and having sex with him was against my
bringing up".

Aggressive Behavior As previously noted there is hardly any

 

information about the patient's behavior prior to hospitalization.
Neighbors report that she fought much of the time with her common-
law husband. She states that he abused her physically. They parted
after 3% years but she continued to think about him Obsessively.

The thought went through her mind, "Kill him and yourself and everything

’ 240

will be over". One night she saw him in a bowling alley. She
circled around it several times. Then she went to a relative's
house and obtained a gun. She returned, sat down and looked at him
for awhile. Then, she started to shoot at him. One of the bullets
struck the common-law husband and wounded him. Another one hit a pin
boy at the end of the alley and killed him. Another struck a girl
inflicting a superficial wound. At the county jail, she attempted
suicide by swallowing potassium permanganate tablets. During the
initial period of hOSpitalization, she was preoccupied with the idea
that she was to be killed. She remarked, "There is nothing left
for me to do but die. The punishment is to die. Oh, its horrible to
die this way". Once, she attempted to escape and kicked and bit the
individual who detected it. Afterwards she described the experience
as resembling a Russian battlefield. She tried suicide, on one
occasion by hanging, a second time by stabbing herself with an icepick,
and on the third occasion by drinking lysol. There have been auditory
and visual hallucinations and persecutory delusions. The content of
the delusions was mentioned previously. Concerning hallucinations,
she saw a girl dancing on a star, rings of fire, and diminutive
men giggling at her all night. The voices accused her of killing a
little boy named Richard.
.Eii

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of #0.
She received a sixth grade education. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 102). She is of lower class parentage. The diagnosis was
paranoid state.

Sexual Behavior Her mother died when the patient was sixteen. She

 

-241'

married the first time shortly after her mother's death. Her
husband left her within a short period after their marriage. Her
second marriage occured at the age of 20. No children resulted from
either marriage, although an abortion was acknowledged during the
second. Her father died when the patient was 23. She has not

been able to discuss parental or marital relationships any further.
She is the only living member in a family of 8 siblings.

Aggressive Behavior There is varified indication of extensive conflict

 

with her second husband. It was reported by their neighbors that she
was "mean", cursed and threatened to kill him. It was established
that she had intended to scald him with boiling water twice. The
second scalding threat occurred the day before the shooting. She shot
her husband in their apartment and was apprehended almost immediately
after the act was committed. She has never admitted the shooting.
She says, "It's a mystery to me why things happened in such a way.
This is not the prOper time or place for any explanation. The law
should be for justice. I was kidnaped to this jail". Several
examiners have described her as extremely paranoid. She has had
auditory and visual hallucinations but refuses to divulge the contents.
She believed someone cast a voodoo spell over her.
gig

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of #0.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the dull normal level
(IQ 85). She is of lower class parentage. There have been two diagnoses,
sociopathic personality disturbance, antisocial reaction and psychosis
unclassified.

Sexual Behavior The patient states that she got along with everyone

 

“242‘

n “‘1- A

in the family. She received sexual information as part of the high
school curriculum and also from peers. Her mother died when she was

9 years of age. Her father remarried when she was 18. She states that
her only heterosexual experience prior to marriage was with the man

she ultimately married. She had sexual relationships with him before
and after she established a common-law marriage with him. He married her
when their daughter was 5 years old. The child needed a birth
certificate to enter school. Her husband was 29 years her senior and
in later years was unable to satisfy her sexually. They were separated
several times. During one of the separations she lived with another
man and bore him two children. On another occasion she gave birth

to twins by a third man. She denies abnormal sexual activity.
Eventually, all of the children became wards of the court.

Aggressive Behavior In 1958 there was a charge of felonious assault

 

which was subsequently withdrawn. For many years she used alcohol
excessively and was hospitalized at a municipal mental hospital five
times in four years on account of alcoholic hallucinosis. Delusions
and auditory hallucinations are related to persecutory ideas or
perceptions. A recurrent experience was that people shuffled their
feet above her apartment with the intention of torturing and "brain-
washing” her. The offense committed prior to hospitalization consisted
of hitting her husband over the head with a hand axe and throwing
boiling water over him.
HI;

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 23.

She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is estimated to be at

"243‘

the average level, although psychological testing has not been
completed. Social status has not yet been determined. Diagnosis

was schizophrenic reactioa, chroaic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior The patient has been severely disturbed and thus

far very little significant information has been elicited from her.
There is hardly any information from outside sources. She states
that after the death of her father, her mother gave her and her brother
to a friend who reared them. There is denial of abnormal sexual
behavior. Her first heterosexual relationship occured after marriage.
She admits extra-marital sexual relationships. After the birth of
her baby, she expressed diinness, fainting Spells and talked about
snakes inside herself.

Aggressive Behavior There is very little information about the

 

patient's behavior prior to the difficulties which precipitated
commitment. One night she was aroused from sleep by her daughter who
asked for a drink of water. The patient suddenly went berserk.

She grabbed a paring knife and chased her husband from the apartment.
On his return she attacked him with the knife again. Her husband ran
out again with the patient giving chase. She entered another apartment
where several men were assembled. One of the men was lying in bed
and she stabbed him to death. When the manic episode was terminated
she had injured 5 men and killed one. At the time of arrest she
slashed at the officers cutting the uniform of one and inflicted
lacerations on the hand of another. Four months after commitment

to the hOSpital she tore up her blankets, damaged her bed and was
assaultive. It has been inferred that she has been hallucinated and

delusional but the content of these experiences has not been determined.

244

_I_{_1_1+

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 35.
She obtained an eighth grade education. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 98). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis was
schizophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior Her parents were very strict with the patient as

 

regards sexual matters. Other positive or negative features about
her parents were not elicited. Two brothers died in infancy.
Although she did not need them the patient wore her father's glasses
to school. At the age of It or 15 she began keeping company with

a neighbor boy. Her parents made it a point to encourage the boy to
leave at an early hour. She denies masturbation. She dates her
first heterosexual eXperience at the age of 17 to the boy she subsequently
married. After their marriage they both engaged in extramarital
behavior. She stated that her husband had had intercourse with four
different women in a six month period. She adds, "None of them would
live with him”. She bore a boarder a child and lived with him at

his house for a six month period. Her husband encouraged her to
engage in sex with men for pay.

Aggressive Behavior After the birth of her first child, she maintains

 

that her husband began to physically abuse her. The latter behavior
increased as the years went by. The neighbors observed her drivin
their car recklessly. Shortly after her return from their six month
separation she and her husband jointly beat their baby sitter to death.
Her husband struck the girl with a flatiron while the patient beat

her with a stove poker. On arrival at the hospital she expressed

fear that she was going to be killed. In an interview where she

— 245

appeared semicomatose she said, "He's coming, he's coming, he's going
to kill me”. She saw her husband hiding behind a radiator. She
believed he intended to come into her room at night to kill her.
While typing, she saw little black devils running right off the deys.
When awakened in the morning she jumped up and slapped an attendant's
face.
‘Hli

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 31.
She attained a tenth grade education. On the Wechsler Bellevue the
current IQ of 75 in considered to be lower than it would be under
more favorable conditions. Some of the subtest scores are in the
average range. She is of lower class parentage. There have been
two diagnoses: schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type and personality
trait disturbance, emotionally unstable personality, history of

psychotic episodes.

I)

exual Behavior Her parents were divorced when the patient was a baby.

i

 

There were 5 siblings but there is no other information concerning the
nature of the patient's interaction with them. Her mother remarried when
the patient was h. She lived with them until the age of 8, when

her stepfather was shot. After this event she lived with her

grandmother for one year. At the age of 9, she moved back with her

7?

mother until she was 18 or 1}. At that time, she married. ier first
husband drank alcoholic beverages heavily and did not support her or
their children. There were frequent separations. Her first husband
finally was sent to prison. She was married a second time. According

to her second husband their marriage was satisfactory. There were h

children from her first marriage, and 2 from the second. She states

~246“

that there was one sexual relationship prior to each marriage. She
denies abnormal sexual relationships.

Aggressive Behavior Up to the age of 30 there were no recorded instances

 

of aggression. Following a miscarriage, she began showing signs

of mental disturbance. At first the illness was associated with the
excessive use of alcoholic beverages. In 1961 she was arrested after
she was found to have possession of an unregistered gun. She was
under the impression that the owner of a restaurant had been following
her on the streets. This man also came to her at night and spoke to
her stating that if she did not shoot him he would kill her. The
latter was Obviously hallucinatory and delusional material. One

night she ordered some chicken sandwiches from that restaurant. When
he delivered them she refused to accept them. She began arguing

with him and left. She returned after obtaining a gun and shot him.

”247 -

The Antisocial Group

The third group of 15 cases, Al through A15, is characterized
by several antisocial offenses. The main consideration in this group

is that physical harm against persons is not a part of the offense.

Al

The patient was committed to the hOSpital at the age of 21.

She left school after she finished the 8th grade. Intelligence is at
the average level (IQ 33). There have been two diagnoses: schiZOphrenic
reaction, chronic undifferentiated; sociOpathic personality, drug
addiction. She is of lower class parentage.

The patient's earliest memories are traceable to the age of
three or four. She recalls considerable quarreling between her
parents. Finally, after a particularly bitter and loud argument her
mother hurriedly left the house through one of the windows. Although
no blows were struck, the patient thought that her father was on
the verge of it. The parents were subsequently divorced. Shortly
afterwards her father was committed to a state hOSpital. He has been
in and out of that mental institution since that time. Afterwards her
grandmother took her to see her father, but she does not regard
herself as ever having been particularly concerned about his plight.

The patient has mixed impressions about her father. There
were occasions when her father was very pleasant to her. On the other
hand, she had develOped two behaviors that were irritating and to
which he objected, i.e., she was chronically constipated and
continually sucked her lower lip. Her father attempted to modify her

toilet behavior by making sure that she remained in the bathroom until

”248'

 

she notified him that she had defecated. He would then verify her
statement by forbidding her to flush the toilet until he inspected
it for stools. To stOp her sucking, he painted her lips with a hot
pepper solution.

She appears to have been very perceptive, curious, and precocious
in her development. In her earlier years she was aware that her step-
brother was in a hospital. She considered this a way of receiving
special favors. She asked to be admitted to the hospital too. She
became very interested in school activities and managed to gain
admittance at the age of four. She persuaded her relatives to "lie"
about her age. When the school authorities finally found it out,
it was too late to ask her to leave.

After her parents' separation, while engaged in play activities
with other children, she observed her playmates urinating. She
remembers attempting to urinate in an erect position. At about this
time too, she and another girl seized her male cousin and manipulated
his genitalia. She also became very interested in worms and played
with them for hours on end. She frankly admits wishing that she
had a penis.

In the next two or three years there was a succession of
movements in residence. During this period there is only vague
knowledge concerning her mother's whereabouts. She is certain,
however, that for some time her mother was in a southern state. While
her mother was away she lived with her grandmother. The patient says,
"my grandmother has always been like a second mother to me”. She
identified closely with her grandmother and at the time of her death

she became confused and depressed.

"249

After her parents' separation she slept with her mother until
her remarriage. While her mother was away she started fearing the
dark and having nightmare-like states. She likens them to hypnogogic
phenomena. She is not sure whether she was asleep or awake. In
these states there was a roaring in her ears against which she
struggled. She did not want to sleep alone.

When the patient was about the age of six, her mother returned
from a southern state. She remarried almost immediately. 0n the
night of the marriage there was considerable drinking. She was told
that she was to continue to sleep in her parent's bedroom. When
she walked into it on that night, she saw her stepfather lying naked
on the bed. She experienced a feeling of revulsion as she looked at
him. Since that night, she has never liked him. Subsequently, she
became aware that her stepfather would lie and make gyrations on
top of her mother. At first, she did not know how to interpret her
perceptions. She agrees that initially she may have interpreted the
primal scene as painful to her mother. In any event, it made her
feel uneasy. After she understood what was happening, it made her
sick to her stomach and she wanted to tell them to stop but was unable
to do so. The reaponsibility for committing the act was attributed
to her mother. She also felt hostile to her for permitting it. At
that time, play activities with the companion previously referred
to, took the form of lying on top of each other. She did not at
the time know what she intended to gain from the behavior. In time
there was some manual manipulation of each others genitalia.

Her stepfather was described by the patient as having a "nasty

personality". He was considered an intruder. She was very hostile

250‘

 

toward him from the beginning and rejected and resented his attempts
at imposing restrictions on her activities. The patient was extremely
possessive of her mother and felt that her stepfather was "in the
way". She did not want to share her mother with him. She resented
her mother becoming pregnant because it was embarrassing to her (the
patient). The reason for her embarrasement was that it indicated
that her stepfather was having sexual relations with her mother.

She started becoming serious about boys at the age of nine.
There was one in the neighborhood about whom she became especially
fond. She describes him as an athletic boy who made a good appearance.
She became very much attached to him. They Spent much more time
together than is usually the case for youngsters of this age because
her brother consented to be their chaperone. She considered herself
very close to her brother. They went everywhere together. In some
of her future mishaps, to be reported in a short time, he served as
a mainstay of support, "a perfect brother". This brother, incidentally,
was an illegitimate child. She has had fantasies and dreams of
engaging in intercourse with him.

In the course of their play activities, the patient and her
boy friend attempted intercourse. On their first trial there was no
penetration. There was considerable pain connected with the act
and she did not achieve climax. After this, they continued sexual
relationships on many occasions. They were Observed in the sexual act
by both her grandmother and brother. Her brother tried to discourage
her by pointing out the prObable consequences. Her grandmother
physically disciplined her. Neither effort was successful in terminating

the sexual relationship. She began menstruating at the age of ten.

"2 51 ‘

No one explained the significance of the event.

At the age of 12, the patient and a group of schoolmates went
by auto to another city to see a basketball game in which her boy
friend was participating. On the ride she paired up with one of the
other boys. On the return trip there was some drinking of alcoholic
beverages and the whole group became engaged in heavy petting. They
eventually parked alongside the highway and she and her companion
became involved in intercourse. In the course of these activities,

a policeman stOpped to investigate and they were taken to juvenile
court.

As part of the committing procedure in juvenile court, she was
given a physical examination. It was discovered that she had been
pregnant for four months. The latter finding distressed her to some
extent. Not so much because of the possible physical complications
attendant on the reproductive act, but because she expected some
social ostracism and unkind remarks on the part of her classmates.

As usual, her brother came to her defense and promised to quiet, with
physical force if necessary, any one who made derogatory comments.
Despite her sensitivity these expectations failed to materialize.

When the patient informed her mother about her condition, she
made only one comment, "Don't cry over Spilt milk". The patient had
expected either recriminations, scoldings, discipline, demonstration
of affection, loyalty or reassurance. None of these behaviors were
demonstrated. Her mother did not even use the opportunity to discuss
sexual information. The birth of her child evoked hardly any public
comment or notice since delivery occurred in the summer. Her mother

immediately assumed the care of her child. The patient says, "Mother

-252 ..

did everything for it; took care of it, talked about it all the time.
Mother had just had a miscarriage. I didn't feel like it was my

own child. I didn't feel comfortable around mother. I couldn't
tell her what I wanted to. I couldn't tell her I loved her. I knew
I loved my mother but I couldn't tell her because I didn't feel it.
Did I tell you? I have dreamed three or four times that I went

down (performed cunilingus) on my mother. I was in bed with her.

I can remember her bedroom. There is an attendant here who is like
I would like my mother to be. I feel tense every time I dance with
her”.

Altogether, she missed only about a month of school and was
passed on to the next grade without having to make up the lost time.
After her boy friend became aware of her pregnancy he avoided her.
They greated each other civilly enough if they chanced to meet on
the street or in the neighborhood, but he did not come to see her at
her home as he had previously and he did not ask for dates. She is
of the opinion that if he had asked her to marry her she would have
agreed. She is not certain, however, about the nature of her feelings
for him. That is, she questions whether she loved him although
she knows she "thought highly of him”. The boy friend never
acknowledged that he had been reSponsible for her pregnancy or that
he was the father of their child.

Her first suicidal attempt occurred at about the age of 12.
Temporally, at least, it was closely associated with the death of her
grandmother. At this time, she was having severe migraine headaches
and was accustomed to taking one of the several varieties of medication

kept on hand by her stepfather for his several "imaginary" illnesses.

253

On this occasion the patient took a great many pills and lapsed into a
state of unconsciousness. She awoke in the hOSpital and was informed
that had it not been for a number of benadryl tablets that were
ingested she would probably have died.

About a year later, she attempted suicide again in much the
same way; i.e., with her stepfather's pills. She was pregnant from
her second child but was as yet not married. In this instance,

a girl friend came to see her. At first her girl friend thought

she was only sleeping but was unable to awaken her by talking or
shaking her. The girl friend became alarmed, immediately saw to it
that she was taken to the hospital where her stomach was pumped and
she was revived. Throughout this period her suicidal ideas were
accompanied either by a recurrent dream or phantasy that after her
death she would be lying dead in a casket with a glass tOp. Her whole
family would be gathered about the casket crying. She would keep her
eyes fixed on her mother.

After the patient had recovered from the restricting conditions
entailed in giving birth to a child, she began dating her same
boy friend again. Within a year she became pregnant a second time.
She eXplained that she knew of only one way to prevent pregnancy,
that is, by the use of condoms. And since condoms irritated her
vaginal tract she did not insist on their use. While she was involved
with the boy who fathered her first two children, another boy asked
her to marry him on several occasions. She refused his prOposal
because she did not want to assume the responsibilities imposed by
marriage. As was the case the first time, she was out of school

for about two months. The second birth severed the relationship with

-2“ ..

the father of her children.

Soon afterwards she met and copulated with another young man
four or five years her senior. Within a few months conception again
took place. About half way through this pregnancy she became
attracted to another boy who had a voluminous collection of musical
records. She gained his attention by asking for a loan of some of
them. subsequently, he invited her to join him for an evening devoted
to music appreciation. During the course of the session he introduced
her to the use of narcotics. After sniffing a pinch of heroin she
vomited, painfully, throughout the course of the evening. She returned
home and on entering the living room of her home, she threw up again.
Her mother awoke and the patient explained her behavior by imputing
it to the immoderate use of alcohol.

The patient does not recall her pregnancies as unpleasant.

The case might, in fact, be otherwise, because during these periods
she received more attention and consideration from almost everyone
within her family than under ordinary circumstances. She married

the young man who introduced her to the use of narcotics at the age
of 15. Her marriage served as a convenient way to escape from her
increasing irritation with restrictions imposed within her home and
at school. By this time, she had failed two grades on account of

her pregnancies. She was using narcotics regularly. At this time the
main effect of the drugs on her was that they made her more confident,
she was able to converse more fluently and she felt she was a more
appealing sexual partner.

In May, 1958, her husband was apprehended by the police for

engaging in the drug traffic and he eventually was committed to a federal

-255'-

prison in Milan. Within a month of her husband's departure, she
began having extramarital relations. Her husband wrote her that he
did not expect her to be faithful but to be careful not to become
pregnant. During the initial period of her husband's incarceration,
the patient resided with her sister-in-law and had intercourse with
her husband's nephew. A few months later she moved into an apartment
and continued extramarital relationships. Also, she began the
practice of prostitution. She returned to school for a short while
after her husband's imprisonment but attendance was irregular; every
course was failed; there were no discipline prOblems but she finally
dropped out.

At the age of 16, she used marihuana for a short period of time
but discontinued because of an absence of pleasure or satisfaction.
Initially, she began using narcotics twice a day. Her husband had
administered it. In his absence she began living with another male.
They seemed to meet reciprocal needs for each other. That is, she
worked and provided the drug and he administered it. She gradually
increased the number of "fixes" over a period of two years. She did
not become aware of her dependence on drugs until she was averaging
about three of four shots per day.

She became pregnant a fourth time, at the age of 16, as a
result of her prostitution. Shortly after she started the latter
activity, she was hired to "put on a show", i.e., put on sexual
exhibitions, at parties, with other males and females. She became
attracted to one of the females she met at one of the ”shows” and
for some time she performed cunnilingus on her. She received a great

deal of pleasure from the latter activity.

~256—

As her fourth pregnancy became more advanced, she again
returned to her mother's home. Her child was stillborn. While living
at home she eXperienced difficulty buying narcotics for lack of money
and began prostituting again. Her stepfather complained about the
irregular hours she was keeping and the incessant phone calls she
was receiving. Consequently, she moved.

In August, 1959, she resolved to rehabilitate herself. She was
determined to establish a household with her children and to discontinue
narcotics. She attempted to assume the roles of economic provider,
parental rearing, and housekeeper, but was overwhelmed. Eventually,
she had to resort to prostitution and drugs. Within six months she
recognized that she was grossly neglecting her children and returned
to her mother again. Undaunted by failure, she determined a second
time to abandon her use of drugs. She asked for and received enough
money from an uncle to gradually taper off. Within a week she
successfully accomplished her goal, but her control lasted for only
another week. She soon became bored; was unable to sleep, and
continued both of her symptomatic behaviors.

The patient has made numerous appearances in court, mainly
on charges involving prostitution. Within ten months she was arrested
four times. The fourth time is significant because by June, 1960
she was tolerating very large doses of heroin. The first week at
most correctional institutions is spent in relative isolation and is
considered a quarantine period. It was during this time that the
patient experienced withdrawal symptoms and received no medication.
She did not experience hallucinations or delusions.

In that institution she met a young lady with somewhat masculine

- 25¢

characteristics who befriended her. The patient regarded her as
protection against inmates wanting to take sexual advantage of her.
They became involved in a homosexual relationship which lasted for
about six weeks. subsequent to her release they became reunited and
engaged in mutual cunnilingus. At this juncture her partner left her
to return to her husband. Subsequently they met from time to time
and engaged in sexual relationships but did not live together. On
her part, the patient was reunited with the drug addict who had
supplanted her husband. She immediately began using narcotics more
heavily than at any other period up to that time.

She was on probation from the correctional institution but
completely disregarded conditions regulating her probationary status.
Within a week or two she came to the attention of the police again
and was referred to her probation officer who gave her a choice
between two alternatives; either to be returned to a women's prison
to serve a longer sentence, or to commit herself voluntarily to a
federal hospital for addicts. She settled for the latter. Two
days before leaving for the hospital, she had used narcotics again.
At this point she says, "It's funny, but when you're using you don't
think about getting 'cop' (addicted)".

Initially, at that hospital she was extremely cooperative
and responsive. She expressed a sincere desire to Obtain help even
if it was necessary to extend her stay beyond the suggested five
month period. Subsequently, she expressed dissatisfaction with her
situation. She rationalized it to her therapist by attributing it
to her jOb placement. In reality it was resistance against the

therapeutic process which was coming dangerously close to the elicitation

”258"

of her real problems. She explains, "My therapist was asking me a
lot of questions". She asked him if he knew what her problem was.
She says, "He wouldn't tell me". Her conceptualization of her problem
was that she had an uncontrollable desire to use drugs and
hypersexuality. She denied major emotional difficulties and attributed
addiction to curiosity, She refused to work. On this account, she
was isolated. She retaliated by refusing individual interviews with
her therapist. After two months, she wrote her mother to terminate
her residence. Her mother had been pleased with the progress she had
been making and was reluctant to submit to her demands. However, she
finally acceded although she would not send her the necessary funds
for the trip home. While waiting for her mother's reply, she became
despondent. She says, ”She kept me at the hospital longer than I
wanted to and sent me no money”. She began entertaining suicidal
ideas and managed to secure a razor blade. As she sat contemplating
the blade, she could not bring herself to disfigure her body.

After she obtained the fare and was enroute to her mother,
she started thinking about getting an injection of heroin. She
instantly develOped pseudo-withdrawal symptoms. In reSponse to a
relevant question, she remarks, "When I am by myself, anger can make
me use narcotics quicker than anything else". As soon as she arrived
at her destination, she went to her boy friend's home and received
an intravenous injection of narcotics. From there, she went to
an aunt's home where she stayed for a week without calling or
notifying her mother about her arrival.

Her probationary status had been continued while she was at the

hOSpital. She had actually violated it by leaving the hospital without

'259-

informing her probation officer. She became fearful about apprehension
and left for a large city in another state. There, she lived with

a male addict she had met at the federal hospital. She described
this individual as small, gentle and somewhat effeminate. She
believes that she liked him better than any man she has ever known.
In that city she resumed prostitution and was picked up by the police
several times for VD checks. In spite of the fact that the heroin
Obtainable in that place was of superior quality, she says, "I got
tired of being there and returned home". Shortly, after her return,
she came to the attention of the police again and left. She had
planned to live with her boyfriend again, but he was in jail when

she arrived. Soon afterwards she became ill with pneumonia, went

to a hospital and discovered that she was again pregnant. She did
not know under what conditions she became pregnant, but was concerned
about it and decided that she did not want to have the child born
while she was addicted. Consequently, she quit taking drugs for
sometime. At about this time, her husband was released from prison.
At his request, they began living together. On her part, their
reunion was a miserable failure. Their sex life was unsatisfactory.
She says, "When he got too close to me in bed, I moved away. I
couldn't stand for him to touch me. So I started taking drugs”. In
May, 1962, her husband returned to jail.' She was seven months pregnant
at the time. She requested hOSpitalization at a municipal hospital.
Her main purpose in seeking hospitalization was to discontinue
narcotics, but she was experiencing nausea, vomited continuously

and was in extreme discomfort. After she was x-rayed for TB, she was

given a great many pills to take. The report of the examination was

* 260

positive and she was treated for TB at another hospital. Concomitant
with her physical state, she became quite restless, apprehensive, and
asked to see a psychiatrist. She was told that there was nothing
psychologically wrong with her but was placed on demerol. After

this, she began slipping out of the hospital, and with money give -~ "“‘
her by her mother, would buy paregoric. She absconded for three or

four days and would not go back until she was persuaded to do so

by an Episcopalian priest. Altogether, she was in the hospital for

four months. It was here, while taking a shower, that she first

had a ”funny feeling” and masturbated without achieving climax.

She was finally placed in a boarding home and minimal activity
was recommended. She was not expected to do anything. Consequently,
she became bored. It was forbidden that she go home, but she
disregarded instructions and frequently went there for three or
four day intervals. During these periods she was able to abstain
from narcotics until she would start to feel physically uncomfortable.
This state was accompanied by diarrhea and stomach cramps,
facilitating her return to her drug habit. Because of her physical
condition she was unable to work. Therefore she started stealing
to Obtain funds to support her narcotic addiction.

Shortly prior to commitment to this hospital she and two male
companions attempted to appropriate some clothing from a department
store. They were caught in the act. Individual interviews at this
hOSpital indicated that she was in adequate contact with reality.

She talked freely about her narcotic addiction. The patient gave a
history of auditory hallucinations. The latter were considered

questionable. It was observed that she mainpulated to improve her lot.

"261‘

 

Other personality traits noted were callousness, emotional immaturity
and poor judgment. She tended to rationalize her theft by exaggerating
her need for narcotics. There was no evidence of psychotic symptoms.

Immediately after her quarantine period, she requested
placement in group therapy and AA. In both of those activities
attendance has been determined by personal needs. 'In group therapy
there has been some reluctance to discuss certain aspects of her
personal problems. She was unable in the group, to ventilate about
homosexual behavior, especially as it pertained to a Specific patient.

In individual interviews, there was hardly any resistance to
the discussion of any tepic. For example, she admits performing
cunnilingus and sucking the breasts of others. Unless she felt
considerable affection for the other party she would not permit them
to engage in cunnilingus with her. She says, "If I don't like the
person it irritates me. It don't feel right".

She achieved climax only under special circumstances and
with only one other person. She says, "Have you forced yourself to
urinate? You have to use all your stomach muscles and squeeze your
legs as hard as you can”. She describes her homosexual relationship
with a particular patient as follows: ”I was more demanding than she
was. She didn't look after me. I could be more masculine in my
love making with her. A man is the head of the family and I dominated
her. I restricted her friends for her and she did the same for me.
She didn't want me to have any friends. When that other patient became
her friend, I had the intuition that I would lose her". As the
friendship between the two patients unfolded they fought continually.

In the end they "broke up”. A short time after their separation the

"262‘

patient tried to commit suicide. She cut a blood vessel on the
inner side of her thigh near her crotch. She lost considerable
blood before it was discovered and it was arrested. She says, "I
was just tired of living. Everybody was treating me funny. Medication
had made me affectionate and everybody was rejecting me. My
family hadn't come to see me. I didn't think of her". The patient
was very concrete in her thinking. There was a great deal of
difficulty in generalizing or abstracting the underlying motivations
for her behavior.

On several occasions the patient has expressed curiosity
about dreams and has described several of them. She has dreamed

of engaging in sexual activity with her brother and mother.

R)

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 47.
She attained an eighth grade education. Intelligence is at the
average level (IQ 100). She is of lower class parentage. There
have been two diagnoses: sociOpathic personality disturbance,
antisocial reaction with paranoid trends and schiZOphrenic reaction,
chronic undifferentiated.

The patient's earliest recollections are of making mud pies
and putting them in an oven to cook. When she came into the house
soiled, her mother spanked her. There were five siblings. She
slept with her eldest sister until she left home. She recalls that
there were frequent arguments with all of her brothers and sisters.
Sibling rivalry was most intense with her next younger sister. There
were many invidious comparisons with psychosocial implications.

The conflicts involved personal appearance, attire and friends. The

-263

patient says, "She was the best looking, but I had better looking
boy friends".

Her sister is remembered as having more and better clothing,
more Spending money and was "wilder”. Her sister was her mother's
favorite. In their arguments, her mother took her sister's part.
The patient was invariably admonished and ordered to quiet down.

In contrast to the other children, that sister was permitted to
Openly inveigh against her mother without reproof. According to
the patient all of the children felt that their sister regarded
herself as superior to the rest of them. Her sister was very much
ashamed of her father's drunkenness.

As far back as the patient can remember, her father's
drunkenness was an issue in the home. Her father was regarded as
the "town drunk" but was rarely incarcerated. Her mother often
upbraided her father about his drinking and accused him of philandering.
After these heated quarrels, her father would storm out of the house
and be gone for two or three days at a time. The patient says, "If
he came home with a pint, mother would accuse him of being drunk".
There was a warm relationship between the patient and her father.
She preferred him to her mother. Her father liked the patient
better than her sister. Under the influence of alcohol, he was
quite liberal with his money. When he was intoxicated, her mother
would not allow him to show her any affection. The patient says,
"He did everything she told him to".

The patient was aware that her father was a thief. He stole
clothing (wherever he could find it) and silverware out of the tourist

lakeshore cottages. He illegally seined fish out of a near by river.

“264"

While talking about these incidents, the patient laughs uproariously
as she recalls that vacationers would fish all day long with very
meager catches. Her father was a well driller. He did his seining
at night. He was hardly ever home. She recollects that while the
children were small, he held them on his lap.

The patient characterizes her mother as domineering, selfish
and ”a nagger". It was generally her mother who disciplined
them. Sometimes, she stood her in a corner or sent her to bed without
eating, but mostly she whipped her with a razor strOp. Once
after she had experienced a fainting spell, she informed her mother
that she was ill. Her mother laughed at her.

From a relatively early age, the patient was required to
assume rearing reSponsibility for the rest of the children. The
latter activity kept her out of school a great deal. The patient
attributes her poor grades at school to lack of study time and
frequent absences. She says, "I felt sorry for mother, but I didn't
like staying home from school". She discontinued school at the
age of 1h, while she was in the eighth grade.

The patient became aware of sexual differences at the age of
10. Prior to this time she had undressed and bathed her brothers.
She does not recall dwelling on thoughts about her brothers genitals.
There was no sexual instruction. From childhood, there was always
a "gang" of boys and girls gathering to play around their home. They
engaged in all types of parlor games. They played "postoffice" a
kissing game, but there were no Specifically sexual acts. She
reached puberty at the age of 12. When she started menstruating,

she asked the mother what was happening, but received an unsatisfactory

’265~

answer.

At the age of 14, she attended a skating party. At its close
two of the boys offered her a ride home. On the way home they
forced her to engage in intercourse. One of them held her while
the other performed the act. She says, "The first time I went out,
I got pregnant". The boy's father was informed about her condition,
but no legal action was taken. His father settled the matter with
her father by giving him a hundred dollars so that she could receive
an abortion. Arrangements were made for the Operation, but before
it was performed her father Spent the funds on an extended drinking
spree. After her pregnancy became readily apparent, she discontinued
school.

After her son was born, she became very resentful about her
new status in the family. She says, "Mother gave me a hard time.
She rode me. She made me know that She was raising him. She
used me for a maid. She hit me all the time. She called me a
'SOBӣ A bastard and a whore". In the six months that she remained
at home after her baby's birth, She left home three times. During
these periods She lived with an aunt. Her aunt reported her mother
to the juvenile authorities. There were several conferences between
the agency workers and her mother, but conditions remained relatively
static. At the age of 16, she ran away to another city. She was
reported to the police and ultimately located. Her parents came
after her but she refused to accompany them home. The only other
alternative was commitment to a girl's industrial school. She
chose the latter eventuality. During the year she remained there,‘

She worked in the laundry. There were no critical incidents. She was

~ 266‘

introduced to homosexuality. One of the lesbians involved her

in several sexual acts. She says, "I learned what studs were. They're
women who go to bed with other women. The one I had lay on tOp of

me and tried to have intercourse with me, but I got no sensation

out of it”.

The patient was either required to or sought out psychological
services. She had several interviews with a psychologist and
social worker. There were no regular series of interviews. At
this time, She was overweight, had cardiac difficulty and her
eyes protruded. She had a goiter removed and the previously
mentioned difficulties were corrected.

While the patient was institutionalized, her son was reared
by her parents. On her release she resided with them. Almost immediately,
She informed her son that she was his mother. She began working in
a restaurant and contributed to her son's support. The remainder of
her earnings was spent for clothing. The patient does not recall
her son's reaction to her disclosure.

Prior to her first marriage, there was only one protracted
period of dating. She says, "I had a boy friend who wanted to marry
me, but I'm afraid he pushed me too hard”. In addition, she
considered him a naive and uninformed individual- He was a ”rich"
farmer. She regarded her home town as too small. One of her main
goals was to settle in a nearby metropolis. Ostensibly, her move
was motivated by the prospect for more desirable employment and
higher wages.

After she moved she acquired employment at a drug store as

a soda fountain clerk. It was at that place that she met her

-267 --

first husband, a man 10 years older than she. At first, he was
reluctant but finally married her when She was 21. From the start,
sexual adjustment was unsatisfactory. She says, "He went to bed
with me once a month". The patient believes that he was a homosexual.
He had ”sissy” ways. She did not understand his behavior at first
because, "I didn't know about them", (homosexuals). She recalls
that her husba.d Spent hours in front of the mirror primping. He
used her pancake makeup, eyebrow pencil and cologne. He enjoyed doing
housework. She took care of the finances. He visited his mother often
and did her housework too. When they were both working he would
painstakingly prompt their housekeeper about the way the housekeeping
Should be done.

Throughout the ten years of marriage there were no pregnancies.
Her son lived with them intermittently. When her son was not with
them, he lived with her mother. The patient was unable to find a
reliable housekeeper to whom She could entrust his rearing. The
housekeepers she managed to secure left mainly because of her husband.
They were unable to do domestic chores to suit him. He was highly
critical of them. She was aware that her son was neglected and that
their frequent shifts of residence were unfavorable. She paid her
mother ten dollars a week to care for her son, but worried continuously
about his health. She did not believe that her mother was feeding
him prOperly. She permitted her son to buy as many groceries on
credit as he desired. She acrutinized the grocery credit slips
painstakingly to reassure herself that he was receiving a prOper
diet.

Shortly after her marriage, she began working at both General

268

Motors (GM) and a cocktail lounge. She made more money at the bar,
and left GM. Her mother "raved and ranted" about her leaving the
factory. She expressed the opinion that her reason for leaving GM
was that she could associate with more men at the bar. The patient
says, "What she said didn't matter. She was a chronic complainer".
As their marriage progressed, the patient began harboring
more resentment against her husband. She expected him to care for
her son while she was at work. However, she states that he was
good to her son. Her husband was away from home a great deal
gambling with "the boys". She believes that he was sexually involved
with one or two of his boy friends. He paid too much attention to

his mother. When the patient became ill for two weeks, he took

two of her checks and lost the money gambling. There was no money

for fuel. When he did not come home for several days, she not: ham.
to her mother. She left her husband 3 or 4 times. The last time
she rented another apartment.

After about five years of marriage, she began dating men,
primarily for sexual gratification. Secondly, through infidelity,
she could express her vindictiveness toward him. She started using
alcoholic beverages excessively. Under the influence of alcohol she
became abusive. She says, "I get just like an Indian when I drink
and lose friends and jobs". There have been several arrests for
drunkenness. They were divorced when she was 31. Just prior to
their divorce, she discovered she had ulcers. A gastrectomy was
performed and three-fourths of her stomach was removed. She was
also advised to end her drinking. She attributed her psychosomatic

condition to worry attendant on her belief that she was not rearing

269

her son adequately.

For two months afterwards, she wanted to effect a reconciliation.
She decided against it after she met and initiated an affair with
a 55 year old man. Their relationship lasted two years. It was
terminated by his death. They journeyed all over the country
together. He owned a Cadillac and she drove it. He gave her everything
she desired. Her paramour took care of numerous slot machines
throughout the east coast. The slot machines were in clubs, fraternal
and veterans organizations. Sometimes her mother and son went with
them on their excursions.

She met her second husband, aged 2h, an interior decorator,
in a restaurant. They were married after having known each other
for only ten days. The patient attributes the hastiness of their
marriage mostly to her mother. The patient was still having difficulties
with her stomach and was unable to work consistently. Her mother
encouraged her to marry him as quickly as possible. She says, "Mother
was looking for a steady meal ticket. She wanted me to marry him".
Initially, the patient thought he was wonderful. He had a "good”
educational background and gave the impression that he was very
intelligent. As she became better acquainted with him, his real
character emerged.

She discovered that he had had three wives prior to their
marriage. All of the wives were in mental hOSpitals. He had visited
England with one of them. He returned without her. It was
subsequently common knowledge that she had been committed to a
mental hOSpital. Several of his ex-wives were receiving alimony

payments. At the suggestion of the Friend of the Court, two years

‘270‘

after their marriage, e enlisted in the Army in order to be able

to support his children by the other wives. He was discharged within a
few months because of psychiatric illness. He read books on

abnormal psychology continuously. Sexual adjustment with her husband
was satisfactory from the standpoint of frequency of coitus. She
became pregnant, but there were difficulties from the start in

the form of fainting spells witnessed by her husband. She recalls

that there had been fainting spells at the time of her firSt

pregnancy. That pregnancy had aborted.

Her son quit school at the age of 17 to join the Army. Two
years later he became involved as the ringleader of a black market
ring that was selling gasoline to the German Nationals in Berlin.

He was tried by a general court-martial and sentenced to prison
for life. The patient does not believe that her son was implicated.

t least, not in the role stipulated. She says, "He was not qualified
to do that". At the time her son was convicted, she had been married
for about two years. She enlisted the support of her husband. He
devised a plan that eventually was eminently successful. She
obtained the services of a brilliant lawyer. In a retrial, the
sentence was commuted to 3; years. She states that in the process
she had to "pay off" an Army attorney.i In addition, she received
the support of a federal agent and a congressman.

When her son finished serving his sentence, she went to
the penitentiary and brought him home. Her son and husband liked
each other. They became companions and spent a lot of time together.
Soon the patient became suspicious of their activities. The

patient believed that her son and husband were involved with the same

”271“

woman. She suSpected her husband of infidelity and says, "I

'tried to fix him up with a couple of women. I caught him in bed
with a woman and he tried to deny it. I think he went out with the
'two women behind my back". She worried about the court-martial and
‘believed she was fatigued from overwork. Several months after her
son arrived, she became acutely psychotic. 'One evening, when her
semiand husband entered the house, she met them at the door with a
'butcher knife in her hand. They overpowered her and she was
committed to a state hospital.

At the hospital she revealed to the psychiatrist that her son
and.husband were going out together and were bragging about their
sexual conquests. She accused her son of having tried to rape her
several nights before. Her husband reported that she had used
’barbiturates since early in their marriage. Her son attested that
she had been unstable for years. Instability had brought about the
break-up of her first marriage. He was critical of his mother and
expressed the Opinion that is she would listen and COOperate with
his stepfather the marriage would be more harmonious. Her son
evaluated her husband as a mature individual. The patient expressed
a vindictive attitude toward both of them and hostility toward
one of her brothers. She was treated with massive doses of thorazin.
and ten ECT treatments. She stated that prior to her commitment,
her son had phoned and warned her that her husband was planning her
hospitalizatiOn. She believed that all of the material submitted
by her husband to the state hospital was falsified. She says, "He
wanted to keep me in the hOSpital the rest of my life. I got a

dirty deal".

272

At her first staff conference at the hOSpital she was granted
limited home visits. Each time her visit terminated, her husland
expressed regret that she had to leave her home. During the time
she was at the hOSpital she worked in the commissary with ground
privileges. She was discharged after about a year.

While she was in the hospital, her son was involved in an
armed robbery. He was apprehended and sentenced to a state prison
for a minimum of seven years. The patient believed that her husband
was an accomplice. At the time he became eligible for parole, it
was recommended that he serve six more years.

Thereafter, she was interviewed by hOSpital personnel for
six months at two or three months intervals. Several months later,
she was committed to another state hOSpital in the same state. She
was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia and was discharged after
her fifth escape. The last time she could not be located. Just
prior to her last escape, her mother and aunt had moved to another
state. She went to live with them. She states that she felt
obligated to help her mother, inasmuch as her mother had helped her
with her son. The patient did not notify her husband of her
whereabouts. On the contrary, she wanted to keep away from him.

By this time, she was convinced that it was primarily due to her
husband's influence that she had not been invalidly retained at

the state hospital. When she arrived in the city where her mother
resided, she found her in a rest home. They decided to live together
with her aunt. The patient secured employment as a barmaid in a
fraternal club. Not long afterwards, she met and established a

friendly relationship with a married man there. They have done each

~273 -

other many favors. The latter individual has contributed to her
economic support from time to time.

Several months later, after drinking beer all night, she was
walking home. UneXpectedly a passing by automdbile went out of
control. It traveled over the curb and struck her. She was knocked
unconscious and sustained a fracture of the pelvis and upper leg
bone. Records from a hospital substantiate that she was an inpatient
for about a week. It was also noted that she was emotionally
disturbed. She instituted a suit against the driver of the car, but
her lawyer would not take it into court. A settlement for $1000.00 was
agreed upon. She used a wheel chair periodically for about seven
months after the accident. After the casualty she was unable to
work. Her regular boy friend broke off with her and she acquired
another. Nonetheless, her economic situation was extremely precarious.
The boy friend with whom she had lived was investigated by the police.
He was found with three loaded guns in his home and was committed
to a county mental hospital.

At this juncture, the patient decided to return to her home
state to visit her son. She was practically destitute; could not
obtain aid, and there was no one to whom she could turn for assistance.
Her second husband had divorced her within her hlst year. She
wired her second ex-husband for money and he indicated that he would
send it to her. However, she did not trust him. Therefore, she
wrote a check in her own name. When the check's validity was
questioned, she panicked and attempted to escape. When she was caught,
she had a lot of new clothing in her car and was charged with

shoplifting. She explained the wearing apparel with the statement that

— 274--

her husband had slashed her clothing with a knife and that she had
been forced to buy an entirely new wardrobe. At the police station,
her escape status from the state hospital came to light and she

was returned there.

At the time of psychiatric examination she was considered
extremely evasive and lied continuously. At times she admitted
certain things. She stated that she left her native state previously
because she was afraid of her husband and that she was returning to
her rented apartment in order to visit her son. Along the way
she had stopped at a police station and complained that the sheriff's
deputies were following her wherever she went. They had followed
all the way from her point of departure. She believed that her
‘boy friend had wrecked her car and demanded that a report be made
about it. However, her car was intact and was parked outside of
the police station. Her verbalizations became disconnected and
resembled a flight of ideas.

0n the hospital wards she stole cigarettes from the other
patients. She believed that everyone "picked on her”. She could
not understand why. She believed that she had been followed by
a gang of teenage boys who wanted to rape her. In her attitude
she was demanding, hostile and arrogant. To an examiner she was
superficially friendly, but there were signs of hostility. She
expressed intense aggressiveness toward her second ex-husband,
ex-boy friend, and her brother. She said that those three individuals
had underhandedly designed her commitment. She believed that her
husband and brother had made phone calls to the police that were

damaging to her. Her ex-boy friend had been paid to get rid of her.

‘275“

The police gave her the latter information. She says, ”He (the
boy friend) was mixed up with something big and I wasn't going
to get into it”.

Reality contacts were satisfactory. There was no insight into
her 00ndition. The diagnosis was schiJOphrenic reaction, paranoid
type.

The first time she was granted ground privileges she escaped
but was returned to the hospital within a week. About a month
later she elOped again and returned to the state where her relatives
resided. Almost immediately she became involved with the ex-boy
friend she had accused of being instrumental in her commitment.

About him she says, "He is a crook. His mother is a milliOnaire.
He got off of two armed robberies".

In the succeeding two years there was an uninterrupted series
of antisocial activities. She came to the attention of the police on
four counts; three of the latter involved money matters and the other
narcotics. She estimates that during this period she c0nsorted with
twelve men and engaged in prostitute activities. At One time she
stated that all of her arrests were ”bum raps". She says, "The police
stole my clothes out of my car and took my money. I hate police with
a psssion".

Four years ago she received a 15 to 2 year sentence to prison
on a charge of issuing checks without an account. She was paroled
in eight months. Four months later, she married a Hungarian immigrant
without institutiOnal sanction; failed to report at designated
appointments to her parole officer and became involved in an

accident in which she "sideswiped" two other cars. She was returned

276

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to the correctional facility mainly for failure to report for interviews.

On her return, she appeared disturbed and was referred for
psychiatric examination. She exhibited paranoid delusions. There
was talk about conspiracies and F.B.I. surveillance. She described
interference from the state and city police. That is, legal authorities
falsely arrested her and stole her expensive clothing, "mink coat",
and damaged her car. The patient believed that her readmission was
illegal. She had been forced to commit a crime and a "gang" of
people were using her to collect accident insurance. Her feelings
were expressed in a very labile manner. She fluctuated from a weak,
withdrawn exterior to agitation and angry verbal outbursts. She was
considered psychotic. Since her delusional system was becoming more
complex, she was transferred to a state hospital.

At the state hospital she was satisfactorily oriented for time,
place and person, but was tense and apprehensive. She believed that
she had been "framed" in coming to the hospital. Somebody was
"cutting my throat". She was in sufficient contact with reality to
adequately discharge work assignments and established a very
supportive relationship with one of the hospital officials, a
very motherly individual. At her diagnostic staff conference, she
was considered a case of sociOpathic personality disturbance,
antisocial, with paranoid trends. She was discharged by the Prdbate
Court within five months due to the expiration of her sentence.

She returned to the city where she had lived prior to
hospitalization. In about two months she was arrested again. She
relates the incident in the following manner? "A detective dropped

a Mickey Mouse wrist watch into my pocketbook". She pleaded not guilty

~27? -

to the offense but it took all of her savings to pay a lawyer for
her defense. About a month later she was again apprehended for obtaining
narcotics with a false prescription. In quick succession she wrote
a check with insufficient funds and was picked up in an acutely
intoxicated condition. She lived with her husband off and on. She
says, "I just didn't like him". She recounts another police contact
in the following manner, "Some fellow got caught in my car with
narcotics, burglary tools, two pistols and a lot of ammunition. I
didn't know he had my car. The man peddled narcotics for the police
department. But he was only charged with carrying concealed
weapons and was allowed to go free. She says, "The police thought I
took narcotics". She denies drug addiction vehemently. I

At this point she was separated from her husband and
was living with a cousin in an apartment house. The basement
apartment was rented to a man who worked for a printing company.
She lived with him for several months. When the patient discovered
that he had stolen 500 checks from the company she took half of them
from his luggage. She was apprehended by the police while attempting
to cash a third check in a few days at the same clothing store.
The patient admitted stealing the checks but denied that she knew
that they were forged. She believed that because she did not endorse
them she should not have been held legally accountable.

At this hospital, the patient was untidy and unkempt in her
personal appearance. She was alert, rational and in adequate
contact with reality. There was no evidence of delusions or
hallucinations. Resentment was expressed concerning hOSpitalization.

She denied mental illness and all charges pending against her. She

-278-

felt victimized by the police department. She stated that there

had never been one single instance of valid arrest. She expressed
the opinion that the onky reason for commitment was that, "They used
my past record against me". At times she was sarcastic, arrogant
but there was no manifest anxiety.

The patient has always denied drug addiction. The following
incident occured several months ago. She and two other patients
wheedled or extorted phenobarbital medication from a feeble-minded
patient. She denied being implicated in the incident. The patient's
release from hospitalization is in process.

A;

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 26.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 108). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, chronic undifferented type.

The patient has only a few vague recollections of her mother.
One Christmas she broke a beautiful tree ornament. Her mother did not
make an issue of it, but the patient still wonders why the memory
is so vivid. Her mother died when she was three or four following
the birth of her sister. She recalls her mother in the casket and
that it pained her to see her there. The patient regards her mother's
death as directly attributable to childbirth. Now, she regards
the birth process as mysterious and associated with death. After the
death of her mother she went to live with a paternal aunt and uncle
for approximately a year. They had two children of their own. The
patient received relatively little attention from them. Oftentimes,

weekends were spent with a maternal aunt and grandmother. The summer

"279‘

of that year, she and her sister Spent vacation with another aunt
and uncle. She enjoyed the vacation considerably.

The patient started kindergarten while living with her paternal
aunt and uncle. If his circumstances are taken into account, her
father visited them a great deal but she was very lonely and missed
him considerably. She says, "I used to cry if my dad didn't come
and pick me up after school. I was afraid he wouldn't come for me
and I'd lose him too, like mother". Once she had a "tiff" with
her father and advised him she wanted to live with her maternal
aunt. The patient says, "Her voice sounded just like mother's".

The patient wanted him to think she loved her aunt more than she
did him.

A year later, her father became bankrupt. He lost two
pharmacies. At that time the patient was placed with the maternal
aunt with whom she had spent weekends. Her sister was adopted by
her other relatives. Shortly afterwards her father departed to
another state. The patient does not remember her father calling
to say goodbye before he left. There was no direct communication
with him from that time until his death nine years later.

The patient lived with her maternal aunt for approximately
25 years. Quite early in their association the patient became aware
that her aunt preferred to rear her than to get married. With her
relatives the patient led a socially restricted life. She played a
great deal with her dolls. Her aunt acquired a cat for her. From
then on, she spent much time with her cat. After the cat had kittens
she wheeled them about in a buggy. She recalls that they often mewed

for attention and she gave it to them.

~280—

Her aunt was a florist and her grandmother performed the
household chores. Initially, the patient was overjoyed when she
was adOpted. She says, "With my aunt, I was so happy to be a part
of what was secure in contrast to what I had had". She felt closer
to her aunt than her grandmother. Her aunt disciplined, "cuffed" her
occasionally. They went to shows regularly on Saturday nights.
Generally, her aunt treated her with thoughtfullness and consideration.

The patient started school at the usual age. She was enrolled
late in the first year and was held back. Her friends passed on.

The next year, in the second semester, she was advanced to the

second grade. However, she was unable to adjust and was again returned
to the first grade. At first she applied herself to her studies and
received above average grades. Gradually she began staying away
from school more and more. Her excuse was that she had frequent sore
throats. She says, "Even when I could go, I didn't”. Incentives

to attend school were lacking. Her home life was very pleasant.

Her creative efforts were expanded at home rather than at school.
When she stayed home from school she spent most of her time with

her aunt. Sometimes she would go to their flower shOp with her. She
says, "My aunt did not encourage me to go to school. She was old
fashioned about it, i.e., not necessary for a girl.

At the age of nine or ten, she found a gun in a closet. She
had no idea who put it there. At the time, she had been thinking
about her father and wanted to go to the state where he was living.
She thought she needed the gun for protection on the trip. For
some reason or other her wishes did not materialize. She forgot

about the gun for awhile but discovered it a second time. On this

”281"

occasion, she apprOpriated it. She eXperienced a feeling of security
when she touched it. Her uncle, who was a policeman, discovered

its hiding place and took it away from her. While she had the gun

she thought about using it ”on myself, auntie or both of us”.

In relation to vocational goals, she develOped an interest
in medicine and music. As time wore 0n she realized that her
academic achievement was unsatisfactory and would not qualify her
for entrance into college. She retained her interest in music
and later on received special training in voice.

Her grandmother died when she was twelve. Specifically,
discipline and direction had been provided by her grandmother. After
her grandmother's death her absences from school increased. They
had regularly attended and she sang in the choir in a Lutheran church
but in this instance too, participation diminished. Now, she
realizes that she has messed her grandmother much more than she
anticipated. Her aunt expressed a similar need for her grandmother.
The patient interpreted her grandmother's death as follows: "I got
frightened about it. After grandmother died things began to change.
I thought I'd die if I went to see a doctor”. Her grandmother had
been seen by a doctor on two eccasions. The first time, whatever
treatment was provided, her grandmother's condition improved. Shortly
after the second visit by her physician she died. The patient
believed that their doctor had killed her grandmother. She says,
"One of the doctors had two black eyes. It made me scared of him".
She recalls that her aunt had always wanted a doctor to move next

door. The patient disagreed with her on this matter.

The patient reached puberty at the age of eleven. Prior to

282

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this time, her aunt had explained that in time she would experience
a menstrual flow. She did not elaborate the sexual tOpic much
beyond that statement. The patient experienced her first menses
while they were having company. She waited until they left before
she took care of her "mess". It was attended by "cramps".
Discomfort and pain accompanied menstruation until she was twenty.
There were no Specifically sexual experiences prior to the onset
of puberty. She had two girlhood crushes on boys but they did
not reciprocate. One of the boys was four years older. She was
aware that there were differences between males and females, but
her aunt gave her no explanation. She says, "I used to play dolls
and pretend marriage". She was still playing with dolls at the age
of thirteen or fourteen. She had seen dogs mating and suSpected
that boys did the same thing. At the age of fourteen, they moved to
a different part of the city, next door to a doctor. By this time,
her interest in school was lagging even more. She says, "In high
school, life was a complete flop. I hadn't develOped sufficient
maturity to adjust. When father and mother died I was arrested.
When I was at home I had a feeling of security. At school I had to
compete with the other children. That doesn't promote your security
in school. You're loozing for security here and now. So I stayed
at home".

At school she had several girl friends. They went to
c0ncerts together. On her fourteenth birthday she had a party for
a group of schoolmates at her home. Her aunt participated in
the festivities. The patient says, "She wanted to be in on it too".

Two boys were included among her guests. One of them brought her a

283

(x,

manicure set. He wanted to date her but her aunt would not permit

it. Boys had never been invited to play with her. About this time
World War II started and she felt that it had a "psychological" effect
on her, i.e., it geared her to war activities.

Between the ages of fifteen and sixteen, she was "fired" or
quit school. She says, "Nothing went right for me". She brought
home a report card with three failing grades. She was very uneasy
throughout the tenth grade. She drOpped out of school once during
that school year but returned again, failed, started the tenth
grade again, and finally left. Because of her interest in music, she
participated in several school plays. During one of the performances
in which she had to sing she became very anxious and broke out in
a rash. She was unable to do justice to her part and felt that she
had failed miserably. She became depressed about her poor showing.
On seeing her melancholy condition her aunt bought her a diamond
ring. It was subsequently stolen. The patient attributes her
failure to strivings for perfectionism. She is also aware that by
giving her a reward (diamond ring) her aunt was reinforcing her
lack of success.

It was about this time too that her father died. She was
not directly informed about his death and did not attend his
funeral. Her aunt suggested that she see a doctor about her failure
in her school work. Paradoxically, she had received the diamond
ring about the same time.

After drOpping out of school the patient worked for her aunt
at the floral shop but received no wages. Her future at the time

looked very black. At the age of 16, with her aunt's support, she

~284"

began taking voice lessons at a conservatory of music. Her level
of aspiration was to be a vocalist, but it required a greater
expenditure of effort than she had anticipated. She says, "I didn't
go full force about singing. You have to have your voice developed
by the age of twenty-one. My voice was embryonic, not fully
developed”. During this period she acquired employment as a
stenographer. She did not have a very high regard for this type of
work. Also, she started adult courses to obtain her high school
diploma. She was taking piano lessons too. Her evaluation about
her many activities is that it was ”too much”. Nonetheless, she
regards her eighteenth year as the happiest time of her life. At
the age of 20, she acquired employment as an accounting clerk. After
six months, she was informed that if she developed her shorthand
Speed she could become a secretary. She practiced diligently and
her Speed increased. She worked as a secretary for about five years.
At the age of twenty-five, she began dating a man who lived
several doors down the street. He was twenty-five years older
than she. He was the manager of a large department store. She
describes him as an intellectual brooding type of person. They became
acquainted through his sister who lived two houses away. Several
months later he had a heart attack. After he recovered and they
obtained his doctor's sanction, they became engaged. He gave her a
diamond ring larger than a carat. During their six month engagement,
with her aunt acting as a chaperone, they took a trip through the
southern states. They argued considerably during their vacation.
She says, "I can't remember, I don't know why things didn't go so

well". There were no sexual relationships. Sex was mentioned on only

-235~

one occasion. They "necked and petted" to some degree, but during
these exchanges of affection he was "so gentlemanly" that he did not
try to pressure her into intercourse. Later on, she admits that he
wanted sex, but she did not, at least, not the type he proposed.
Finally, the patient admitted that there was sexual conflict. Her
fiancee requested on a reciprocal basis what she considered a
sexually deviated act. She did not refuse, but it brought their
relationship to an end. The man asked her to return her ring. She
says, "The engagement was broken because the diamond kept slipping
off my finger".

The patient had been somewhat concerned about their age
difference. Her aunt did not like the fact that he was so much older.
Concerning this the patient says, "Age makes a difference, doesn't
it? It made me more insecure. Well, naturally, if you're going
to marry someone, you've got them for a lifetime. If you lose
them in death, that's not so good. I questioned my love for him
because he was so much older. I didn't want to do anything that would
hurt him or me. He had had a heart attack. When we went out we'd
go to a show, visit, stOp and have a couple of drinks. It might
have hurt him to become more physically active in intercourse. I
thought, though, that the doctor said it was all right”. After
the engagement was broken she tried to contact her boy friend by
phone, but he refused to renew their relationship.

At the age of twenty-seven, she began dating another man.
They enjoyed each other's company immensely. Within six months he
brought her a little box, but she was afraid to Open it. She

anticipated that if she accepted an engagement it would terminate in

”286“

exactly the same manner as her first one. He asked her to marry
him on several occasions but she avoided giving him a definite
answer. She cannot fathom her motives in her delaying tacties. She
says, "It was too soon after the first break-up. How could I have
been so foolish”.

When she first mentioned the marriage prOposal to her aunt
she got the "funniest” look on her face. The patient received the
impression that her aunt rejected the news. She appeared very upset
by the turn of events. Her aunt, to some extent, tried to discourage
her marrying. She told the patient that she would miss her terribly.
The thought of living aIOne was frightening. At the time, her aunt
had a severe case of arthritis. There were progressive limitations
in her use of her limbs. She was using crutches to walk. The
patient did not want to disturb or harm her and felt guilty when
she thought about leaving her alone.

Under the circumstances, the patient could not bring herself
to plan for marriage. She says, "My aunt was good to me. I didn't
want to harm her. If I married she would be alone. She didn't
want to be alone. She wanted someone with her. When my aunt first took
me as a child, an attachment began that was very serious. I was in
heaven. Having such a long hold on each other, that's what caused
me to want to be with her more than with a husband. Too bad things
had to turn out that w y. If the relationship with my aunt had such
an emotional hold, it had a physical hold too. I knew I was attached
to her beyond the average. Losing a parent and then finding someone
who loves you is quite something. It places you closer than ordinary".

The patient was aware that sexual attraction existed between herself

287

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and her aunt.

After the patient relinquished her second romance, she "fell
apart at the seams". She had renounced one of the most important
experiences in living. Sensitivity to the magnitude of her loss
distressed her. A feeling of incompleteness made inroads into all
facets of her life. At the time, she was working as a secretary for
a credit bureau. She discontinued employment ostensibly to care
for her aunt. She explains that, actually, she could not concentrate
or cope with details. Therefore, she simply stayed home and ignored
telephone inquiries from the office. After this sequence of
experiences, she somehow conceived and became preoccupied with the
idea that her aunt intended to murder her. From the beginning she
told her aunt about her delusion. Her aunt's arthritic condition
became more incapacitating. They were with each other constantly. Her
aunt became more demanding. The patient says, "I thought that if
I stayed there I would be murdered. I don't know how it was going
to be, she was such a lovely and sweet person”.

There were many consultations with their next door doctor about
her arthritic disorder. The patient also inferred that on occasions
they discussed her. She was aware of her fear of physicians. When
he appeared, she found things to do in other rooms. Her belief that
he was trying to kill her and her aunt persisted. During one of
his visits, the doctor asked her if she would consent to a hypodermic
injection. She says, "He gave me a shot and my mouth got dry. I
began drinking a lot of water. They wanted to make me stop, but I
ran out and drank four or five quarts of water. I had to get out of

the house and I stayed away”. Now, the patient believes that the

-288~

effect of the injection was enhanced or caused by a "crash diet"
she had been on at the time.

For three months the patient lived in a rented room in another
part of town. Her aunt reported her disappearance to the police and
she was returned home.

After this experience, she was committed to a private
hospital for three weeks. A report from that facility indicated
that she was placed on tranquilizers and discharged without incident.
She was diagnosed as schiZOphrenic psychosis, paranoid type. On
her part, she welcomed hospitalization. She felt depressed; accepted
the notion that she needed treatment and believed she would recover
if she were placed on ”happy pills”. She says, "I lost two loves
in my life. I couldn't live with them or without them. I was born
to be single”.

One year later, she again became obsessed with death wishes.
She telephoned and informed the police that her aunt intended to kill
her. The patient admitted a great deal of hostility for her aunt.
She would not deny that her aunt had been very considerate of her.
She was committed to a municipal mental hospital for a period of
two weeks. There she received tranquilizers and made an uneventful
recovery. It was recommended that she try to gain independence
by living on her own.

After her release, she again obtained employment as a
stenographer and rented a room near her job location. Her
employment terminated in approximately ten months. During this period
she visited her aunt from time to time. She could perceive that

the minor stresses of everyday living were very difficult for her

-289 .-

aunt. However, the longer she stayed away from her the weaker the
intensity of her need to think that her aunt wanted to kill her
became. When New Year's day arrived, she celebrated it with her.

It was late when they terminated the holiday festivities and she

was persuaded to remain, ”just for the night". She did not return to
her rented room again. She says, "I had lost the feeling (death wish).
Keeping an extra room was expensive. She said she was having an
awful time while I was gone. She had crutches and it's not easy

with arthritis. The parakeet used to bite her when she fed it".
Within a short time, the same pattern of relationship that existed
prior to her temporary departure reasserted itself.

For the next two years she was very lonesome. Together they
read Shakespeare, discussed topics from National Geographic or
watched TV. Relatives drOpped in occasionally, but by and large
they lived alone. Sometimes, their solitude was almost unbearable
and it stimulated her to seek social interaction. One day, while
studying a French lesson in a nearby park, she noticed a boy
sitting on a bench close to hers and they began conversing. Through
him she met two more young men. Not long afterwards she spent
the night in a motel with one of them. Afterwards, they went to
see the movie "The Ten Commandments". She also engaged in intercourse
with the other one. Climax was not achieved with either one. She
states that the boys did not have an ejaculation. She explains her
behavior in the following manner: "I don't know what made me do
this after being so prim. My aunt loved me, but you need people
your age to be with. I just tried it a little bit".

One of the young men she met in this manner sought her out

290”

several times. He made several attempts to contact her after she
was committed to a municipal hospital. Her aunt did not tell her
about his communication attempts until quite some time had elapsed.
Finally, the boy returned to his home in one of the southern states.
He sent her a telegram but on the advise of their minister it was
kept from her. Another time he telephoned her but his call was
answered by her aunt. She told him she did not want him contacting
the patient. The patient insinuates that she heard the remarks made
by her aunt but made no effort to forestall them. The boy made
some uncomplimentary remarks to her aunt but his attempts to reach
her ceased.

The patient states that she was largely pleased with her
life situation. After her last romantic failure she began attending
shows at a dog training school. She says, "Dogs are second best to
persons". At one of them she met an older, retired Catholic
hockey player. She describes him as ”very nice". They "drifted"
to drive-ins and Chinese restaurants. She spent one night at his
home. As before, she was unable to achieve climax. He was very
pleased with their relationship and characterized his feelings
for her with the statement that he was "as near as her telephone".
However the time came when she called him, but was unable to reach
him. After that she did not see him again for sometime. Later she
learned that he had had several Operations during the interim. Her
last boy friend did not propose marriage. She remarks, "When I
had my aunt I wasn't too much interested in marriage. A woman has
to pursue just as much as a man". Incidentally, at the dog show show

she had gone with the intention of obtaining a thoroughbred and ended

29}

up by getting a mongrel.

The patient has taken voice lessons periodically from the
age of sixteen. Her teacher's son has exhibited an affectionate
regard for her for a long time. Currently, he still corresponds
with her. There have been no sexual relations. He lives with his
mother. The patient has not been particularly interested in him
because "his mother takes very good care of him"

When the patient was 32, her aunt broke her hip while getting
out of bed. From that time until her present hOSpitalization the
patient lived alone with her three dogs. About the time of the
accident she lost her job. She says, "It's too bad it had to happen
like that. She was too much to handle alone. Our family doesn't
socialize much so I just walked the doggies and did the housework".
With the passage of time, she became severely depressed "because I
‘idn't have my aunt". Her aunt died when the patient was 33. At
this point she wanted to contact her uncle, a doctor. She had not
seen him for years, and was unable to locate him.

One evening, she called the police department because she
thought she heard someone in the kitchen. With the policeman
still on the line she discoverd that it was one of her dogs. She
continued talking with the sergeant and the subject switched to
music. It was not long before she informed him that she was a singer,
and sang "God Bless America” over the phone. The policeman eXpressed
admiration for her talent and informed her that if she would meet
him at a radio station he could Obtain an audition for her with some
talent scouts. t first, the idea appealed to her, but the next

day she was too depressed to leave the house.

~292~

After her aunt's death she became severely depressed.
She was preoccupied with suicidal ideas. She cOJSidered drowning
herself but was afraid of water. The thought of stabbing herself
occurred to her but it was rejected because of the anticipated
pain. The idea of suicide by inhaling smoke fumes appealed to her
most and there were several instances of firesetting behavior.

At the age of 35, she attempted suicide by placing a plastic
bag over her head. Her effort was aborted because it hurt her neck.
For a full year she had never flushed her toilet because she was
afraid to have the plumber in the house. Three days prior to
setting the fire that precipitated her current hospitalization, she
felt herself reaching a stage of panic at the prospect of dying.
During this period she burned items of wearing apparel. Afterwards
she felt distressed and thought she should not have done it. subsequently
she became agitated and burned some more. On occasions, while her
clothing burned in the incinerator, she lay down on another pile
of clothing. The latter felt soft and relaxing. One day the patient
set at least three separate fires in her home. The fireman
discovered fires in the attic, basement, her bed and a sofa. Her
sister, summoned to the scene by the neighbors, arrived to find the
patient agitated and attempting to re-enter the burning dwelling.
Prior to this fire, she had burned several of her "best clothes".
Included in the items, was a dress worn ten years earlier when she
served as bridesmaid at her sister's wedding.

After the patient was taken to jail her relatives found
that the upkeep of her house had been grossely neglected and it was

even unhygienic. There were three dogs; the garbage had not been

293

diSposed of; the plumbing did not function; and the utilities had
been shut off. There was a "fortune" in books on sex, flower culture,
and technical manuals. A large Bible had all the pages torn out. A
nightstand contained needles and syringes. Medication or paregoric
were not in evidence.

For several years prior to her breakdown she had been writing
her memoirs. Her sister became aware that ther writing was "full
of hate" and that she (her sister) was the main target. She wanted
to burn her property so that "nobody" would benefit from her death.
She was aware that her legal heir would be her sister. It was her
sister, Specifically, that she did not want to inherit her estate.
She admitted, smilingly, that she resents her sister, on occasions.

At the time of her examination at a city clinic the content
of her speech included many complex details. Superficially, they
appeared to be trivial and irrelevant. During the course of her
examination, it became evident that those details had significant
symbolic and private meaning. She gave a history of past auditory
and visual hallhcinations. She described having seen cloud-like
and illumined figures in her home. A voice she thought was her
sister's Spoke about meeting her at Belle Isle. Suspicions and
fears were expressed about some green pills given her for her
condition because they might bring about her death. Since the
age of fourteen or fifteen, the patient had had the conviction that
she would die prematurely by the age of 35. The fact that she was
past that age at the time of her examination did not lessen her
presumption. She was euphoric while discussing her impending death.

The anticipation of death was expressed with pleasure. She verbalized

“294"

l,»

that it would "be nice to die”.

The patient expressed a fatalistic and delusional philOSOphy
of life. She indicated that since early adolescence she had been
unable to do many of the things she wanted to. She could Only
stand by passively and wait for things to happen to her. A
preconceived plan of events that would inevitably lead to her death,
irregardless of her wishes or actiOns, was attributed to ”God and
nature". The last two concepts were used interchangeably. Delusions
of persecution were eXpressed at two levels. Her earlier belief
was that her aunt had wanted her to die. More recently, her death
would inexorably be brought about by an abstract impersonal scheeme of
"nature”.

In the sexual Sphere, her fears and conflicts were revealed
in private symbolism. There was a highly personalized and bizarre
use of color to express her feelings. Diamonds symbolized sex. Pleasant
feelings of purple or lavender and other colors had been experienced.
She invested usual events with morbid attributes, i.e., once she
heard someone "tampering" with her electric meter. When she switched
on the electricity, there was none, i.e., the lights did not turn on.
It did not occur to her that it had been turned Off by the company
because she had not paid her bills for several months. On another
occasion, while washing dishes, She was shocked while turning the
dials of her radio. She believed that it may have been preplanned
with some underlying motive. While playing the piano, she noticed
Sparks emanating from her fingers. They were the preliminary stage
of the oncoming fires. Planes flying directly overhead had an

ulterior purpose in so doing. TV personalities projected on the screen

295

related to her personalLy. For example, a particular movement of
Edward R. Murrow's head conveyed a Specific meaning for her and
indicated his awareness of her presence.

At this hospital, in the initial psychiatric interviews,
the patient was poorly oriented for time, place and person. She
showed fine tremors of both hands. Her verbalizations were
disconnected. One part of her conversation is as follows: "I
set fire to the house, well, I believe it's my house. Sometimes
I get confused. I can't get to cook three meals a day. Maybe
I set fire to the house because I needed attention. I tried to get
help at the city hospital. Maybe nature is trying to play tricks
on me. I met a fat man, wanted me to go with him. I met this man
while I was reading a book”. There were delusions of grandeur
and auditory hallucinations.

Immediately after her arrival, she was placed on very
heavy dosages of tranquilizing medication. She was strongly sedated
until approximately six months ago. There have been no behavior
problems but she has been withdrawn and aloof. She was encouraged
to join group therapy about a year ago. At the time she asked
to visit a group on the pretext of writing an article for the hospital
periodical. More recently, she became involved in vocational
rehabilitation in a mixed group (male-female). subsequently she
became very tense and professed a desire to terminate. After some
reassurance she decided to continue. Release from the hospital is
imminent.
£5

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of ho.

- 296--

She terminated school after completing the sixth grade. Intelligence
is at the average level (I; 106). She is of lower class parentage.
DiagnOSis is schiZOphrenic reactiOA, chronic undifferentiated.

The patient's mother was aged 15 when the patient was born.

Ier real father was married to another woman when her mother became
pregnant. Her maternal grandmother almost immediately began caring

for the patient. Her mother lived in an upstairs apartment in the

same house. The patient saw her mother everyday, but her mother

did not to any great extent participate in her child-rearing activities.
She slept and Spent most of her time with her grandmother and her
stepgrandfather. Her mother moved to a different location when the
patient was about 6.

The patient recalls several incidents prior to the time she
was able to walk. On one occasion she was left alone with her
stepgrandfather. Somehow, there was an accident. Her stepgrandfather
broke her glass swan and cut his hand. She remembers teasing her
dog and her stepgrandfather trying to make the dog behave. In her
mind's eye, she can see her finger in a splint, but she does not
recall the circumstances bringing about the fracture.

About the age of 5 or 6, she was in a accident with her
stepgrandfather. He was taking some fruit jars to someone's house.
They got into the car and pulled out of the driveway. Her next
memory was regaining consciousness on a hospital bed. She sustained
a severe scalp wound, and had been unconscious for several hours.

The patient started school at the usual age and completed
the sixth grade. For awhile, she was taught by a distant relative,

a cousin. On one occasion, the patient called her by her first

297

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name and was reprimanded for it. The patient enjoyed and made
above-average grades in her academic subjects. She shipped the
first and second grades. There was friction in her social
interactions with boys. Boys put tacks on her seat because they
were envious of her academic superiority. One of her most pleasant
experiences in school was playing the lead role of the "Virgin Mary"
in a Christmas pageant. The role involved both Speaking and singing
activities. She says, "I got stage fright easily”. Her mother stated
that her cousin teacher catered to the patient. Because of family
ties she was placed in positions of prominence in school activities.
In the fourth grade, another teacher told her mother that the patient
was a problem child because she wanted her own way. The patient skipped
school a great deal.

The patient did not meet her father until the age of seven.
One day she came home from school and was called upstairs to see
her mother. Her mother introduced a man in a bearskin coat as her
father. The patient, apparently, doubted the relationship,
but she says, "After that I got presents from him so I had to believe
he was my father". From birth until the age of 7 or 8, there were
three stepfathers. The mother has been married six times. She
has only vague recollections and hardly any contacts with her first
two stepfathers. Her mother remained married to her third stepfather
for almost 16 years. Two months after his death, her mother married
the fifth time.

At the age of 8, she met her maternal grandfather for the
first time. He was visiting her mother. She had been staying

Sporadically with her mother. One day when he was drunk, he "raped"

”298‘

her. He threatened to kill her if she told her mother. The rape
was painful and there was some bleeding. The next day she
started menstruating. The patient informed her grandmother about it,
and the incident was reported to the police. After the usual legal steps
were taken, he was ultimately committed to a mental hospital where
he Spent the remainder of his life. ImmediateLy afterwards, she
was taken for treatment to the children’s dividion of a psychiatric
unit. On the recommendation of her psychiatrist, she was removed
from school. From that time, there has been no formal academic
training. She says, "What I've learned, I've learned on my own.
Prior to the time of the sexual incident, there was hardly any sexual
instruction. Her mother had tried to discuss the sexual topic with
her but her grandmother had objected. Her grandmother eXpressed the
opinion that the patient knew too much in relation to her age. Her
grandmother exhibited overconcern even about the propriety of her
clothing. She would not let her wear new dresses provided by
her mother if she considered them sexually provocative.

After the rape behavior, she went to live with her real father.
He was a state policeman and was home for very brief periods of
time. She says, "I didn't want to stay there when he wasn't there,
and I didn't like his wife”. One day, on impulse, she packed her
suitcase and left. Within a short time she was apprehended and
return to her father. He whipped her and put her to bed without
dinner. Before the evening ended he apologized and brought her a
'meal. The patient says, ”But by that time, I had no confidence in
him or anyone else in that house". Her father finally returned her

to her grandmother.

-299-

From the ages of , to 1A, there were no acutely critical
incidents. There was, however, considerable conflict between her
mother and grandmother regarding rearing practices. She says, "I felt
like someone was pulling me two ways. When I started dating, one
would say 'O.K.' and the other, 'you're too young'. What is a
person supposed to think”? After her mother moved out of their home,
the patient was continually shifting residence between her grandmother
and mother. She says, "I'd fight with one and then I'd go to the
other. Mother gave love and affection only when she was drunk. I'd
think, 'Oh, yeah, it's only alcohol talking'. From the time I
was little, grandmother didn't want me to be around her when she
nmsdanU

The patient is a Lutheran. They lived ”almost on tOp of"
the church. Her grandmother required her to attend Sunday services
and was very strict about it. She has largely discontinued
religious observance as an adult.

The patient's first romantic attachment was to a sixth cousin
who was about 30 years of age. She and an older girl friend, both
of them attired in shorts, went to see him recurrently. The first
time she was alone with him, he seduced her. She does not recall
reaching climax. There is shame associated with the experience.

She says, "Afterwards I couldn't look at him and I quit going to
see him". Her grandmother suspected that intercourse had taken
place and made inquiries about it. At first, the patient denied
it, but in due course of time she discovered she was pregnant. Her
male child was born within the expected time limits and without

complications. Her son was immediately adopted by a maternal aunt.

*300~

The latter lived on a farm. The patient made infrequent visits

to see him. She is perplexed about her feelings toward him. When
her child was five or six years of age he slipped off a log and
sustained a lethal injury. Concerning his death the patient says, "I
don't know how I felt about it. I hardly knew him”.

About the age of 15 or 16, the patient began working, helping
out at a bar owned by her stepfather. She met many acceptable peOple,
”at least, I considered them nice", through her activities at the
bar. She dated several of the men she met there. Invariably, they
moved to another bar, sometimes a "blind pig". She was not old
enough to drink with adults, but her age was never questioned. Her
mother was aware of her activities and tried to prohibit them to
no avail. The patient regards her dating behavior as acceptable. It
was a means of Obtaining affection she needed and was not receiving
from her family or peers. She engaged in coitus with several of the
men with whom she associated. She says, "I was not ashamed of this.
I did not think I was bad". She was aware that other peOple regarded
promiscuity as moralLy'unacceptable.

At the age of 16, when her stepgrandfather had gone on a
southern trip, she and her grandmother went to a bar for a drink. A
soldier'bought them one and, with the approval of her grandmother,
he sat down and chatted with them. The next day her grandmother asked
him to dine with them at her mother's home. The young man was a
very likeable person and her mother treated him with overt
demonstrations of affection. She says, "It seems everyone likes what
I liked. I went with him a long time (several months) and we had many

fallings out. I'm the biggest fool that ever live. The guy I was

"301‘

supposed to marry, I didn't wait for. I thought he'd get killed. On
the day he was transferred, no one could find me. When he left, I
hadn't said goodbye to him". The day that he left, the patient Spent
the day with his friend.

She behaved in an identical manner on her birthday. Her
mother had planned a surprise party for her. She believed that her
birthday had been forgotten. At the time the birthday party was
in progress, she was in a large city getting drunk with a "gang".

She says, "I had a habit of not showing up at home. I was gone

with the wind”. At this point in the interview, she cried and stated
that she still loves her first soldier boy friend. Her mother
reports that the patient often sneaked out of the house and stayed
with boys until the early hours of the morning. One of the outcomes
of her promiscuity was that she acquired gonorrhea.

The patient has always appeared to be escaping from something.
She has run away many times. Usually, some member of her family
would inform the police and asked them to find her. Often, she
would take taxis and ride around in them until late at night or
earLy in the morning. When without funds, she would jump out of the
taxi near her home, run into a building and out the back door and
disappear to her home.

The patient met her first husband, a soldier, at an amusement
park. He was an intemperate and unruly individual. He was jailed
on one occasion for disorderly conduct. At first, they just lived
together. When he was transferred to a different base, he wanted
her to follow him. They were married and lived together several months

until he was sent overseas. Not long afterwards, he was killed in

-302”

military actiOn. After her marriage, the soldier she really loved
returned to see her. He had not been informed that she was married.
Their meeting was a very painful experience. She says, ”I almost
passed out when I saw him. I told him about my marriage, and he
asked me why I didn't wait”. She voices some derogatory comments
about herself and asks, "Would you be happy if you pulled such a
shabby trick”? He left immediately. She has not seen or heard from
him since that date.

After her husband's death, the patient had a severe mental
breakdown. She ran away to a southern state. From there she called
her mother and asked for bus fare to come home. After she traveled
a short distance, she called her mother again and asked for more
money. This time her stepfather went to meet her. On her return
she made continous phone calls to a service base to obtain dates. It
was on the complaint of an officer from that installation that she
was referred to a state hOSpital.

During the time of her commitment, while on visit or
convalescent status, she left the state. She acted out in an
antisocial manner in another state, and served time in a reformatory
for women.

At the age of 19 the patient remarried an acquaintance of a
relative. Her husband had a history of mental hOSpitalization. He
visited her while she was at the hOSpital. Their courtship and
marriage were completed within a month. They had made arrangements
to remain with his mother but instead went to stay with his sister. He
slept on the floor and she on the couch. There was no privacy and

it was some time before they consummated their marriage in a sexual

303

act. On this occasion, her grandmother had sanctioned the marriage
without asking for her mother's consent. The animosity between her
mother and grandmother flared up. Her mother did not attend the
wedding or visit them for a month afterwards. Then she gave a
reception for them but did not invite her grandmother. During the
festivities her mother became drunk and beat her.

From the start there was constant friction with her second
husband about several matters. They argued with their parents. He
disagreed with almost everyone and thought people, in general, were
against him. They both drank excessively. Sexual adjustment was
satisfactory until the following incident. The patients description
follows. "I had a girl friend and when we went out one night, she
had no formal clothing, I let her wear one of mine. My husband was
with us and we went out and came back home. My husband bought
some rum and it was late. My girl friend didn't want to go home.

My husband got in bed with her and so I left him. PeOple will kill
for that and I left him and went back to grandmother". They were
divorced in approximately five months.

Her fourth stepfather died when the patient was aged 24 and
her mother remarried within a month. The patient did not think that
her mother should have married so soon after her stepfather's death.
She had been fond of her last stepfather and disliked her next
one immediately. Her negative attitude toward him became even more
intense after she was accused of having stolen some money her mother
had put away. He subsequently admitted that he had taken it, but
her mother did not apologize for her erroneous accusatiOn. Later on,

her stepfather prepositioned her sexually. She told her mother about

304

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his proposal but she would not believe it. The patient had known
and associated with her stepfather several years before. There had
been sexual intercourse. He wanted to resume their relationship on
the same basis, but she did not allow it. The patient states that
she suSpected her mother's motives toward many of the men she dated.
She says, ”My mother has made over most of my boy friends. She hugs
and kisses them in frOnt of me. EveryOne I've had she done it with
and mostly my husbands”.

At the age of 25, she was sentenced to prison on a charge of
grand larceny. There were no unusual incidents. She worked in the
laundry; participated in many of the available recreatiOnal activities
and made a few close friends. She was released in approximately
four years. On returning to her grandmother, she was informed that
her grandmother had cancer. Her grandmother died several months later.
Prior to her death, the patient had written some checks in her
grandmother's name. The bank pressed the charges and she was sent
back to prison.

After her return to the Open community, she had three boy
friends in rapid successiOn. Her parents introduced her to a handsome,
mature looking man. They had several dates and engaged in heavy
petting. His caresses aroused her sexual desires, but he was a
”freak'' and only wanted to engage in cunnilingus. He wanted to
marry her but she did not approve of that type of sexuality. The next
man with whom she had an affair wanted her sexually but had no
marital intentiOns. The succeeding one she ”fell for like a tOn of
bricks” but he was a confirmed alcoholic and possibly a drug addict.

She became acquainted with her third husband, a redhead, at a bar.

305

She has a predilection for redheads. Her first husband and her
grandmother were redheads. She dyes her hair red too. Three days
after their initial meeting he asked her to ride along with him to
another city. Enroute he proposed marriage. They began marital life
in a hotel. Presumably, while still on their honeymoon, they went to
Canada. They spent most of the day drinking in bars. That evening
he wanted to remain in Canada, contrary to their plans. Consequently,
she returned home. She went to the bar of the hotel in which they
were lodging and began drinking with the bar manager, a pleasant
and sociable woman. They frequented several bars that evening. The
patient did not return to her room.

The next day she called her husband. He inquired into her
whereabouts. He asked her to wait for him so that he could come
for her. As soon as he hung up, she left. She says, "I wasn't
ready to be bawled out so I went to a bar". Her husband attempted
to get in touch with her there and at several other bars. As soon
as she was informed he was calling she moved on. After several days
of these delaying tactics, she returned to him and they lived together
for a few days. During the time she was away from her husband, she
had written several checks in her name with insufficient funds. She
was apprehended by the police and returned to prison. The reason she
finally offered for temporarihy parting with her third husband was that
he was a philanderer. Many women informed her that they had been out
with him. The patient never saw him in the company of other women, but
suspected that what she had heard was true. When she asked him
about it directly, he confirmed it, but tried to reassure her of his

love. At the same time, he minimized the importance of these affairs.

asogi

VEhen she found out he was being unfaithful she says, "I felt numb
2311 over. I was hurt by his unfaithfulness and so I stepped out to
liurt back. It started when I was a little girl. The man I thought
‘was my father wasn't".

At the age of 30, she was returned to prison, on a charge of
Iittering and publishing. At the institution she tried to adjust with
'the same behavior patterns as on her first period of confinement.
{There were some modifications. She was placed in seclusion for two or
'three months for an attempted escape. She attributes the attempted
elOpement to another party and feels victimized. On another occasion
she was accused of refusal to work in the garden. The task consisted
of weeding and hoeing. She says, "If an officer didn't like you
they put you on a garden detail. One didn't like me. She thought I
was too smart and snippy".

She regards her readmission to prison as motivated by
vindictive needs toward her mother and stepfather. She says, "I
thought in my heart that it would hurt her more than it did me.
Mbther told me she loved me. If she did, it would hurt her". When
her mother became inebriated she would tell the patient that the onLy
person "you" love is in the grave. This statement evoked a feeling
of horrors and revulsion in the patient. She cries and continues,
"I've hurt her more by coming here. She hurt me by divorcing my
one father, the one she knew was mine; he was my daddy. There was
no other one for me. There again I felt unwanted. He was always
good to me". She was placed on parole and returned to her husband,
in the latter part of 1961. They failed to get along and separated.

After the break-up with her husband, she began frequenting a particular

~ 301—

bar where she became acquainted with the owner's wife. The lady
was a motherLy person and put her at ease. The patient told her
on several occasions she was a nurse at a nearby military base. Later
on, a soldier came into the bar and invited her to drink with him.
They arranged to meet afterwards and he took her inside the
installation. He started making love to her and put pressure on her
to submit to intercourse. She warded off his advances but obtained his
identification card with the intent of reporting him to his commanding
officer. Instead, she took her grievance to the Provost Marshal. She
introduced herself as a nurse lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He
asked to see her identification card but she was unable to produce
it. She says, "In turning him in, I turned myself in by saying what I
was and what I wasn't." She played the nurses role for one and one-
half weeks.

The same day of her apprehension by the police, her husband
was arrested for first degree murder. He had been drinking with
some companions. When his funds were depleted, he went to an aunt
to ask for a loan. She refused to grant it. Her husband killed her
with a knife. He was sentenced to prison for mandatory life. He
communicated with her all of the time that she was in an outstate
prison. The latter statement will be explained more fully in the
succeeding material.

The patient was 38 at the time of her sentence to a Federal
prison on the charge of impersonation. When the patient arrived
at that institution, she appeared severely disturbed. Almost
immediately, she was referred to the psychiatric unit where she was

placed on tranquilizers. She received psychotherapy from two

therapists. The first one made a very poor impression on her. He
had been treating one of the womal and apparently committed suicide
because of a distorted relationship with her. She says, "I didn’t
think he was that stupid. He was sicker than any girl out there.

He was my therapist”. She discussed the difficult situation with her
husband. The therapist told her to ”forget the SOB”. He expressed
the opinion that her husband was not worth the distress he was
causing her.

Her next therapist was skillful and efficient. She says, ”He
listened”. When anxiety about the fate of her husband at the time of
his trial became most intense, she was able to tolerate and resolved
it successfully in her interviews with him. After her therapist
left the reformatory she was unable to relate to another. In the
meantime she had become eligible for a transfer to her originating
state. She took advantage of her prerogative and returned to her
home state. In approximately two and one-half years, and without
any further incidents, she was released.

She moved into her mother's home but circumstances had not
changed. She says, ”There was too much company, too many people,
too much bickering between me and my mother”. Her stepfather
continued making sexual advances. In the everyday give and tak
interactio; with her mother, anxiety would build up and frustratioxs
abounded. She became restless and left the premises for a day or tw
at a time. On her return her mother would not talk to her for days
On end. The patient considered the "silent treatment" more painful
than if she had been subjected to verbal abuse. During the time

she was gone she invariably became drunk. In her opiniOn, sex behavior

309

was a secondary consideration. When the situatiOJ at home became
unbearable, she says, ”I'd do a;ytliig to get away from home

One day, while she was serving as a waitress at her mother's
bar, she became angry and threw some things at her. The patient
considered this incident he most demoralining indignity she had ever
had to endure and departed again. She went to a former acquaintance
from whom she could obtain money. He rented her quarters in a motel
for the night. The next day she moved to another city. There
she secured work at a tavern. For several days she adgusted
satisfactorily. Within the week she became homesick and returned
to her mother. The same difficulties arose again and she repeated
her previous behavior.

On this occasion, she met an automotive eggineer who was
estranged from his wife. He asked her to live with him. He was
a ”moodly, sour” individual who drank excessively. She engoyed
assuming the role of his wife. At the time, he had a lawsuit in
progress to obtain his children from his real wife. The patient
believes that had his relationship with her come to light his
litigation would have failed. She wanted to marry him, but could
not stay with him under these trying circumstances.

ne day she called the military base and talked to One of the
officers. He invited her to tour the installation. On her arrival
there, she met a major and a colonel. Both of them asked her for
a date. That night she met the colonel at a bar. He was already drunk.
In the course of the evening he became very obnoxious and she left

him. The following night she returned to the tavern. The major was

there also. He informed her that he was aware of the outcome of

310

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u L l;

her evening out with the colonel. They began dating steadily. Several
times he stayed with her overnight in a hotel. She registered in
his name and ran up a rather large service bill. She left the hotel
without paying it. The latter event brought to an end her affair
with the major.

Several days later, she met another man in a beer garden.
Almost immediately they began living together in a motel apartment.
The man was separated from his wife but was supporting her (his wife)
economically. One Saturday night at a bar, her paramour asked a friend
"to take care of her”. When she and her paramour's friend left to
eat at a restaurant they Observed that they were beinCr followed by her
paramour. The night's events culminated in considerably more
drinking behavior and both men went to bed with her. Her relationship
to the latter man terminated after she forged some checks in his wife's
name. The patient was finally apprehended by the police.

The patient was held in jail for two months. Several other
inmates, both males and females, were confined there at that time. They
talked with each other a great deal. Two or three of the males,
including one policeman, made sexual prOpositions to her. One of
the guards conveniently left her door and that of a young man's
Open in exchange for a sexual favor. Coitus with the guard was not
in harmony with her wishes, but she submitted because of fear of
disclosure and punishment. Both of her sexual adventures became
known to the other inmates. They began making derisive remarks about
her. The men increased their sexual overtures. She became depressed.
One night she became preoccupied with the idea of suicide and cut

her ankle. She says, ”I bled like a pig and been stuck". The

311

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profuse bleeding alarmed her. She proceeded to stOp the flow by
applying a tourniquet. By the time the suicide attempt was discovered,
the danger was over.

The depreciating comments of the inmates increased. One man, in
particular, "bugged" her at night. She says, ”He told me that he
sent my husband to prison for life and if he could get out he'd
kill me". Several days after her first suicide attempt she made
another one. She ingested 27 sleeping pills, but there were no lethal
consequences. The patient describes, but cannot place, another
suicide attempt during World War II. She cut herself with a razor
blade and a second lieutenant's bar. At the time of the current
interviews she says, "I feel that I'd be better off dead. I'm
nobody. I'm flunking. I feel like I've failed in everything worthwile
I've ever tried to do. I've always wanted to make my mother proud
of me. It's the joke of the century because I've always done something
to foul it up. Look at my life, it's nothing but a foul up, big
disgrace that I am. I'm scared in a way. Then again, I've always
wanted to get even with her for what she's done to me. In one
sense, mother is reSpOnsible. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't
have done a lot of things".

After her second suicide attempt, she was referred for
psychiatric examination. The psychiatrist who examined her reported
that the patient felt that he (the psychiatrist) was plotting against
her. Everybody else was against her. They were calling her bad
names. She believed she was pregnant (the patient has had a
bilateral hysterectomy) because of sex involvement with inmates.

The patient was considered psychotic and it was recommended that

312

skna'be committed to a state mental hOSpital.

At the hOSpital, the patient was suSpicious, tense an overly
:Eriendly. She was adequately oriented in all three spheres. There
vnere deep disturbances. She experienced nightmares of dead bodies
23nd would wake up frightened and unable to sleep. There were no
other grossly abnormal symptoms. At the time of this writing, she
has become romantically involved with a 27 year old male patient
and is entertaining marital eXpectations.
£2

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of 30.

:She received a fifth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (1;; 85). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was sociOpathic personality disturbance, antisocial reaction, with
psychotic episodes, history of alcoholism.

The patient's father died before she was born. She was
informed by her mother that he was a ”salt water guitchee”. He had
no formal education and his conversation was somewhat unintelligible.
He had been born 0n the Open waters. His parents lived in a boatlike
structure 0n the ocean. There was no regular employment. She was
led to believe that he was a ”good” (moral) man. Her mother remarried
while the patient was still an infant. She was three months
pregnant at the time.

The patient's earliest recollections are that as a child she
ran away from home continually. There have been so many instances
of the latter behavior that it is difficult to count the number of
times it has happened. She remembers that their home in a southern

state was built upon some tree stumps. When difficulties arose

313

a
‘ .
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D
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‘ . ,3 .
I
_ V
L. .
. l4

between her mother and stepfather she would hide underneath the
house until she no longer heard the loud rumbling of voices.

On one of her runaways she had the following eXperience. For
two weeks prior to her adventure, she had been aware that there was
a circus in town. She had not intended to elepe but one day early
in the morning she found herself in that part of the city. She
hurried to the near vicinity of the merry-go—round and remained with
her eyes glued on its activities until closing time. The Operator
noticed her, and when there was no one else around he gave her two
rides. She says, "I knew it wasn't for us colored. I don't know
whether I wanted to ride it but he let me".

She did not know until there was a separation that the man
she thought was her father was actually her stepfather. According
to the patient he used alcoholic beverages immoderately. When he was
under the influence he would whip all three children severely.

She does not recall ever having been disciplined when he was sdber.
Subsequently, when the children knew he had been drinking they were
too fearful to misbehave. Her stepfather was a philanderer. He
stayed out late at night and sometimes did not come home for several
days at a time. The patient states that neither her mother or
stepfather shOwed any favoritism. She says, "They didn't care for
any of us". Nevertheless, when it came to money matters she draws

a distinction between the behavior of her parents. Her stepfather gave
Spending money mainly to her two half sisters. On these occasions
the patient felt he did not love her and cried. These were the

only other times when he would whip her with a belt.

Her mother was not particularly close to any one child. She

"314‘

distributed money or bought them clothing equally. When her mother
disciplined them she did it with a tree switch. The patient says,
"She whipped us with a switch she got from a tree that has green
beries. The stems are long and green. The limbs bend almost in
half and they won't break and they sting".

The patient remembers that as a child she played mostLy with
her half sister. They played school, house and office. When they
played school the patient wanted to be the school teacher; in house
games, mother, and in the office, the boss's private secretary. She
says, "I wanted to be first".

The patient started school at the age of six in the first grade.
She did not like school. However, of all the subjects she was
exposed to she enjoyed "auditorium" the most. She also liked music,
art and arithmetic but was repelled by reading, geography and library.
There were no grade failures but she received failing grades in
several subjects. She got the impression that she was promoted
mainLy to "get me out of the room". She attended a segregated
school and discontinued at the age of ten while she was in the
fourth grade.

When the patient was ten her parents separated. Her stepfather
had been staying away from home progressively more frequently and
longer. One day her mother put all of his clothing in a trunk and
burned it up on the front yard. From that time on her stepfather
never came into their home again. Her sister reports that after
the separation they once saw him across the street with another woman.
They called to him and asked him for some money. He threw them a

dime from his side of the avenue but did not step to converse with them.

~315 --

Shortly after their separation her mother started working at
a shipyard. They rented a larger home and took in boarders. During
that period they saw relatively little of their mother. The patient
was instructed by her mother to take care of her sisters. Her mother
left her their credit card so that she could go to the store in
case they needed groceries while she was at work. One day the
patient, out of sympathy, spent the whole credit card on an old
destitute neighborhood woman. When her mother came home the old lady
called and expressed her gratitude for the kindly act. After the
woman departed her mother gave her the most severe beating she had
ever administered. The patient became very angry; threatened to run
away and finally crawled under the house and refused to come out for
a long time. She says, "I was peeved because she whipped me. I
thought I did right".

When the patient was approximately ll they moved to a large
city in a northern state. She was placed in school immediately but
was drOpped back one grade in the process. Her first report card
was very poor. She attached a great deal of significance to her
poor showing and brooded about it. During this period she was raped
by a janitor. The patient does not recall or will not talk about the
incident. Her sister reports that they had been playing together.
For some reason or other the patient went to the basement where the
custodian lived. She did not return for some time. They became
curious about her whereabouts and went in search of her. They heard
some noises in one of the rooms. They peeked through the keyhole and
saw the patient tied to a bed with her dress above her thighs and

the janitor making movements on tOp of her. They were aware that

"316 ‘

 

he was engaging in an act of intercourse. As soon as their mother
came home they told her about what they had seen. Her mother made an
official complaint to the police. The man was ultimately sent

to prison.

Shortly after this incident the patient made a suicidal attempt
by stabbing herself in the breast. She eXpresses no awareness of the
psychological problems underlying her act. She was immediately rushed
to a municipal hospital. After she was no longer in danger of
serious complications she was transferred to a state hospital. She
remarks that the scar of the wound is still approximately an inch
in length.

She describes her mental condition as characterized by
depression, crying and lack of social interest. She received ECT.

In an effort to cheer her up she was given a birthday party by ward
personnel but she was not responsive. During the two years of
residence at the hospital she was placed on convalescent status
several times. On her visits home when matters did not suit her

she ran away. The patient expresses resentment toward her mother and
half sisters because they did not come to visit her at the hospital
very often. She did not receive very much money from home so that
she could buy "extras”. The patient inferred that her sisters did not
want to see her. As her depression lifted she became very friendly
with the other patients and attendants. She states that she sought
out other peOple for attention because she was not getting any from
her family. She says, "I still loved my mother and it made me mad
when she didn't come to see me". On one of her visits she went to a

girl friend's home and remained there beyond the timelimits allowed.

‘31? -

 

She stayed there until the police came after her. Finally, she
became very close to one of the female attendants. The latter
'brought her candy, cigarettes, etc. The particular patient-attendant
relationship adOpted at that hospital is being exhibited currently.

At the state hospital she did not receive any ”talking
treatment”, i.e., individual or group psychotherapy. There was no
school. The patient requested and was accepted for training in
physical therapy. She was also instructed in basic hospital functions
particularly as they pertained to ward duties. She expresses
c0nsiderable pride in her ability to make beds. She says, "I can make
a perfect patient bed or surgery bed”. For the most part she was
assigned to a physical therapy unit on a female geriatrics ward. She
found her work rewarding and personally gratifying.

At the age of 14 there was a mass transfer of approximately
200 patients from the state hospital to a private agency. She was
one of the patients included in the operation. There, she was
placed in the out-patient treatment department in the physical medical
section. She was granted outside priviledges and could, in her
free time, come and to at will. She had a private room just like she
had had when she was home. She had the same status as a nurses aid
and was granted a subsistence allowance. On the surface everything
appeared to be satisfactory.

Her family made on effort to contact her at her new residence.
At first, she reasoned that her mail was still being sent to the
state hospital and had not yet been forwarded to her. Several weeks
later conditiOns were still the same and she became alarmed, and very

lonely. In an effort to locate her family she left the hOSpital for

318

two weeks. She says, "I was trying to find mother so I just walked
out the door. I wanted to see my mother". Subsequently, she learned
that they had moved and had left no forwarding address.

On her return she was immediately transfered to a municipal
mental hospital. There, she was placed in almost the same position
that she had held at the private hOSpital. She worked in the medical
unit. Her duties were almost identical to the ones she had previously
carried out. There was one important difference, she had to houseclean
the intern's quarters. She had permanent quarters on the receiving
ward and as before had permission to spend her leisure time as she
pleased. She continued searching for her mother. She roamed about
the city alone for several months but her efforts were fruitless. About
six months later, the hOSpital made the contact for her and her mother
came to see her. She says, "I was so glad to see her I just talked
and talked. I just didn't ask her where she'd been".

The patient reached puberty somewhere between the ages of 12
and 15. There had been no sexual instruction within the family. A
younger sister reports that when she reached the age of puberty she was
told by their mother to wear a "rag". The patient received all of
her sexual information while she was at the state hospital. Subsequent
to her rape experience, her first heterosexual relationship occured
at the age of 15 with one of the attendants at the hospital. She
says, "He had me under the impression that he liked me".

One of the consequences of her sexual acts with the attendant
was that she acquired gonorrhea. She says, "It was an awful bad case.
It hurt when I urinated. I fainted while I was taking a ballet

lesson, I got up to go and I fainted. A patient who came from a

~319—

wealthy family was blamed for it”. The patient continued her sexual
irelationship with the attendant for a period Of two years. She did
LlOt achieve orgasm.
For awhile she went places with another female patient. One
day, her companion joined two boys outside the grounds and did not
return. One of the boys was supposed to have been her date. The patient
did not start regular dating until the age of 16. During the Christmas
holidays, she was taken home for a few days by a social worker. She
met the boy that she began dating at a house party given by the
worker. He invited her to a birthday party at his home and a "nice
romance” was initiated. After she returned to the hospital he came
to see her and took her out every Saturday night. He brought her
gifts such as cigarettes and candy. Mainly they attended dinner
and movies together. The attention she received was gratifying but
she did not like him well enough to marry him. During the time she
was dating this boy she thought she was in love with one of the
doctors. The patient is unable to verbalize any basis for the feelings
he evoked in her except that he was ”well built and good looking”.
During this period she conceived of her relationships with
her half-sisters as distant. She did not feel inferior to them.
However, she compared herself unfavorably to almost all of the people
at the hOSpital. At times, she did favors for peOple just to get
them to like her. At this time she began having uncontrolled timper
outbursts. There were times when she was isolated. When her needs or
wishes were furstrated she would become angry and ”scream, yell and
bang my head on the floor”. There were fights with the other

patients but according to the patient, only when they initiated

320

the altercatiOns. She expresses the opinion that she has been
attacked by her fellow patients. Sometimes, people irnored her
intentiona lly .

She became even more cautious about fighting as a result of
the following eXperience. She had "teamed up" with a crippled girl.
The latter struck a resounding chord in the patient after a suicidal
attempt. The patient had tried to comfort her and in the process they
became very good friends. Her friend progressed rapidly. Shortly
before she was to be released from the hospital they became embroiled
in a violent quarrel. The patient struck the girl viciously but
the girl ddfended herself admirably and eventually fought back
even more fiercely than the patient. In the end the patient was
thoroughly defeated. She says, "I was never a good fighter". Nontheless,
there have been frequent alteractions even to the present time.

Her first significant experience with beverage alochohol
occurred while she was taking care of the intern's quarters. Prior
to this time she had been very curious about it but had used it
sparingly. She had for some time wished that someone would instruct
her about its effects. In the intern's quarters several bottles
of liquor were frequantly left in Open view. One day she decided to
sample various kinds. She overestimated her capacity. When the
interns returned they found her in an inebriated condition. No
action was taken against her but the desired instruction did not
materialiae. She says, "I knew I had drunk too much but I did not
get the real meaning of drinking".

In spite of her unstable and hostile adJustment, she was

released from the hOSpital as a result of a sanity hearing at the age

321

(If 19. Shortly after her discharge she was invited to visit an
aturt and uncle in a midwestern state. She accepted the invitation
lnrt remained with them for only a short time. The patient regarded
luar stay with her relatives as unpleasant. Her relatives lived in
a trailer. She had became accustomed to frequent bathing but the
latter was impossible under their restricted circumstances. Each
of her relatives was sleeping with another person. Her mother took
one of her cousins back to their home in her place. Her cousin
did not want to go home with her mother, and came back within a week.
The patient regarded that city as a cold, foreboding place. In
three or four months she returned to her mother.

Not long afterwards, she secured employment as a nurses aid
in a city hOSpital. She worked there for seven years. From the
time of her release from the hospital she had dated several men
but none of them met her standards as a marriage partner. However,
she engaged in intercourse with several of them. One of them paid her
a great deal of attention. He tolerated her instabilities and
caprices over a relatively long period of time. She became pregnant
by him and delivered a daughter. There was no marriage. She says, "I
did not love him so I didn't want to marry him”. Then she makes
contradictory statements. First, she states that she did not
see him again after she became pregnant. Next, she remarks that
she continued to date him but that it was "nothing serious". They
never talked about marriage.

When her daughter was about five months old she met another man.
He showed considerable affection for her child. He was like a father

to her. After several months she became pregnant by him. As soon

*322~

as she told him about her condition he stopped seeing her. She says,
"I didn't like him any longer”. For the most part'both of her
children were reared by her mother. The patient demonstrated a
definite disinclination to mother her children. She says, "I didn't
know anything about taking care of them". Ier children remained
with her mother until she died. At the time of her mother's death
the patient was 2h. She has not maintained contact with her children
for a long time. When describing the events succeeding her mother's
death she recounts that several of her ex-boy friends requested to
be her mother's pallbearers. They were not only fond of her mother
but also kept track of her movements. Her children's fathers contributed
financially to the care of their children. She says, "They took

care of my children and that is all that was necessary".

The patient expresses an ambivalent attitude toward men. She
says, "I like men to tell me the truth; not to lie to me. Above all,
every day he has to prove to me that he still loves me. I want
all his love 100%. I'm not possessive. I'm not jealous. Yes, I am
to a certain extent. He may associate with other peOple. Men are
weak. They don't have a strong constitution mentally. Every boy
friend I had, I could wrap them around my little finger. If you
flatter them you can”. When her boy friends write to her she expects
them to Sign their letters, "Devotedly yours" or ”I'll love you
forever". Otherwise she doubts the sincerity of their affection.

At the age of 26 she was dating two men. Both of them were
Greeks. George, the one she preferred, owned a bar. The other, Joe,
was courting her arduousky. Joe had invited her to share his

apartment. She had stayed with him, at times, and accepted many gifts

323

from him including wearing apparel. George's bar was also in the
vicinity of Joe's apartment. One afternoon, while she was on
her way to meet George at his bar, she walked past the apartment in
a dress given her by Joe. As she glided by, Joe asked her where
she was going. She would not tell him because she intended to go
home with George after the bar closed. Then, she recalled that she
had left her purse in Joe's apartment and went in to get it. Joe
began demanding that she remain and a loud arguement ensued. The manager
of the building came into the room and attempted to quiet them.
Immediately, all three were wrangling. Eventually, the man ordered
her out of the house. Concerning him, the patient says, "He was a
hillbilly and didn't like me going around with a white boy”. The
patient experienced a feeling of intense anger toward the manager and
proceeded to walk out. When she was out of their sight, she set
fire to some curtains in the hallway. She says, ”I wanted to get
back at the manager but I had been drinking and the vodka told me to do
it. I would not have done it if I had been sdber".

The next day, Joe sent her a message through a little girl to
stay out of the neighborhood. At first, the patient had no idea
what Joe meant by the message he was sending. She had completely
forgotten about the fire-setting episode. Three days from the date
she set the fire she was arrested by the police in Joe's apartment.
All of a sudden, it dawned on her that the police had a valid reason
for searching for her. She says, "At first, I didn't think it was
serious. I didn't realize I could have killed someone". Nonetheless,
she would not admit that she was guilty of the crime and demanded a

trial. She was offered leniency if she would plead guilty to a

-324.

lesser offense but was unable to compromise. She says, ”I wouldn't
c0p out to a lesser charge. ll they had was circumstantial evidence".
Ultimately, she was found guilty and sentenced from l-BO years at a

m nicipal prison.

Her residence at the prison was uneventful. She received
vocational placement in the prison hospital and engaged mainly
in ward work. She felt very secure in a medical setting. Adgustment
to prison life under familiar conditiOn was facilitated. After nine
months she was released on parole. Arrangements were made for her
to live with an aunt and uncle in another city. Initially, the
patient considered her placement very desirable.

While on parole, for reaSOns she cannot explain, her use of
alcoholic beverages increased progressively. Through her flittings
at various taverns she met a boxer and ”bouncer". She dated him
steadily for some time. She describes the professional fighter as
a very jealous individual. About him, she says, ”The man I was running
around with was driving me craz . I dontt know how I got mixed up
with him. Everybody was afraid of him. He thought everybody in
the city wanted me. I quit him several times. Afterwards, he
would find me; he'd promise he wouldn't act like that anymore and
I'd take him back”.

The pugilist wanted to marry her. The patient Observed that
he was suSpicious even of her female acquaintances. One of her girl
friends lived around the corner and took in roomers. When she went
to talk to her, her boy friend would follow her. By his actions, he
implied that he suspected that she was flirting with the roomers.

The patient says, ”Finally, he Just got On my nerves. He was accusing

325

me of having every man in the city". Once, when she moved away from
his vicinity, he threatened to kill her if she did it again. When
her relatives became aware that she was missing, they called her
parole officer. He contacted her and demanded to know why she had
left her residence without authorization. When she told him about
the boxer he wanted to have him arrested but she dissuaded him.

The patient absconded from parole two or three more times. Her
aunt perceived that the patient was becoming more disintegrated
and invited a minister to talk to her. Her aunt reported that the
patient had cursed at or in front of the minister. The patient did
not regard him as an ordained preacher. She says, "He was not a real
minister. He played the "numbers”. You can't fool God”. After the
last incident she was returned to the prison for 11 months.

During the latter period, she experienced considerable
difficulty with a rectal fistula. She had six Operations. At the
time there was no Sphincter control. Her inability to regulate
bowel gasses and involuntary defecation were sources of embarasment.

At the age of 30 she was released a second time. The prison
officials were of the opinion that an urban environment was too complex
and pleasurably tempting for the patient. They recommended that
she be placed in a small community. However, they were unable to
find vocational placement and she had to be entrusted to her youngest
sister. Later, she found employment in a physical therapy establishment.
Her work schedule there made it necessary for her to live at the
installation. Because of her medical background, her parole officer
was making arrangements for a training course in practical nursing.

The course, for peeple with suitable qualifications, was without cost

if they worked part time. There was one more requirement, which

she passed: the individual had to produce evidence that they did

not have a history of excessive use of alcohol or 1arcotic addiction.
Before the sessions began, she became intoxicated and left

her abode without notifying her parole officer. She immediately

Obtained another job but was unable to COntrOl her alcoholic

intake. One night, while on her way home from a bar, she was

arrested on the street for drunkeness. She was sentenced to 93

days of COnfinement in the county Jail. Her parole officer became

aware of her predicament. He could have ordered her sent back to

prison but did not. However, he made a stipulation that the day

she was released from jail she was to have an interview with him.

On the night of her discharge, a Saturday, she went directly to

her sister's home. When she arrived there her sister, in an angry

tone, demanded that she find another place to live. One of her

cousins informed her that her parole officer was plann'ng to send

her to a psychiatric clinic for observation. The anticipation of

psychiatric confinement alarmed her and she again took flight. Since

that time she has had no occasion to consult with her parole officer.
About a week later she was found wandering about the streets

in an inebriated and disoriented manner. The court referred her

to a state hospital for psychiatric examination. One of the examiners

told her that if she were found sane she would have to be sent back

to priSOn. He explained further that she was a borderline case and

could qualify under the provisions of either category, i.e., she

could be sent to either a correctional or mental health agency.

In his Opinion her interests would best be served if she accepted

327

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fr .

t;

(W

commitment to a state hospital. The psychiatrist thought that she
could benefit from psychotherapeutic interviews.

During the period of observation she was granted ground
priviledges. At the same time she met and fell in love with a
young man at a card party. He was in the same predicament as she.
He had served a short sentence in jail On a charge of rObbery
unarmed and was on bond pending diSposition by the court. The
patient describes him as a college graduate who had majored in
accounting. He confided to her that he had served a previous
prison sentence. EventualLy, he was informed that he was to be
returned to prison. The sentence was pronounced about six months
from the date of their first meeting. She characterizes her feelings
for her boy friend as almost identical to those she experienced at

Y

the time of her first "puppy love‘ affair with the young doctor
during her first period of hospitalization. Her decision to return
to prison was influenced by her feelings for her boy friend. She
reasoned that if she was sent to prison there would still be
enough time to marry him before his sentence began. Marriage is
not permitted at state hospitals. At her hearing, she was
pronounced sane and returned to prison.

From this point on the patient's behavior deteriorated rapidly.
In the late months Of 1963 she began having serious difficulties
with the other inmates. After a particularly intense quarrel with
a girl over some "bobby pins" she attempted suicide by lacerating
her left wrist. She was isolated to prevent further suicidal attempts.

After her release from isolation she was very angry and hostile. She

and another inmate conspired to use medication in a mutual suicide

“328*

pact. There were Spontaneous aggressive outbursts and uncontrolled
behavior. Another circumvented suicide attempt consisted Of breaking
some bottles containing cosmetcs and cutting her wrists three times.
She became a chronic management problem. It was finally recommended
that she be transfered to the state hospital for the criminally
insane.

At this hOSpital, the patient was oriented for time, place
and person. There was no evidence Of delusions or hallucinations. She
minimized the extent of her suicidal attempts and use of alcohol. Her
fire setting, as before, was attributed to the effects of alcohol.
Several months after she began attending group therapy she acquired
TB and was not allowed to continue sessions because of the danger
of its transmission. The patient was granted permission to correSpond
with her boy friend. He had, by the time Of her hospitalization, been
returned to prison.

After her recovery she was disinterested in group therapy.
When the therapist prOposed a series of individual interviews she
at first appeared interested but after two interviews found excuses
to miss. One day, unexpectedly, the patient requested an interview.
Her request was motivated by an uneXplained severence Of communication
with her boy friend. She sought her therapist's aid in re-establishing
contact with him. The patient produced approximately 75 letters from
her boy friend and asked her therapist to read them. His letters
were extended love sonnets, promises of marriage, and unrealistic
plans for future economic security. Inquiry concerning his whereabouts
yielded no reliable information.

The patient made an overtly satisfactory adjustment to his

329

disappearance. She maintained a resistive attitude toward therapy.
About her therapist she says, ”I think you're a square. The average
psychiatrist is sick anyway. You're a good guy but I‘ve received no
help from headshrinkers. You ask ignorant and stupid questions. I
don't believe there's any c0nnection between childhood and what
peOple do as adults”. The patient made a superficially adequate
adgustment and is no longer a resident at the hospital.
pp

The patient was admitted to the hOSpital at the age of Al.
Education is at the ninth grade level. Psychometrically, she is of
borderline defective intelligence (IQ 7)). Clinically, the
psychologist and psychiatrist who examined her estimated that she
was of average intelligence. She is of middle class parentage.
Diagnosis was schiLOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior The patient states that she always felt unwanted

 

as a child. She was continually urged to play outdoors. Usually,
she played by herself. Her older brothers and sisters considered
her too young and she regarded herself as too grown up to associate
with her youngest sib. Her first heterosexual experience occurred
at the age of 16 with a boy friend who later became her husband.
Marital relationships deteriorated after her husband was inducted
into military service. While he was away she became promiscuous

and gave birth to an illegitimate child. After her husband returned
he drank heavily and abused her. There is a verified account from

a city hospital that he fractured her nose and checkbone. They were
separated several times for protracted periods. Eventually their

children were taken away from them and became wards of the court.

330

She acquired gonorrhea from her husband. He encouraged her to engage
in prostitution. She served two sentences for contributing to
prostitution. There were 13 pregnancies and 8 spontaneous abortions
She finally submitted to a full hysterectomy. Although she is not
divorced, she lived common-law on two occasions. Her first one was
with a businessman and ended tragically. When he was away on a

trip he was assaulted and robbed. His body was tied to a rock and

he was thrown into a river.

Aggressive Behavior There is a long history of arrests and jail

 

sentences for larceny, uttering and publishing, accosting and
solliciting. She used alcoholic beverages excessively and has
experienced delirium tremens. She was committed to this hospital
after stealing a number of household and personal articles from a
male acquaintence. There have been auditory and visual hallucinations
and persecutory delusions. She admits harboring suicidal ideas but
has never taken any overt action.
51

The patient was admitted to this hospital at the age of 36.
She attained an eighth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 83). She is of middle class parentage. Diagnosis
was schiZOphrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior There were nine siblings. Extensive conflict

 

with them is not indicated. She had a closer relationship with

her father than with anyone else in her family. From the start,
there was considerable difficulty with her menses. Menstruation
was characterized by undue hemorrhage. She denies premarital or

abnormal sexual eXperiences. She was married at the age of 18. She

’351“

permitted intercourse more out of a sense of duty than for pleasure.
There have been five abortions. The latter were atributed to the
RH negative factor. At the age of 33, after the death of her father,
she began showing overt signs of mental disorder. She began taking
drugs to help her sleep. At the time of her breakdown she was
separated from her husband. The building where she lived was patronized
by prostitutes and men and women of questionable background. She worked
in a taxi dance hall and was suspected of being involved in
prostitution.
Aggressive Behavior The patient called the police on several
occasions and made homicidal and suicidal threats. A report
characterizes her as violent and endangering herself and others. She
verbalized intentions to in;ure her children and husband. At the
age of 31 she cut her wrists with a razor blade. Her lacerations
required 13 stitches. Her alledged reason for her suicide attempt
was that the death of her father had occurred in her absence. Her
first period of hOSpitalization occurred in Canada shortly after
the death of her father. Commitment to this hOSpital followed an
arrest for check forging. She believed that a lawyer, whose housekeeper
she was, wanted her to be his mistress and sanctioned her check
writing. There have been persecutory delusions.

The patient was admitted to the hOSpital at the age of 19.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the dull normal
level (IQ 86). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis is
schisophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior The patient is the youngest of six siblings. At the

 

352

 

 

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time of psychiatric examination she was reported to be the product

of a schizoid Withdrawn mother and a father almost schiZOphrenic in
character. Her father died when she was 15 years of age. She

stated that her father treated her "mean”. She was aware that he was
unfaithful to her mother. The patient describes her mother as "real"
friendly and ”everybody” liked her. However, her mother told her on
one occasion that she regreted that she (the patient) had ever been born.
Masturbation began at the age of 9 or 10. She denies any type of
abnormal sexual activity. The first heterosexual experience took
place at the age of 17 with a man aged 22. It was conceived as
unpleasant, painful and unsuccessful. She maintains that she does
not like men and does not desire marriage. In an almost antithetical
statement, she asserts that even though she has always had unpleasant
feeling during intercourse she enjoys and finds sexual contact
necessary. She became pregnant prior to hOSpitalization and her
baby was delivered at the hospital. While on convalescent status

she became sexually involved with a man with a prison background.
After he left her she became promiscuous and gave birth to a second

child.

Aggressive Behavior Prior to the birth of her first child she tried

 

to abort herself unsuccessfully with the aid of strong laxatives,
turpentine and lysol douches. She inserted a pencil and coat
hanger into her uterus causing lacerations and subsequent infection.
A second pregnancy was aborted with the use of iodine douches and
666 tablets. There was one involuntary abortion. She considered
the abortions sinful. The intense pains attendant on her

manipulatiOns were regarded as punishment for her misdoings. subsequent

333

to the last abortion there have been fainting spells and disziness.
She became cancerOphobic. In addition there have been religious
preoccupations. Just before her commitment to this hOSpital, the
patient approached a clerk in a department store with a knife and
written statement in her hand. The note contained a threat that
unless she was given the money in the cash register she would attack
the clerk. Afterwards she explained that she had decided to commit
the crime after her sister told her that she did not like her.
She says, ”Besides, nobody loves me so nothing mattered". On one
occasion she considered suicide. She admits only one visual
hallucination. She visualized a pretty city where God was living.
A2

The patient was committed to the hospital at the age of nu.
She received an eighth grade education. Intelligence is at the
average level (IQ 91). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis
was schiZOphrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior Her father died of influenza when the patient was two

 

years of age. There is no history of extraordinary conflict with
her siblings. Abnormal sexual relationships are denied. Her first
heterosexual relationship occurred at the age of 18 with her future
husband. She was married at the age of 19. At the time she was 4
months pregnant. Retarded twins were born from this conception.
During the course of her marriage nine children were acquired. The
patient states that her husband was assaultive. Her husband is
described as a passive individual. He liked to play the feminine
role of homemaker. She makes the accusation that he was unfaithful.

There were two separations and one reconciliation. They were

-334

finally divorced. At the age of 36 she had a complete hysterectomy
and one breast was removed.
Aggressive Behavior The patient has a long history of excessive
drinking. Her first mental s;mptons were exhibited at the age of
52, when she became drunk and started dancing in the street. After
she was taken home she made the delusional statement that she was
her own mother. She was committed and remained in a Michigan
municipal mental hospital for two years. On one occasion she drew
water to take a bath but was afraid to get in the tub because she
was afraid she would drown. At the age of Lt she set fire to her
home. She regarded the fire setting as an eXpression of hostility
against her husband. Auditory hallucinations and delusions do not
have aggressive undertones but are of a grandiose nature.
5&2

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 33.
She attended school until the end of the tenth grade. Intelligence
is at the average level (Id 103). She is of lower class parentage.
Diagnosis was schizophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior The patient had one sister and their relationship

 

was described as ”good”. Her pareqts quarreled continually. Her
mother was reported to be aggressive and talkative and her father
as passive and retiring. The patient resented her mother's severe
restrictiveness. She denies any ill feeling toward her father but
regards their relationship as lacking warmth. Eventually she

admitted feeling regected by both parents. For no apparent reason
she ran away from home on two occasions. Sexual education was

neglected by her parents. She denies abnormal sexual relations. At

335

the age of nine 8 roomer manipulated her genitals. A few years later
a cousin attempted to seduce her. The latter experience for some
time engulfed her with disgust and fear of men. Her first complete
heterosexual experience and marriage occurred at the age of 21 after
a courtship of one day. She met her first husband at a bar. The sex
marriage sequence is interpreted as seduction on the part of her
husband. Her husband deserted her three months later and took 200
dollars of her money. Two years later she remarried. Continued
economic distress prevented harmonious marital adjustment with her
second husband. The patient considered him too sexually demanding.
For some time prior to the patient's breakdown her hquand worked

in a ‘ifferent state and came home only on weekends.

Aggressive Behavior As an adolescent the patient expressed fears

 

that her mother might die of a kidney ailment. There were no
recorded incidents of aggressive acting out prior to the events that
brought about hOSpitalizatiOn. At that time she became preoccupied
with the idea that the two men with whom she had had sex relations
with were watching her from the house across the street with rifles.
She was eSpecially concerned about the one on whom she had practiced
fellatio. She also believed that they had something to do with
prostitution. She reported that she saw rifle barrels protruding
from the windows. Eventually, she heard voices emanating form her
attic. In an effort to identify the voices she fired several blasts
with a shotgun into the attic. When this action did not produce

the desired results she lit a fire at the foot of the stairs

leading to the attic. There were other auditory hallucinations

with a paranoid cast.

336

.i ’ y'all?ilz ~ It!

homosexual activities in particular, fellatio. She maintains that
she prefers heterosexuality but homosexuality relieves boredom.
Aggressive Behavior There is no history of serious aggressive acting
out. She is described as an extremely immature and infantile
person. At times, she demonstrates extreme irritability and
meaningless mildly hostile behavior to reduce tension. The latter
is expressed mainly in the form of verbal arguments. Strangers
frightened her. After she was returned from one of her escapes she
became confused and obsessed with the idea of leaving the training
school. She took the first car she found available. After she drove
a short distance she steered it into a ditch. When a police car
stopped to investigate, her identity became known and she was
subsequently committed to this hospital.
5&3

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 3M.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 101). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, schizo-affective type.

Sexual Behavior In her early years there were no serious difficulties

 

with her sister. Recently, her sister almost completely rejected

her. Her mother was always very nervous and frequently scolded

them in a loud screaming voice. At the age of 12 her mother secured
employment. She told the patient that from that time on "you are on your
own". Her mother criticized her continually. The patient appeared

to be unable to please her. She felt that she was never given

training or direction. Sexual information was derived from a girl

friend's mother. Her first heterosexual experience occurred at the

-338-

homosexual activities in particular, fellatio. She maintains that
she prefers heterosexuality but homosexuality relieves boredom.

Aggressive Behavior There is no history of serious aggressive acting

 

out. She is described as an extremely immature and infantile
person. At times, she demonstrates extreme irritability and
meaningless mildly hostile behavior to reduce tension. The latter
is eXpressed mainly in the form of verbal arguments. Strangers
frightened her. After she was returned from one of her escapes she
became confused and obsessed with the idea of leaving the training
school. She took the first car she found available. After she drove
a short distance she steered it into a ditch. When a police car
stopped to investigate, her identity became known and she was
subsequently committed to this hospital.
£32

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 3A.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the average
level (IQ 101). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
schiZOphrenic reaction, schizo-affective type.

Sexual Behavior In her early years there were no serious difficulties

 

with her sister. Recently, her sister almost completely rejected

her. Her mother was always very nervous and frequently scolded

them in a loud screaming voice. At the age of 12 her mother secured
employment. She told the patient that from that time on "you are on your
own". Her mother criticized her continually. The patient appeared

to be unable to please her. She felt that she was never given

training or direction. Sexual information was derived from a girl

friend's mother. Her first heterosexual experience occurred at the

-638-

age of 16 with a boy in her class at school. Coitus was a very
disagreeable experience. She has not enjoyed intercourse since

that time. She denies abnormal sexual relations. After high school
graduation she began nurse's training but left after six weeks to
return home because she was lonesome. Marriage was characterized

by sexual maladjustment. She thought that her husband was too
demanding. Her husband began working in logging camps and sawmills.
The patient could not follow him to those places. More recently,
the parents refused to correspond with her and will not let her
visit in their home. Sne has felt completely rejected and abandoned
by everyone.

Aggressive Behavior The patient has verbalized deep hatred for her

 

mother. Hostility toward her husband and sister has been expressed.
She was accused of setting fires within the homes of two neighbors.
She believed that her husband was paying one of them to spy on her.
The patient has cashed many worthless checks. On most occasions
she has attempted to escape the legal consequences of her acts.
Once, when directly confronted with evidence, she screamed, fought
and denied the facts. Another time, when the police arrived at
her home to arrest her, she locked herself in her bathroom. She
made it known that she was searching for a razor to kill herself.
The patient has used alcohol excessively and admits she is an
alcoholic. There have been several suicidal attempts. The first
time, she swallowed massive doses of nembutol and emerol. Another
time, she cut her forearms and wrists with a piece of glass. On a
third occasion, she drank nail polish. She was heard to comment

that she regretted her suicidal attempts were unsuccessful. On being

“839“

notified of her commitment, she remarked that she was sure she was
going to die. As far as she was concerned, life was over. She
experienced auditory hallucinations. The voices told her that she
was no good and that she should kill herself.
Al;

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of 40.
She received a tenth grade education. Intelligence is at the average
level (Id ,6). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis was
schi Ophrentic reaction, paranoid type.

Sexual Behavior When the patient was 12 her father deserted their

 

family. Family relations were regarded as harmonious. The

loss of her father brought them closer together. Her mother established
a small business but their economic circumstances remained marginal.
The patient terminated school to help support their family. Their
family was situated in a rather nurturant Catholic neighborhood.

The people rallied to their side. There was no formal sexual
instruction. She denies abnormal sexual practices. She affirms
that her first hetersexual experience occurred after marriage, after
her honeymoon was over. Her husband was a poor provider. There
were many arguments instigated by financial matters. He became
mentally ill and Spent a great deal of time in a mental hOSpital

for veterans. While he was hOSpitali ed she took care of their two
children. The elder was born eight years after they were married.
Their economic situation deteriorated progressively. She became
more and more dependant on neighbors for even household utilities.
In the latter stages of their marriage she accused her husband of

infidelity. While she was on convalesce t status from her hOSpitalisation

340

”she engaged in sexual relations with a man for whom she worked as a
laousekeeper.

2Aggressive Behavior There is no history of aggressive acting out.

th has been observed that she eXpresses hostility mainly in stubborness.
CPhere have been recurrent psychotic episodes of short duration. At
such times she has become hyperreligious. There have been delusions
that she is engaged in police work. She also becomes erotic,
negativistic, fearful and less often mute. The offense preceeding
commitment consisted of attempting to enter a neighbor's home to
obtain watenvto washclothing. The neighbor had been drinking heavily.
On returning to the home she observed the patient trying to enter

'the house. The woman attacked the patient; pummeled her and even

tore out some of her hair. The patient refrained from any retaliatory‘
behavior. However, when confined in jail she asked for a gun for

sel -protecti0n. She justified her request with the statem nt that
she had been threatened with death more than nce. While home on
convalescent status she physically disciplined her children. She has
admitted hallucinations but will not divulge their content. She
believed that peOple have pointed their fingers at her reprovingly

and talked behind her back.

Al’

4

 

The patient was admitted to the hospital at the age of ME.
She is a high school graduate. Intelligence is at the dull normal
level (IQ 50). She is of lower class parentage. Diagnosis is
schiZOphrenic reaction, paranoid type.

q. 0

Sexual Behavior There were indications of sibling rivalry with her

 

'1-

sister. She affirms that she liked her brother more than her sister

341

but will give no reasons for her preference. She designates

herself as her parent's favorite child. Her sister confirmed this
Opigion. Her sister implies that their parents overindulged the
patient. As a child the patient was described as a ”tender little
girl". Life at home was very unhappy for her brother and sister. Both
of them felt forced to leave due to the Open conflict between their
parents. Her father was a hard working man. It was largely

because of his thriftiness that he acquired some prOperty. Their
estate was ultimately willed to the patient. The patient says, ”They
left me well provided for”. Her first heterosexual experience
occurred at the age of 26 with her husband. It was considered natural
and satisfactory. Abnormal sex acts are denied. Both of them worked
throughout the marriage. In accordance with the patient's wishes
there were no children. Their life together was described as ”gay".
She finally obtained a divorce because she was tired of working.

Aggressive Behavior ‘Nhile living in Florida the patient had an

 

economic difference with a utility company. She became very angry.
Subsequently, she attempted to shoot down the electrical power

lines near her home with a rifle. Afterwards, she assaulted the
officer who arrested her. Immediately prior to her commitment, after
failing to evict tenants from her property, she set fire to their
personal belongings. Hallucinations have not been elicited. Delusions
of persecutiOn and grandeur are in evidence. She mistrusts and

is derogatory toward Catholics, Jews and foreigners. She believes

she is Queen Mary, Princess of Wales and a descendant of the King of

England. She claims to be worth 35 million dollars.

342

The patient was admited to the hospital at the age of MB.
She received a ninth grade education. Intelligence is at the dull
normal level (IQ 87). She is of lower class parentage. The
diagnosis was schiLOphrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated.

Sexual Behavior The patient's father died of pneumonia before

 

she was born. Her mother remarried a year later. There were six
siblings. The family is reported to have been a close knit group

and the relationship among the children was relatively harmonious.
She received sexual instruction from her mother. She denies abnormal
sexual behavior. At the age of 16 she married a man much older than
herself. Heterosexual relations were not initiated until after her
marriage. Coitus was regarded as a frightening experience and

she became frigid. Four children were born from her first marriage.
After its termination she lived common~law. There were five children
from her second attachment. The patient states that there were
several abortions and nine infants died almost immediately after
birth. She has had a partial hysterectomy. One son became mentally
ill and was hospitalized in the same hOSpital at the same time as

the patient.

Aggressive Behavior There is a rather long history of antisocial

 

behavior. The patient has been arrested for larceny, breaking and
entering, and uttering and publishing. She was addicted to the use
of narcotics and many of her offenses were performed to Obtain

money to secure drugs. Prior to her admission to a municipal

mental hOSpital she eXpressed a desire to kill herself and attempted

to Jump out of a moving car. During psychological examination, she

343

asked an examiner if he had come to electrocute her. On another
occasion she "Split" (cut) her wrists. During the acute stage of
psychosis, possibly a withdrawal syndrome, she heard male and female
voices and babies crying. Auditory hallucinations were of a
derogatory and hostile nature. The voices cursed her and told her
to injure herself. The patient reacted to her hallucinations with
anger and attempted to stOp them by striking her head against

the wall of her room. She was committed to this hospital after

she was apprehended with a ham on her person.

‘I ‘1 O

Biollography

Alexander, F., Xanninger, W., Relation of Persecutory Delusions to the

functiohim of tile Gas trointestinal Tract, J. H er. & Kent Dis.,
1236, L'li': -i

 

‘
“1‘27“.

\f- (3:3

Arieti, 8., L uC"““€u8olO. of SchiLOphreais, New York, Brunner, 1955

 

Barclay, A., c Haber, R., The Relation of Aggressive to Sexual: Iotivation,

J. lers., 1909, 402-171.

Bender, L.,P ;chiatric Mechalisms in Child Hulders, J. Her, ; Rent. Dis.
-l

 

, & Blau, A., A Reaction of Cllildren to Sexual RelatiOns with
Adults, Amer. J. OrthOps i'chiat., 1937, 7: SOO-ld.

 

Brown, W., Bed ev iled, Mo~arch Bool;s, Delay, Conn., 1961.

 

Dalmau, C., Beyond the Oedipus Complex, Arch. Crim. Psyehdyn., 1356, l: 13*

 

, Post-Oedipal Psychodynamics, Psychoanal., Rev., l j){, Ah: 1- 1A

 

 

Engli

U)

 

h H.B. 8 En 1 sh A.C. A Comprehensive Dictiom - of Psychological
) i J J s.)
hoa

1'
m‘dsrL 813" tic Terms , DaVid McKay Co. Inc., le w Yorh, 1962

Fe nichel, 0., The “veloanal‘tlc Theory of Leurosis, New York, Norton, lghS

 

Hersho, M., et a1, Incest, A Three Way Process, J. Soc. Therp., 1961, 7:22-

 

31

Hirning, C., Indecent EXposure and Other Sex Offenses, J. Cl. Psycopath, and

 

Psychothrp. 19h), 7: 105-1#

Hurley, J., Verbal Communication, 5-24-66

Kar mman, B., The Principles and Aims of Criminal Psy chOpathology, J. Crim

Psyconath, ljuo, 1:200-09

Kaufman, I, Pech,A.L. & Taguriri, C.K., The Family Constellation and Overt

Incestuous Relatioas between Father and Daughter, Amer. J. OrthOpsychiat.,

 

last, 24: 266-77.

Kinsey, A.C., et a1, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, Philadelphia, W.B.
Sawanders, lQLO.

Kroeber, A.L., Totem and Taboo in RetrOSpect, Amer. J. Soc., 1939, hjzhao-bl

 

Levy, D., Overprotective Mothers, New York, Columbia U. Press, 19h2

345

 

 

 

 

Luehrig, R., Verbal CommunicatiOn, 5-7-66
Masters, R.E.L., Patterns of Incest, New York, The Julian Press, Inc., 1963

Miner, M.E., The Slavery of Prostitution, New York, Macmillan, 1916

Sloane, P., & Karpinski, E., Effects of Incest Upon the Participants, Amer. J.

Orthopsychiat. l9h2, 12: OCC-Yh

Vice Commission of Chicago, The Social Evil in Chicago, (Chicago, Gunther
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Weinberg K.S. Incest Behavior New York Citadel Press 1“63
0) 3 3

Zilboorg, G. Sideli hts on Parent-Child Antagonisms, Amer. J. Ortho. P

6 schist.
.r. ,-‘ r I.
lng, L): 35"”?1.

 

346