You do not currently have permission to view the full text for this document. Please sign in to an account with an active subscription or contact support.
As is well known, August Kekulé conceived the model of the benzene ring from a dream in which a snake bit its own tail. Mitscherlich attempts to trace the psychological dynamics of this inspiration beyond the interpretation given by Kekulé. He believes that the snake dream revealed the suppressed wishes of Kekulé, who was a severely achievement-oriented bachelor, and that Kekulé 'tamed' the (sexual) symbol by reinterpreting it in line with his ego interests of the time.