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This treatise on hysteria is an investigation into the problem from a psychological and neurophysiological viewpoint of the complexes involved, rather than a clinical account of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, therefore in the introductory chapter the author outlines his biological concept of hysteria as a deep rooted form of psychogenic reaction, and indicates the need for a “more accurate description of the hysterical type as opposed to other psychogenic reaction types.”
It is repeatedly emphasized that the hysterical reaction types have many features related to the animal instincts and group themselves about the impulsive trends of life; the condition springing from two main sources (1) the instinct of self-preservation—expressed in fright and anxiety symptoms in dangerous situations, and (2) from the emotions and conflicts in connection with sexual life, but the author apparently does not wholly agree with the Freudian school as to specific psycho-genesis since he states “The sexual impulse only comprises one large half of these relations; the other, just as important, main group is formed by the hysterical fright and anxiety reactions !”
Individual experiences such as futile love affairs, quarrels, jealousy, undesired marriage, fear of pregnancy and disturbances of sexual intercourse; and constitutional foundations as physical weakness, genital malformations—weakened sexual impulse, general childishness and a powerful psychic fixation on the mother are among the mentioned exciting