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Budapest, May 3, 1911
VII., Erzsébet-körút 54
Dear Professor,
Progress in the area of induction.
Yesterday Frau G. thinks of the words poppy-seed noodles (mákos nudli).1 I associate: papaver, papa—ver (= father hits), poppy-seed—poppy cake. [Otherwise nothing!]2
Right away, another experiment:
Frau G. thinks: Spider (= Pók). I: P alliative. P reservative.
P rophylaxis. Péczely [= a doctor who diagnoses from the eyes and prescribes masturbation as a curative]. A Swedish woman (Ingeborg Kuncze), who had lent me a “map for eye diagnoses.” P alugyai. Pálos. P alus (swamp). P otrohos (= rotund). Pók3 (spider).
[Supplement: Frau G. has “eye phobia” and some spider anxiety (she told me the latter only after the experiment). As I told you, I relate both to suppressed sadism. I looked Frau G. in the eyes before the experiment.]
Encouraged by these experiments, I became daring. Today I took an evening walk into the city woods,4 then rode back into the city on an omnibus. Sitting inside were: a boy, a pretty girl, an old gentleman, a chambermaid, and a soldier [platoon leader]. I thought to myself: Now I will look at each one individually and free-associate; I must guess their thoughts. Of course, I will never learn if it's correct and what is correct about it.—