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Vienna, May 4, 1896
Dear Wilhelm,
I did know why you did not write. Moreover, it was your special period. But permit me to say that it is atrocious. That in spite of it all you found so many new explanations, while I could contribute nothing to the validity of time periods, only goes to show once more how difficult it is for anyone but the seers to see.
As far as Annerl's tooth is concerned, it is strikingly correct. But Martha had her menstrual periods on March 28 and April 26; in between, on April 13, distinct paramenstrual discomfort. The tooth appeared on April 28; Martha stubbornly used to defend her 28-day periods. The pregnancy resulted in a 29-day cycle1 and I think I remember that I had to console her innumerable times because she supposed she was late. There is, then, some detail at the bottom of this which still needs to be added and which, I hope, will be determined by further observation.
I am working on psychology, vigorously and in solitude; I cannot yet send you anything that is halfway finished, no matter how much I reduce my standards concerning what is finished. I believe more and more firmly in the chemical neurone theory; I started with assumptions similar to those you described, but now I am stuck after I ruined my head with it yesterday.
I feel more certain about consciousness and must now make an attempt to deal with this most difficult of all things in my lectures on hysteria.2 On Saturday I lectured on dream interpretation to the youths of the Jewish academic reading circle; someday you will hear about what it contained; right now I am in no mood for presentations.3
I am as isolated as you would wish me to be. Word was given out to abandon me, for a void is forming all around me. So far I bear it with equanimity. I find it more troublesome that this year for the first time my consulting room is empty, that for weeks on end I see no new faces, cannot begin any new treatments, and that none of the old ones are completed. Things are so difficult and