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17A
Berlin
15 January 1908
Dear Professor Freud,
Heartfelt thanks for your prompt reply, which was most welcome. I now feel a little ashamed that I turned to you for help instead of digging on by myself for a few more sessions. It can, however, be explained by the circumstances. I wanted a quick analytic triumph, and precisely in a case that was referred to me by Oppenheim, and I was therefore annoyed when I could make no headway, especially as the first session went so well. It is true, though, that I am dealing with a very difficult case, 47 years old and full of strong repressions. The following incident serves to show how good he is at hiding his secrets. In one of the next sessions after I had written to you, I went in greater detail into the hypnotic treatment that the patient had previously had. He told me that hypnosis had harmed him. On further questioning: something had occurred to him in the first hypnotic session, something painfully embarrassing, he had not spoken about it, and he had not remembered it on waking up. On his way home in the tram the thought returned, and he immediately had to say certain obsessional formulae in an undertone, became excited about this, was afraid of being noticed by the other people in the tram, got out, and ran through the streets for a long time, repeating the formulae, before going to his apartment. So far I have not succeeded in getting at this thought, in spite of sincere efforts. What these efforts led to, already in that session, was that the patient did not really respond to my instructions any more. He obviously transferred onto me the grudge he had then felt against the hypnotist. He was late for the next session and in a completely negative emotional state. The typical superficial talking and jumping from one theme to another were all he produced; at the same time, he showed a false euphoria, described his obsessional symptoms as not very important, and said that he would overcome them by energetic efforts. Very cle