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Memoirs of my nervous illness PDF

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NEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS CLASSICS MEMOIRS OF MY NERVOUS ILLNESS DANIEL PAUL SCHREBER1 1842-19w1a1s)t hes ono ft he preeminneinnte teenth-cGeenrtmuarnmy e dicaault horoint y child-reBaerfionhrgie.ms e ntaclo llaphsese e,r vaesdt hec hief justiocfte h es upremceo urotft hes tatoefS axony. ROSEMARY DINNAGiE st hea uthoorfO ne toO ne:E xperi­ enceos fP sychotheraSphyel. i veinsL ondon. MEMOIRS OF MY NERVOUS ILLNESS DaniPealuS lc hreber • Introductionb y ROSEMARY DINNAGE Translateda nd Edited by IDA MACALPINE and RICHARD A. HUNTER NEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS New York THIS IS A NEW YORK REVIEW BOOK PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS Copyright Cl 1955 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College Introduction Copyright Cl 2000 by Rosemary Dinnage All rights reserved. Reprinted by arrangement with Harvard University Press This edition published in 2000 in the United States of America by The New York Review of Books 435 Hudson Street CONTENTS New York, NY 10014 www.nyrb.com 57910864 Library of Congress Cataloging.in.Publication Data Schreber, Daniel Paul, 1842-1911. Introduction xi [Denkwiirdigkeiten eines Nervenkranken. English] Memoirs of my nervous illness / by Daniel Paul Schreber ; MEMOIRS OF MY NERVO US ILL NESS introduction by Rosemary Dinnage i translated and edited by Ida Macalpine, Richard A. Hunter. p. cm. Preface 3 Reprint. Originally published: London: W. Dawson, 1955. ISBN 0-940322-20-X Ipbk.: alk. paper) Open letter to Professor Flechsig 7 1. Schreber, Daniel Paul, 1842-1911-Mental health. 2. Paranoia Patients-Germany Biography. 3. Paranoia Case studies. 1. Title. RC520.S33A313 2000 MEMO IRS 616.89'7'0092-<1c 21 [B[ 99-35601 Introduction IS ISBN 978·0-940322·20·2 God and Immortality 19 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper. 2 Crisis in God's realms? Soul murder 33 Gtateful acknowledgement is made to Philip Smith and, especially, Rosebud Pettet for their help in obtaining the 3 (Not printed) 43 image from Harry Smith's film Heaven and Earth Magic that appears on the cover. Contents Contents 4 Personal experiences during the first and the 14 "Tested souls"; their fate. beginning of the second nervous illness 44 Personal experiences continued 176 5 Continuation. Nerve-language linner voices). 15 "Play-with-human-beings" and "Miracles." Compulsive thinking. Unmanning under Cries of help. Talking birds 185 certain circumstances a postulate of the Order of the World 54 16 Compulsive thinking. Its effects and manifestation 197 6 Personal experiences continued. Visions. "Seer of spirits" 69 17 Continuation of the above; "Picturing" in the sense of the soul-language 207 7 Personal experiences continued; peculiar manifestations of illness. Visions 85 18 God and the processes of creation; spontaneous generation; insects created 8 Personal experiences while in Dr. Pierson's by miracles. IIDirection of gaze." Asylum. "Tested souls" 99 System-of-examination 215 9 Transfer to Sonnenstein. Changes in the 19 Continuation of the above. God's contact with rays. liThe writing-dawn-system"; omnipotence and man's freedom of will 225 "Tying-to-celestial-bodies" 115 20 Egocentricity of the rays regarding my person. 10 Personal experiences at Sonnenstein. Further developments of personal affairs 233 "Interferences" accompanying contact with the rays. "Creation of a false feeling" 130 21 Blessedness and voluptuousness in their mutual relation. Consequences of this 11 Bodily integrity damaged by miracles 141 relation for personal behavior 242 12 Content of the voices' talk. 22 Final considerations. Future prospects 253 "Soul-conception." Soul-language. Continuation of personal experiences 152 POSTSCRIPTS 13 The soul's state of Blessedness as a factor in First Series attraction. Consequences thereof 163 Miracles 263 Contents Contents II Relatioofnd ivinaen dh umani ntelligence 265 B Dr.W eber'rse poratsC ountayn dA sylum MedicaOlf ficoefr2 8thN ovembe1r9 00 337 IIIP lay-with-human-beings 266 C Groundosf a ppeal 349 IV Hallucinations 268 o Dr.W eber'esx perrte porotf5 thA pri1l9 02 388 V Then aturoefG odm anifesttehdr ough nerve-contact 277 E Judgmenotft heR oyaSlu periCooru ntry Courotf D resdeonf 1 4thJ uly1 902 405 VI Final considerations; Miscellaneo2u9s0 Notes 441 VIIC remation 296 SeconSde ries 300 APPENDIX Essay":I nw hatc ircumstanccaenas p erson consideirnesda nbee d etainienda nA sylum againhsitsd eclarweidl l?" 313 Postscript 322 SeconPdo stscript 323 ADDENDA DOCUMENTS FROM THE COURT PROCEEDINGS PLACING ME UNDER TUTElAGE A Medicaelx pertr'esp orttot heC ourt of9 thD ecembe1r8 99b yD r.W eber 327 INTRODUCTION 5 ( H ERR 'E5 MB emoirso fM y NervouIslln essm ustb et he mostw ritten·adboocuutm enitn allp sychiatlriitce rature. Overt hey earas ,h ugeb ibliograopfhb yo oksa nda rticles­ chiefilnyG ermana ndi nE nglish-haacsc rueSdu.c cessive generatioofpn ssy chiawtrriitce hrasv eu sedt heb ooka st he nubo fs uccesstihveeo riFerso.m t het imet haFtr eudc'esl e­ bratpeadp earb ouittw asp ublisihne1 d9 11e/v eryohnaesh ad somethitnosg a ya bouStc hreber. Schrebheirm seblefl ievheidsh ookt oh avea messagfeo r thew orldn:o to nlyto e xposteh en aturoeft hei llnehsesh ad suffehruetdm ,o rei mportanftolrhy i m,t op asosn s omek ind ofc louddyi vinree velatFioornt .h ew riticnogm ess traight fromt heb orderlbientew eesna niatnyd m adnesBsa.s eodn j ot­ tingmsa dea tt hep eako fh iisl lnetshseb} o okw asp utt ogether whenh ew asa pproachriencgo vewriyt}hs omeo ft her esources 1.Fr euSd.,( 19"1P1s)y cho·annaoltyetosin ac n a utobiograpahciccoaulon fta c ase ofp arano(idae menptairaa noidSets)a,n"d Eadridt 1i2o:n9,- 79. r , " L J Introduction Intrdouction ofh isfi ne mionndc ea gaianv ailaHbel wea.n teidtt ob ecome onec ommittseudi ciadned o ne( Paualu,t hoorft heM emoirs) knowna,n ds oi t hbaesc;a uisnei tvsi vidnaensdsa bundadnet­ wentm ad;M orithzi mseelnft erae dde epa ndi solating depres. taiiltt oucheosn s om anyo fo ura ssumptiaobnosu rte ality, siotne ny earbse fohries d eatahn dw hilPea uwla ss tiilnlh is aboutth es tructoufro eu rp erceiwvoerdl di,t ssp acaen dt ime teens. ando bjectiidveen tiStcyh.r ebienrh iss ufferainndgi nsanity PaulS chrebwears b orni n1 84a2n dg rewu pt ob ecomae sawa ltlh esdei ssolavwea ya,n dr ef·o rmi nttoh es tufoffm yth lawyearn,d t hena judghee;m arriebdu,tt hec ouplhea ds till· andn ightmare. birthasn dm iscarriaangden so survivicnhgi ldrHeins.fi rst TheM emoiwresr er ecogniazser de markabflreo mt heir breakdocwanm ew henh ew as4 2;h er ecoverweedl flr omi t publicatiino 1n9 03me;d icarle viewerresc ommendecdo l­ unti1l8 93wh,e na tt hea geo f5 1h el apseddi sastroaugsaliyn leaguteosr eatdh emN.e vertheilfeF srse uhda dn otb eens oi n­ andd isappeairnettdoh eh ospitvaoll,u ntaartifi lrys tf,o rn ine trigubeydt hemS,c hrebesrt'osrm yi ghbty n owb ef orgotten. yearTsh.e M emoiwresr ew rittwehni lhee w asi nS onnenstein BothF reuadn dT ungw eref ascinabtyet dh eb ooka,n da lready publiacs yluma,sa na ccounotfw hath eb elievweedr eh is in1 91F0r euwda sw ritijnogk ingtloTy u ntgh atth e" wonderful uniqueex perienacnedas s a p lefao rre lease. Schrebeoru"g htto h aveb eenm adea profesosfop rs ychiatry Aftetrw oy earosf l egawlr anglePsa,u lS chrebwears r e· andd irecotfoa rn a syluImt.w asT unga,l waypsa rticulianr­ly leasetdoh ish omea nds pensto mea pparenptelayc efyuela rs terestienpd s ychoswihso, h adfi rsdtr awnh isc olleagaute­'s withh isw ifaen da doptdeadu ghtBeurt.w henh isw ifSea bine tentitooni ta,n dt he tmweon wouldb orroSwc hreberisms hada ni ncapacitsattrionhkgee f elillla gaiann,d f romt heunn ­ sucha s{l iichhtiinggee maocr"h ftl,e etingly-impirno vised," tihli sd eatihn 1 91r1e mainiendt hea sylum".S peakosn ly theicro rrespondAefntceetr.h eb reabke tweetnh emh,o wever, verrya rewliyt ht hed octorh,i"sh ospitraelc orndost ed",a nd Tungd escriFbreedu di'nst erpretoaftt ihoeSn c hrebcears ien theno nlyt hahte i sb eintgo rturweidt ht hef ootdh ahte c an· termosf h omosexuwails heass l iveurnys atisfacItnor rey·. " note ate,t cC.o ntinuaulnldye trh et ormentiinnfgl ueonfch ei s centti meSsc hrebhearsb eend iscuspsaerdt iculianrr ellya tion hallucinatSiloeneaspt. n ighmto stlpyo orM.o anss,t andisn tot hew ritinogfhs i sf athear r,e nowneGde rmana uthoroint y beds,t andrsi gidilnfy r onotft hew indowwi tehy es closed and child-rearingb-yfi trhsetp lsyy choanawl.yGs.tN iederland ane xpressoifol ni stenoinnh gi sf aceF.r"o m titmote i met he andt heni na morep opulvaerr siionnM ortonS chatzman's tragpiact iewnotu lds cribwbolred osn s craopfsp ape"rm:i ra­ SouMlu rd1e1r79 5). cles"-lltomb"e-a"tn.oH"ti sw ishh adb eent ha"tw henm y MoritSzc hrebwears i nf achtu geliyn fluenAtsi alla.ta es last hour finallIy w ilsnlto r ilkoensg er find imnya sne lf the1 9301sIa m tolbdy a Germanf rienGde)r manc hildren Asylumb,u ti no rderdloym estliicf seu rroundbeym dy near wereb eintgh reatenweidt ht heS chrebGere radehaal teI, relatiavseI sm ,a yn eedm orel ovicnagr teh aInc ould ignea tn contraptoifbo ona rdasn ds trapisft, h edyi dn ots iutp s traight. AsylumI.t"w asn ott ob eg ranted. He hada systeamn da manuaflo re verythingc-otlhde- water Freudb'ass iicn terpretoaftt ihoecn a se--drawnf romt he healtshy stetmh,e s ystetmo c urhea rmfublo dyh abitisn,d oor Memoifroshr,e n evetrr ietdom eett he man-wwahsa tm ight gymnastsiycs temfso rh ealtphr eservatoiuotnd,o oprl asyy s­ bee xpectferdo mh isv iewast t het imeS:c hrebefra'nst aosfy temst,h el ifelsoynsgt emadtiiecgt u idBeu.t o fh ist wos ons, beintgu rneidn tao woman( onoef h isp sychotsiycm ptoms) r -, r -, xii xiii C J Introudction Introduction indicraetperde hsosmeods exluoavfleo hri fsa thientr h seh ape firsats yluwma,sp rimarain leyu roanatwoimtiahsg tu,i ding oft hea syludmi recFtloerc h(sFilge cfihgsuirgae ssa s orotf maximt ha"tm entdails ordaerrebs r aidni sordeDrrsu.g"s malign demtihgroodu ghtohueMt e moirOsn)eh. a st oa gree andp hysirceaslt raintsr-ailingsst,r appasd,d ecde lls-were witThu ng athsaa nti nterpretthaiwtsai sov ne rlyi mited­ himse thoodfst reatmentj women phaatviteeh netisr might thouFgrhe uddi add dt haItI mumcohr mea terrieamla itnobs e ovarioerus t ertuask eonu tIn. anyc ashee,c onfidteoda gathefrreodtm h sey mbocloinct eonftt h fea ntaasnidde esl u­ colleahgeuh ea,dl itrtelaeil n terienps sty chiwahtircyhh,e sioonfst higsi ftpeadr anoiWahce.nS" c hreibneh rii ss olation considae "rheodp elsecsise nTchee.h "e aodf t hep ublaiscy ­ begatnob elietvheat th ew holweo rlhda db eedne vastated, lumt ow hicShc hrewbaessr e natf terwGauriddsWo,e bewra,s witohn lhyi mseclhfo sbeynG odt or epoputlhaweto er lfdr om oft hes amkei nda,n do pposSecdh rebeevre'nst duiaslc harge hiwso mbh,e w ass urerleyp resehnitosiw nngl ifdee'vsa sta­ frotmh aes ylum sternoonugtglohdy e liatyf o sro mtei me. tiorna thtehra enx presash ionmgo sexwuiaslhA .n ds inhcee Freud himselff,oa rlh tloh wahetiv isen rt,e rpreotfta htei on andh iwsi fhea df ailteopd r oduacl ei vicnhgi lidtw, o ulbde casneo ws eemsso w rong-hedaiddse edte,h ed elusitohnast compensfatoberyd t hen ewS chrerbaecrte h aGto dp lanned charactmeardinzeeas sts h ree aaln di nterecsrteiantgoi foa n s tob rionugot f h imT.h iwsa sn osto m ucha m attoefdr e siring humabne inCgr.e attihnegwm a sf oFrr euawd o rkap, r ocess­ mena so fi dentiwfiytithnh gfe e cundofiw toym en-bFurte ud Wahnbildungosrat rhbe"e wiotr,ok f d elusion-formation." putth fea therr-esloanta itto hnce e ntoefhr i asn alyasnidas,s Evemno rset rikiFnrgelupydr, o potsheiedd etah adte lusional usualle,wf otm eann dm othewreslo lu to ft hpei cture. systeamrsae m eanosf k eepitnhgep atigeonitn hgo,l dian g Agaiinnw, r ittihnaght ec ame htaov' e�t ah ibnegt weIehni sJ worltdo gether: legwsh ichha rdrleys embaltae ldal n ormaflolrym meadl oer ­ gan/S chrewboeurl sde etm oh avbee esnu mminugpa lhli s Thee ndo ft hew orlidsa projecotfit ohnii sn ternal degradaitnit ohneass ylutmh,le o sosfh ifsr ieannddps r ofes­ catastrhoipish. ete:h. pe a ranosiuabcj'esc wtoirvlheda s siotnh,ed issappeoafrh ainmsca er rileidfA es.P rofesZsvoir comet oa ne nds inhciews i thdraowfha ills o vfeo irt . Lothahnaesp ointoeudti n h irse assesosfmm eanntyi mplica­ Andt hep aranobiuaicli dtas g ainno,tm ores plendid, tioonfst hcea soeu,to fa ltlh wer itwehrosh avhea dt hesiary iti st rubeu,ta t l eassott hahtec ano ncmeo rlei vieni t. abouitto ,n loyn e-ThomSazsa sz-hcarsi ticFirzeeufddo r Heb uilidtus p b yt hweo rokf h idse lusiTohneds e.l u­ devotpianggae f tpearg teo s peculaotnit ohnesn atuorfe sionfaolr matwihoincw,he t akteob et hpea thological Schrebielrl'nbseu stns o taw ortdo t hmei seroifhe isis m pris­ produicsit nr, e alainat tyt emaptrt e covaep rryo,c oefs s onmenPte.o1p plueit n ttoh heo spibteacla utsheem iern tlailf e reconstr.[u IcttaiFlroiencusd 's.J hass mashmeady b ed escritbhiehn ogr rotrhsea yr eg oing throucguhr renatswl eyla,ls t hter aumoafcs h ildhood. Sucahn i nsiwgohutl hda vbee eqnu iftoer etioga Fn l echosri g Iti sn oth artdo s eew hyi nS chrebfearn'tsa hsiispe ssy ­ aW eber. chiatwriesrcters u aenld a ll-powerfuld.i rFelcoetftco hhres ig, Ifm ucho ft hdee lusiwoonraltldh aPta uSlc hredbeesrc ribes int heM emoirresfl ectthser eawlo rladr ounhdi mb,e hind 2.L othaz.n( e1,9 I9n2D )e feonfSs ceh reSboeulMr u.r daenrPd s ychiatry. thawte cans eet hes tructoufhr iesu pbrinwgiitnhgti hne c , c , xiv " L J L J

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In 1884, the distinguished German jurist Daniel Paul Schreber suffered the first of a series of mental collapses that would afflict him for the rest of his life. In his madness, the world was revealed to him as an enormous architecture of nerves, dominated by a predatory God. It became clear to Schr
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