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The Journal of Abnormal Psychology vol 10

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Mythology also gave expression to the religious ideas of the time and we
find that the most important myths, dramatically produced at the religious
festivals, were sun myths.

The annual festivities and mysteries will be discussed together because both
were intended to dramatize the same beliefs. Both were under priestly
control and so were national institutions. The festivals were for the common
people but the mysteries were fully understood only to the initiated.

While no very clear account of the mysteries has been given, a certain theme
seems to run through them all, and this is found in the myths as well. A
drama is enacted, in which the god is lost, is lamented, and is found or
returns amid great rejoicing.[3] This was enacted in Egypt where the
mourning was for Osiris; and in Greece for Adonis, and later for Bacchus.
All these are, of course, sun gods, and the whole dramatization or myth is
in keeping with the activities of the sun.

[3] The Enactment and Rebirth.

On these occasions, the main object seems to have been to restore the lost
god, or to insure his reappearance. The women took the leading part and
mourned for Osiris, Adonis or Bacchus. They wandered about the country at
night in the most frenzied fashion, avoided all men and sought the god. At
times, during the winter festival, the quest would be fruitless. In the
Spring, when they indulged themselves in all sorts of orgies and
extravagances, Adonis was found.

The underlying motive appears to have been to enact a drama in which the
deity was supposed to exercise his procreative function by sexual union with
the women. This was an ideal which they wished to express dramatically. In
order to realize this ideal obstacles were introduced that they might be
overcome; in the old myth, Adonis was emasculated under a pine tree, and in
Egypt Osiris was similarly mutilated, his sex organs being lost. But at the
festivals it was portrayed that Adonis was found, and in the myth, Osiris
was restored to Isis in the form of Horus (the morning sun). In a number of
myths, the god is said to have visited the earth to cohabitate with the
women, an occurrence which was doubtless desired, in order that the deistic
attributes might be continued in the race. Thus, judging from what we have
been able to learn of this subject, the worship expressed in the mysteries
revolved about sexual union, the desire being to dramatize the continued
activity of deistic qualities.

This character of many of the festivals and mysteries is very evident. In
the Eleusinian mysteries the rape of Persephone by Pluto, the winter god, is
portrayed. The mother, Demeter, mourns for her daughter. Her mourning is
dramatically carried out by a large procession, and this enactment requires
several days. Finally Persephone is restored. The earlier part of the
festival was for dramatic interest, and the real object was the union of
Persephone with Bacchus. "The union of Persephone with Bacchus, i.e., with
the sun god, whose work is to promote fruitfulness, is an idea special to
the mysteries and means the union of humanity with the godhead, the
consummation aimed at in the mystic rites. Hence, in all probability the
central teaching of the mysteries was Personal Immortality, analogue of the
return of the bloom to plants in Spring."[4]

[4] Dr. Otto Rhyn, Mysteria.

The mysteries of Samothrace were probably simpler. Here the phallus was
carried in procession as the emblem of Hermes. In the Dionysian mysteries
which were held in mid-winter, the quest of the women was unsuccessful and
the festival was repeated in the Spring. The Roman mysteries of Bacchus
were of much later development, and consequently became very debased. Men as
well as women eventually came to take part in the ceremony, and the whole
affair degenerated into the grossest of sexual excesses and perversions.

We have stated what appears to us to have been the underlying motives of the
religious festivals and mysteries; namely, the enactment of a drama in which
the reproductive qualities of the deity were portrayed. The phallus was
carried in procession for this purpose and the women dramatized the motive
as searching for the god. Our account can be regarded as little more than an
outline, but it is sufficient for our present purposes. It indicates that
the mysteries give an expression of phallic worship, just as do the various
monuments of art and religion to which we have referred. It may also be
said that this same worship is represented in what may be termed early
literature, for much of the early mythology deals with the same subject. The
study of origins in mythology, however, cannot be dealt with adequately in
our present communication.



CONCLUSION

We have now traced the worship of sex, as recorded by the monuments of
antiquity, through its various phases. In its simplest form, the generative
organs are worshipped without disguise; the sexual act also forms a part of
religious ceremonies. Later, a rude symbolism develops. As the race becomes
more advanced, this becomes more elaborate, until finally a considerable
degree of ingenuity and skill are evidenced. The worship of sex is not only
expressed in religious usages, but comes to dominate early art as well; it
is also expressed in mythology, and so we find the same symbolical and
allegorical expressions in early literature. In fact, the deepest thoughts
of primitive races, as expressed in their religion, eventually dominate most
of the customs and usages of every day life.

We may appropriately ask, why did primitive people deify the sexual organs?
This question may be answered when we understand the religious ceremonies of
primitive tribes. The earliest objects worshipped were those which were of
known benefit to man. The Aborigines of Australia have very elaborate
ceremonies which superficially seem meaningless but when understood have a
very definite meaning. This aim is to ensure some certain product of the
earth. If it is a Yam[5] ceremony, an elaborate procedure is carried out
which is supposed to make yams grow. There is a secret ceremonial object
which is a symbol of the yam and which bears to it more or less resemblance.
Other ceremonies are carried out for similar purposes. The meaning of all
these semi-religious performances, as clearly shown by Spencer Baldwin, is
to ensure the benfits which nature gives. This, in brief, explains nature
worship, and were it our object at present, it would be most interesting to
show the peculiar resemblance of these ceremonies to those carried on in sex
worship.

[5] A kind of sweet potato.

As the early races advanced in knowledge, they came to know that the
perpetuation of the race depended upon generative attributes. For this
reason human generative attributes were deified and appropriate ceremonies
were held, just as in the case of nature worship. These are not "lewd
practices," as they are not infrequently called. It is indeed regrettable
that the subject of sex worship has been disregarded by many historians, as
thereby erroneous impressions are given. The facts of nature worship have
always been much better understood and its importance has been realized;
those of sex worship have been less carefully recorded.

The literature and philosophy which we are accustomed to associate with
Greek thought are of a later date. Once such abstract reasoning is possible,
sex worship is no longer seriously entertained. The symbolism remains, but
is, associated now, not so much with religion as with art. Likewise in
India, the early Buddhism, which was sex worship, has changed to the present
day Buddhistic Philosophy, the symbols alone remaining.

From all this we are inclined to believe that in sex worship we are dealing
with important motives in the development of the race. We make no presence
of having exhausted the subject in this communication. The decadence of this
religion, as observed in the early Christian period, and in fact well
through the middle ages, forms a very interesting history. It is not our
purpose, however, to deal with it at present. Likewise, it should be
understood that the motives which we have been discussing are not
necessarily the earliest manifested in racial development; we have a record
of a time in the history of man when the worship of sex had not yet made its
appearance but this period also is not a part of our present topic.

The influence of early racial motives upon present day civilization is a
topic of great interest. Its importance is, in fact, the main object of
studies of this kind. However, we wish our account to be mainly an
historical one, and so will not at present make reference to a number of
applications which arise. We have also refrained from making use of the
modern writings on matters of sex, as we thereby avoid criticism to the
effect that our findings have been drawn from biased sources. We feel that
while the reader may disagree in certain details as here set forth, the
universal appearance of sex worship at a certain stage of racial development
is scarcely to be denied. The writers whom we have cited are all of a former
generation, and they were searching for origins in religion, not in sexual
life; inadvertently they found the latter, in fact could not avoid it, and
so their conclusions are all the more valuable to us.

REFERENCES.[6]

[6] For a number of additional references consult New York Library under
Phallicism.

Cox, Rev. G. W.: The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.

Deiterich, A.: Mutter Erde.

Fraser, J. G.: Adonis, Attis and Osiris; Balder, the Beautiful; Psyche's
Task.

Grosse: The Beginnings of Art.

Higgins, Godfrey: The Anacalypsis; Celtic Druids.

Harrison, Miss Jane: Ancient Art and Ritual; Themis.

Howitt, A. W.: The Native Tribes of South East Australia.

Inman, Dr. Thomas: Ancient Faiths Embodied in Ancient Names; Ancient Pagan
and Modern Christian Symbolism.

Jennings, Hargrave: The Rosicrucians; The Indian Religions.

King, C. W: The Gnostics and their Remains; Hand-book of Engraved Gems.

Knight, R. P.: The Symbolical Language of Ancient Art and Mythology; Two
Essays on the Worship of Priapus.

Layard, A.: Babylon and Nineveh; Nineveh and its Remains.

Murray, Gilbert: Hamlet and Orestes.

Newton, John: Assyrian Grove Worship.

O'Brien, Henry: The Round Towers of Ireland.

Rawlinson, G.: History of Ancient Egypt; Ancient Monarchies.

Rhyn, Dr. Otto: Mysteria.

Rocco, Sha: Ancient Sex Worship.

Spencer, B.: Native Tribes of the Northern Territory of Australia.

Westropp, Hodder M.: Primitive Symbolism.

Wood, Rev. J. G.: The Uncivilized Races.



ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

(Primitive customs, religious usages, etc.)

Bryant: System of Mythology.

DeGubernatis, Angelo: Zoological Mythology.

Judson: Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes..

Langdon, S.: Tammuz and Ishtar.

Perrot, and Chipiez: History of Art in Phrygia, Lidia, Caria and Lycia;
History of Art in Persia.

Prescott: Conquest of Peru.

Rousselet, Louis: India and Its Native Princes.

Stevens, J.: Central America, Chiapez and Yucatan.

Solas, W. J.: Ancient Hunters.

Wood-Martin: Pagan Ireland.



REVIEWS

THE MEANING OF DREAMS. By Isador H. Coriat. Little, Brown and Company,
Boston, 1915, Pages xiv plus 194.

This concise and well written little book hardly needs reviewing for the
readers of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology as all who have followed Dr.
Coriat's writings for the last few years will know at once the nature of the
book and what it contains. His purpose is evidently to give a simple clear
statement of the position of the Freudian school and he accomplishes this
with more than ordinary success. He is lavish in his praises of Freud and
seemingly accepts unquestionably the whole mass of Freudian doctrines. One
searches in vain for the least question or the slightest suggestion that
some of the Freudian concepts might possibly be wrong. Everywhere the words
of Freud and the beliefs of the author are given as absolute, eternal and
unquestionable. He incorporates some of the recent additions to the
Freudian teachings, such as Brill's treatment of the "artificial dream," but
concerning the fundamentals he leaves the original doctrines without
noticeable modification. In discussing the mechanisms of dreams he adds a
fifth to the original four, calling his addition "reinforcement."
Reinforcement is the mechanism by which "the prominent or primary wish of
the dream is reinforced, expressed anew for the purpose of emphasis by means
of a second dream following the first, really a dream within a dream." With
this exception he leaves the original Freudian teachings intact and
unchanged. He says that a dream is the fulfilment of a wish and no
modifications of the statement follow that could possibly make one think he
meant anything else. His definite position is stated as follows: "The term
'wish' in psycho-analysis is very comprehensive and connotes in a broad
sense all our desires, ambitions or strivings." He illustrates his points
by numerous dreams which he has himself analyzed. He will probably meet some
objection from those who are not ardent Freudians concerning some of these
dreams as the interpretation is not always "perfectly clear" as he says it
is to him. Some may say that at least a dozen other interpretations might
just as well and just as logically have been given, but this is the
objection that is raised concerning all Freudian literature. The best
characterization of the book is to say that it is typically Freudian.

(As a side issue, it is interesting to notice how many of the dreams given
relate to the European War. Some one has said that America shows her
concern over the war by the way Americans dream.)

There are two characteristics of the book which are worthy of special
mention and for which Dr. Coriat needs special praise. One of these is that
it is so simply written that the general public can read it and understand
it. No other Freudian publication which the reviewer has seen can boast of
the same simplicity. The other point is that absolutely everything
concerning sex which could possibly be objectionable has been ruled out.
There is not a word or a sentence in the book that a precise maiden lady
need hesitate to read to her Sunday School class or at a pink tea. In doing
this Dr. Coriat has indeed achieved the impossible as all will readily
agree. This book is probably too elementary for the majority of the readers
of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology but it is destined to fill a place
which no previous Freudian publication could ever fill; it is a book for the
general public and the beginner in psychology and for this purpose it is
truly a little gem. RAYMOND BELLAMY. Emory and Henry College.



THE PSYCHONEUROSES AND THEIR TREATMENT BY PSYCHOTHERAPY. By Professor J.
Dejerine and Dr. E. Gauckler. Authorized Translation by Smith Ely Jelliffe,
M.D., Ph. D. J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

This book is another instance of the lack of a common nomenclature in
psychopathology. Psychological mechanisms are penetratingly discussed; and
important syntheses are made regarding categories which many American
psychopathologists name differently not to speak of the nomenclature of the
repressionist of Vienna. It seems to the reviewer indeed, that what the
authors call neurasthenia is merely a somewhat complex elaboration of the
psychosis by induction to which Babinski has restricted the name hysteria.
It is true that certain manifestations of this, especially a false
gastropathy, may lead to an increased fatigue, and to this the name
neurasthenic might appropriately be given. But still more often one sees the
appearance of increased fatigue on account of the patient's faulty notion;
and to this the name neurasthenic should certainly not be given.

To place in the same rubric a simple somatic hysteria like a paralysis and
the complications of what are comprised in psychological neurasthenia as so
lucidly described in this book, seems at first sight irrational; but so at
first appeared the placing together of clinical pictures as unlike as
cervical struma, phthisis pulmonalis and ossious caries under the rubric of
tuberculosis, and in a nearer field the synthesis of catatonia, hebephrenia
and cementing paranoia into the rubric of dementia precox. So, recognizing
the accuracy of the beautiful analysis of Professor Dejerine of what he
calls neurasthenia, we venture to assimilate it with the equally true
analysis which Babinski has made of the immediate mechanism of what he
wishes to call pithiatism. It is the condition which we personally term
hysteria, and the mechanism of which we have more especially studied in the
traumatic neuroses and the occupational dyskinesias and some other disorders
incident to the exercise of trade or profession. Indeed, the authors
say:--"One can see that the helmet headache, the pain in the nape of the
neck, and the pain in the spine are frequent among cultivated people and
educated neurasthenics, but much rarer among the others" and he explains
this by saying that these disturbances "are due to the diffusion of the
attention towards obsessions or preoccupations;" and he gives as an example
the reply of a patient "I think of my illness or such vicissitude by which
it was brought about." Indeed, in one place, Professor Dejerine goes so far
as to permit himself to say that the hypochondriac preoccupation itself
constitutes originally a purely intellectual conception, a propos of which,
but secondarily to it the patient really may work up an emotion, but which
is really NOT OF EMOTIONAL ORIGIN, a position first taken and long insisted
upon by the reviewer.

What is this when traced to its source but the mechanism of suggestion? The
portion of the book describing the functional manifestations of the
digestive system is charged with most illuminating instances of
associational mechanism typifying the induction of morbid reactions by
suggestion. No one perusing them can fail to perceive that the psychological
process at work does not differ in principle from that found in the somatic
hysterias, from which therefore their separation seems unjustifiable, and at
the hands of so eminent an author is likely to maintain rather than diminish
present psychological misunderstanding.

The dissimilarity of terms and resemblances of ideas has another
illustration in the reference to energy and the will; here it is clearly
pointed out that the apparent aboulia of the "neurasthenic" is not a lack,
but an unfruitful directing of the will while the Viennese school imply the
same idea in their doctrine of sublimation.

The authors believe that neurasthenia differs from the psychasthenia of
Janet in that the latter is constitutional, and that the obsessions are
secondary, when analysed profoundly, to some pain-bearing contingency which
by the mechanism of association has pervaded the mind and which henceforth
distorts it with subsequent realities. And yet when Dejerine lays stress
upon the fact that badly organized moral hygiene conduces to the emotional
preoccupations which lead to obsessions and which he regards as the
essential characteristics of the neurasthenic constitution, he leaves no
apparent distinction from the psychasthenia of Janet.

"The fundamental distinction of neurasthenia is causation by emotion," but
the authors have not extricated this factor from the role played by
induction either of idea or its secondary emotion. In such a fundamental
matter as anaesthesia for instance, they say: "In our opinion there exist
three classes of hysterical anesthesia. In the first series of facts one may
place the cases due to simulation. In the second group of cases we shall
range the patients in whom the disturbances of sensibility are directly due
to suggestion. Finally there remains a third class of patients in whom the
disturbances of sensibility seem to us to be residual emotional phenomena."

"Emotion is able to suppress sensibility entirely by producing absolute
side-tracking, and that under such circumstances it was really a question of
total anesthesia and not purely psychoanesthesia. When the state has passed
and the emotional cause has disappeared the sensibility may return, but
anesthesia which is preserved may also persist, either by auto-suggestion or
as in the case of the individual who remarks that he felt none of the
various injuries which he has experienced, or it is a question of simple
residual phenomenon independent of all suggestion." And yet, further on, the
authors say that the phenomena of auto-suggestion cannot be separated from
the emotion. All this lacks clarity; and except in the instances of failure
of perception or of auto-suggestion, the mechanism is not intelligibly set
forth.

The authors, however, although under the deplorable classification of
neurasthenia or hysteria, depart from the usual therapeutic methods and seek
the cause of the patient's disease outside of the objective symptoms and
declare that the "element of diagnosis lies chiefly in the origin of the
symptoms."

They make much of the assertion that Dr. Weir Mitchell's method of treatment
is based practically upon isolation, rest in bed, over-feeding, douches,
massage and electricity, in fact on purely physical measures and Professor
Dejerine adds: "I was not long in discovering that unless the patient's
state of mind improved, the therapeutic results were far from satisfactory;"
and he gives examples.

But in spite of the objections to the nosology and psychopathological theory
of the authors, there remains nothing but the highest praise for the
presentation of the clinical facts and of the sound advice regarding the
therapy of various functional manifestations, and concerning the role of the
physician in the prophylaxis of the psychogenic neuroses. It is most
desirable that every physician should be aware of the clinical facts which
Professor Dejerine has accumulated in his vast experience. In gynaecology,
gastroenterology, cardiology. and genitounary disease the psychogenetic
affections are ignored by most physicians.

This book will give a better understanding of what every practitioner of
those specialities should be familiar with. TOM A. WILLIAMS.

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