14
KARL ABRAHAM
with neurotic disturbances of the eyes,' In some cases the idea
exists that the fixed stare will terrorise people. If we pursue the
unconscious train of thought of these patients who identify the
fixed stare with erection we can then understand the meaning of
their anxiety. Just as male exhibitionists among other things seek
to terrify women by the sight of the phallus, so these women
unconsciously endeavour to attain the same effect by means of
their fixed stare.
Some years ago a very neurotic young girl consulted me. The very first thing she did on entering my consulting room was to ask me straight out whether she had beautiful eyes. I was startled for a moment by this very unusual way of introducing oneself to a physician. She noticed my hesitation and then gave vent to a violent outburst of affect on my suggestion that she should first of all answer my questions. The whole conduct of the patient, whom I only saw a few times, made a methodical psycho-analysis impossible. I did not succeed even in coming to a clear diagno- sis of the case, for certain characteristics of the clinical picture suggested a paranoid condition. Still I was able to obtain a few facts concerning the origin of a most striking symptom, which in spite of their incompleteness offered a certain insight into the structure of the condition.
The patient told me that she had experienced a great fright when a child. In a small town where she then lived a boa constrictor had broken out from a menagerie and could not be found. On passing through a park with her governess she thought the snake suddenly appeared before her. She became quite rigid with terror and ever since had been afraid that she might have a fixed stare.
It could not be decided whether this experience was a real one or whether it was wholly or partially a phantasy. The associ- ation, snake = rigidity, is familiar and comprehensible to us. We also recognise the snake as a male genital symbol. Fixity of the eye is then expUcable from the identification, fixed eye ^ snake = phallus. The patient, however, protected herself against this masculinity wish of hers, and its place was taken by the compuls- ion to get every man to assure her that her eyes were beautiful,
' See ' Uber Einschrankungen und Umwandlungen der Schaulust usw. '
Jahrhuch der Psyckaanalyse, 1914, Bd. IV, or the same article in
'Klinische Beitrage zur Psychoanalyse', 1921, S. 168 f.
