THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HYPNOTISM

The ancient Greek wore a loose- fitting chiton, the ancient Roman a dignified toga, the ancient Egyptian and Babylonian wore tunics. In Byzantium, the dalmatica and the paludamentum (mantle) were cus- tomary dress. Both covered the body like a sheath. In the Middle Ages tunics were the common dress, either straight or belted. The Renais- sance period introduced the doublet and hose.(3) The doublet had a short, full skirt which covered the long, tight-fitting hose worn from waist to feet. This marked the beginning of trouser apparel for the male. The Oriental male costumes are derived from a robe-like dress. Many of the far eastern countries feature panta- loons worn by the female of the species. (A reversal of our accepted trend.) Within the frame of refer- ence of the national costume, there- fore, history seems to have vindi- cated the transvestite.

To illustrate the use of medical hypnotism in alleviating the emo- tional conflict in a case of trans- vestism, a case history is presented. The patient, a male twenty years old, had dressed in his mother's clothes since the age of eight. At first, it was done to amuse his parents, who responded by lauding his efforts at impersonating his mother. Fre- quently, during the following five years, he was called upon to enter- tain adult guests at social gatherings in the home. The parents were affluent and gratified their only child's every whim. The father was away on business trips for prolonged periods, and the son was aware of the many extra-marital affairs which

his mother pursued. He was fre- quently left in the care of a governess who permitted him to sleep with her, and observe her at her toilette. The boy was fondled and his genitals handled during these overnight epi- sodes. The governess always wore a sheer, flimsy nightgown on these occasions. Sex-play was thus asso- ciated at an impressionable nubile age with feminine habiliments.

At masquerade parties in ado- lescence, feminine attire including dainty undergarments, was always worn, and the patient admitted having been sexually aroused at these times, frequently seeking relief from his mounting tension by mas- turbating while watching himself in a full-length mirror dressed in female underwear. Masturbation at these times, culminated in an orgasm more quickly than at other times. Even in his dreams, nocturnal emissions were associated with cross- dressing.

At the age of nineteen, he sought psychiatric help and was in therapy with a non-directive therapist for three months. At the end of this period he voluntarily ceased treat- ment because he was unhappy with the slow progress he was making. It seemed unlikely that he really wanted to be helped at that time.

A year later, he met and became emotionally attracted to a beautiful girl of twenty-one, a psychiatric social worker. The problems of transvestism and matrimony were openly discussed. It was thereupon decided by both of them that he should again" go for help." Hypno- therapy was requested because of

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