«FR»6 November 1912  Pension White  2 Piazza dei «FR»Cavalleggieri  Firenze

«FL»Dear Professor Freud,

«IP4,0»I was glad and happy to hear from you that my wife is going on well.  I have not heard from her for a week, but hope her progress is being maintained.  Are you satisfied also with the analysis itself?

The news about Stekel is certainly highly interesting, but I should much like to hear more details for I do not yet understand the situation.  The «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» was officially made its organ by the Congress.  What happens now?  Does it continue to exist, and, if so, which will be the official organ of the Verein?  It is of course a satisfaction to be separate from Stekel, who has done us much harm, and whose tactlessness always kept us on tenterhooks as to what would happen next.  He has a paper of mine on Angst, «FN1.××Jones (1913b).

» which I suppose he must still publish if the «MDUL»Zentralblatt«MDNM» goes on.  What is the name of the new journal?  I hear from Sachs that Ferenczi is to edit it, which is excellent news.  Is it to contain Referate?  If so, it will be an extremely difficult business to organise them, but if it is done it should be done well.«FN1.××The new journal, «MDUL»Zeitschrift«MDNM», appeared in early 1913.

»

My patient here is a great bore, but sometimes he brings interesting things.  He has the delusion that, owing to interference by his parents in early years, his foot, and especially the great toe, is permanently bent and deformed.  It will never be straight again.  Here is his pictcure of it.

«IP0,0»                       [sketch]

He dreamed lately that he was in school adjusting different «MDUL»paper«MDNM» flags to each other, to make them meet and fit properly.  He drew them as follows, which I interpret as nates [buttocks].

                      [sketch]

I do not think enough attention has been called to the fact that some of the feeling that goes to make the snake‑symbolism is of anal origin, derived both from faeces and from worms.  I have been sure of this in several patients.  It explains why disgust at reptiles and insects is often more prominent than fear.  In a picture in Florence of St. Philip exorcising the dragon, many of the spectators are holding their noses, evidently from disgust at the smell emitted by the dragon.

«IP4,0»I see many interesting things in the art in Italy from the |×/ point of view.  Take an instance, the crucifixion regarded as a re‑birth phantasy (naturally only one of its aspects).  The sorrow and swooning of the Madonna, supported by two friends, is sometimes depicted as direct «MDUL»Geburtswehen«MDNM» [labour pains], and in one picture here she stands up evidently in the last month of pregnancy.  In the deposizione pictures she holds the body of Christ on her lap just like a new‑born babe; in the later ones he merely reclines against her.  I have many photographs of such things, which I should like to show you in January if you have the time.

With regard to the magic power of touch, that you dealt with in «MDUL»Imago«MDNM»,«FN1.××Freud (1912‑13).

» there are many interesting things in Christian history, for instance the woman who was healed by touching merely Christ's garment, the various miracles of healing by the saints, the fact that religious gifts and power to perform various ceremonies can only be transmitted from one bishop to another by what we call in English "the laying on of hands".  I saw this morning a picture where cripples were healed even by touching the «MDUL»shadow«MDNM» of St. Peter as he walked by.  I suppose you wished to avoid Christian topics in your articles, but if you would like photographs of any particular idea depicted in religious art, I could surely find them for you.

I have two short articles ready in my head for «MDUL»Imago«MDNM», one a finished cameo type, the other more general and tentative.  I will write them in Vienna and submit them to you.«FN1.××Jones (1913f, 1914a).

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Hoping to hear soon from you again  I am  Yours always affectionately  Jones.