DREAM DICTIONARY

The Method Of Dream Interpretation - 9 -Freud

Trimethylamin: In the dream I see the chemical formula of this substance- which at all events is evidence of a great effort on the part of my memory-and the formula is even printed in heavy type, as though to distinguish it from the context as something of particular importance.

And where does trimethylamin, thus forced on my attention, lead me? To a conversation with another frien, who for two years has been familiar with all my germinating ideas, and I with his.

At that time he had just informed me of certain ideas concering a sexual chemistry, and had mentioned, among others, that he thought he had found in trimethylamin one of the products of sexual metabolism. Thus substance thus leads me to sexuality, the factor to which I attribute the greatest significane in respect of the origin of these nervous affections which I am trying to cure.

My patient Irma is a young widow; if I am required to excuse my failure to cure her, I shall do best to refer to this condition, which her admirers would be glad to terminate. But in what a singular fashion such a dream is fitted together! The friend who is in my dream becomes my patient in Irma's place is likewise a young widow.

I surmisewhy it is that the formula of trimethylamin is so insistent in the dream. So many important things are centred about this one word trimethylamin is an allusion, not merely to the all-important factor of sexuality, but also to a friend whose sympathy I remember with satisfaction whenever I feel isolated in my opinions.

And this friend, who plays such a large part in my life: will he not appear yet again in the concatenation of ideas peculiar to this dream? Of course; he has a special knowledge of the results of affections of the nose and sinuses, and has revealed to science several highly remarkable relations between the turbinal bones and the female sexual organs.

(The three curly formations in Irma's throat) I got him to examine Irma, in order to determine whether her gastric pains were of nasal origin. But he himself suffers from suppurative rhinitis, which gave me concern, and so to this perhaps there is an allusion in pyaemia, which hovers before me in the metastasis of the dream.

One doesn't give such injections so rashly. Here the approach of rashness is hurled directly at my friend Otto. I belive I had some such thought in the afternoon, whenhe seemd to indicate, by word and look, that he had taken sides against me. It was, perhaps: 'How easily, he is influenced; how irresponsibly he pronounces judgement.'

Further the above sentence points once more to my deceased friend, who so irresponsibly resorted to cocaine injections. As I have said, I had not intended that injection of the drug should be taken. I note that in reproaching Otto I once more touch upon the story of the unfortun ate Matilda, which was the pretext for the same reproach against me.Here, obviously, I am collecting examples of my conscientiousness, and also of the reverse.

Probably the syringe was not clean. Another reproach directed at Otto, but originating elsewhere. On the previous day I happen to meet the son of an old lady of eighty-two, to whom I am obliged to give two injections of morphia a daily. At present she is in the country, and I have heard that she is suffering from phlebitis.

I immediately thought that this might be a case of infiltration caused by a dirty syringe. It is my pride that in two years I have not given her a single infiltration; I am always careful, of course, to see that the syringe is perfectly clean. For I am conscientious.

From the phlebitis I return to my wife, who once suffered from thrombosis during a period of pregnancy , and now three related situations come to the surface in my memory, involving my wife, Irma, and the dead matilda, whose identity has apparently justified my puting these three persons in one another's places.

I have now completed the interpretation of the dream. In the course of this intrepation I have taken great pains to avoid all those notions which must have been suggested by a comparison of the dream-content.

Meanwhile the 'meaning' of the dream has dawned upon me. I have already noted an intention which is realised through the dream, and which must have been my motive in dreaming.

The dream fulfils several wishes, which were awakened within me by the events of the previous evening For the result of the dream is (Ptto's news, and the writing of the clinical history).for the result of the dream is, that it is not I who am to blame for the pain which Irma is still suffering, but that Otto is to blame for it. Otto has annoyed me by his remark aboyt Irma's imperfect cure;the dream avenges me upon him, in that it turns the reproach upon himself.

The dream acquits me of responsibility for Irma's condition, as it refers this condition to other causes (which do, indeed, furnish quite a number of explanations).The dream represents a certain state of affairs, such as I might wish to exist; the content of the dream is thus the fulfilment of a wish; its motive is a wish.

Reference:The Interpretation of Dreams: Freud