e lower third of the left labium minus, which was rubbed
against the underlying parts. At this stage, the manifestations
sometimes stopped, either from an effort of self-control or from
fatigue of the arm. There was no emission of mucus, or general
perspiration, but some degree of satisfaction and of fatigue,
followed by sleep. If, however, the manipulation was continued,
the second stage was reached, and the middle finger sank into the
vagina, while the index finger remained on the labium, the rest
of the hand holding and compressing the whole of the vulva, from
pubes to anus, against the symphysis, with a backwards and
forwards movement, the left hand also being frequently used to
support and assist the right. The parts now gave a mushroom-like
feeling to the touch, and in a few seconds, or after a longer
interval, the complete feeling of pleasurable satisfaction was
attained. At the same moment there was (but only after she had
had experience of coitus) an involuntary elevation of the pelvis,
together with emission of mucus, making the hand wet, this mucus
having an odor, and being quite distinct from the ordinary
odorless mucus of the vagina; at the same time, the finger in the
vagina felt slight contractions of the whole vaginal wall. The
climax of sexual pleasure lasted a few seconds, with its
concomitant vaginal contractions, then slowly subsided with a
feeling of general well-being, the finger at the same time
slipping out of the vagina, and she was left in a state of
general perspiration, and sleep would immediately follow; when
this was not the case, she was frequently conscious of some
degree of sensibility in the sacrum, lasting for several hours,
and especially felt when sitting. When masturbation was the
result of an erotic dream (which occurred but seldom), the first
stage was already reached in sleep, and the second was more
quickly obtained. During the act it was only occasionally that
any thoughts of men or of coitus were present, the attention
being fixed on the coming climax. The psychic state afterwards
was usually one of self-reproach. (O. Adler, _Die Mangelhafte
Geschlechtsempfindung des Weibes_, 1904, pp. 26-29.) The
phenomena in this case may be regarded as fairly typical, but
there are many individual variations; mucus emissions and vaginal
contract