t is thus aroused which sometimes relieves itself
mentally by psychic onanism, sometimes by some form of
masturbation; one girl admitted to Niceforo that by allowing her
thoughts to dwell on the subject while at work she sometimes
produced physical sexual excitement as often as four times a day.
(See also vol. i of these _Studies_, "Auto-erotism.") Sometimes,
however, a vague kind of homosexuality is produced, the girls,
excited by their own thoughts and their conversation, being still
further excited by contact with each other. "In summer, in one
work-room, some of the girls wear no drawers, and they unbutton
their bodices, and work with crossed legs, more or less
uncovered. In this position, the girls draw near and inspect one
another; some boast of their white legs, and, then the petticoats
are raised altogether for more careful comparison. Many enjoy
this inspection of nudity, and experience real sexual pleasure.
From midday till 2 P.M., during the hours of greatest heat, when
all are in this condition, and the mistress, in her chemise (and
sometimes, with no shame at the workers' presence, even without
it), falls asleep on the sofa, all the girls, _without one
exception_, masturbate themselves. The heat seems to sharpen
their desires and morbidly arouse all their senses. The
voluptuous emotions, restrained during the rest of the day, break
out with irresistible force; stimulated by the spectacle of each
other's nakedness, some place their legs together and thus
heighten the spasm by the illusion of contact with a man." In
this way they reach mutual masturbation. "It is noteworthy,
however," Niceforo points out, "that these couples for mutual
masturbation are never Lesbian couples. Tribadism is altogether
absent from the factories and work-rooms." He even believes that
it does not exist among girls of the working class. He further
describes how, in another work-room, during the hot hours of the
day in summer, when no work is done, some of the girls retire
into the fitting-room, and, having fastened their chemises round
their legs and thighs with pins, so as to imitate trousers, play
at being men and pretend to have intercourse with the others.
(Niceforo, _Il Gergo_, cap. vi, 1897, Turin.) I have reproduced
these details from Niceforo's careful study because, although
the