INTERSEXUALITY 351 



There is still another question to be discussed here. We saw 

 that the psycho-sexual behaviour also depends on fhe internal 

 secretion of the gonad. It seems possible that pathological 

 deviations of all kinds in the psycho-sexual behaviour may be 

 caused by deviations in the endocrine function of the gonad. 

 As I have said already (see Chapter III., p. 102) this may be 

 true, but only to a certain degree. We should never forget 

 that the psycho-sexual behaviour must depend partly upon 

 the state of the nervous system which is principally involved 

 in all psycho-sexual reactions. It thereby follows that external 

 conditions are very important factors in the psycho-sexual 

 behaviour. But on the other hand, there can be no doubt 

 that deviations in the psj^cho-sexual behaviour may be caused 

 also by the interference of sexual hormones. Now the question 

 arises whether some cases of homosexuality can be considered 

 as a kind of hermaphroditism or condition of intersexuality 

 in the psycho-sexual behaviour as caused by an intersexuality 

 in the production of sexual hormones. Halhan (1903, p. 291) 

 suggested that homosexuality was a kind of pseudo-herma- 

 phroditism, and Block (1909, p. 590) pointed out that it might 

 be really caused by some defect in the endocrine function of 

 the sex gland. Such an assumption would be in agreement 

 with the opinion of Hirschfeld, the most learned expert in this 

 special branch of sexual pathologj^ that homosexuality is in 

 the majority of cases a congenital condition. ^ 



B. EXPERIMENTAL HERMAPHRODITISM. 



Steinach (1916) and Sand (1918 a, pp. 152-182) have shown 

 experimentally that the simultaneous presence of the male 

 and female sex gland in the same individual can transform 

 the latter somatically and psychically into an intersexual 

 individual. It is very interesting to note that Steinach and 

 Sand performed their experiments on mammals independently 

 of one another, the experiments of Steinach with feminization 



^ Hirschfeld's view is best expressed in the following passage: "It seems 

 to me quite certain that the homosexual individual bears from the beginning 

 the stamp of its somatic and psychical peculiarity. The latter is present 

 from earHest youth, whereas it is absent in other people educated in a 

 similar manner and grown up in a similar milieu. Every homosexual indi- 

 vidual remembers to have been different from ordinary boys. In many 

 cases the condition is already clearly seen at the age of the schoolboy, though 

 the real cause is not yet understood. More than himself, his relations and 

 those with whom he comes into touch, recognize that he possesses certain 

 girlish peculiarities in his behaviour." {See Hirschfeld, 1918, p. 207.) 



