A] Note on Freud's Censor 245 



The difficulty was further increased by a dissociation of 

 personality of long standing. In the predominant per- 

 sonality all memory of the cause of the trouble was re- 

 pressed by the censor, while its results the suicide im- 

 pulse remained. Hence the great difficulty of treating 

 the case. For example, as long as the mercury-complex 

 could be kept in memory, all danger of suicide was 

 avoided ; but it was constantly destroyed by the second 

 personality, and the associated morphia-complex pro- 

 duced repeated attempts at suicide. The same was true 

 of the uncle-complex, which induced fear of crowds. In 

 both instances we have an example of re-repression by 

 the second personality a unique case, as far as I know. 

 Whether it will prove possible either to recombine the 

 dual personality, or to reinforce the will-to-live in the 

 dominant personality by suggestion, or to instate the 

 attraction towards normal pleasures, remains to be seen. 

 The case is still under treatment, but the prospects are 

 dark 1 . Its interest for us lies in the fact that the censor 

 is here playing a maleficent part, urging towards suicide, 

 and seems to be totally independent of the higher will of 

 the patient. In reviewing the problems suggested by this 

 fact, we may first note that the influence of the censor 

 is directed still towards an end, though an unsatisfac- 

 tory one; it is still purposive. Secondly, we observe 

 that the case is entirely abnormal, since we have to do 

 with a split personality. But even allowing for these 

 facts its difficulty must be recognised. The character- 

 istic action of the censor is clearly marked, and is un- 



the uncle that everyone would hate him and he would always be 

 alone another childhood memory. 



1 There are now indications of a re-combination of the two 

 personalities. Some memories of minor complexes have ceased to 

 be repressed in the dominant personality, and there is some 

 ground for hoping that the two may be ultimately fused, when all 

 danger will be at an end. 



