appear numerous word and sentence-conglomerations which can be designated as contaminations.[1]
Example: "Especially a meat, which one cannot get rid of, the thoughts which one cannot get rid of, especially when one ought to persevere at it, persevere, persevere, severere, severin," etc.
According to Stransky this conglomeration contains the following condensed series of ideas:
- (a) Mutton is consumed in England,
- (b) This idea I cannot get rid of,
- (c) This is perseveration,
- (d) I am to talk at random whatever comes into my mind.
The contamination is therefore a condensation of various series of ideas. It is essentially to be considered as a mediate association.[2] This character of contamination can be clearly proven from Stransky's pathological examples:
Question: What is a mammal?
Answer (Pat): It is a cow, for example a midwife. Midwife is a mediate association of cow and shows the probable way of thought. Cow—bears living young—human beings likewise—midwife.[3]
Question: "What do you understand by the Holy Virgin?"
Answer: "The behavior of a young lady."
As Stransky rightly observes the thought probably goes as follows: Immaculate conception—virgo intacta—irreproachable conduct.
Question: "What is a square?"
Answer: "An angular quadrate."
- ↑ By contamination we understand the condensation of many sentences or words into one sentence or into one word; e. g., "I will soon him see home" is a contamination of "I will go home." "I will soon see him."
- ↑ See the analysis of mediate associations. Diagnost. Associationsstudien, Beitrage I, Introduction.
- ↑ According to Professor Blueler, the following combination is more probable:
Mammal
|cow bears living young is an example midwife
