Hypnotisme double conscience et alterations de la personnalite

Paris: Librairie J. B. Bailliere et Fils, 1887. FIRST EDITION. With half title and 5 pages publisher’s advertisements. Dark blue cloth, gilt spine, marbled end papers. Exteriors faded, edges of text block speckled. Occasional spotting throughout with generally clean text. A very good copy. First edition of a fascinating work on personality disorders featuring Dr. Azam’s famed case study of “Félida X,” one of the first confirmed cases of alternating personalities (later referred to as multiple personality disorder and currently referred to as dissociative identity disorder). Over the course of 35 years, Azam studied Félida’s case, and through hypnotism managed to distinguish a minimum of two distinct personalities: one hysterical, miserable, unintelligible, and in constant pain, and the other happy, pleasant, intelligent and completely free from pain. He even managed to uncover a third personality, that of a frightened, abused child, possibly indicative of her own abusive childhood. Félida even became pregnant by her boyfriend in one of her personalities, causing her other personality to deny her condition and exhibit confusion at the typical signs of pregnancy (Hart, p. 67). The study of personality, sense of self, and the ego was in full swing in the late 19th century and Félida’s case became one of the most well-known and is still cited in medical journals today. The preface to this volume was written by Jean-Martin Charcot, the renowned French neurologist who treated hysteria through hypnosis.

Azam (1822-1899) was a French physician and surgeon from the Bordeaux region who was noted for his work on psychology, hysteria, mental disorders, and personality disorders. He primarily published his findings on the Félida X case. Little else is known about him.