Principal work Richard von Krafft-Ebing

the first edition of psychopathia sexualis (1886), richard von krafft-ebing.

krafft-ebing s principal work psychopathia sexualis: eine klinisch-forensische studie (sexual psychopathy: clinical-forensic study), first published in 1886 , expanded in subsequent editions. last edition hand of author (the twelfth) contained total of 238 case histories of human sexual behaviour.

this book popularized terms sadism (derived brutal sexual practices depicted in novels of marquis de sade) , masochism (derived name of leopold von sacher-masoch). krafft-ebing coined term anilingus in book.

psychopathia sexualis forensic reference book psychiatrists, physicians, , judges. written in academic style, introduction noted that, discourage lay readers, author had deliberately chosen scientific term title of book , had written parts of in latin same purpose.

psychopathia sexualis 1 of first books sexual practices studied homosexuality/bisexuality. proposed consideration of mental state of sex criminals in legal judgements of crimes. during time, became leading medico–legal textual authority on sexual pathology.

the twelfth , final edition of psychopathia sexualis presented 4 categories of krafft-ebing called cerebral neuroses :

paradoxia, sexual excitement occurring independently of period of physiological processes in generative organs
anaesthesia, absence of sexual instinct
hyperaesthesia, increased desire, satyriasis
paraesthesia, perversion of sexual instinct, i.e., excitability of sexual functions inadequate stimuli

the term hetero-sexual used, not in chapter or section headings. term bi-sexuality appears twice in 7th edition, , more in 12th.

there no mention of sexual activity children in chapter iii, general pathology, cerebral neuroses (including sexuality paraesthesias) covered. various sexual acts children mentioned in chapter iv, special pathology, in context of specific mental disorders, such dementia, epilepsy, , paranoia, never resulting own disorder. however, chapter v on sexual crimes has section on sexual crimes children. section brief in 7th edition, expanded in 12th cover non-psychopathological cases , psychopathological cases, in latter subsection term paedophilia erotica used.

krafft-ebing considered procreation purpose of sexual desire , form of recreational sex perversion of sex drive. opportunity natural satisfaction of sexual instinct, every expression of not correspond purpose of nature—i.e., propagation,—must regarded perverse. hence, concluded homosexuals suffered degree of sexual perversion because homosexual practices not result in procreation. in cases, homosexual libido classified moral vice induced practice of masturbation. krafft-ebing proposed theory of homosexuality biologically anomalous , originating in embryonic , fetal stages of gestation, evolved sexual inversion of brain. in 1901, in article in jahrbuch für sexuelle zwischenstufen (yearbook intermediate sexual types), changed biological term anomaly differentiation.

although primary focus on sexual behavior in men, there sections on sadism in woman, masochism in woman, , lesbian love. several of cases of sexual activity children committed women.

krafft-ebing’s conclusions homosexuality largely forgotten, partly because sigmund freud’s theories more interesting physicians (who considered homosexuality psychological problem) , partly because incurred enmity of austrian catholic church when psychologically associated martyrdom (a desire sanctity) hysteria , masochism.