Wilhelm Fliess

From Freepedia

Wilhelm Fliess (1858-1928) was a German otorhinolaryngologist who played an important part in the development of psychoanalysis. On Breuer's suggestion, he attended several conferences of Sigmund Freud in 1887 in Vienna, and the two soon formed a strong friendship.

Fliess developed several idiosyncratic theories, such as reflex nasal neuroses, postulating a connection between the nose and the genitals, and vital periodicity, forerunner of the popular concepts of biorhythms that never found scientifc favor outside of psychoanalytic circles, though others, such as the idea of innate bisexuality, were incorporated into Freud's theories. Freud referred occasional patients to him for treatment of their neurosis through anaesthetization of the nasal mucosa with cocaine, and through nasal surgery. Together, Fliess and Freud developed a Project for a Scientific Psychology, which was later abandoned.

Emma Eckstein (1865-1924) had a particularly disastrous experience when Freud had Fliess surgically remove the turbinate bone from her nose to cure her of premenstrual depression. Infection set in; a second surgeon removed surgical gauze that Fliess had left behind, but not before Eckstein had nearly bled to death. She was left permanently disfigured, with the left side of her face caved in.

Freud ordered that his correspondence with Fliess be destroyed. It is known today only because Marie Bonaparte bought their letters and refused to permit their destruction.