A Dark Science: Women, Sexuality & Psychiatry in the Nineteenth Century

by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson

This interpretation of the way female sexuality was viewed by the nineteenth-century European medical profession characterizes an attitude based on massive ignorance and prejudice

Genres: History, Psychology, Sexuality, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

He has written several books books critical of psychoanalysis, psychotherapy and psychiatry as well as books on animals, their emotions and their rights.

He currently lives in New Zealand with his wife, two sons, three cats and three rats.

Reviews

[Brittney]

This was a super difficult read that left me filling the margins with righteous anger and feminist rhetoric in regards to the outrageously obvious presence of victim blaming, misogyny, and sexual abuse throughout modern medicine (and I have no doubt similar situations still occur).

I am so grateful to have a source that compiles medical texts from the 19th in uncensored translations - it is an important source to have and the discussions within the text as well as the inspired thoughts are very valuable to anyone studying gender and sexuality.

[Melanie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too disturbing to finish reading.

[em petlev · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is pressingly important that this is accessible as it is despicably nauseating

[Reese Lightning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masson's writing is excellent, but the accompanying case studies written by 19th century doctors were too horrific to handle.