Waist Obsession

[This account is translated from the original German and may contain some inelegances of style; for which I apologise. It is based on a real-life record but some details have been changed to protect privacy.]

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Report of Dr Heinz Kaufmann, Director; Das Krankenhaus Fridschoff, Wien

(The Fridschoff Hospital, Vienna)

Dieser Bericht ist Ein von nur acht Dokumente bleibend von den Archiven Dem Kleinen Fridschoff Krankenhaus nach seiner Zerstörung in 1944. Das Dokument, das unvollständig ist, war Hand-geschrieben durch Herr Dr Heinz Kaufmann, als Direktor. Er ist 1916 im Juli gestorben.

Das Krankenhaus Fridschoff war in 1871 durch private Wohltätigkeit gründet, arme Frauen und Waise Mädchen zu liefern. Es wurde in den staatlichen medizinischen Dienst in 1938 absorbiert.

[This report is one of only eight documents remaining of the archives of the small Fridschoff Hospital after its destruction in 1944. The document, which is incomplete, was hand-written by Herr Dr Heinz Kaufmann, the Director. He died in July 1916.

The Fridschoff Hospital was founded in 1871 by private charity, to provide medical care for poor women and orphan girls. It was absorbed into the State medical service in 1938.]

22 April 1905 Presented to morning surgery by police officer: young woman in collapsed state and covered in road dirt. Found in the city market area at 4 o'clock this morning. No identification papers or possessions.

Placed in the maternity ward since I judged patient may be a prostitute or other who had collapsed from a problem of pregnancy. Patient was undressed whilst still unconscious and I was called immediately that the corpus was revealed.

Patient emaciated to an extreme degree. Normal diagnosis starvation or mistreatment by family or employer. However, it was apparent that the torso was gripped in a buckled leather corset or casing and this had acted as a tourniquet on blood supply, lymphatic and intestinal function.

Nursing director requested approval to remove the corset but I judged that to be unsafe. Torso musculature atrophied to a degree that I did not believe patient would be able to support herself even for breathing without the leather casing. Still in leather corset, patient was washed and placed in bed.

At 2 o'clock after noon, visited again and took measurements of the patient. Patient recovered consciousness during this procedure. Measurements were as follows:

Height 157 cm [5ft 2in]

Head circumference 50 cm [19.5 in]

Maximum rib (see below) 71 cm [28 in]

Maximum hips 84 cm [33 in]

Waist (see below) 31 cm [12.2 in]

Wrist 14 cm [5.5 in]

Ankle 16 cm [6.2 in]

Weight 27.7 kg [61 lbs]

Patient delirious and could drink only water with fruit essence with assistance. I delayed further diagnosis until the following day. Gave care authority to Dottore Buonomo, my assistant.

Note on patient:

Estimate lowest floating ribs overlap within thorax.

Extreme distension of abdomen.

Thorax and abdomen occluded at waist for 18 cm in leather casing.

23 April 1905 At 11 o'clock in the morning visited again and palpated internal organs. Listened to vital signs. Very weak pulse in lower parts of body. Irregular heart beat. Estimate less than 20 per cent of normal blood supply to femoral arteries. No intestinal [bruit; noise?]. Palpated no faeces. All mucous membranes pale and dehydrated. Eyes dull. Pupils dilated. Tongue swollen and dry. Continuing to drink fruit water but no solid food.

Patient lucid and gave name as Marietta Bloom; born Linz 22 Marz 1883. Parents deceased. Living in Wien with older married step-sister.

Patient in tears requested that I should not remove or even loosen the leather casing on her waist. To reduce distress, I agreed on condition that patient would tell her history and accept my medical treatment. Patient agreed. Asked Dr Buonomo to drew up nutrition plan and exercise regime for patient.

Photographs taken by Herr Bonhöffer, hospital technician.

At 12 noon, spoke to Professor Dr Giessel, my colleague in mental illness at university medical department. He agreed to interview patient and assess mental state and advise on treatment.

28 April 1905 Visited Fraulein Bloom and noted improvement in skin tone and in membranes. Lower pulse still weak. Weight reduced to 26.9 kg. Heart beat more regular. Palpated again and found displaced kidneys, liver, spleen. No palpation evidence of stomach or intestine. Vagina and rectum both enlarged. Rectum dry. Vagina moist. Breasts slack. Nipples inverted.

Patient moved to theatre under supervision of Dr Buonomo and sedated. With her agreement removed leather casing. Torso skin dry and some cracking but otherwise healthy. Skin oiled. Waist retained shape of casing. Parallel from under ribs into pelvis. Palpated waist and found pulse of aorta. Palpated intestine through waist section. Leather corset cleaned and returned. Patient assisted to bed by Dr Buonomo.

Contact with step-sister cannot be established. No response to hospital letter. Messenger found house empty. Asked Dr Buonomo to investigate further. Police notified.

At 7 o'clock in evening discussion with Prof Dr Giessel, with Dr Buonomo in attendance.

29 April hat zu 5 Mai Dokument beschädigt. [29 April to 5 May document damaged.]

6 Mai 1905 At 5 o'clock in morning called to Fraulein Bloom by Dr Buonomo who appeared to have been present all night. Found patient in collapsed state. Weak pulse, irregular heart beat, breathing shallow. Delirium and loss of speech. Bladder incontinence.

I ordered removal of the leather waist casing. Vital signs improved but patient unable to move. Total atrophy of musculature of torso. After 40 minutes patient complained of pain at waist. Corset replaced by Dr Buonomo.

At 11 o'clock in morning visited patient again and found patient sedated but tense. No food or drink taken today.

Police report no evidence of patient's residence in Wien or Linz. Neighbours no memory of patient with step-sister. Officially classified "unknown person."

7 Mai 1905 Police report that unknown man asked about patient at Precinct office this morning. False name and address. Asked to know location of patient. Followed by officers on leaving office. Met woman with motor car and chauffeur. Drove north out of city. Contact lost at Floridsdorf. Dr Buonomo requested leave to visit locations of this incident.

He seems to be taking this matter more seriously than the medical features would require.

9 Mai 1905 Fraulein Bloom became unconscious at 9 o'clock this morning. I ordered Dr Buonomo to remove the leather corset. Vital signs improved. Unable to drink or swallow liquid administered by Dr Buonomo. Temperature 39 deg Cel.

Visited patient at 12 noon and 6 o'clock in evening. Condition not improved. Signs of severe dehydration. Temperature 39.4 deg in evening.

Observed and palpated waist without leather casing. No intestinal sounds by stethoscope. Pulse and heart beat both weak. Involuntary movements of fingers and feet. Blink response to sound and touch.

Informed police and chaplain of patient's condition.

10-11 Mai Dokument hat beschädigt [10-11 Mai document damaged.]

12 Mai 1905 At 1 pm, Fraulein Bloom became conscious but not lucid. Asked repeatedly about Friedrich. Dr Buonomo requested return of leather casing but I refused. Temperature 39.7 deg. Sedated and cooled with ice and water blankets.

At 6 o'clock in evening, patient became delirious and repeatedly asked for Dr Buonomo . He returned to room but after 33 minutes patient became unconscious again.

13 Mai 1905 Visited Fraulein Bloom in morning and found patient conscious and lucid. Patient asked for leather corset so that she could move a little and be comfortable. I listened to thorax and tested vital signs. Temperature reduced. Breathing shallow but irregular. Stronger pulse in lower limbs. Dr Buonomo held patient's hand throughout consultation.

Concluded patient was improved and I agreed fitting of leather corset. Dr Buonomo asked for time alone with patient before refitting of corset. I agreed and returned one hour later. Patient dressed in conventional corset, designed to fit her extreme figure. Enquired of Dr Buonomo. He has provided new corset at his own expense.

Visited in evening. Fraulein Bloom greatly improved. She requested food and drink. Dr Buonomo in attendance and he offered to help her with feeding.

Meeting late evening with Professor Dr Giessel. He reported sudden and considerable improvement in patient's mental state during past week. Commented that Dr Buonomo was constantly in patient's conversation. He asked that I should interview Dr Buonomo to discover if a relationship has developed.

16 Mai 1905 12:00 attended Fraulein Bloom. Dr Buonomo also in attendance. Continuing improvement. Asked Dr Buonomo to take vital and corpus measurements.

Measurements as follows:

Height 157 cm [5ft 2in]

Head circumference 51 cm [20 in]

Maximum rib (see below) 72 cm [28.5 in]

Maximum hips 85 cm [33.5 in]

Waist (see below) 35.5 cm[14 in]

Wrist 14.4 cm[5.7 in]

Ankle 17 cm [6.7 in]

Weight 29.6 kg [65.2 lbs]

Fraulein Bloom is still very frail but is no longer in danger. She is gaining weight at 1.5 kg per week Dr Buonomo requested private interview at 6 o'clock in evening.

6:00 evening. Met with Dr Buonomo. Apparently he is in love with Fraulein Bloom and she with him. He asked to be able to continue with her treatment although it is a breach of professional protocol. I agreed on condition that he told me everything I need to know to continue her treatment. His report attached. [Missing.]

22 Mai 1905 9:00 morning visited Fraulein Bloom. Good recovery. Suggested she leave hospital in few days. She asked to speak to Dr Buonomo and said that she had nowhere to live. Examination showed normal vital signs and acceptable, although low, body weight. Arranged to visit again in evening with Professor Dr Giessel and Dr Buonomo, to decide her future.

She is perfectly lucid and confident about her present condition and her future. She did not inform me of her plans except that she wishes to tight corset in the style given her by Dr Buonomo. He has ordered a dressmaker to visit her on 23 and 27 Mai, at his own expense.

8:00 evening conference with Fraulein Bloom and my colleagues. Comments made:

Professor Dr Giessel: Fraulein Bloom has suffered from an attack of hysteria caused by grief at death of parents and indifference of man named Friedrich. Total recovery after counselling and analysis. The most complete recovery in his experience. Body mutilation expression of self disgust at being unable to influence events and guilt over inability to please parents.

Myself: medical condition almost perfectly normal. Fraulein Bloom should gain 4-7 kg in weight to be certain of continued good health. She still suffers amnesia over events before coming to the hospital. Also has become mysterious about her family and acquaintances. She may leave the hospital and should make arrangements for residence and finances, if possible. She offered no ideas or commitments to her own future.

Dr Buonomo: Fraulein Bloom was aware of comments. He had met the man Friedrich after two weeks searching. He is a scoundrel. Fraulein Bloom's mother had promised him the family wealth on their marriage. Friedrich had discovered that the Bloom family was poor. He had been sure that Fraulein Bloom would easily find another admirer. He had told her mother this and her sister but now knew that they had not passed on his words to Fraulein Bloom. Dr Buonomo stated that he and Fraulein Bloom are planning to be married. Arrangements have been made for her residence with his mother.

26 Mai 1905 10:00 morning. Fraulein Bloom discharged into care of Signora Buonomo.

Final medical inspection:

Height 157 cm [5ft 2in]

Head circumference 51 cm [20 in]

Maximum rib 74 cm [29 in]

Maximum hips 89 cm [35in]

Waist 37.5 cm[15 in]

Wrist 15cm [5.9 in]

Ankle 17 cm [6.7 in]

Weight 38.2 kg [84.2 lbs]

Report of Professor Dr Hans Giessel, Director of Mental Pathology

Patient: Fraulein Marietta Bloom (not verified)

Date of birth: 22 Marz 1883 (not verified)

Clinical indications: anorexia, voluntary mutilation of torso, mental confusion.

First consultation at Fridschoff Clinic 30 April 1905

Q Fraulein Bloom, why are you in hospital?

A I was with Friedrich but then I fell in the street and was unconscious.

Q What caused you to fall?

A Friedrich walked away from me. I was weak and cold. I had not eaten for some days.

Q Who is Friedrich?

A He is my fiancé. He walked away from me.

Q Do you know where Friedrich is now?

A He is with her - he is with Madelena.

Q Who is Madelena?

A His wife - his wife -....repeated many times. Patient became incoherent at this stage and I terminated the consultation.

Second visit to Fridschoff Clinic 2 Mai 1905

Q Please tell me why your waist is so small.

A Friedrich asked me to do it.

Q When was that?

A When I was 16, Friedrich asked my mother if I would marry him when I would be 19. My mother said that it would be so but my family had no money for the wedding or for my [Ehe Geld; dowry?]. We were poor in truth but my mother wished for us to appear secure. Friedrich said that he would provide for all the family if my mother would train my figure instead of the [dowry?] and she agreed. My usual corset was replaced by a much tighter style and my waist was laced to 45 cm [about 18 in] from that day.

Q Was that not painful?

A I suffered very much for the first months but then I wished to be smaller for my Friedrich. So I trained my own waist more than my mother would approve but I did it for him.

Q Did Friedrich know that you were doing this to your waist?

A When he visited me, he always held me and kissed me. He loved my waist and he asked me to make it smaller and smaller. He said he would [anbetung; worship?] me for a tiny waist when we were married.

Q And did Friedrich help you, or did you do it by yourself?

A I bought leather belts which were 5 cm wide and these I wore tightly on my waist all night, every night. In the day time, I wore my corset over one of my belts. My corset waist was 45 cm but my belt waist was only 40 cm I think. On my 18th birthday I wore one of my belts and compressed my body to maybe only 38 cm, I did not measure. The pain was very great and I could not eat. I could not sit down or walk for more than few moments. But I was being very excited by my small waist. Friedrich was my slave for the whole day and he was holding my waist all day and speaking love to me. My pain was nothing for me but to enjoy being with him.

Q Do you think that Friedrich knew about your pain for him?

A I do not know. In the evening, he drove me to his apartment and made love to me in my leather belt. Then he laced me into my corset and took me home. I wished to be his wife more than anything in the world. He made me so excited and I learned very much about married love and pleasure. I knew that we should not be so intimate because I may become pregnant and I was young. My young age and my body excited him very much. In the night at home I was making my waist always smaller so that my skin had no pain. Always I was being excited by my small waist and I could hold my own waist. It gave me the pleasure also, addition to the pain. I cannot explain it to you.

Q That was some years ago. Have you trained your waist for all these years?

A Oh yes. Friedrich got for me new belts which were 8 cm and then 10 cm and later they were broader. Each year I trained my waist in the belts so that I was wearing two and sometimes three belts to make a deep waist. On my 19th birthday I was wearing two belts which were both 6 cm deep and my waist was about 44 cm round. My waist was becoming longer but not so much smaller.

Q Did your mother see what was happening to your waist? Did she not try to stop you?

A My mother did not take any part in my training. Friedrich employed a maid for me each morning and evening. She came to bathe me and to tighten my belts. Sometimes Friedrich himself came to tighten my belts.

On the day after my 19th birthday, Friedrich gave me a new belt which was 15 cm deep and he said it was 33 cm round. It was very hard and had three buckles. He undressed me and placed it on me. But I could not bear the extra length and tightness. I wished to be very small but I fainted. Then I asked him to stop tightening my waist. He was very angry and asked me if I really wished to be married to him. I cried and the pain was very great again in my body. He took away the new belt and put on me the old ones. He fastened the buckles and then he walked away from me. He did not come to my mother's house again. He told my mother that I had refused to accept him and that he was free of our agreement.

Q Did your mother ask about the situation and try to help you to remove your belt?

A No. She was very angry and said that I must go to live with Gilda, who is my father's daughter from his first wife.

Q Is that how you came to Wien?

A Yes I came here after about 6 months. During those months, my waist was corseted every day but I had loosened the laces. I did not wear my leather belts in those months because Friedrich did not want me or my waist. I was very unhappy and my mother was angry with me all the time because I had lost the wealth of Friedrich. I came to Wien and lived with Gilda. I did not do any work and she was not good to me. Her husband was angry that I might have been rich with Friedrich but I was poor with them.

Q So how did you come to be so sick or so tiny in your waist?

A At Gilda's house I would walk out in the town for most of the days. It was not happy to be in the house. After one year in Wien, I saw a wedding and I walked to see the procession. It was Friedrich being married to Madelena. They were all laughing together and were very happy. Friedrich saw me and walked to me. He held me and kissed my cheek. "I hope you are well," he said, "you are quite tubby now, aren't you? Isn't my Madelena beautiful? Her waist is so small. She has the [am engsten; narrowest?] waist in Wien." I felt like ice in my heart. I held my waist and it seemed small to me inside my normal corset. He and Madelena drove off in their carriage and I stood crying in the roadway. I knew then that I could win back my Friedrich by making my waist so very small.

Q Did you try to go back to your mother, when Friedrich was married? She may have understood better.

A No. Only a few weeks after this, my mother died with fever and I knew that I must be happy with Friedrich and make him happy to keep me for all my life.

Q Is that why you started to reduce your waist again?

A Yes. From that day I have worn my belts. In just a few weeks - maybe two months - I could fasten the deep belt which broke us apart. I looked for him to show him what I could [erreichen Sie; achieve?] in my waist. I could not find him. I did not eat anything at all, really. I could only drink. I walked around the streets every day to find Friedrich and once I did see him but only at a great distance. I loved him and I wanted for him to see my tiny waist. I was then 33 cm round my waist and 15 cm in the length of my waist. I felt wonderful and very feminine and excited all the time.

Q Do you think that you still do it for Friedrich or do you like to do it for yourself?

A I do not know any more. When I was about 20 - about 2 years ago - I started to tighten my belts further. I have worn sometimes all my belts on top of each other. Sometimes I have worn six belts and made my waist very tiny and very long. It is very exciting for me and I feel like a woman to be so small, and to touch myself. I am very tired now.