In 1976, Nicolas Meyer wrote the story "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" to show the harmony and disparity between the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and genius psychologist Sigmund Freud in both personal and professional fields.
In the personal field, there are many similarities that connect Holmes and Freud. First of all, both of them are addicted to tobacco. Holmes always appears with a tobacco pipe on his mouth while Freud died of mouth cancer because of smoking many cigars. As what Holmes told Watson in "The Adventure of the Devil's Foot," audiences could tell how addicted Holmes is into smoking. "I think, Watson, that I shall resume that course of tobacco-poisoning which you have so often and so justly condemned." In the research about Sigmund Freud of Aimee Husman, "Freud, throughout his entire life, took a liking to smoking cigars which led to him being diagnosed with mouth and jaw cancer in 1923." Both Holmes and Freud are described as persons of cleanliness and tidiness. Holmes keeps his personal belongings in their places, such as his tobaccos are always "in the toe end of your Persian slipper," according to Dr. Watson, Holmes's best friend. Although Freud has a lot of books and research materials in his room, as what Holmes describes, "Now when a man is interested in religion, and possesses a well-stocked library, he generally keeps all books on such a subject in one place." Both Holmes and Freud are alone because they do not want to share their private lives with anyone, except their beloved one. Only Dr. Watson knows about Holmes's habits while Freud does not have anyone with whom to share his enjoyment and sufferance. According to Watson, "It was worth a wound; it was worth many wounds; to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking.