IMPOTENT OLD MEN—the sexual decay of advancing age.
We have thus far given briefly the most common causes of Seminal Disease. There are a few that we have not mentioned: Blows on the Head, Loins (Small of the Back), Testicles, &c.; Weakness caused by prolonged illness, fevers, &c.; Malaria, Consumption, &c.; the abuse of Tobacco, Opium, Alcohol and Chloral, &c., &c.; but these are less common and less important. There is one condition, however, that we have only referred to incidentally, and that is the failure of Sexual Power in men past middle age. No man (if he is reasonably careful and does not abuse himself) should find his powers decaying before he is seventy or eighty years of age. Mind, we do not say "no man does," but no man "should," provided he is reasonably careful.
But here comes the fact. Most men are not careful, and most men have abused themselves at some period. Many believe and stoutly maintain that they "never had emissions or seminal disease, and it didn’t hurt them." But it did, and it is just now that they begin to feel it. It is true they escaped the more acute and direful effects, but it told on them in after years. There are many thousands to-day who are just now feeling the effects of early vices, now almost forgotten. They can be restored to natural power by proper treatment, but they rarely are, because but few of them believe that early self-abuse or later Onanism has anything to do with it. So they spend a fortune almost—and uselessly too—on Stimulants, Nervines, Tonic and the like, but still remain partly or wholly Impotent. Foolish men!