RESULTS OF SEXUAL ABUSES.
It was not our intention in this work to speak of Onanism and Masturbation. These unnatural practices are so generally known to be destructive to the sexual powers, and of health, that young people scarcely need advice on the subject. But it may be interesting to know the results of such practices, and of the abuse of the sexual organs by over indulgence. Some constitutions experience a sort of consumption which arises from the dorsal portion of the spinal marrow. No fever accompanies it, the appetite continues good, but the patient gradually wastes away. Women thus affected describe a crawling sensation down the spine. Men lose their seminal fluid in their urine, having a ringing in the ears, a weakness of vision, near-sightedness, and their intellectual capacities are weakened and confused. In short, the whole nervous system is generally prostrated. Excess of venery is likewise the first exciting cause of many painful diseases, such as rheumatism, neuralgia, epilepsy, convulsions, &c. Young married people are apt to indulge too much in sexual intercourse, and many a man lives a life of misery from ill health originated in this manner. Women are not affected so much by over indulgence as by Masturbation. Delicacy not allowing an ardent woman to tell her husband of her needs, she is apt to relieve herself by this unnatural practice. There are, however, but few women who crave sexual intercourse. The excess is generally on the part of the man. Moderation in sexual pleasures is the key to health in a great many cases where the patient is hopelessly lamenting his sad fate. Sometimes a man will indulge to excess without experiencing much inconvenience, when suddenly a fit of palsy or epilepsy prostrates him, and leaves him a hopeless invalid for life. I remember an interesting case in point. A man of robust health and strong sexual powers, married at the age of nineteen. From that time until the age of forty-five, he lived temperately, was regular in his habits, and never knew a day of sickness. He had always the reputation of being fond of a variety of women—indeed, this seemed to be the one passion of his life, for he dissipated a handsome property in settling crim. con. suits, and paying for bastard children. As he advanced in years his passion seemed to increase, and it was said that he supported five different mistresses at the time of the occurrence of the event I am now about to relate. One day when he was writing a letter, he felt a peculiar twitching of the forefinger with which he held his pen. This twitching sensation increased so much that he called on me for advice. I replied, “Let the women alone, for that is a symptom of palsy.” Within two days thereafter he was struck down and lost the use of his hands, his right arm, and partially of his right side. Ten years have passed, and this man, who had previously enjoyed excellent health, is still as helpless as on the first day of his misfortune. He has consulted distinguished physicians—American, French and German—but there is no help for him. All agree that relief is impossible, but that he may live for many years an imbecile, palsied man.
To sum up: If you wish to maintain your intellectual faculties intact—to enjoy good health—to be cheerful in the decline of life—to keep your strength, your imagination, your memory, and your eye-sight unimpaired, refrain from too frequent intercourse with women. Once a week is quite often enough for this indulgence, and more than twice a week is positively hurtful. Some men may sneer at this advice, perhaps; but to such we say, look back upon your life. Are you as perfect, both physically and intellectually, as you would have been had you curbed your sexual desires?
POSITION DURING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.
There is one phase of sexual matters that physiological writers seldom allude to, but which should be understood by married people, viz.: the position of their bodies during the nuptial act. Any unnatural performance of this act is apt to impair the health of the female, and many women have been seriously injured and rendered miserable for life by the beastliness of their husbands in this respect. Unnatural positions will cause derangements and bearing down of the womb, produce fluor albus, or whites, and sometimes will originate tumors and fungi in the private parts. A woman of delicate mould and constitution might be fatally injured in this manner; and no female, however robust, can enjoy sexual intercourse except in the position intended by Nature. For a full and perfect enjoyment of sexual pleasures, there must be first a mutual fondness or sentimental feeling, called love. Where this does not exist, the married pair should, in their associations, endeavor to be in as good humor as possible, and to tolerate each other’s caresses with the hope that love may grow between them. Marriages have occurred where the bride felt an antipathy almost amounting to disgust towards the embraces of her husband, but afterwards, on a close intimacy and free acquaintance, became not only reconciled, but really fond of him. Delicacy and watchfulness on the part of the husband will often enable him to make himself agreeable to a woman who at first has no sympathy with him whatever. From the peculiar organization of females, there are times when a husband’s caresses may be unpleasant and irksome even to a loving wife: if he is reasonable and consciencious, he will not fail to observe this, and will abstain from intruding on her privicy on such occasions.
A man who will force his caresses upon his wife can be ranked only with “the brutes that perish.” Of this class also are those who “go in unto their wives” after the manner of brutes. The natural position to which we have alluded suggests itself to every married pair who possess the most remote particle of love for each other. But to make it unmistakable, we would say, that the female should lie upon her back, with her legs straight down—or if the legs are raised, they should be but slightly elevated. All other positions are unnatural and unhealthy. I could illustrate this fact by several cases in point, but the details are too disgusting. Suffice it then to say, that I have known females suffering from painful diseases caused by sexual connection in a standing position—in a position where their partners approached them from behind, and also in one case where the woman was forced or persuaded to lie on her back with her knees up against her chest. No female can desire such intercourse as this, because she cannot enjoy it. It is therefore the libidinous antics of her companion that compels her to it. Very few men of decent breeding require the caution I have here given, but if there be half-a-dozen who profit by it, I shall be compensated for thus alluding to a delicate subject.