Impotence of voluptas is found in eunuchs and in castrates,[AX] who have been operated upon before puberty. Such castrates, even if the penis has not been removed, show not only impotentia coeundi, but also complete frigidity. Their habitus and feelings differ entirely from those of normal men. Castrates, who have been operated upon later in life, retain the habitus of normal men and also the impulse of contrectation. The potency of immission is even greatly enhanced, at least for the first few years after the operation. In normal men erection subsides immediately after the ejaculation. In eunuchs ejaculation does not take place. Hence the erections may last for hours or even days. In the course of time the potentia coeundi even of these castrates begins also to decrease and later on becomes entirely extinct.
Impotence of voluptas is also found in severe cases of neurasthenia, where the entire nervous system is in a low state of efficiency. The history of the following case may serve to illustrate the symptoms of the neurasthenic impotence of voluptas.
Mr. B., 35 years of age, unmarried, had gonorrhoea several times, never lues. Since puberty until about two years ago he was a typical rounder and had an abundance of femininity at his disposal. He is now suffering from general debility and shows all the symptoms of severe neurasthenia, as headaches, pains in the back and abdomen, dyspepsia, constipation, anorexia, insomnia, etc. In addition he has lost all desire for sexual gratification. While in the days of unimpaired vigor his sensual activities were of great frequency, several initus almost every day, at present the necessity for concarnatio is entirely lacking. When he does associate cum muliere, erection and ejaculation are perfectly normal, but the sense of libido is greatly diminished. Sese injungit nowadays only once every three to four months, out of curiosity to try his potency, but not because he feels any necessity for the same.
The case is thus one of pure male frigidity combined with a certain diminution of libido.
Male frigidity or impotence of voluptas is also found among psychopathics, as low idiots and cretins. These patients lack the understanding of the opposite sex. No mental excitations will, therefore, have any effect upon them.
Sexual perversion is another psychosis connected with impotency of voluptas to the opposite sex.
Impotence of voluptas is also often found in dementia. Sometimes impotence of voluptas is congenital with an individual otherwise normal. The impotence is then analogous to colorblindness. Such cases are exceedingly rare.
Impotence of libido.—Similar to impotence of voluptas is the impotence of libido. Here the desire is powerful, the erections are vigorous, yet ejaculation takes place without the usual accompanied libido. It is analogous to the loss or impairment of the sense of taste. Idiopathic impotence of libido in men is very rare. It is mostly found as a symptom of some other anomaly.
Impotence of libido exists in cases of loss of testicles, as in castrates and eunuchs.
As a rule, impotence of libido is met with in men who have severely over-taxed their brains and hence are less impressionable than when in a normal state of health. The impotency is an indication of an exhausted brain where the centres for experiencing libido reside.