We may believe, from the enervating action of masturbation, that the development of scrofula may be excited or favored in those young patients who are addicted to it. Few proofs of this, however, are found in authors; and it is rare to find records of scrofulous symptoms in the histories of those onanists which have been published. It, however, would be absurd to conclude, from this silence, that the coincidence of these symptoms and the ordinary effects of onanism never occur, or that this habit cannot call into action a disposition to disease. But we must admit, that if masturbation be an active cause of this disease, this fact would have been noted more frequently.
Further: Certain circumstances seem to indicate, that onanism must be but little favorable to the development of scrofula. First, onanism renders the limbs thinner, dries them, then deprives them of those white fluids with which the flesh of scrofulous persons is generally infiltrated. Next, since in these latter the sensibility is as it were blunted, and the susceptibility is slight, onanism tends to excite them. Besides, one of the most common effects of the action of the genital organs, at puberty, is the disappearance of scrofulous engorgements and other symptoms, if they exist. Sometimes, the normal development of the genital apparatus excites in those who have arrived at puberty the swelling of the lymphatic ganglions of the neck, axillæ, and particularly of the groins: but in this case, these ganglions are painful, and present a kind of inflammatory state, analogous to that which is attempted to be produced when they are affected with scrofulous engorgements. Cabanis has well described what then takes place:—“From the time,” says he, “that the evolution of the genital organs commences, there is a general motion in the whole lymphatic apparatus; the glands of the groins, the mammæ, those of the axillæ, and neck, swell: they often become painful. It is not only in girls that the mammæ swell; in young men, I have frequently seen them form tumors, which seemed inflammatory: they have often been considered as such by ignorant quacks. This symptom generally causes uneasiness in those who experience it: but this depends not so much on the pain, (which sometimes impedes the free motions of the body,) as on the influence of this new action—the commotion caused in the imagination by the new system.” This state of the lymphatic system would be, as is seen, rather antithetic, than analogous to what is seen in scrofulous patients. Farther: we have only to compare the eunuch with him who has vigorously passed through puberty, to see that the action of the genital organs is not adapted to favor the development of this affection.
The act of venery often causes, also, ganglionary swellings; but they do not resemble scrofulous engorgements, more than those which arise from the influence of puberty. “The first essay of venereal pleasures,” says Cabanis, “is often necessary to complete the development of the genital organs: thus, the general swelling of all the parts where the glands are situated, especially of the bosom, of the anterior face of the neck, is often the consequence of this great commotion. The characters which manifest this swelling are much more remarkable in females; hence, perhaps, the old physicians, and even some moderns, have stated the sudden swelling of the neck in young girls as a sign of defloration. But it is wrong to consider this as a general and certain sign: it is certainly not one.” If the act of venery can produce such an excitement in the lymphatic system, it ought to be still more manifest when a part of this system is already inflamed. This is confirmed by a fact stated by Lordat, in the bulletin of the scientific society of Montpelier. It relates to a young woman, in whom the jugular glands being swelled, a few days after her marriage, increased or diminished in size, according as she yielded to her husband’s embraces or not. Thus, then, if we consider the genital organs, either during the acute period of their development, or when the act of venery is indulged in, we see that they extend their action to the lymphatic apparatus, as they do to the other systems; but in a manner which seems the reverse of that reputed to favor the production of scrofula.
Symptoms, however, analogous to those caused by scrofula, have been known to occur where there is evidence of venereal abuses. Two cases, which we have already quoted from M. Dalandeterie, are instances of this. The first relates to a young man, twenty-four years old, whose health, before he was addicted to masturbation, had been good; and whose parents, so far as could be ascertained, had never been diseased with scrofula, and had never presented any disposition to the disease. First, he was affected with numbness in the little finger of the right hand, and the ring-finger of the left hand; the articulations swelled, and formed in these parts tumors, which were regarded as scrofulous, and which were soon followed by ulceration and caries. The patient experienced no pain; and only felt an intolerable itching. The lymphatic ganglions of the groin and axillæ were permanently swelled; and the bodies of several vertebræ became, as we have seen, affected with caries.
The other patient, who was forty-five years old, presented an advanced case of myelitis, and caries of the vertebræ, when there formed, at the lower part of the sternum, a hard and indolent tumor, which soon became apparently a scrofulous ulcer. The pus from this ulcer was ichorous, and the edges were of a violet red, swelled and hard; and the soft parts adhered to the subjacent bones. The lymphatic ganglions of the neck swelled for some time, but they then returned to their natural state. M. Dalandeterie adds, that these two cases have been selected from many other similar or analogous facts: hence, he considers caries of the vertebræ as having then been the consequence of a scrofulous principle, which was developed by onanism.
If, however, we carefully analyze these facts, we shall find that they do not indicate a scrofulous disease, the development of which was but slightly favored by the age of the patients, as a tubercular affection—that is, a disease which might be developed at every period of life. We think that tubercles were developed, in the phalanges, in the first case; and in the sternum, in the second; that these tubercles softened, and suppurated; and thus were formed the apparent scrofulous ulcers presented by these individuals. Probably, a similar circumstance occurs in the vertebræ, the bodies of which are destroyed; for distinguished observers, especially Delpech, have regarded Pott’s disease as a tubercular affection of the body of these bones. The cases of Dalandeterie would prove only that onanism favors the development of tubercles. Unfortunately, they are not the only cases, as we shall see, which establish this fact.
Consumption, or phthisis tubercularis, is, in fact, one of the diseases caused most frequently by onanism. The act of venery—that power which has so much influence on the internal life of the tissues, and on the respiratory organs, and which, to use Rullier’s expression, seems to agitate the lungs—is commenced in most onanists exactly at that age when the chest enlarges in every direction, and which phthisis seems to prefer. “How many young persons,” says Portal, in his work on phthisis pulmonalis, “have been victims to their unhappy passion? Physicians find those every day, who remain imbecile, or who are so enervated, physically and morally, that they barely drag along a miserable existence: others die with marasmus; and many with phthisis pulmonalis.” In another work, the same author relates the case of a young person, seventeen years old, who was addicted to masturbation, and who fell a victim to this disease. This young person, who had became much deformed, was affected with raising of blood, and soon died of phthisis. “It results from numerous well ascertained facts,” say Fournier and Begin, “that those persons who indulge in onanism are generally remarkable for the imperfect development of their thorax, and for the promptitude with which the least exercise renders respiration difficult and hurried. Almost all these individuals contract chronic catarrhs, or more serious affections of the pulmonary organs; and finally perish, in a complete state of phthisis.” Broussais, also, places among the causes of phthisis pulmonalis, “erotic spasms, no matter in what manner they are excited.”
We have seen this affection, more frequently than any other, resulting from onanism. Among other instances, we would mention that of a young man, who died in 1833. This young man sustained himself so well in public debate, that he was placed, at the expense of government, in a public school. He was then sixteen years old; and his health, which had previously been good, now failed. He became pale, languished, and grew thin; and this, too, although his appetite was keen, and his digestion excellent. Having my suspicions, and having communicated them to the patient, and also to other persons who could enlighten me, we were led to believe, from the answers made to me, that the too rapid growth of the body was the only cause of the state presented by the patient; and his state varied so little from that of health, that the young man assured me that he was very well. I therefore simply directed him to take more exercise, and to be more free in his diet. His loss of flesh, however, and paleness continuing, his parents felt anxious about him. I examined his organs separately: I could find none presenting any marks of disease, or which could explain the general state of the patient. My first suspicions then returned; but on questioning him, the same answers were given. The patient, who had already seen an instance of the bad effects of onanism, in the person of his younger brother, seemed deeply impressed with the danger of his habit. He, however, continued to lose strength. One day, after taking more violent exercise than usual, he fainted away. At the same time, a dry cough supervened, to which the patient at first did not attend. This was the first symptom indicating an affection of any particular organ. This cough soon became more frequent; and, by means of auscultation, we found that the respiration, at the summit of one of the lungs, was imperfect. At this time, the patient avowed to his father his deplorable habit. This had been contracted at school; it had been indulged in for two years; and of late, much more frequently than before. His danger was fully pointed out to him; parents, friends, physicians, all conjured him to abandon this secret vice. Treatises on onanism were placed in his hands; and every attempt was made to arouse in him the feeling of self-preservation. He was terrified; but the power of the habit was so great, that he did not leave it off till consumption had progressed very far. Deep abscesses successively formed in his lungs; the expectoration soon became purulent and excessive. Night sweats and diarrhœa followed; and the patient died in a terrible state of marasmus and exhaustion.
In 1829, we prescribed for a young man, whose career was much more rapid. He had always enjoyed excellent health; and his parents exhibited no marks of consumption. Having married a very pretty widow, he indulged himself with her very freely at night, while during the day both were assiduously engaged. The female was seven or eight years older than her husband, and did not suffer much. He, however, soon became affected with cough, attended with bloody expectoration. When consulted, we informed the patient of his danger, unless he changed his mode of living. Our advice was not followed; and shortly after, hemorrhage from the lungs supervened so abundantly and obstinately, that notwithstanding the most active treatment, he died in eight days.
The young man, too, mentioned by Tissot, was also doubtless affected with phthisis. “He came to Montpelier to pursue his studies; but was affected with phthisis, from excessive onanism: and I remember that his cough was so hard and constant, that all those who were near him were incommoded by it. He was frequently bled; doubtless, with a view to his relief. On consultation, he was ordered to go home, and take turtle soup; and two hours after, he died.”