Farther: All authors who have written on the diseases of warm climates, have mentioned the too frequent repetition of the act of venery among the causes of these typhus affections, which have been termed febris ardens, causus, yellow fever, &c. In temperate climates, adynamic ataxic fevers, &c., and very severe acute diseases, have often been known to occur from excesses in venery, or from masturbation.
If satyriasis and nymphomania have been regarded as rare diseases, it is only because the meaning of these terms has been too confined to embrace numerous cases which, however, have the greatest analogy with those diseases to which these terms are applied. Generally, these persons are considered as affected with satyriasis and nymphomania, who are irresistibly impelled to coition, and resort, to satisfy their desires, to the most indecent actions, and to the most direct provocations. Thus defined, these diseases are rare; and most practitioners have never seen them. But if satyriasis and nymphomania be regarded as an unusual state of heat, by which one is led to desire and to practise not only coition, but the act of venery in any mode, then the scene enlarges, and these affections deserve to be placed among those which are observed most frequently.
We shall adopt the latter sense. In our view, male and female onanists are affected with satyriasis and nymphomania, as much as those to whom these terms are generally applied. In both, the sense of venery, existing to an unusual extent, affects the mind, and incites to dangerous actions, repugnant both to modesty and reason. Onanists do not, like other persons affected with satyriasis, expose their persons, and solicit with voice and gesture those of the other sex: their deranged and delirious imaginations pursue another course. What need have they of the other sex? Their inclinations lead them to solitary indulgence. Their thoughts and actions, however, are not less vile than those of others affected with satyriasis; but they are indulged in secret. Hence, between the satyriasis of books and that of onanists, there is only a difference of form: the foundation is the same. Admit, however, that it be desirable to distinguish this satyriasis from the former, and to give it a special name; is it not better to consider them only as two varieties of the same affection, one of which impels to onanism, the other to coition?
The degree of onanistic satyriasis and of nymphomania depends on the power the venereal sense has over the will. These affections do not exist in those with whom it is optional whether they shall indulge in onanism or not, nor in those who can refrain from coition. Thus, then, a person may masturbate, without being affected with satyriasis. This is the case, when the sentiment of self-preservation is sufficiently strong to resist desires, when the persons yield readily to reprimands and punishments. Satyriasis may be considered as existing to some extent in the onanist, if he cannot refrain. This was the case with a young man, whose history is given by Begin and Fournier. From early puberty, he was addicted to masturbation; and when eighteen years old, he presented some of the bad effects of this habit. This young man was endowed with a brilliant mind: but, although well educated, and although he well knew the dangers of his habit, yet he could not refrain. His good resolutions were formed only to be broken. He died.
In a young woman whom we attended, the struggle with her passions terminated more favorably. It was not the desire of preserving her life, which induced her to leave off her bad habits; but the wish of conforming to the will of her father. Her constitution was already considerably affected, when the cause of it was discovered. The father of this young girl told her how much pain and shame her bad habit caused him, and requested her to abstain from it. She was extremely mild and docile, and made every effort to please and obey him. It was in vain: but whenever she was inclined to masturbate, the fault was confessed as soon as committed. Coercive measures were finally resolved upon. The patient not only consented to have her hands tied every night, but requested it, and even stated the manner in which she might be most effectually prevented from abusing herself. The venereal sense gradually became subdued, and confined within the proper limits. And thus, this habit—or, rather, the nymphomania, which was the result, and also the cause of it—was cured.
Satyriasis and nymphomania, arising from onanism, are most intense, when the persons affected with it can no longer conceal their feelings, but indulge openly in vile manœuvres. We have already mentioned some remarkable instances of this state. The following may serve as the type of the greatest degree of nymphomania. The patient was a little girl less than three years old, who indulged freely in onanism. Neither caresses, entreaties, threats, nor punishments, could correct her. The child grew, however. But at the sight of any pleasant object, she abandoned herself to her manœuvres. At the period of the crisis, she seemed almost entirely to have lost her sight and hearing. Threats and punishments finally restrained her, while in the presence of her parents; but when alone, she still continued her bad habits. This state resisted all remedies. When married, the legitimate sources of enjoyment took the place of the passionate indulgences to which she had been accustomed from infancy. She finally became pregnant, and died in labor. (Dict. des Sc. Med.; vol. xxxvi., p. 566.)
Onanism is not only a direct cause of satyriasis and of nymphomania; it may leave in the genital organs a certain disposition, which, if cherished, may degenerate into one of these affections. The following case, published by Duprest-Rony, seems to us to be an instance of this:—
A young man, twenty years old, of a strong and almost athletic frame, but who had been enfeebled by onanism, abandoned himself, from the age of fifteen to eighteen years, to this destructive habit. He indulged in this habit even while in the bath, and sometimes to the extent of fifteen times in a day. His constitution was enfeebled; his mind was affected; his memory impaired. In accordance with the advice of some prudent people, this young man renounced this fatal habit. During the next two years, he was perfectly continent. His constitution resumed its vigor; his memory and other mental faculties were restored. His parents now placed him with a merchant. He entered upon his new occupations with zeal and activity; but receiving marks of attachment from the merchant and his wife daily, he imagined that she was in love with him. On his side, the passion was returned. Actuated by the fear of violating the duties of gratitude, and the desire of possessing this lady, who was neither young nor pretty, his situation daily became more embarrassing. Whenever she looked at him, erections took place, and there was a discharge of semen. During the night, he had frequent pollutions. His faculties now became deranged: this derangement supervened after reading the Phedra of Racine. He identified himself so closely with the characters of this piece, that he supposed himself to be Hippolyte, and considered his mistress to be Phedra, and her husband as Theseus. More amorous than Hippolyte, and no less virtuous, he threw himself one day at the feet of Theseus, and said, “Theseus! the crime is not yet consummated—your wife is not yet guilty. I have hitherto resisted her prayers—her tears: but I am no longer master of myself; and if she is not removed from my presence, I must yield.” Great was the astonishment of the supposed Theseus. He resolved to send the young man away. This cured the delirium: but the erections and seminal emissions continued. The stomach and intestinal tube became inert. The patient’s appetite was good; but as soon as he ate food, pains occurred in the epigastric region, and uneasiness in the rest of the body. The disease finally yielded to the combined use of antispasmodics and tonics. And now, this young man, who has been married for five or six years, enjoys fine health. (Diss. sur le Satyriasis. Paris, an xii.)
Instead of the disposition just mentioned, masturbation may leave in the genital organs an irritability of a different kind, the results of which are not less disagreeable. A case of this presented itself in a young female, whom we attended. While at board, she indulged freely in onanism. She was married when seventeen years old; and then expected legally to enjoy what had seemed to her the extreme of pleasure. She was disappointed, however: marriage was only the source of uneasiness and pain. She was perfectly insensible to the caresses of her husband—or, rather, in submitting to them, she experienced the most disagreeable sensations. A painful state of spasms and convulsions then affected her, which continued several hours after the cause had ceased to act. We were called to her several times at night, to relieve this state, which caused great anxiety. This lady’s susceptibility, also, was very great; and she constantly complained of some of the attendants of hysteria. She presented every appearance of a lymphatic temperament. During her youth, too, she had been affected with symptoms of scrofula, from which even now she is not entirely free, although twenty-two years old. Do not these circumstances, not generally coexistent with extreme sensibility, prove, that the extreme irritability of the uterine system is to be ascribed to her self-abuse?
Priapism, which signifies permanent erection of the penis, without pleasure, and even in some cases with pain, sometimes follows indiscretions. This has been seen particularly in young children, whose genital organs have been excited: sometimes, too, it occurs in old men. Cœlius Aurelian, (lib. iii., ch. 18,) relates, that an old man was affected with priapism for several months. The erection was firm, like a horn, but not very painful. Finally, it yielded.