Answer.—At the age before full sexual maturity, that is, up to 22–25 years, sexual continence is not only not harmful, but even advisable and extremely effective in keeping up the physical and mental freshness and full vigor of a growing body. After full sexual maturity is reached, a regular sexual life thru marriage is desirable, but even at this age sexual continence can be kept up for many months without the slightest harm to the individual whatsoever, provided he keeps away from unnecessary stimulating and exciting influences.
Question 2.—Are the pimples on the face of young men an indication of the necessity of sexual intercourse?
Answer.—Not at all. The pimples on the face of young people is a harmless skin disease known under the name of Acne, and is due to the surplus of fat secreted by the young skin, but it has nothing to do with the sexual function. It is just as much and to an equal degree spread among people indulging in sexual intercourse as among those who are continent. Acne is often a result of eating too much sweets and other heavy food. It is treated by regulation of the diet and local applications.
Question 3.—How often can a wet dream occur without being injurious to health?
Answer.—There is no definite dividing line and exact time limit between normal and abnormal wet dreams. In sexual life, individual differences vary more than in any other function of the human body. Some men get wet dreams once in 1–2–3 months; some once in 2–3 weeks. The figures are immaterial. The only safe rule to measure injuriousness of a wet dream is by its effect on the general health and spirit. If a man, after a night emission, feels just as fresh and strong or even better than before it, it is normal; if not, it is abnormal.
Question 4.—What may the habit of masturbation lead to?
Answer.—In a young child (the younger the more disastrous the results), persistent masturbation can lead to perfect physical and nervous exhaustion, and even serious organic diseases. In older boys and men, it affects mainly the nervous system and mentality.
Question 5.—Is every discharge from the urethral canal a sign of venereal disease?
Answer.—Not necessarily. It depends on the character and quality of the discharge. A white, yellow, or greenish thick discharge—pus—is always an indication of a venereal, or at least a genito-urinary disease (bladder, kidney, etc.), but a clean, watery, or slimy like white of an egg discharge may occur in perfect health as a result of sexual excitement, or it may remain as a harmless temporary phenomenon, due to overtreatment of the urethral canal in any venereal disease. The exact condition, of course, can be recognized only by a physician after a careful examination.
Question 6.—What can Gonorrhea lead to if not treated?