Wasting Away of the Testicles. Masturbation not only occasions loss of semen, but frequently the testicles and other generative organs waste and become reduced in size as a result of the abuse. Fig. 1 shows the testicle in a healthy condition, while Fig. 2 represents one much reduced, as a result of self-abuse.
The celebrated Dr. Drewery, of London, speaking of the reason why masturbation is so extremely injurious in its effects upon both body and mind, says:
"This is a question which I have often been asked by patients, and it is one which is rather difficult to explain to any one not acquainted with the phenomena of reflex nervous action.
"Perhaps the simplest mode of putting it is to say that the effects produced by the excitement of the parts are not the direct result of the stimulation, but that the excitement of the extremities of the nerves is conveyed through them to the spinal cord and brain, and that the emission which occurs, when sufficient stimulus has been applied, is the result of nervous force reacting upon the parts from the spinal cord back again. This action is termed reflex, and is similar to that of vomiting, which is only produced through the medium of the great nervous centres; so that if the nervous communication between the stomach and spinal cord and brain is cut off, nothing in the stomach could possibly cause vomiting, whereas if the communication remains intact, this action can be immediately produced by irritation of nerves far away from the stomach, viz., by tickling the fauces, as every drunkard is well aware who has ever put his finger down his throat for the purpose of emptying his stomach of the contents which are poisoning him, but which without the additional stimulus he is unable to expel. It will be seen, therefore, from this that the act of emission is only produced through the agency of the spinal cord, and not by any direct nervous action between the parts which are stimulated, and those which are concerned in the emission.
"The brain is also concerned to the fullest extent in the production of these phenomena, as are all the senses of the body; this is proved by the fact that emissions occur during sleep, without any excitement beyond the engorgement of the parts with blood, produced by the cerebellar congestion of the brain, usually found to follow lying upon the back during sleep. This, however, is unnatural and unhealthy, and is usually the result, as before pointed out, of masturbation. But these two important points must be remembered—that emission may be produced by friction merely as a purely spinal reflex action, and it may be caused by the action of the brain without any friction whatever. Both these results are unhealthy and injurious. A true natural and healthy act of sexual intercourse demands the excitement of brain, spinal cord, and every nerve in the body simultaneously, and resembles the lightning flash which restores the equilibrium of electric force disturbed during a thunderstorm.
"It is useless to endeavor to describe the marvelous actions of nervous force, but from what has been said it is not difficult to comprehend that if a convulsive action is produced in any part of the body by the sole excitement of the spinal cord, when it is necessary for its healthy and natural production that the brain and senses generally should be equally excited, the balance of nerve power is destroyed, which fact alone is proved by the effects upon the nervous system always following masturbation, which is the irritation of the spinal cord without the assistance of the brain."
Various Complications are likely to arise in the progress of this malady.
Stricture of the Urethra, or water passage, is a very common complication and, even when quite slight, generally interferes very seriously with the cure of the spermatorrhea when overlooked by the attending physician, as is very commonly done, especially when the constriction of the water passage is only slight. Very often it occurs in our practice that on examining a case of this disease that has been the rounds of the doctors, we find a stricture, which had been entirely overlooked by other practitioners, being so slight as not to occasion serious obstruction to the flow of urine but yet sufficient to interfere very much with the cure of the spermatorrhea. The size of the urethra, or water passage, should bear an exact and proportionate relation to that of the penis, and when from any cause the urethra is contracted below this normal size, it should receive attention, as otherwise the stricture is likely to increase and the passage becomes so constricted as to produce serious disease of the bladder, and not fail to perpetuate spermatorrhea, when this disease exists.