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The penis, b, at its under surface, was adherent, from birth, to the scrotum c, consequently, when erection ensued, it presented the form of a half circle; the urine escaped near the root of the penis, a. The penis itself was impervious, but sensible to the amative passion. The gentleman submitted to a division of the fold which united the penis with the scrotum, which former, on being thus released, assumed its proper position; sexual congress was thereby attainable, and during erection the orifice of the urethra was drawn sufficiently up to allow of the ejection of the semen into the vagina. Of the ultimate result I have yet to hear.
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It may appear almost incredible, that the sketch here presented can be a true one of the penis and testicles of a young man upward of 19 years of age. No less was it a source of wonderment to myself than it may afford a doubt to others. I carefully examined the individual, and saw him urinate; the stream was certainly small, but surprisingly large for so minute an organization. He was quite unconscious of amative feeling; the testicles were distinctly perceptible by the finger, but they certainly were not larger than cherry kernels. The young man, in other respects, preserved the male attributes; he had a slight beard, and his voice, though not powerful, was by no means effeminate. I had several interviews with him, and then lost sight of him.
I have elsewhere portrayed a relaxed state of the testicle, called varicocele: the accompanying draught exhibits the same in an aggravated form. The patient possessed but little amative power, and had also a thickened condition of the prepuce, which produced a perfect phymosis. The case, however, under treatment became considerably relieved. The phymosis required a division of the prepuce, an operation productive but of little and momentary pain, or rather twinge, and healed in a few days. Children are sometimes not procreated for want of sufficient erectile and consequently penetrative power of the male organ. Much and often needless misery results from this infirmity.
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The loss of erectile power is occasioned through more causes than one. Erection ensues independently of the will or imagination, as instanced on awaking in the morning—the cause is most probably a distended bladder; the phenomena may be a sympathetic irritability of the muscles of the perinœum, especially the erectores; there is a general pelvic disturbance, the nervous excitement is increased, and the rush of blood (obedient to that excitement) is sent to the penis: such, I believe, is the sympathy between all these structures. The will exercises the same, and the results of the imagination do not materially differ; consequently, where the mind fails in producing these effects, local excitants may be found to supply its office hence the usefulness of art in combating the eccentricities of nature. The mere handling of the testicles kindles desire, and in like manner, stimulatives applied over the scrotum generate amative heat.