A sad old age.—The indiscretions of youth and the excess of middle life place many old men where they are physically helpless, great sufferers, make no mental progress and often but little moral progress in old age.
A chance to conserve energy.—It should not be understood that a decline in sexual desire means the cessation of creative energy, a decline in general health, efficiency or happiness. Nature is giving man a chance to conserve his creative energy, to maintain his health, to increase his efficiency and to perfect his happiness.
Marriage of old men.—There is no reason why an old bachelor or widower should not marry provided they marry a woman near their age. But there are many reasons why he should not marry a gay young girl. He marries her for sensual reasons; she marries him for his money. He would not marry her, if she were near his age; she would not marry him, if he were poor. Such marriages not only violate physical law, but the mental and moral as well. As a rule there is but little love in such a union. For want of physical harmony their differences are not harmonized and their personalities do not blend into oneness.
The rights of his first children.—If he has a family of children they are likely to be older than his young wife. It will be quite impossible for her to be a real mother to the children. Family troubles will most likely follow. He must take the part of his wife and mistreat his children or vice versa.
Children of senile men defective.—If he marries a gay young girl for sensual reasons, he will indulge in the marital relations too frequently. This will lead to great personal injury to himself. Should additional children be born into his home, they would in most every case receive an unfortunate heredity. All authorities are agreed that a very large per cent. of the children born to senile fathers will be precocious of mind, frail of body and a disappointment in after life.
Physical ailments common.—Men who have received a fair heredity, led correct sexual lives, guarded their diet, taken plenty of exercise and sleep, bathed freely, used but little, or no, tea, coffee, tobacco, or liquors, will be free from most all the ailments common to middle life and old age. Gout, vertigo, rheumatism, apoplexy, paralysis and piles are a few of the common physical ailments to be found among men of this age. Any or all these diseases may result from sexual excesses or venereal diseases, still they are often due to other causes. While great sexual moderation, even complete continence, will be helpful in all these diseases, a competent home physician should be consulted.
Paralysis and apoplexy are more likely to come in old age to men who have been excessive than to men who have lived temperate or continent lives. Where one has had syphilis, these diseases are likely to occur at any time in life. If he has not had syphilis, these diseases are not likely to occur until late in life, if at all.
Heart trouble.—Where this exists in middle life the individuals should guard against sudden emotions or over-exercise. Occasionally an old man is found dead in his bed. The explanation given to the public is heart failure or apoplexy. This was the general cause. In many cases, the immediate occasion of the sudden death was the stress and strain of sexual excitement on the heart or the brain. Again, sometimes we read of an old man being found dead in a “scarlet” home. In such cases, we know that while the real cause was apoplexy or heart failure, that the immediate cause was sexual excitement.
Genito-uninary diseases.—Many diseases connected with the urinary and genital organs, due to gonorrhea contracted in youth, may appear in the man of middle life or old age. The disease regarded by the thoughtless youth as a trifle, is now regarded by the old man as serious. Should kidney trouble, gravel in the bladder, inflammation or enlargement of the prostate gland occur, a competent resident physician should be consulted.
Final word.—To the young man this chapter is a faithful flagman; to the man of middle age it demands an arrest of thought, serious reflection and a manly continence; to the old worn-out roué, engulfed in the maelstrom of lust, a last “life-line” is thrown; to the well-preserved old man it will inspire a pleasant reminiscence of a pure youth, a temperate manhood, a conservative of energy in middle life, and it will add a deep sense of gratitude to the many joys of a glorious old age.